As I mentioned in last week's post, I continue to hunt for a replacement for my beloved Peet's, RIP. Peet's, the world's finest cafe, was my daily outing until it closed at the end of January. Since I'm doing my best to avoid becoming a literal shut-in, I need to find some place to go for my coffee and snack.
Because I am a big-city boy, there is no shortage of candidates; I have four likely options in a one block radius of my front door. Tragically, all of them come with at least one drawback. Directly across the street is the charming Wooden Spoon, but they're actually more of a full full restaurant and not someplace just drop in for a muffin.
At the end of my block, we find a pretentious little joint called Verve. Every time I have been in there, I feel that I'm being judged and found lacking, and I am simply not cool enough for their aggressively strong coffee.
Thoroughbread's charmingly shabby patio.
Around the corner is the leading contender, Thoroughbread Bakery. Aside from there their amusing name, they make the best lattes of any of the close places, and a very tasty turkey sandwich. Oddly enough, I find their baked goods sort of disappointing. Still, they're leading the Peet's Replacement Derby.
Trailing along in last place is the very fancy little grocery, Epicurious. They have a cafe with outdoor seating, which is very appealing during this warm spell we've been having. Less appealing is the very thin and sour coffee they serve up. Dudes, you're a cafe. Do better.
Also I need to tip my hat to my favorite, the Cafe du Soliel. Delicious pastries, especially the cheese Danish, and definitive espresso drinks. It's just too bad that they are a tiny bit too far away for a daily walk.
The best thing about my exploration is that it reminds me that I live in an incredibly charming neighborhood in a beautiful city. I have felt very much like a tourist trying out all these exotic places. People pay serious money to come to San Francisco and experience what I get to do by just walking down the street. I try to bear that in mind as I sample my way through an ocean of coffee.
Naked guys:
