Best espresso in SF

[CheNiPenso]

Despite a perceived obsession with all things foodie in SF, I find some glaring exceptions. Cafe culture stormed the streets in the '90s, and by the turn of the millennium scarcely a street corner was left unadorned with a new coffeehouse (especially in the Mission, where I live). So why is it so damned hard to find a decent espresso?

To disclose my predilections: I'm benchmarking against the real deal in Italy (or possibly Spain; I am partial to the coffee there). I expect a modest amount of hair-raisingly strong, rich and complex brew, with a head of crema that can support a packet's-worth of sugar for a full count of 3 to 6 seconds. I'm more fond of Illy than Lavazza, but heck, any of it beats 99% of American roasts. By contrast to the above points of coffee perfection, what one normally gets is a dilute, flat liquid in quantities sufficient to half-fill a diner coffee cup, bitter and utterly de-crema-fied.

Even some of my coffee haunts (like Cafe deStijl) have lost the barista's touch. For daily dosage, my handy stovetop pot fits the bill -- in fact, my cousin from Rome, during an extended visit to the States, declared that I make the best espresso in America. But it doesn't create crema, and therefore just misses the Nirvana-like state of bliss that true espresso delivers.

So where do YOU get your short shot?

-Sean

[Squeat Mungry]

A few to try:

Cafe Greco uses Illy beans, and makes a quite satisfying espresso, though I personally would rather go to Cafe Puccini.

Cafe Roma also turns out a respectable product.

Any of these places will know what you want if you ask for a "ristretto" (which it sounds like you prefer), "lungo" (though who would want that?), "breve", "macchiato", etc. At Roma I believe you could even get a "corretto' if you wanted. Not sure about the others.

Cheers,

Squeat

Edited to add: all are in North Beach.

And to add: but if you are convinced you make the best espresso in America, and Italy agrees with you, you may still be disappointed.

Edited November 7, 2003 by Squeat Mungry (log)

[melkor]

Caffe Trieste in north beach is where I get espresso in the city.

[nanuq]

We make ours at home, our standard beans are Perugia from Torrefazione, there are a few of them around. If I get a cappucino from them I get it "dry" I find most places add way too much milk. I vote for Cafe Trieste as well. And if you're up north a bit, recently discovered Flying Goat in Healdsburg.

I always check the beans a place is selling. If the espresso beans are in the dark roast section, I don't buy an espresso from them. The Italians use medium roast, and I much prefer that. Took me forever to figure out that most of the espresso here is dark roast.

Look forward to hearing about other places

[mixmaster b]

Cafe Greco was my favorite when I lived up there, but that was many moons ago...

[Gary Soup]

Caffe Trieste in north beach is where I get espresso in the city.

You must go at odd hours. I haven't been able to get a table there in about 35 years. Now I'm a Puccini weenie like Squeat Mungry. It kind of galls me to go to a place that hasn't been there since before I was born, and to drink coffee made by a machine that weighs less than I do, but I guess that's progress.

[Squeat Mungry]

Caffe Trieste in north beach is where I get espresso in the city.

You must go at odd hours. I haven't been able to get a table there in about 35 years. Now I'm a Puccini weenie like Squeat Mungry. It kind of galls me to go to a place that hasn't been there since before I was born, and to drink coffee made by a machine that weighs less than I do, but I guess that's progress.

Hey Gary,

It's the most 'Italian' place in the City (Puccini I mean), and you can't get much better than that. They have a killer foccacia sandwich as well.

Trieste of course used to be great until... what? It's still great I assume, but I'm certainly not going to wait on those street corners until the tourists leave.

How do you feel about Malvina?

And how about Mario's, eh?

Cheers,

Squeat

[mixmaster b]

And how about Mario's, eh?

Mmmmmeatball sandwich....

[CheNiPenso]

Ah yes, all excellent suggestions ... I guess the problem is that I live in the Mission instead of North Beach. I used to work up near Pier 39 (*shudder*), and would frequently (read: 4+ times/week) trundle down to NB for lunch. I do miss Mario's, definitely, likewise L'Osteria del Forno. Steps of Rome, tho not the greatest restaurant in the area, does produce a nice shot. I agree that Trieste makes a fine product as well. And I do frequent Torrefazione, as there's one catercorner from my office. All are good, even very good, but somehow...

I suppose the perfect espresso sits in that ethereal realm with mozzarella di bufala, san marzano tomatoes and even basil -- all just better over there, due to the combination of sun, soil and who knows what other factors that we can't quite approximate.

[Gary Soup]

How do you feel about Malvina?

And how about Mario's, eh?

Well, they've both been there long enough, though I recall when Malvina's was just a bakery (famous for for its Cialde) and later a coffee roaster (good, but not Graffeo). It wasn't a coffee house in my beatnik/existentialist days. Mario's is a treasure, but as a coffee house it has a claustrophobic feel to it (not enough room for a lot of people to spread out their Sunday Times like the slow readers always did at Caffee Trieste).