Caffe Trieste – SOMA

Closed! Replaced by a Tutti Melon. yikes… the froyo tsunami is drowning san francisco.
fyi, the Roastery is also here so you can still get your shot of joe.

When it comes to coffee, you can basically call me a sommeiler. I worked at Peet’s Coffee and did WAY more studying about coffee than was even remotely necessary, did as many coffee tastings as I could with the professionals (as well as for tea), and on top of that, trained for work itself.
Background check aside, I love a nice, hot cup of coffee in the morning. Recently it’s been a café au lait with soy and one pack of raw sugar to keep me from yawning at my coworkers. Working near this location, I obviously have a plethora of choices and this morning at 755am I decided to stop in here because Madelines has a 5 dollar minimum.
Turns out Trieste has a 3 dollar minimum. And my coffee was 2.90.
me: You’re telling me you can’t swipe the card for 10 cents under the minimum?
barista: You can get a madeline
me: How much is one?
barista: 85 cents.
me: D:
And the coffee isn’t even very good. 2 stars for a) charging me 10 cents extra to meet the [illegal] requirement, b) for having not so great coffee, c) for not being very helpful (Madelines will tell you «okay just this once!» a bunch of times at least), and d) because your parfaits and pastries look pretty good.
Fail. This is why people go to Starbucks. I’d rather get a crap cup of coffee at 1.50 for them to slide my card than to get charged extra for the «requirement». I’m going to start swearing in French here if I’m dragged ever again, because they’re Italian they won’t know what I’m saying.

I’ve been coming here for months when I need a nice, sharp, super-​strong cup of coffee in the morning. Unfortunately, they seem to have recently changed their formulation, so as of late last week they are serving hot brown water masquerading as their regular brew. I even asked them about this, and they denied that there had been a change. Deception, or denial?
The workers are nice, and the pastries decent, but when you can’t get a simple cup of coffee right you lose my business.

WHY? Tell me why all the coffee shops on new Montgomery St are the slowest on Earth ?
I am not even talking about the feeling of being raped when you asked me $ 2.60 for a damn hot chocolate.
What bothered me the most is that after waiting forever times the eternity, you asked me whether I was standing there because I had ordered something, and if so what it was.
The feedback from my Caffe Trieste experience is that I wanted to kill myself.
I swear by my blood, I will never come back.

Dear staff:
Why does it take FOREVER to get my order?
— I went here once there were two people behind the counter and all I ordered was an almond pastry, and it took them 15mins to give it to me!!! None of them had a clue of whats going on.
Thanks for making me late to work that morning.
I was dumb enough to try lunch here, their roasted chicken panini is WACK!
It took forever to make again (DUH!) and it tasted like plain bread. Even though this place is right across the street from where I work, I try to avoid it.
On the plus side, there is a girl that works there whose make-​up and wardrobe is so colorful, good entertainment.

I like coming to this place for my lunch break. It’s a cute place to grab a bite and read the newspaper, which I often do. This place is supposed to have good cappucino, but I’ve only had their lattes. The pasteries in the display case look a little old, but I always get them anyway.
The name is classy, but the staff is hipster. No key required for the restroom. The service is good and a lot of seating for 1 – 4 people. It’d be hard to have a study group in here, but good for casual meetings. There’s a communal use piano and guitar too.
My favorite item: bagel with lox

I’m writing a review from the café as we speak.
Across from the Academy of Art University, Café Trieste has become a meet up spot of sorts for creatively minded people.
While it’s tons more romantic to lug around a journal for writing your most inspired works or deepest darkest fantasies, laptops have become the norm.
So a little saddened that everyone around me is so into their laptops and that the guitar and piano that live here are gathering dust and that there’s no poetry readings, I’ll have to trust that everyone on there laptops is quietly working on something amazing and not Unilocaling.
:D

I’m surrounded by coffee. Within a 2 minute walk I’ve got Peet’s, Starbucks, Harvest & Rowe, and Café Trieste. Most of the time, I end up at Trieste. The coffee is consistently good, the staff are pleasant and efficient, and I don’t have to wait for a line of blathering idiots getting their half-​skim, half creamed, no foam double triple mocha iced melted latte.
And… there’s a hidden bonus here. They have these apricot pastries (they call them flats) which I think are from City Bakery. They are AWESOME.
You can thank me later.
My one complaint — the hours. Yeah, I know they cater to the college kids, but how about all the web2.0 people working long hours like me?

