Whenever I am visiting the Bay Area, I make it a point to visit one of my favorite coffee houses, a San Francisco institution really, in the North Beach area just off of Vallejo called Caffe Trieste. Serving espresso drinks for over 50 years, Caffe Trieste also serves up a variety of pastries and baked goods, sandwiches, salads, pizzas and decadent desserts.
We dropped in on an early Sunday morning to get our caffeine fix and plan our last day in the city. It's a warm, friendly atmosphere, complete with murals painted on the walls and framed black and whites, with jazz playing in the background reminiscent of the 60's beatnik era. They have cafe tables outside for those of you who like to linger over your coffee and people watch or simply read the newspaper. We were able to secure a table inside and soak in the atmosphere and enjoy our coffee.
I ordered the Caffe Mocha Bianca and a bagel, my son ordered the Ciocolatta Fantasia and his friend ordered an iced coffee. Drinks are made to order and served in a glass if you plan on enjoying your coffee on site. My Caffe Mocha Bianca was perfect and hit the spot. The Ciocolatta Fantasia is a flavorful balance of coffee, chocolate and hazelnut with a touch of whip cream.
Caffe Trieste has several locations in the Bay Area; I just happen to love this particular one due to its close proximity to the wonderful little shops in the area and restaurants, many of which are Italian. It's not far from the Transamerica building and Washington Square is just a short stroll away. Many of you movie buffs will probably recognize Caffe Trieste in the Reese Witherspoon/Mark Ruffalo 2005 movie, "Just Like Heaven".
If you're ever in San Francisco, forego Starbucks and check out Caffe Trieste. You'll be a fan too!
CAFFE TRIESTE
601 Vallejo Street
San Francisco, California
(415) 392-6739
Opens at 6:30am. Closes at 11pm on Sundays thru Thursday; closes at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Cash Only