Saint Frank Coffee

Two friends and I decided to spend our last afternoon together in the city being tourists, which led us to the ever-​popular Lombard Street. Since there wasn’t much else to do besides walk and make fun of tourists blocking the street (we had the decency to let cars go through at least) we asked our homie Unilocal if there were any good coffee shops around.
To my surprise, Saint Frank popped up on the map. I was soooo stoked because I had seen beautiful photos of the coffee shop on social media. It looked so legit! So we walked and hoped it would be open on MLK (it was) and that it would be as good as I had expected (it wasn’t).
THE GOOD
I’ll start with the good because there wasn’t much of it. Location is great and of course the aesthetic is what I imagined — clean, white, and minimalistic. Unfortunately, just because a place looks good, does not mean their coffee will be tasty.
THE BAD
The most important aspect of any food and/​or beverage establishment is exactly that — the food or beverage. I had a cappuccino while my friend Alex had a macadamia nut almond latte (I believe that was the full title). The latte seemed overpriced, especially considering how it tasted. The macadamia flavor was almost nonexistent.
With both drinks, the espresso was clearly underpulled (had a sour taste, no body or sweetness at all). On top of that, the milk was not frothed correctly. Instantly, the foam had separated from the milk and the milk remained thin and lacking a thicker mouthfeel that you would find in a properly frothed milk.
THE NEGLIGIBLE
Service was alright. They were not rude by any means. One of the baristas was friendly but seemed obviously inexperienced at latte art (depending on the cashier to do so). The cashier did not seem happy at all to be working there.
The place was packed, hot, and in desperate need of a busser.
Come here for a cool instagram photo, but not for a tasty drink.
Unilocal 100 Challenge — 2016 [2/​100]

Summary: everything is executed well here. Coffee, espresso, and (according to my girlfriend) tea all top notch. Will return next time I am in San Francisco.
Summary: I had a macchiato and then one of the Honduras blends for pour over coffee.
Pros:
1. Pour over coffee was smooth and flavorful, did not taste overdone or watered down.
2. Macchiato was not over saturated and had just enough milk. Would have had three more if I didn’t believe in caffeine induced comas.
3. Truly, seriously friendly baristas. After I ordered the pour over the guy taking my order took some time to explain the blend, but not in an over the top pretentious way. You can tell they actually love coffee here.
Cons:
1. They have a lot of seating, but no bar area. Didn’t affect he review but I always think it’s a good way to improve space efficiency.
2. Perhaps a bit too much milk for the macchiato.
My girlfriend got the Oolong tea and she loved it. Apparently they pack a good amount of tea leaves into the brew, but don’t overdo it like many places do.
Really, go here.

This place has decent coffee that they get from ritual roasters I believe.
It is a good place to get your coffee if you are in Russian hill. I had the flight and was not that impressed with the coffee but it’s better than most around the area
Staff is really nice and will answer any questions you may have
Treat people the way you want to be treated

Had an overall great experience here today. Although the drinks are on the pricier side (even for SF) I didn’t really mind spending $ 5.50 on my mocha because the service was superb.
The barista automatically greeted my friend and I. Noticing that we wasn’t sure what we wanted, he asked what we usually like and gave a variety of recommendations. Super friendly and I ended up liking the mocha.
Bitter prices but sweet service.

Sister took me here on a overcast, cold Sunday afternoon. Of course, all the seats were taken (there are a few outdoor seats as well), but this was just about as good as a coffee shop gets. Minimalism /​white interior /​small selection of bakeries /​slightly marked up espresso drinks /​strong coffee all made for perfect ambiance and a great coffee stop.
I tried the filter coffee that had hints of chocolate and orange, which I loved! They also only have cream near the back, but the baristas are super friendly and will give you any type of dairy you require.
I will be back next time I’m in the area!

This coffee shop is exactly what I think of when I think of specialty coffee.
The vibe, baristas, menu, prices. All of it.
They use Ritual’s roasting facility (they dictate their own roast profile, they don’t use Ritual coffee). If you’re coming here thinking you’re getting ritual, you’re not. This coffee is more developed flavor wise than Ritual.
The espresso machine built into the bar is a great thing. It allows you to have a conversation with your barista while you wait.
(credibility for my statements: I’m a barista at a popular specialty coffee shop in SoCal).
Definitely add this to your your of SF coffee shops.

The design of this place is really nice, clean, modern. The service is generally friendly and patient. They don’t have a lot of teas to choose from, but I do like their holy basil tea. It’s fun to watch them make the drinks.
Pro tip — if you’re hanging out for a bit, or meeting with a friend, sit upstairs. It’s quiet, cozy, and a nice place to sit to work or chat with someone.

Friendly barista, minimalist décor, loft style interior, and strong coffee. I mean really really strong coffee! Free wifi during the week. If you are looking for a workspace during the week, this is your spot!

