The Blue Bottle Coffee Company

If you are after a coffee in San Francisco and Starbucks is your thing then you certainly won't ever have to wander far. We enjoyed playing a game to see how close together we could find them - the winner was a Starbucks literally around the corner and on the same block as another outpost of the virulent franchise.

However if your taste in coffee is more Italianate and micro-roasted, artisan coffee served to you within 48 hours of roasting and sealed within its bag fast to prevent oxidation sounds good then head to the Blue Bottle Coffee Co. Not only will these guys deliver you with a superb and perfect latte, or an individual drip fed filter coffee, they are also based in the foodie mecca that is the Ferry Building. Great coffee, plus the chance to enjoy the Saturday morning Farmer's Market and admire food outlets like the Prather Ranch Meat Company with mottos such as "Praise the Lard". This is a paradise for the wandering food lover. We therefore spent a lot of our time there!

The café itself offers no seating, little in the way of snacks and any coffee you get will necessarily be take away. But it will also be perfectly espressed and delicious. Still if you prefer Starbucks be our guest!