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Anthony Parks, Emilio & Miguel Salehi (Equal Parts Media)

14 Buzzy Coffee Cocktails Around San Francisco and the East Bay

San Francisco loves an espresso martini but the caffeinated cocktail fun doesn’t stop there

by Flora Tsapovsky and Eater Staff Updated
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by Flora Tsapovsky and Eater Staff Updated
Anthony Parks, Emilio & Miguel Salehi (Equal Parts Media)

It’s happy hour. You woke up early today. Or perhaps the evening is unfolding, and you need a pick-me-up. This is where the coffee cocktail — one of the era’s many welcome trends — comes in. While San Francisco has always been the home of the classics, namely Irish coffee and espresso martinis, lately bartenders around the Bay have been coloring outside of the lines. They innovate with coffee liquors, play with infusions, and, overall, introduce coffee flavors in new, sophisticated ways. Read on to discover the hottest new coffee cocktails of the moment, as well as some mainstays that cater to purists.

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Friends & Family

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Coconuts and coffee rub elbows in the For Rei, a deceptively simple-looking number on the Friends & Family cocktail list. Not only does Toki Japanese Whisky get a coconut wash, there’s also a coconut water “popsicle” at the heart of this drink. Coffee notes, meanwhile, come from infused Cynar. 

468 25th St, Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 225-0469
(510) 225-0469

Also featured in:

Parche

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Freshly opened in Oakland, this Colombian restaurant offers a rich selection of coffee-based cocktails. For a spicy caffeine boost with dinner, opt for the Cocoa “Negroni” featuring mezcal and vermouth. For a sweet and energizing dessert drink, try Bogota Cafe, flavored with cinnamon, and subtly sweet Montanero, plus bourbon and honey liquor. The restaurant recently launched a brunch menu, on which a couple of additional coffee-infused drinks make an appearance. 

2295 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 922-9687
(510) 922-9687
A bar with chairs. Adahlia Cole

The Buena Vista

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This San Francisco institution isn’t just a place to get a great Irish coffee, it’s the place to get the best one in the country. Bartenders in crisp white coats make hundreds of whiskey-laced coffee cocktails every day, allegedly using the same recipe developed by then-owner Jack Koeppler and travel writer Stanton Delaplane way back in 1952. It’s a simple drink but the secret is the technique. 

2765 Hyde St, San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 474-5044
(415) 474-5044
Ellen Fort

Also featured in:

rendezvous

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At this new Marina bar, bartender Shaher Misif describes the Espresso-tini shots as an “espresso martini that we put on a workout regimen and shrunk it down a few .” Small, yet potently awakening, the shot mixes vodka, cold brew coffee, and a housemade espresso tincture. It can be an accessory to a bigger cocktail, or hold its own. 

2030 Lombard St, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 494-7383
(415) 494-7383

Balboa Cafe

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Balboa Cafe is a cocktail institution and brunch scene in the Marina dating back a century. Due to wild demand, espresso martinis are now on a nitro tap, pouring out an ultra smooth mix of Top Hat Provisions condensed coffee, Stoli vanilla vodka, and Kahlua coffee liqueur. By request, they’ll also do a made-to-order version with a hot shot of espresso, which can be made decaf. And they’re selling canned espresso martinis to go over the bar.

3199 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 921-3944
(415) 921-3944
Espresso martinis at Balboa Cafe Balboa Cafe

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Tosca Cafe

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North Beach’s infamous drinking den reopened in 2021 with a loving restoration, and it’s better than ever, bullet holes and all. Of course, they kept the House Cappuccino, which might be a controversial inclusion on this list, because as true San Franciscans know – it does not include any coffee. But with bourbon, cognac, chocolate, and steamed milk, it’s a warm and cozy comfort.

242 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 986-9651
(415) 986-9651
Cappuccino cocktails at Tosca Cafe Tosca Cafe

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La Mar Cocina Peruana

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This beloved waterfront Peruvian restaurant recently added a slightly more casual bar to its offerings. While enjoying nigiri and taquitos and listening to a rotation of DJs, visitors can lift their spirits with Que Bacan, a pisco cocktail infused with sherry, Kahlua, and espresso. The pisco adds a welcome refreshing twist to the coffee-forward flavor profile, making the cocktail an early-evening favorite. 

