We wandered into this cozy little spot nestled in building 204 in Fort Mason — it’s in the back of the hostel that occupies most of the building, and our visit on Mother’s Day morning was at the same time as many a groggy international(mostly very young) travelers were shuffling in for breakfast and brew. A Spartan space, service very friendly and prices even friendlier(to clearly cater to the very budget-conscious travelers). Because it’s within a government owned building(this is what I’m told) they have no signage, so just walk in the hostel door, turn left at the front desk, then a right at the bank of computers used for internet access, and Café Franco awaits!
Elizabeth G.
Classificação do local: 5 San Francisco, CA
Awesome little hidden gem in Fort Mason. Quiet, AFFORDABLE, spacious and with free wifi and a view of the bay. They also sell wine and beer :) currently sipping on a Pinot while studying. The barista said they’re not allowed to advertise because the café is part of the national park– so spread the word! :)
Roger L.
Classificação do local: 5 San Francisco, CA
AWESOMEPLACETOREADANDSTUDY Best low cost eatery/coffee shop in SF with a million dollar view Decent lattes, decent sandwiches, super chill staff. But… you don’t come here for the food! Come here because it’s a great place to chill /read /talk /surf the web(free wifi). There’s a ton of natural light, huge panes of glass facing the bay/framed by trees, and the bathrooms even have showers because it’s part of the hostel. The crowds are light because it’s pretty far out of the way.
Hector L.
Classificação do local: 4 San Francisco, CA
Good food for a decent price in a friendly place with a spectacular view. Hard to find all of that in SF now a days.
Menlo K.
Classificação do local: 4 Menlo Park, CA
Escape the crazy rush and business of the City and the Bay Area in the friendly relaxed space. It’s basic, but nice pleasant and positive. Not the best food or drink, but good and in a very pleasant place.
Shyam S.
Classificação do local: 4 Isla Vista, CA
Spent a week at the hostel so ate at Café Franco every day. Great place, which is much more than just a café, or a café in a hostel. The food is excellent and some of the salads are works of art. Everyone who works there is professional, but friendly, and they take pride in the food. The $ 3 pasta on Thursdays is hard to beat, and the pizza doesn’t look so filling, but is surprisingly dense.
Denise M.
Classificação do local: 5 Hayes Valley, San Francisco, CA
Amazing lighting, great vibes, fab little menu — The view is of Fort Mason’s Great Meadows along with the bay.
Marry A.
Classificação do local: 5 San Francisco, CA
Came to visit my friend at the hostel and was blown away by this lovely café. An amazing view, wonderful music, and extremely friendly service. I was frazzled as to what to order but was given instant advice. I decided on a delicious latte and turkey sandwich while connecting with the 2 ladies that were so accommodating as they prepared my meal. We ended up talking for a good 10 minutes before I decided to sit down and socialize with my friend. I will definitely be back. The food and vibes were more than I was ready for.
Camerina D.
Classificação do local: 4 San Leandro, CA
You have to go up a stair case to get to the café, a bit hidden. Nice relaxing area specially if you get to enjoy the view. Not a great coffee selection, but their view is enjoyable to get some work/study done.
Tara M.
Classificação do local: 3 San Francisco, CA
Love the ambiance of this little café in the hostel at Fort Mason. Nice view, friendly servers, okay food/drink. I had a mocha which was not great(didn’t finish it) but my friends got a latte and a plain coffee and both enjoyed them. They also got the egg muffins and banana bread and said they were good. Can’t beat the prices!
Sue S.
Classificação do local: 5 Truth or Consequences, NM
If you’re not an experienced hostel traveler, you might not get this café. But if you’ve stayed in hostels, you will understand that this café is outstanding compared to what most hostels have to offer. The free breakfast that you get if you stay here is enough quality food to get you through the morning – organic fruit, bagel, oatmeal, and unlimited coffee, tea and OJ. Plenty of peanut butter, but if you need more protein, pay the extra 75 cents for a hard-boiled egg. We also had several lunches and dinners while staying here. Excellent homemade soup one day, a salad with very fresh organic vegetables and homemade croutons another day. Handmade pizza offered on Wed and Fri nights is excellent. So is the view. Don’t believe the whiners who post bad reviews of this place. It’s all about context. For a hostel, this place is remarkably good.
Steve H.
