Hip Tastes Blog

Cool Beans
filed under: Ramblings

Picture this: eclectic local art-smattered space teeming with Boho/grunge/fashionista types all tapping caffeinatedly away at Macs. The room buzzes not just with the effects of all the caffeine-induced energy but with something else as well - a low-humming excitement at just being there, amongst all the creative types. Translation: San Fran coffee haunt Ritual Roasters has got a very cool vibe, plus a very hip gaggle of hipster writer-types roaming around to match.

Future Kerouacs unite!
They can't all be plucking away at the next New Age cult hit manuscript, but you sort of feel like they are. Or at least, they could be. You just worry that they may not be able to make the hike back home up the ubiquitous San Francisco hills in their skinny jeans to send it off to their editors.

Fortunately, there's free wireless at Ritual so the creative types can send their future NY Times bestsellers directly from their laptops, without ever having to brave the mean streets of San Fran's Mission District. Whew! And, because the Mission's one of the few blessedly flat 'hoods in SF, there's no hill climbing upon departure anyway. All this, and it's almost always sunny over in these parts.

Are you beginning to the see the perks of Ritual Roasters?

Try the Hair Bender on for size
And the coffee's not bad either. They've got all sorts of tasty roasts to sell, some with crazy names like the Hair Bender, their specialty espresso. Plus, the foam kicks ass. No home espresso maker can touch it (I know, because I do the DIY latte thing every morning). It's ridiculously smooth and long-lasting, perfect for those days you're on deadline and plan to nurse each cup for a couple of hours or so.

Even better, you can stay as long as you want - even if that means all day. Which can actually be a good thing, because the people watching is outstanding. I swear the uber stylish patrons must dress up to go there, even though they all work hard to look stylishly undstudied (hence the grunge undertone). It's the only place I've found in SF where straight men seem to have put as much effort into their appearance as they do in LA, albeit with an "I just rolled out of bed/yes, I really am that cool" look.

Along those lines, with the tagline "We Take Coffee Seriously, Not Ourselves," I'm not entirely sure I can agree, but I still love it.

Ritual Roasters
1026 Valencia Street San Francisco tel (415) 641-1024
M - F 6am - 11pm ::: Sat 7 am - 11pm :::: Sun 7am - 9pm

Posted by Courtney on December 5, 2006 12:35 PM