Once you’ve sipped on a pipping hot beverage from Saint Frank Coffee, you will have to adjust paying for a drink anywhere else. Their coffee selection is divine. They even offer an espresso sampler to enjoy their different beans. The last time I popped in, I was so undecided I ordered two beverages and a sandwich. Their baked goods case rivals any other coffee shop in the city. Think scrumptious cookies, scones, assorted baked items and sandwiches. I splurged on a Mayan mocha, a honey lavender latte and a caprese sandwich. The mocha was hands down the most rich and delicious beverage I’ve ever tasted. The honey lavender latte was was divine. The sandwich hit just the right spot. The next time you are in sf, do yourself a big favor and pop into Saint Frank.

Beautiful, adorable, trendy café in Russian Hill. A great place to get some work done during the week or grab a coffee to go. They have a nice amount of seating — but they are typically all taken. If you go to work — they don’t have outlets downstairs — where it is bright and cheery (where you want to be) so come prepared and have your computer, tablet, phone, etc charged up. But they do have extra work tables upstairs with outlets, where it is not quite as charming, if you need to get more work done.
My go to: cappuccino with their house made almond macadamia nut milk — delicious and delightfully nutty!

High ceilings, white space and gorgeous wooden walls, the smell of delicious freshly roasted coffee, huge windows and lots of light, cute hipster guys serving me coffee… I can’t complain.
Ok, the coffee’s a bit on the expensive side (but I’m pretty sure expensive is San Francisco’s middle name. And last name. And maiden name), but on the plus side, if you buy a bag of coffee beans, you get a cup of coffee for free? I probably shouldn’t feel like that’s much of a deal, but for some reason, I do. I’m still waiting to pry open my new bag of Saint Frank coffee beans — found its way all the way from SF to Boston, 3000 miles, $ 25, and cute hipster coffee dude smile later.

Three words: Honey Lavender Latte.
Beautiful space with clean, modern décor and friendly baristas.
Be prepared to wait for a table, as it’s very crowded on the weekends. No outlets. No wifi on weekends.
Metered street parking exists in the area.

Saint Frank definitely knows how to make the perfect cup of coffee!
Came here for the first time during summer originally wanting to try the honey lavender latte, but they change the lattes by season so they didn’t have it. Instead, they had the Orange Julius latte on the seasonal menu.
I was a bit skeptical because I wouldn’t have imagined orange going well with coffee but the barista was very nice and offered me a sample of the orange flavor with tonic water before I ordered. I thought the sample was a bitter, but it was the tonic that made it bitter.
The barista also told me he’d make me something else if I didn’t like it. I went ahead and tried the Orange Julius Latte.
I was pretty satisfied with the latte, the orange wasn’t overpowering the coffee flavor which I enjoyed. Thank you, Barista!
Came here again for the second time (during fall) and OMG, they’ve answered my prayers! The seasonal latte on the menu was HONEY LAVENDER!
I finally got to try the honey lavender latte and it was amazing. You can really taste the honey, lavender, and coffee. However, lattes are too milky for my coffee preference. I ordered the honey lavender cappuccino the next time and it was HEAVEN in a cup and I was very very satisfied.
Unfortunately, honey lavender is only seasonal and there will be holiday flavors soon. So, I will be coming here as much as possible until then.
*They don’t offer wifi on the weekends because they’re pretty busy!

On a gloomy San Francisco afternoon, I love to sip on a mocha to brighten up my day and soul. However, it is a rarity to find a place that makes a mocha exactly how I like it: not overpoweringly sweet, yet creamy with a generous hint of chocolate. So I was thrilled to discover Saint Frank Coffee for its mochtastic mocha that I have been looking for quite some time.
The space here has a high ceiling, and a bright modern feel to it, making it an excellent place to chat over a coffee or to work remotely from.
Cons: it is a struggle to find seats here, so sometimes I just give up and go to starbucks :[
Also no wifi on the weekends, I guess they want you to just socialize and relax on the weekends.

Three words: ALMOND MACADAMIA LATTE. They specially make and blend the almond and macadamia nut milk each morning, and it is #worththecalories!
The baristas are super hipster and friendly for Nob Hill, and the seating structure is fun and modern.
One star off because one time my date’s mom fell off one of the chairs, which sounded like a clumsy freak accident, but the next three times I frequented the place, I saw others (including myself) fall off the chairs as well. This is a liability!

5 stars for Saint Frank’s!
I enjoy coffee.
I enjoy g r e a t coffee.
St. frank’s delivered!
I have coffee fever ²⁴⁄₇ and am always on the hunt for tastes from the best. I went to saint franks with a fellow coffee adventurer and we were amused.
The ambiance — on par!
Service — flawless
Dranks — delectable
Pastries — finger licken good!
We ordered the coffee flights for 8 $ a set.
It came fixed with espresso, latte, cold brew, warm coffee. All so good. All swished and enjoyed interchangeably. I will come by when I’m in the area or have a friend up for the experience.
I encourage everyone to come here. I’d say this is the best coffee watering hole in San Francisco 2^nd to Seattle’s Slate Coffee Roasters. Hands down! Yum!