This comfortable, convenient coffee shop is part of a local chain, providing another alternative to the megacorp down the street. The walls are adorned with historical pictures of famous past customers smiling with the owners are painted in a warm, calming set of colors. The staff are a bit edgier, with definite San Francisco flair, but they’re generally very good about speed and accuracy of orders. In addition to a fairly fancy pastry selection, they also make fresh, grilled Panini sandwiches.
If you work nearby, let them know before they ring you up – they offer 10% off for many local businesses!
TRIVIA: «Panini» is actually the plural form, derived from Italian; the singular form is «panino». And if you want to be REALLY technical, «panino» only means the bread, while «panino imbottito» means the sandwich. I wouldn’t want to count on the guy behind the counter knowing that, however… :)

What was probably a nice, quaint coffee shop in North Beach has turned into a poorly managed chain. I only get coffee here — regular coffee — and the occasional baked good when I’m too late to stop by Katz for a delicious bagel.
Previous reviews have noted the inconsistent service, often-​empty sugar and half-​and-​half dispensers, randomly fluctuating prices for the same thing, and occasionally unconcerned staff. All true and correct, unfortunately. I will just add that it often looks like no one has cleaned the sugar/​cream station for a week every time I go in (I’m exaggerating a little, but if half the containers are empty anyway, clearly little attention is being paid here). This is just annoying and it ends up slowing me down while I have to hunt for sugar or half-​and-​half.
That said, the coffee has gotten better in recent months. The baked goods are just OK. I tend to leave here in a worse mood than when I entered, which is a bad sign. If I have the time to walk a little further for more consistent service, I always do.

So where better to meet Jessica for coffee and pick up my awesome Elite 08 hoodie (nice work Ernie) than a coffee shop i’ve a) never been to before so I can Unilocal it, and b) close to my work.
This place. Caffe Trieste was cute. Lots of sitting space, and plenty of sweets to choose from. But what really got me was their special drinks. I mean yah, they have lattes, mochas and the like… but on the left there was a chalkboard with their different kind of beverages. From creative Italian sodas, to a chai with strawberry syrup, I had a hard time choosing. I settled for their Mate. It came with honey and milk… and in about 10 minutes I’m going to be bouncing off the walls… At least I’ll be able to keep myself cozy and bruise free in my new sweatshirt!
This will definitely going to become a more regular stop for me in my FiDi/​SOMA neighborhood

Although it can sometimes be slow and inconsistent, Caffe Trieste is still the best coffee near my office. I usually get a hazelnut latte since I’m not rugged enough to handle drip coffee. They make it really well. It’s almost always the right temperature, the perfect amount of microfoam and espresso that isn’t bitter from sitting out too long.
The place also has a cool artsy vibe to it. There was actually a guy playing the piano last time I was in there. It’s nice to have a shot of culture with your shot of espresso.

This is my preferred coffee place, mostly because I live right here. While I’d prefer my Mocha from Starbucks (a little up the street) any day, I still go here mostly for the panini. Their caprese panini is yum! Sadly, though, it’s never consistent — sometimes there’s hardly any balsamic vinegar, for example — but it still has never disappointed me.
Four stars because I’m in love with their caprese panini. :-)

it started out great, tasty salads and stuff. But then it took a turn. I ordered the mista salad and then i got tired of having one tiny container of dressing and large chunks of red onion. so i switched to a caprese panini. as a italian girl at heart… last i checked there was supposed to be basil in the panini. i’ve ordered it a few times giving it chance after chance to be legit but have only gotten it right once. sometimes there’s no basil at all, other times there’s no balsamic vinegar.
Despite the food not being made right, they also take absolutely forever to make your food. One time there was a party that came in unannounced and ordered food so I assumed it was that. But then there would only be one order in front of me and it would still take 15 minutes to get my food. One time i ordered a panini and waited for 15 minutes, asked where it was, the moody barista girl said they had been calling out the orders and i would’ve heard it. Turns out that it never went through because someone else had ordered the same panini right in front of me and the guy making the food thought it was a duplicate order.
At least at starbucks after a few minutes they ask you what you’re waiting for, but i have stood there for 20 minutes and no one asked what i was waiting for or anything. the only thing that’s actually worth it is the ham and cheese croissants (that is if no one’s in front of you) and the tea. Otherwise I’d go to one of the 3 starbucks in the 2 block radius and grab your snacks and drinks from there. If you’re looking for something that moves faster in the salad or sandwhich zone, head one block over to 2^nd street and hit up Toaster Oven… even though they’re totally packed, they move super fast.

Some espresso drinks are tasty but others… not so much. Starbucks feels like a safer bet for some drinks.
I tried a salad for lunch once and did not like it! Totally disappointed. I got a classic caesar because really, how can you go wrong. It did go wrong. Boring. It was chopped romaine lettuce with bland caesar dressing. The grocery store bagged salads are better than this one! Especially for the price they charge. And it took a long time to get this minimal salad too. My friend tried their caprese salad. It was literally 2 romaine leaves with 3 or 4 tomato slices and mozzarella slices with a little bit of vinaigrette. Again, completely overpriced for something so minimal and not good. Go for the coffee, not the salads!

