Customer Reviews

The Cafes of San Francisco: A Guide to the Sights, Sounds, and Tastes of America's Original Cafe Society

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4 star:		(2)
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What a great, interesting book! I came across this guide at the counter of a local cafe that is actually featured in the book. The book organizes coffee houses and cafes according to neighborhoods of San Francisco. In each of the neighborhoods are featured cafes, their stories, menus, and even some of the recipes. I know some great cafes must have been missed and omitted since coffee houses in San Francisco come and go and there are a plethora of them (not counting Starbucks, of course) that accentuate neighborhood identity. It would be a strenuous project to keep up-to-date of all the newcomers in the industry (so I'll expect, maybe, a yearly edition?). A great headstart and a perfect coffee-table book for barista connoisseur and just the daily dosers!

Well, damn. I mean, I LIVE here, and why haven't I seen this book before? There are unique cafes everywhere in San Francisco's cosmopolitan Bay Area, and what can be more cosmopolitan than discovering a new one, sitting at streetside between the fog rolling out and rolling back in, sipping a latte, and indulging in a little People Watching? I love it. There are more than 300 wonderful color photos, a directory to the more than 340 cafes profiles, lots of vignettes, tidbits, gossip items, and even some recipes.
What's not to love?

This is a fun little guide boook; it has a fair balance of cafes throughout the Bay Area. I can think of a lot of shops that were not included, but you have to be able to hold the thing....Mostly I like it because my daughter works in one of the cafes featured, and there are TWO pictures of her in it!

The selection and variety of cafes is broad and interesting. The writing is fine, but seems a little promo oriented; every cafe is great, the best, etc. Also, just wondering what the demographic is for this book, retirees? It seems a little frozen in time; a one-page interview with "Beat poet Ruth Weiss"? Beats were interesting - maybe - in the 60's. Now, it's not interesting. Also, I don't know if the book has regressed, but the 4th edition, published in 2011 has no color pictures, unless you want to count the cover. Straight black and white photos and the people in them seem to be wearing non-2011 clothing and hairstyles. Hmmm. No reason to reward mediocrity - skip this lemon and look elsewhere for a modern book of San Francisco cafes.