The space is just beautiful. All white, tile, & wood. I can see idling time here very easily.
It’s bright & airy, w the highest ceiling & additional seating upstairs.
There’s counter seating at the window for optimal people watching.
And there’s a lovely pastry case filled w enticing goods.
The barista was über polite.
I ordered a honey lavender latte w their house made almond milk.
My man ordered an americano.
We ordered our coffees to go.
We then headed over to The Boy’s Deli a block down to grab lunch.
Then, we headed over to Smoke Signals across the street for magazines.
See that? Saint Frank beautifully fueled our afternoon errands & effortlessly integrated into our daily plans.
Isn’t that what all coffee joints aspire to do?
It’s certainly what they all should do.
Am I right?
Another great indie coffee addition to the ever growing SF coffee landscape.
4 stars.

First thing I noticed when I walked in was the abundance of natural light as well as the high ceilings. Both factors definitely play a role in creating this aesthetically pleasing space where people can study, read, or chat with one another. It’s a beautiful space, but it can be a little hard to find a table because of how crowded it gets with people using their laptops.
The coffee here is great and fresh tasting. It’s definitely one of the better tasting coffee places in the city, but I will say that it is a bit on the pricy side. This may just be a result of the neighborhood that it’s located in (Russian Hill) though… Service is also decent, so I definitely look forward to coming back here again!

I came to Saint Frank’s after running errands in Pac Heights on a Sunday morning. The line is not as bad as people make it out to be, but then again they charge a bit much for their coffee.
The seasonal specialty latte (orange julius) was delicious, but didn’t taste anything like orange. According to the barista, they use brown sugar and orange peel. Although it was pretty sweet, I didn’t detect any orange flavor. At $ 5.50 a pop for this seasonal latte, I was disappointed.
They use organic clover milk, and the default is whole milk.
I didn’t try the almond macadamia latte/​cappuccino, but it’s a non-​dairy option.
The chocolate croissant was great – crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and a somewhat generous helping of chocolate inside. I wonder where Saint Frank’s gets their pastries; pretty sure they don’t make them in house!
To be honest, I came to Saint Frank because my co-​worker said she tried a honey lavender latte, and that’s what I wanted to sample. Unfortunately, their seasonal specialty offerings change, so I missed out on that one.
So why 4 stars?:
1. Baristas actually are pretty nice/​unpretentious. I finished my croissant and someone stopped by and offered to take me plate.
2. Clean décor, decent amount of seating.
3. Unique offerings (they offer a flight of coffees – which I’m itching to try, «tonics», and iced coffee made on the spot).
Overall, I’d come back for the pastries (want to try the sea salt chocolate chip cookie) and delicious coffee. Since prices are a little steep, I’d only return on a day I want to treat myself.

Saint Frank is an indie coffee shop in Russian Hill that I goto when I’m in the mood.
It’s a busy place because of their personalized preparation of their drinks. Coffee, tea, cocoa and even homemade macadamia nut milk!
The pastries they carry are also off the hook good. Salted caramel brioche, Sour Cherry Crumble Danish, cheddar croissant… everything looks and tastes exquisite.
No wonder that it’s a happening place in the morning.
If you’re in the Russian Hill Neighborhood and looking for a personal experience with knowledgeable staff, stop by Saint Frank. Your thirst will be quenched and you’ll leave a little more savvy afterwards.

Saint Frank est le café hipster épuré à la suédoise avec des baristas en chemises à carreaux par excellence.
J’ai pris à emporter un Almond Milk Ice Latte, un des meilleures que j’ai eu l’occasion de tester de ma vie. Ce que j’apprécie chez Saint Frank c’est que leur café a du goût sans pour autant être intensément amer.
MONEY MONEY MONEY
Comptez entre $ 2 et $ 5 pour votre café
ON Y VA AVEC QUI?
Tout seul, on y passé le matin avec d’aller au travail, histoire de bien commencer sa journée.
Avec son ordinateur pour venir travailler sur son prochain roman sur l’histoire de la Scandinavie.
A TESTER IMMEDIATEMENT
L’almond milk latte qui est tout simplement une tuerie!

Genialer Coffeeshop mitten auf der Polk Street und super gelegen am Weg zur Golden Date Bridge — wenn man mit dem Rad unterwegs ist. Das genialste Frühstück hatte ich hier: ein Brioche-​Donut mit gesalzener Karamelfülle. Zum Hineinlegen, wahrlich ich sage euch!
Der Kaffee dazu war auch gut und die Preise eh wie überall. Die Polk Street find ich ohnehin super und was mir besonders gut gefällt im Saint Frank, ist die Sitzmöglichkeit in der Auslage: simple Theke mit Hockern und bequemer Fussablage (zumindest für kleine Leute wie mich) mit direktem Blick aufs getümmel da draußen. Das alles schafft ein tolles Ambiente und eine Einkehr unerlässlich.
Außerdem gibt’s gratis WLAN, also auch ein ideales «Arbeitskaffeee».