Classificação do local: 5 Nob Hill, San Francisco, CA
I’m holding my wedding within Fort Mason, and after checking several places around the area, decided on holding my rehearsal dinner inside the hostel with catering by the folks at Café Franco :-) What a great decision! Harrison Chen arranged a simple menu for us, catering to the vegetarians and children in my group with custom pizzas and awesome cookies :-D Harrison’s assistant Justin did a great job servicing my group with just the right amount of accommodation and hovering to let us get what we needed done. I’d highly recommend this hidden gem for your next group meal!
Victor B.
Classificação do local: 4 São Paulo, Brazil
I’m hosted in HI Fisherman’s Wharf and the breakfast is free served for hosts. I can see the Golden Gate Bridge from where I sit and the place is very cozy! lots of tourists and also people who lives nearby comes to talk and have some coffee. For host is free served slices of bread, fruits, milk, juices(today: Orange), and lots of breakfast food.
Alison L.
Classificação do local: 4 Elkhart, IN
We stayed in the Hostel accompanying the café and the coffee and breakfast were great and the view from your chair omg outstanding for just waking up.
Noemi r.
Classificação do local: 5 San Francisco, CA
I no longer eat sandwiches, but must say the BLT salad is the most filling, most delicious, cheap salad for miles. I eat it 2 – 3 times a week. Sooooo good. I get it without pepperoncinis + croutons, and with light onions. Perfection. The warm bacon melts the blue cheese just a smudge. Wish more folks knew about this place!
Paul B.
Classificação do local: 5 San Francisco, CA
Very cool hidden café with a killer view and a chill vibe. The barista was talented and actually made me a sun burst on my latte — I feel like I am in Portland :) The coffee was perfect and there are cookies in the oven, not a bad place to finish working for the day.
Jason B.
Classificação do local: 3 San Francisco, CA
Let’s be frank. Two stars for the lackluster cereal dispenser and banana for breakfast. Was hoping for something more inspired like parfaits or bagel sandwiches. Three stars for a rather sweet sugar free vanilla Americano. Just missing nonfat milk. Four stars for a very good turkey sandwich with homemade hummus and tasty vegan cranberry oat cookie. Didn’t miss any of the dairy. Five stars for the Golden Gate Bridge view, friendly staff and free WiFi. Not bad. Just to be frank there is so much more potential.
Sandy T.
Classificação do local: 4 San Francisco, CA
This is definitely a nice, little corner café in the northern part of San Francisco. There’s Wi-Fi but only two outlets that you can use. I came here to do work so my laptop was on battery saving mode until the two people at the corner table near the outlet had left for me to take over haha The café is part of a hostel so it has a homey feel to it. After finishing your food, you do have to rinse your dishes. It’s the first time I’ve ever encountered that but then again, it’s also my first time visiting a hostel. There is a great view of the bay through the windows of this café. We were here during one of the America’s Cup races so we were actually able to see the boats sail by between the gaps in the trees. Parking in this area is for two hours only but it’s a free two hours so I was quite pleased.
Carol B.
Classificação do local: 4 Ridgewood, Queens, NY
We weren’t staying at this hostel, but you can’t pass up visiting this café if you’re in San Fran. It’s in the Hostel International building, so don’t let your Google Map confuse you. They’ve got a nice selection of drinks and baked goods(all made fresh there). The barista was also super nice and chatted with us about San Fran. The best part of this café? The stellar view. You must sit by the window and then trek out the back stairs. Breathtaking scene with Alcatraz Island in the bay. Nice walk to the Fisherman’s Wharf. Simply perfect. Skip Starbucks and be sure to visit here.
Ran L.
Classificação do local: 4 Pittsburgh, PA
Cozy café inside Hostelling International(at Fisherman’s Wharf). There seemed to be a limited selection of hot food(everyone was eating spaghetti the evening that I was here), coffee/tea, friendly staff, great music, and a very casual and inviting environment. I had a nice citrus tea and relaxed for a few hours while killing time in the city, waiting for my boyfriend’s delayed flight to get in. I’m not sure if they bake their own pastries or, if not, where they source them from, but the muffin I had was pretty good. The guy working behind the counter was super friendly and laid back. Most of the clientele seemed to be people staying at the hostel. This definitely isn’t a «coffeeshop» in the sense of having any options beyond drip coffee, but it was a great place to stop and relax for a few hours!