South Beach Cafe

Location: 800 The Embarcadero, San Francisco

Reviewed: September 20, 2006

Espresso: My single shot was served just barely on the long side of 1oz. It had a thin crema in an even pale brown color. The shot was not ground to order, although it was tamped and poured directly into the cup. It had a bittersweet aroma and a nutty, smoky flavour with hints of honey in the aftertaste. Fairly bright and medium-bodied.

Atmosphere: South Beach Cafe is relatively posh for a cafe. Seating inside and outside, a full menu (including wines) and table service are among the amenities. They also have free wifi, although it is shut off during lunch hours (defined as 11:30 - 2:00). Nonetheless, one doesn't feel awkward walking up to the counter, ordering an espresso, and hanging for a bit. They also have a big-screen TV that was showing a soccer game (Rome against Inter Milan, if I interpreted the team abreviations correctly).

Verdict: Coffee is ok; place is pretty cool (and good pizza).