Caffe Trieste

It is ok. The cannoli was not fresh and the hot chocolate wasn’t hot. Be aware, they only take cash. The building is cute, and everyone was nice

If in Rome, do as the Romans do. So, if in North Beach, stop by Caffe Trieste. San Francisco is full of cafes and coffee roasters. I have some I like, and some that I despise. If I’m in North Beach, Caffe Trieste is my go-​to café. A landmark itself, Caffe Trieste is what a coffee shop should be, a community place.

I first came to Caffe Trieste when I visited San Francisco with my girlfriend while at NYU. That was the first trip I took with a girlfriend. We stayed at a hotel in Union Square. We hung around North Beach a bit, thinking about the Beatniks. She couldn’t get a beer because she didn’t have an ID. We stumbled upon Café Trieste not knowing it was some old legendary place until I think I moved here, years later. I still have the pictures (film) from when we sat outside.
Today, not wanting to go home after lunch and not knowing what to do with myself, I walked around a bit, remembered Caffe Trieste and decided to get a cappuccino.
The line was long and most of the seats inside were full. I had a real internal struggle over whether or not to get a pastry or cake or something, with all those things right in your face while you’re in line. In the end I did not.
The people who work here are always nice. They’re also interesting in an uncurated way, which is different in a city where everyone is starting to look the same.
I like the way the woman poured the foam into the espresso, a big ‘olé messy dollop, no unnecessary art or fancy designs. It was really fast, too.
I remember thinking that the cappuccinos were surprisingly good the last time I had been here. They still are. The milk is sweet and the coffee isn’t bitter. There is a lot of foam in the cup after you’re done drinking it that you can use the tiny spoon on.
I squeezed into a booth seat at a tiled table, a bit too close to the guys on either side of me, but I quickly forgot about them.
While I was there, some nondescript old guy in a baseball hat and a brown leather jacket, with a voice that sounded like it was difficult to speak, told a girl at a nearby table with a big SLR to take a picture of him, that he was the «king of poetry». I didn’t catch his name. She took the picture and showed the guy, who told her to take another one, closer. She did and made small talk, she was very nice to him. She said that she and her boyfriend were students visiting from NY.
They all left and I stayed and thought about old times. And that I should go for a run.

Super cute little coffee shop, but expect to wait in line. We saw the «espresso» sign from a block away and made a bee line towards it. There was a long line, but it moved pretty quickly and it gave me some time to look over the menu. Yes, I can’t even order a nice cup of coffee. I’m too used to the fufu drinks from Starbucks, I guess. So I looked over the menu. I decided on a latte. Boring, huh? It was the tastiest latte I’ve had.
The best part was that I got to enjoy my delicious latte outside, where hey have a few small tables on the sidewalk. It was great fun people watching because there were several regulars who apparently bring their dogs quite often to this little café. The doggies were especially cute.
The interior has very Italian character and I believe they serve food food, not just pastries and drinks. The staff was polite, especially considering how much effort and time is put into making each espresso drink perfectly. The line was understandable, but I was impressed with how well the staff maintained composure hehe.
This café is a little off the beaten path, but I think it’s worth stopping by if you have the opportunity.

My expresso macchiato was good, 4 stars. But the customers and staff were so cool that I have to give them 5 stars!

Caffe Trieste in North Beach is a great coffee shop located on the corner of Vallejo and Columbus Ave. They also serve some amazing pastries and sandwiches. It’s just a great place to grab a cup of coffee, sit down, read or surf the internet while watching San Francisco tourists and locals walk by.
I would definitely recommend this coffee shop! This place is the real deal. Devoted coffee drinkers will surely appreciate it! Caffe Trieste is one of my favorite spots whenever I’m in San Francisco.

Cappuccino was good, but service was weak. I understand that you want to have an attitude as a barista but at least be funny. I may be being hard because I didn’t feel the force ghosts of any jedi beats.