Dear Caf Trieste:
I apologize for initially giving you two stars after only a brief breeze through wherein I did not account for some of your stellar qualities, among which are your luscious Panini, inviting, comfortable seating and lovely staff (I had a waiter in a joking and endearing way tell me he made the Panini «from his heart»).
I just might become a regular. Thanks for giving me a comfortable space near my office to study and eat something other than pastries without feeling like I’m in the wrong place at the wrong time.
*****
I can’t give this place three stars because I gave Peet’s three stars, and as much as I love to support smaller coffee establishments, this place just doesn’t compare to Peet’s for one simple reason: the coffee is not strong enough. I know there are people who don’t like Peet’s because they think the coffee is too strong, but I’m reaching out to people with my particular coffee sensibilities. I don’t like water dressed in brown. I had higher hopes, too, upon first visiting Café Trieste because I noticed they used the same effective brewing machines used at Peet’s.
This location, however, is warm and welcoming with nice seating and a relaxed, clean, environment. I didn’t try the pastries, but I could tell via close inspection that there’s a fresh, tasteful selection. I might come here and try something other than the coffee. And to be fair, I haven’t tried the espresso, so I will perhaps return.
Also, one last note: the people here are not as cool and nice as the people at the Peet’s I hit on First and Howard where I work. That means something. I don’t dig on surly tudes.

I only buy coffee here, which I like and coworkers say that the pastries and panini are very good. Unfortunately, that is not enough to overcome the service issues.
Just about every weekday this summer I have gone into the café, handed them my travel mug and asked politely for black coffee, which I then take outside to a table and grade papers in the sun.
Sometimes they need clarification on what I am asking for. It’s BLACK COFFEE. How hard is that? Must I instruct them to hold the mug upright under the spout and pull the handle until the coffee has nearly filled the cup at which point they should release the handle and return the cup to my possession?
The general level of attention and customer service is sub-​par, and they look kind of sloppy. Often one or two of them are sitting at the window rather than standing behind the bar. I’ve done a couple of tours in barista-​ville, and never were we allowed to go sit on a stool while we were working. It looks horrible and I don’t want to wait for them to lumber around the counter or be subjected to the dirty looks for disrupting their siestas.
My favorite part: Every day I hand them the same mug and ask for the same thing, and every day they charge me a DIFFERENT PRICE. Seriously, I have been charged $ 1.50, $ 1.60, $ 1.65 and $ 1.75 for identical orders.
_​_​_​_​
Update 7÷26÷07
I was Charged $ 1.67 for the same cup of coffee today.

So THIS is what crack feels like… WOW!!!
Yeah, the coffee I got there about six hours ago is still making my leg shake like a mothershutyomouth. It’s that strong yo.
Of the big 3 coffee shops (others are sbux & peet) on my block, this takes the gold.
I’M WIRED!!!

If you’re in the area right now… I mean NOW… try to see if you can score some free Punch Line tickets at Caffe Trieste. Seriously. Go. Put down the work and head on over.
If you haven’t moved yet… let me remind you that I said –free. Free. Tickets.
It was almost dream-​like. I was filling in a form to win a group trip to Punch Line at Coffee Trieste’s coffee counter, when one of the staff offered me two tickets to Punch Line. Two. Free. Tickets. (They had a stack of othem) It made my day. I skipped back to the office, to some bewildered stares. But I didn’t care. Because, I repeat: Free. Tickets.
Now, I’m not sure how actively they are giving them away (I guess I like to think I’m special :)), but if you say loudly over and over again.
«Damn…I’ve ALWAYS wanted to go to Punch Line!»…you might score some of your own.
(Also note that they are good for any show Sunday-​Wednesday)
And this is how the magic moment all started:
It was my first time venturing into Caffe Trieste. I had intended on picking up some mochi at Go Go Sushi, only to find it had CLOSED DOWN. Saddened, because their mochi used to make my day… I made my way back to the office, when I saw Caffe Trieste. I went inside.
II was impressed. The layout seems like it would be a great place to study: quiet, open, spacious, big booths and plenty of light. Unlike the places I used to study in college: loud, cramped, uncomfortable, and dark. Sigh. (I secretly miss the loud, cramped, uncomfortable, and dark study spots)
The food and drinks weren’t half bad either. I ordered a chai and caprese panini. My chai was OK, and my caprese sandwich though a tad heavy and greasy, was decent. I’ll have to come back and try some other stuff on their menu. I also managed to fill up on some lemon bar samples while I waited. Free lemon bar samples. Come on now people. Free tickets, free of noise, and free samples.
Uh…can you remind me, why you aren’t leaving yet?
The rest of the stuff in the glass cases, though pretty standard Starbucks-​ish pastries, also looked tasty. Their croissants looked particularly appealing — a grease party for sure (minus the John Travolta… ah I tell you… cracking myself up over here), are I’m sure — also a party in the mouth.
The staff were exceptionally outgoing and shared a deep love of Dave Chapelle.
I told you to rush over, didn’t I?
And of course — the kicker star really was — the tickets.
GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!!!

Strong and good coffee ($ 1.65 for a small, though) from a San Francisco institution. Glad to have Trieste as an addition to the neighborhood. There are some comfy-​looking sofas and seating, something I’m sure I’ll take advantage of for business meetings and the like.