Struggling with procrastination? Try a change of location (instead of actually fixing your issue), and study in a local coffee shop! The following are reviews of the best coffee shops in San Francisco (according to Yelp). The areas of criteria to meet are:
Wi-Fi: Does this coffee shop have Wi-Fi? How slow or fast is it?
Workability: Is this coffee shop a good environment for working?
Aesthetic: How Instagram-worthy is the shop itself?
Latte Art: How Instagram-worthy is your drink?
Actual Coffee: On a scale of 0-10. Too sweet? Too bitter? Aromatic? Watered-down?
Wow Factor: Does this coffee shop wow you? Why or why not?
Bonus: Quirky bonus points.
Snowbird Coffee:
1352 9th Ave, San Francisco, CA (The Sunset)
Wi-Fi: 7/10, not super reliable but decent; also you have to ask the barista for the password which is a setback (hint: the password is Goodcoffee).
Workability: 8/10, good amount of desired coffee shop white noise, but the tables are on the small side (like Civ room desk small).
Aesthetic: 8.5/10
Latte Art: 7/10, inconsistent latte art quality.
Actual Coffee: 8.5/10
Wow Factor: Wow. Outlets and Chargers!
Bonus: There’s a laundry detergent store in the back with organic laundry detergent, so if you’re into that…
Jane:
2123 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA (Fillmore)
Wi-Fi: 8/10, free and easy
Workability: 6/10 more of a dining place, plus you can’t use laptops on certain tables from 11-3PM during the day, which is really specific and weird.
Aesthetic: 8.8/10
Latte Art: 9/10, always mixing it up but always cute
Actual Coffee: 8.5/10. Solid.
Wow Factor: Wow. Complimentary marshmallow if you order a mocha.
Bonus: Fun fact: Jane was founded by a UHS alumni’s mom (Disclaimer: Someone told me that but I actually have no idea.)
Dynamo Donuts and Coffee:
2760 24th Street, San Francisco, CA (Mission) AND 110 Yacht Road (Kiosk on the SF Bay Trail) San Francisco, CA (Marina)
Wi-Fi: 0/10. Donuts>Internet?
Workability: 4/10 (see above Wi-Fi situation)
Aesthetic: 6.5/10 for the front, 8/10 for the back (see Bonus)
Latte Art: 7/10, basic latte leaf pattern.
Actual Coffee: 7.5/10, come for the donuts not the coffee.
Wow Factor: Wow. Hibiscus beet and huckleberry donuts?!
Bonus: Sick outdoor patio
Réveille Coffee:
http://www.yelp.com/biz_attribute?biz_id=iuOjXmZ_C88EF0LCtoHCUA610 Long Bridge St, San Francisco, CA (SoMa/Mission Bay)
Wi-Fi: 0/10. Boo.
Workability: 4/10 (again, see above Wi-Fi situation)
Aesthetic: 9/10
Latte Art: 7.8/10, clean-cut but fairly basic
Actual Coffee: 9/10, extra points for complimentary sugar cubes (but also come for the food, it’s pretty good and very photogenic)
Wow Factor: WOW. Super nice lighting (day and night). Also really cool coffee cups.
Bonus: Chia seed pudding, need I say more?
Blue Bottle Coffee:
315 Linden St San Francisco, CA (Hayes Valley)
Wi-Fi: 0/10, non-existent.
Workability: 0/10. To be fair this isn’t really a coffee shop it’s like a coffee outlet, there’s no seating.
Aesthetic: 7.8/10
Latte Art: 9/10, latte art still intact after sipping 1/3 of the drink.
Actual Coffee: 9/10. Blue Bottle is easily one of SF’s most famous brand/chain of coffee.
Wow Factor: Wow. You get a hole in the wall feel because it is literally a hole in a wall in an alley by Market Street.
Bonus: TCHO chocolate uses Blue Bottle coffee for some of their chocolate squares, that’s how you know it’s legit.
Craftsman and Wolves:
746 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA (Mission)
Wi-Fi: 0/10. Sad.
Workability: 4/10. I realize now none of these places are actually suitable for working, and are just places to buy coffee.
Aesthetic: 9/10
Latte Art: 6/10, nothin’ real special
Actual Coffee: 8/10
Wow Factor: Wow. Complimentary LAVENDAR marshmallow with your coffee; step up your game, @Jane!
Bonus: The staff wears jean aprons, which is very “hip”.
Honorable Mentions:
Philz Coffee (chain), Fifty/Fifty (they have boba, too), Four Barrel Coffee, Sightglass Coffee, Flywheel Coffee, Foglifter Café (only place that deserves 10/10 latte art), Peet’s (a million times better than Starbucks…just sayin’)