Reveille Coffee in San Francisco is the small chain anchored in North Beach, with a corner room at the Columbus and Pacific triangle and a strong maple latte.
Tip: Sit at the Columbus side window; the foot traffic to City Lights makes for the best people-watch.
Address: 200 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133
The Mill in San Francisco is the Josey Baker Bread and Four Barrel Coffee partnership on Divisadero, with $4 thick-slice toast and an open bread bakery in the back.
Signature drink: Cinnamon toast with Four Barrel coffee
Tip: Toast is the order regardless of what else is on the board; the rye-buckwheat is the move.
Four Barrel Coffee in San Francisco is the Valencia Street roaster cafe with a long Probat showroom in back and a no-laptops, no-wifi policy out front.
Signature drink: Pour-over
Tip: No wifi by design; bring a book or a friend, not a screen.
Linea Caffe in San Francisco is Andrew Barnett's two-counter Mission espresso bar, with a 5-second pull style that won out before the third wave settled.
Signature drink: Espresso
Tip: Stand-up service only at the 18th Street counter; ask for the macchiato instead of a cortado.
Caffe Trieste in San Francisco is the North Beach Italian cafe that has poured cappuccino at Vallejo and Grant since 1956, with Saturday opera on the back wall.
Signature drink: Cappuccino
Tip: Saturday at 13:00 for the opera and accordion set; arrive at 12:30 for a seat in the back room.
The Buena Vista Cafe in San Francisco is the Hyde Street corner where Jack Koeppler perfected the American Irish coffee in 1952, pouring 2,000 of them a day still.
Signature drink: Irish coffee
Tip: Sit at the long bar to watch the line of pre-warmed glasses come down; the back tables miss the show.
Sightglass Coffee in San Francisco is the Morris brothers' SoMa roastery cafe, with a mezzanine over the rooftop roaster and the Owl's Howl espresso on tap.
Signature drink: Owl's Howl espresso
Tip: The 7th Street flagship is the best room; the Mission and Ferry Building outposts are quicker but smaller.