Café Triste is a staple in San Francisco coffee shop experiences. Located off Columbus St. in little Italy Triste brings back a forgotten feeling, familiarity and comfortability that has been lost in Suburban and chain stores.
Triste has a beautiful store divided into two sections to buy a cup of freshly roasted coffee and to sit and relax with a cup on the other. It has a customer base of friendly and conversational clientele and every time I visit, I find myself pulled into conversations or friendly comments from another in the shop.
I highly recommend their own personal blends and the Italian roast to go along with a nice relaxing day in the shop. As a shop, this place could stand alone, but as a store it allows you to bring the quality and experience along with you. I love this place and the product from it. This is a mandatory stop every time I make it to San Francisco.

Warning: cash only
The oldest espresso house on the west coast? That is exciting. And the atmosphere is spectacular.
I really liked that the barista knew a lot of the customers’ names.
Of course my cappuccino was delicious, and the croissant was to die for. I will definitely be back!

The espresso I got was very good, and I liked the simplicity and neighborhood feel of the place in general. But I can’t dance around it, this place looks like an animal shelter inside. It needed a deep cleaning two decades ago, and I think the city health department score of 90 was a bit of a «gimme». The comic book post-​ups on the glass were entertaining though, so not everything about the atmosphere is bad. But neither is a pressure washing. That’s not bad either.
The cakes look incredible, and the coffee is pretty dang good. I was ready to leave thinking it was an overhyped tourist spot, but the coffee itself saved the day for me. I also liked the guys behind the counter too. Friendly and NO stupid hipster-​tude. (Grrrrr.)
I hope the ownership will keep a similar vibe but big time spruce the place up. Some simple things like getting a new menu without the jacked up prices covering the old ones, replacing the countertops and flooring, and paneling the walls would make this place 100% for us in the neighborhood. Would take some effort, but it wouldn’t take much. At $ 3.85 an espresso with a line out of the door and $ 6 for a slice of cake, I hope that money isn’t a big issue for them. But you never know. Owners love to raid the cash drawer to pay for tit implants, and if there was gonna be a place where that was being done, this would be the spot.

Fantastic place, great vibe, and terrific latte!
Staff is friendly and I will be back!

A bit cheesy for an Italian — the music they play wasn’t cool even during my grandma’s times — but it’s definitely really picturesque and in a great spot. Their pastries are cafes are a bit too americanised, but they’re all right.

Damn good iced mocha! Coffee tasting how it should.
Pretty neighborhood location and friendly service even though the lady making coffee and working the register was the same person, she got through the line quickly and made excellent coffee!
Best coffee I have tasted so far!

This is a special café. Each time I return to SF, having left 12+ years ago after living there for 4 years, I make a pilgrimage to select locations (Castro Theatre, Taqueria Cancun, City Lights, etc) and this café is on the short list. I spent many hours here savouring the greatest cappuccino ever — reading, writing, people watching, chatting/​debating, listening to musicians, etc and each time I return I am ecstatic to find I am able to reconnect with the same energy.
The décor is simple and unchanged, except the telephone both now contains an ATM and there are two TV’s discreetly tucked in the corners with volumes off. The patrons are still a mix of local regulars and tourists. There is music every Saturday from 1 – 5 (min drink charge of $ 8.50), which the café owners used to participate in, not certain of they still do but regardless it was always special.
So, if you want a sensational coffee in a mellow yet vibrant local café with true character and characters then you must make this café part of your pilgrimage while in SF.

Every Sunday, Café Trieste brings in local artists to play energetic tunes. I’d suggest to add the accompaniment cappuccino. Like the music, it brings tiny bursts of micro-​effervescent joy.
The two Italian baristas man the entire line with efficient ease. It is a smaller space and perfect for the authentic Italian café experience. Strong espresso packed into a tiny cup of steamed milk made for a quick caffeine fix. Great coffee and small space = high demand. The implicit expectation is for you to enjoy your drink and head out with their consistent volume.

This was the perfect coffee house I was looking for in San Francisco. The Caffe Fantasia (latte with almond syrup) was so good, and I even had the option to spike it.
The barista knew her stuff and was a delight. The only negative was that there was no one to clear the tables off.
Oh and for you plastic patrons, it’s cash only here!

