andytown coffee roasters
800 Great Highway San Francisco CA 94121
Far from the “troubles” of Northern Ireland and Andytown’s roots, stands a San Francisco hallmark of great coffee, excellent pastries and a vibe that oozes California cool. We went to the Outer Richmond outpost, where the surf meets the shop, but a member of our crew talks highly of the Sunset locations as well.
Coffee:
Wind and Sea Blend was the roast of choice and the foggy day they prescribed for its tasting was in line. It’s medium roast of orange and chocolate tasting notes hit the spot along with the Short Strand espresso that brought out its own milk chocolate/toffee flavor. A complex and truly delicious red eye. After lingering, I ordered a cortado which was well balanced in its ratio and quite tasty. Oh, and a pro traveling tip….if you are going to an area of this world that you are not quite sure you can enjoy a great cup of coffee…pick up their Wind & Sea in an instant coffee dose.
Barista:
Early on a foggy/rainy Saturday morning might not be the best time to judge friendliness, but the interaction was just a bit transactional for our liking. The baristas do a great job of delivering the goods, but maybe lacking a little of that esprit de corps. I must say, however the barista choice of Low-Fi (Pavement being played on the mix) goes a long way towards friendliness of music.
Vibe:
So much to say here. A veritable bee hive of runners, walkers, frisbee football players from the beach league, dog walkers and of course a surfing ethos. Super friendly people inhabiting a space that gives off a welcoming vibe. A wide range of seating from tables and chairs to soft back seats to a shared counter to bar seating gives one the ability to “pick their comfort”. The ever present surfing equipment and ethos makes one feel cooler than they are. The natural light coupled with the vast greenery adorning really sets this location apart. There is a steady stream of folks coming in which makes this an outpost you want to hang. The pastries are fantastic (blueberry scone was just the right consistency of dry and bursting with flavor) and are baked in their Sunset location. The merch and presentation and coffees also is quite good (Andytown t shirt is a great design and really, really soft).
San Francisco’s coffee scene is so vibrant and Andytown absolutely is contributing to this energy and glow. Amazing coffee in a great setting with incredible pastries! What more could one ask for? In the words of Van Morrison, “My momma told me there would be days like this.”
Bay Area Wompling…Matt
Make You Better
Just a couple tiny tweaks in my opinion - give the customers a visual of the pastries. They are so darn good but there is no display at this location. I think a couple more comfortable seating options might be nice along with a second roast, but now I’m bordering on being pedantic.