With only two days for this visit and a mission to see and eat as much as possible, coffee was key. Luckily, San Francisco has a plethora of outstanding coffee houses (in addition to ubiquitous Starbucks), including many who roast and grind the beans in house.

Four Barrel Coffee was is my destination of choice for an early morning get me going cup of joe. The main location is in the Mission District and has plenty of indoor and outdoor seating.  The smell of freshly roasted and ground coffee permeates the entire place. The tasting bar may err on the side of too precious, but to each his/her own.  Their espresso drinks are delicious as well.

Sightglass Coffee is another great place to enjoy coffee and people watching while inhaling more of those heavenly smells.

In the outer Sunset area, Trouble Coffee is convenient for those biking through Golden Gate Park, surfing at Ocean Beach or just exploring another neighborhood.

While the coffee is delicious, Trouble Coffee (4033 Judah St, San Francisco, CA 94122) may be better known for its Cinnamon Toast – and I can personally recommend it!

The clean Scandinavian decor of Saint Frank on Polk Street is just part of its appeal. Lines out the door attest to its popularity with locals before, during and after work. San Francisco’s  Ritual Roasters provides the beans here.

Last but not least – what better jet lag perk up than a Summer in Siam at The Ice Cream Bar in the Cole Valley neighborhood.  Don’t miss this old-fashioned soda fountain that serves an amazing array of drinks, as well as house made ice cream (more on San Francisco’s claims to ice cream hall of fame in another post).

Believe it or not, I did manage to sleep, even after all this caffeine and I brought  several bags of beans back to continue my San Francisco coffee experiences at home.