A few months ago we broke the news about the new coffee and café project from Mitchell and Steven Rosenthal (Town Hall, Anchor & Hope, Salt House), LA CAPRA COFFEE. To recap, they partnered with Hanna Suleiman of Caffè Greco to create their own Italian-inspired roast. Well, the coffee has been finalized, and the café is now open in the Financial District (designed by Sagan Piechota Architecture), which has a little bit of seating.
You’ll also find a variety of baked goods and pastries from Starter Bakery and Neighbor, including kouign-amann, croissants, coffee cake, and chocolate-almond twists, and there are also freshly made salads (like smoked duck with fennel, baby kale, and a citrus-mustard vinaigrette) and sandwiches (including egg salad with pickled jalapeño, cucumber, radishes, and frisée). You can check out the entire menu here. Hours are Mon-Fri 6am-6pm; lunch begins at 10:30am. 50 Fremont St. at Mission.
Another new café has soft-opened, this time in the Castro: HEARTH COFFEE ROASTERS (previously mentioned here). The owners are Ariana Akbar and James Kafader, previously of Brown Owl Coffee. They are roasting their own coffee (special, single-origin beans on their Probat L12) and making their own baked goods as well (the head baker is Megan Bovis, previously at Fournée). One hundred percent organic pastries include a classic French butter croissant, plus baba au bourbon with coffee (bourbon-infused brioche with coffee-infused crème) and a chocolate-caramel mousse with a crispy brown butter cookie.
Instead of classic tea service, you’ll find coffee service, with items like a caramelized banana-hazelnut scone and a prosciutto, Brie, pickled fig, and arugula sandwich on a country loaf. There are also coffee flights (a sampling of single-origin coffees side by side) and coffee pairings (single-origin coffees paired with treats, snacks, or meals). Beer and wine and small plates start this Thursday November 20th, and since Ariana is a certified sommelier and James is an accomplished home brewer, expect good things. Hours (starting Sunday): Mon-Tue 7am-2pm, Wed-Thu 7am-9pm, Fri-Sat 7am-10pm, Sun 7am-9pm. 3985 17th St. at Market.
If you’re up in the North Bay, EQUATOR COFFEES & TEAS has opened a flagship café in downtown Mill Valley. There will be espresso-based drinks, batch-brewed drip coffee, and single-origin pour-overs, as well as some unexpected soju cocktails, including an Irish Coffee and Bloody Mary. Chocolate egg creams for the kiddies, check, and shakerato for mom, also covered (theirs includes almond butter and coconut milk, wow!). The food menu includes savory and sweet waffles, salads, and more. Boor Bridges Architecture designed the modern rustic space. 2 Miller Ave., Mill Valley, 415-485-2213.
A look into the shiny, new La Capra Coffee. Photo courtesy of Mitchell Rosenthal.