Toller Kaffee in vielen Variationen und leckere Kuchen und Cookies. Nette Bedienung. Gemütliche und urige Einrichtung. Super Gegend um davor und danach in kleinen Läden nach Mitbringseln der anderen Art zu suchen.

Great service and the cutest little women’s restroom ever. I ordered an americano with soy milk afloat, it was pretty darn delicious and I would definitely visit again if I was in the area. The service was pretty fast, even though they only take one person at a time but it was a Saterday so the minimal amount of attendants is understandable.
Overall I enjoyed it and the venue is adorable, very vintage Italian with pictures of family on the walls and an interesting décor.

Above average local café, with an old-​school vibe, famous for their Africana. Café Trieste is nestled in North Beach/​Chinatown on a small side street off Broadway. Everyone there seemed to be a return customer, and there was a surprising amount of customers hanging out there on a weekday at around 11am.
I couldn’t put my finger on what the Africana reminded me of, then I recalled — it tastes like Nespresso (which ain’t bad!). An Africana is basically a short latte — it’s incredibly powerful and rich.
I like that they have a generous amount of indoor (and some outdoor seating). The Africana was strong but not too unique IMO — I may be back to try some of their other drinks.

Pretty old school coffee shop
The place looks like it’s very, very old. There are a lot of motorcycles parked outside, which at first made me thought it was a motorcycle bar, but it isn’t! Inside you’ll find a lot of memorabilia and old black and white photos on the wall. The tables are all tiny and wooden, which adds to the retro-​feel of the place
The wait staff are pretty friendly. I got a iced coffee, which was pretty smooth and also had a pretty strong coffee aroma, which was nice.
Overall, a pretty chill place for a quick cup of coffee

Perfect cappuccino? Done. Prefer a latte? Done. I’m actually partial to their mochas. They only offer regular milk, which makes my mocha so very decadent.
Artists of all kinds have been gathering here since the beginning.
Yes, Frances Ford Coppola was once a regular here. Yes, he wrote parts of The Godfather screenplay here.
I’ve walked in right behind Nicolas Cage before.
Live opera on Saturdays. Yes. LIVE OPERA.
Old Italian men sipping espresso & chewing the fat. In Italian.
Writers writing. Artists sketching. Poets being poets. The baristas whipping out espressos & espresso drinks the artisan way.
Pastries, focaccia, pizza for noshing.
Trieste defines old school. So Italian.
Small & unassuming. What they may lack in aesthetics, they make up for in their rich history & culture. In spades.
You can go right next door to buy their coffee beans to take home. They will grind them for you if you’d like. The Italian espresso roast kicks ass; especially French pressed.
They have other locations, even one in Sausalito. But come here first.
History & culture. With damn good coffee.
A must experience.

Dafür, dass es als eines der besten Cafés mit gutem Kaffee in San Francisco hervorgehoben wird fand ich den Besuch wirklich enttäuschend.
Der Kaffee war schlecht, die gute Maschine nicht entsprechend bedient (lag es an der Bedienung an dem Tag?). Wir wissen auf jeden Fall wie guter Barista Kaffee schmecken muss und das war nix.
Auch das ‘feste’ Frühstücksangebot enttäuschte typisch Ami-​like mit ein paar Teilchen und belegten Baguette.
Schade!
Inneneinrichtung ist mal was anderes!

Ein Besuch im Caffe Trieste gehört einfach für mich dazu, wenn ich in North Beach bin. Das tolle am Trieste ist, dass obwohl es in jedem Touristenführer beschrieben ist und man hier auf jeden Fall auf Unmengen von Touris trifft, ist es dennoch ein Ort wo man auf die «Urbevölkerung» von San Francisco trifft: so sitzt in der einen Ecke der Künstler mit seinem Skizzenbuch und in der anderen Ecke diskutieren eine Handvoll Bohemians das aktuelle Tagesgeschehen (plus Papagei auf der Schulter).
An Wochenenden oder abends kann man oft Live-​Musik hören und wenn die mal nicht zur Verfügung steht, gibt’s ja immer noch die Jukebox, die Italo-​Pop oder italienische Opern spielt… herrlich kitschig, aber einfach schön.
Ach ja, der Kaffee ist hier natürlich auch erste Klasse!