While in San Francisco, being a lover of coffeehouses, of course I was going to checkout the scene. Its been a few years so I asked for some recommendations via Twitter and the most popular response back was Four Barrel Coffee. Thus I started one of my days at the crack of dawn on Valencia Street. Four Barrel sits in the Mission District of San Francisco between 14th and 15th streets.
Once inside I immediately noticed the high ceilings and warehouse look. Everything was out in the open from front-to-back, fastly filling up with people.
Taking a quick glance at the menu I decided on the Macchiato. I had a nice conversation with one of the baristas while placing my order and took a few minutes while waiting for my caffeine to watch them freshly drip customers coffees and checkout the place.
I checked out the back behind the coffee bar seeing the coffee roasters and other equipment…
as well as the vintage looking coffee bean bags.
I got my Macchiato which was very good and definitely what the doctor had in order. The pricing was of no concern due to the taste and the great, personal customer service.
I decided to sit at a little wooden desk and just soak in the atmosphere watching locals and business people come and go, with conversation going on all around me.
I knew it before going in, but I did notice the lack of electrical outlets. A lot of the times I’m in work mode when I enter a coffee house, but I was sans the lap top during my San Francisco travels so it was a pleasant feature. Encouraging everyone to get out from behind their screens and enjoy great coffee and conversation, what a concept! MacBooks and tablets though were making their presence known by the time I left. 🙂
Parking was definitely not an issue at this early morning hour. Some walking will be the norm for those visiting later in the day, but who doesn’t love walking in San Francisco! After leaving, I walked around the block before heading off.
While there I saw the record player and heard the hipster references in regards to Four Barrel and I can see that, but mainly I just saw a great place to grab a coffee, engage in some conversation, watch locals come and go and just soak in the friendly neighborhood atmosphere. Definitely a go to place in San Francisco going forward. Stay tuned for future posts on coffee stops I explored in San Francisco and the Bay Area.
Checkout Four Barrel Coffee on the web. You can find them on Facebook and Twitter as well.
What are your go to coffeehouses in San Francisco and the Bay Area? Elsewhere in your travels?
The Adventures of elATLboy 
Aaron – I am so glad you made it to this coffee shop! I really liked the warehouse look and the coffee was excellent. I must say I didn’t realize there were no electrical outlets! Good eye. 🙂
Besides Four Barrel, I like Italian coffee shops on Columbus Ave in the North Beach neighborhood.
Thanks! 🙂 Wandered over to Caffe Greco on Columbus after spending some time in Chinatown. There was another one right next store too, don’t remember the name. Something about that city and coffee!
It is funny how many travel bloggers are addicted to coffee. I type this as I am on about my fifth cup of the morning.
I can see that. 🙂 I’ve had only three today, got some catching up to do haha.
Even though I’m cutting back on coffee intake, sometimes the urge is overwhelming and I need that caffeinated hit! I haven’t been to the Four Barrel Coffee before, so I’ll have to remember that place the next time I’m back in San Francisco. But this past February when I was staying with a friend in the Inner Sunset area, they recommended Dash Cafe at the northwest corner of 9th Ave. & Judah St. It’s cozy, unpretentious, and relaxing; it’s populated by lots of USF students. I had a couple of great lattés there!
Will have to checkout Dash Cafe and the lattés, thanks for the tip! Need to explore Inner Sunset more down the road.
LOVE this place … one of many excellent places along Valencia!
Always a must stop in SF. Need to checkout some of the other places in the neighborhood. 🙂