Paramo Coffee Company

Gibraltar Review
The Pour:
Decent, on par with Ritual, as an example. Like almost every shop in San Francisco, I feel like they’re roasted too light or something, so you get a «lemon bomb» when you sip it, as one barista put it. That seems to be the preference for San Francisco drinkers, so…
Service:
My barista (I think his name is Cole) was super friendly and personable.
Ambiance:
Super clean and modern, it’s a very small shop without seating, tucked in the alleyway area of Embarcadero 4 across from the Ferry Building. They have a great minimalist menu, which includes a single line item for Espresso + Milk, which I think is super logical!
Conclusion:
Decent Third Wave shop overall. I’d go there instead of Blue Bottle in the Ferry Building for sure
About Me /​Review Criteria:
–I only check out /​review «Third Wave”/artisanal/craft coffee shops
–Nobody gets more than 4 stars until I’ve gone several times
–Reviews can’t be based on just a select group of baristas, they all have to be equally skilled, or at least must all have a minimum level of skill
–My star ratings are solely based on the drink, never on food, ambiance, or if the barista is emo or snobby (because that would bring down more than 50% of the shops), although I do mention those in the review
–I don’t claim to be a trained coffee connoisseur
–My reviews are generally based on gibraltar/​cortados (or cappuccinos), not espresso or drip/​pourover coffee

What makes Paramo special is their staff. Sure, the coffee is great, but there are lots of good coffee shops in San Francisco. The folks working at Paramo are what puts this shop head and shoulders above the others.
Staff is friendly, helpful, and fast. They’re more like friends than service workers. Hard to imagine a better place to get a cup.

Confession: I’m not really an expert on coffee.
This is a small place that apparently serves high quality coffee according to the coffee experts of Unilocal.There isn’t anywhere to sit inside, which is a bit of a bummer since, for me, that (+ the smell) is one of the main attractions of a café. They have a simple and concise menu (i.e. espresso, espresso + milk, and that’s pretty much it) along with some pastries as well. I had them add cocoa to my espresso + milk (which might have been frowned upon), but I found my self-​assembled mocha to be quite delicious.

This place is awesome.
The coffee menu is somewhat limited-​no flavor shots-​but that’s not a uncommon at places that really know what they are doing when it comes to coffee.
the basic coffee options are solid. The espresso is superior, and the latte’s, cappuccino’s etc. are delightful. The dirty chai is a standout item.
They outsource pastries and lunch items. these can be expensive (seven dollars or more for a sandwich) but are also outstanding.
The inside has a small counter but mostly people chose to sit outside in the courtyard/​walkway running though embarcadero cente or better yet bierman park.
there are lines at times but they move quickly. The staff know what they are doing.
All in all there is a lot to like here.

Can there be enough coffeehouses in this town? Why yes, yes, there can be. Coffeehouses should be dark and have a skinny woman in a beret playing performing off-​key Joni Mitchell songs on a stool. But now they’re more about fair trade beans, blossom brewing, and expensive scones from an artisan bakery nobody’s heard of. Like Reveille and Artis, Paramo is another indy alternative to the more successful caffeine chains like Philz and Blue Bottle. And like any coffeehouse in this city, it has its followers and detractors. After two visits, I have to say I’m probably a mild follower, the timid type who would stop by if I walked by their shop in Four Embarcadero but probably not give it much thought afterward.
Except I gave it enough thought to submit this review. I tried their $ 2.50, 12-​ounce cup of filter coffee which was their Firecracker that day (photo:
). They describe that one as lively, bright and juicy — though those three adjectives seem misapplied to a coffee bean, more like a fruit-​flavored chewing gum. I liked the basic flavor notes of it though it tasted a tad burnt. It was not nearly enough for me to throw the coffee in the barista’s face. OK, I’ve never done that, I swear, but it was probably not freshly brewed which at 2PM, wasn’t my expectation anyway. I’m not sure what the flying donkey on the cup means, but I assume it’s their response to having a skinny woman singing on a stool in here.
COFFEE — 3 stars… pretty good though a tad burnt the last time
AMBIANCE — 3 stars… not much of it unless you count their merchandise on the shelves
SERVICE — 3 stars… quick
TOTAL — 3 stars… perhaps when donkeys fly

This is my favorite coffee spot near work. I come here often for the Chai Tea which is made with Tipu’s. I am truly addicted to the spices! I love that the Chai isn’t overly sweet and just gives much kick with the spices. I came here the other day and tried the Costa Rica brew which was delicious and flavorful — zero burnt taste whatsoever, 10x better in taste than your typical Starbucks or Peets black drip coffee. This is definitely my favorite spot to get away from it all and recharge during a busy work day. Oh yes and the paper cups they use are SUPER awesome, there’s an imprint of Pegasus looking donkey.

Wee little coffee shop in the Embarcadero center. I’ve been here twice now and both experiences have been quite pleasant. There’s usually only one barista working, or at least that’s the case on the weekend. They are friendly and helpful.
They also sell pastries from Starter Bakery. I haven’t had a chance to try but they look delicious.
They don’t have any seating in the shop, but there’s general seating outside.
[TIP] If you get a buy a bag of coffee beans (~$ 16 – 17), you get a complimentary small cup of coffee! They offer a variety of beans that range from bright to balanced to rich.

Quick and convenient coffee (or expresso) with a character of it’s own! I’m a total Paramo fan after stopping by this place!
The set up of this place is simple. In one direction, out the other. They’ve got bags for sale, pastries, and even cold drinks. Chai, iced coffee, regular expresso, and even hot cocoa. I also notice the sell the Chemex glass coffee maker, as well as my favorite the Aeropress!
I ordered from the lovely lady with a smile, and started with a simple 8oz cup of filtered coffee. It was love at first sip! Bold yet pleasant! It definitely made me feel upbeat! Not to mention the aroma, definitely tranquil. The next day I met up with a fellow Unilocaler and ordered a Traditional kouign-​amann pastry. Holy buttery goodness Batman! Way better than their almond croissant. But then again, I believe all their pastries probably match well with their coffee. Give this place a try, I guarantee you’ll like it!
Another cool thing about where this shop is located, are the wooden tables and chairs outside. Like I said, it’s a small in-​n-​out coffee shop. Yet it’s good to know you’ve got a comforting place to kick it and enjoy your coffee.
If I have any regrets, it’s one, not buying a bag of coffee beans. And two, short changing Unilocal on the pics, but I’ll be back! (^_​^)

Paramo is good, it’s in an odd location because I want to open multiple Paramos across SF.
Their roast heavily reminds me of my favorite coffee shop in New York which would be the Stumptown in the Ace Hotel. That reminder alone is worth the measly $ 2 they charge for a cup of small coffee.
The roast is somewhat acidic, robust and packs a nice kick of caffeine. It brightens my chilly SF day way up with their individually ink rolled paper cups.
I even love the old white tiled walls and Marzocco expresso machines which reminds me of old coffee shops that are littered throughout Spain and my beloved La Colombe in Philadelphia.
Glad I get to write the 22^nd review since that is my favorite number and I hope that this review brings you more patrons. You guys rock.