PIER 1 1/2 The Embarcadero N, San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 397-8880
(415) 397-8880

Macondray

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Macondray is that lush bar on Polk that’s downright dripping with plants, and usually known for spicy margaritas and chicken tenders. But espresso martinis have been upsetting the menu of late. Veteran bartender Aaron Paul calls his version the Midnight Mookie, and it’s a creamy shake-down of Humboldt Distillery vodka, Philz coffee, coconut milk, and Angioletto hazelnut liqueur, with a nostalgic sprinkle of Folgers speckling the top.

2209 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 829-3464
(415) 829-3464

Also featured in:

Bar Sprezzatura

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It’s not just negroni sbagliatos at this new FiDi bar and restaurant. Italian-born and San Francisco-based bar expert Carlo Splendorini is adding a strong contender to the Bay’s rich coffee cocktail scene: his Negroni Caffe mixes Italian brandy Tuaca, the city’s favorite Fernet, and both espresso liqueur and coffee liqueur Galliano Ristretto.

One Maritime Plaza, #100, San Francisco, CA 94111
(628) 466-0230
(628) 466-0230
Patricia Chang

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Left Bank Brasserie

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The newest outpost of the successful French-leaning restaurant group offers an interesting spin on a negroni by adding cask coffee to it. The bitterness of the Campari plays well with the richness of Mr. Black coffee liquor, while amaretto and vermouth smooth the flavor out.  

55 Webster St Suite 66-055, Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 459-4500
(510) 459-4500

Also featured in:

The Felix

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At the new subterranean speakeasy-style bar attached to the Tenderloin hit Bodega, Vietnamese coffee, and Reposado tequila mingle in the innocent-looking Espresso Cheeky. Not quite the size of a cocktail and slightly larger than a shot, the Cheeky is flavored with chrysanthemum simple syrup, which leads the drink to have a pleasant herbaceous kick.

138 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94102

Aziza

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This soulful Moroccan institution reopened in 2019, to the delight of legions of fans, after years shuttered. Thankfully, the restaurant survived the worst of the pandemic to bring coffee connoisseurs the Marrakesh Express. This cold drink combines rye, Nonino amaro, Nola coffee liqueur, raspberry, creole bitters, and a dash of cardamom.

5800 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121
(415) 682-4196
(415) 682-4196
A drink on a table.
The Marrakesh Express at Aziza.
Brianna Danner

Also featured in:

CAVAÑA

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Coffee and salt? The talented team at one of San Francisco’s newest rooftop bars pulls it off. The Coco Cafecito arrives in a simple, clear glass that displays the drink’s foamy layer. It features Venezuelan rum, toasted coconut, sherry, almond extract, and, of course, cold brew. Finished with orange salt,  the cocktail is both sophisticated and easy to sip on, as you watch the sun go down. 

100 Channel St 17th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94158
(415) 757-1470
(415) 757-1470

Also featured in:

Rosemary & Pine

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The look of Clear Skies, one of the cocktails on the menu at the relatively new Design District restaurant, doesn’t disclose the involvement of coffee. However, the bright clarified milk punch, which combines tequila, scotch, rhubarb liqueur, coconut milk, and citrus, gets a subtle coffee note from coffee-infused tepache — a fermented beverage made in-house.

1725 Alameda St, San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 757-0594
(415) 757-0594

Also featured in:

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Friends & Family

468 25th St, Oakland, CA 94612

Coconuts and coffee rub elbows in the For Rei, a deceptively simple-looking number on the Friends & Family cocktail list. Not only does Toki Japanese Whisky get a coconut wash, there’s also a coconut water “popsicle” at the heart of this drink. Coffee notes, meanwhile, come from infused Cynar. 

468 25th St, Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 225-0469
(510) 225-0469

Parche

2295 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612

Freshly opened in Oakland, this Colombian restaurant offers a rich selection of coffee-based cocktails. For a spicy caffeine boost with dinner, opt for the Cocoa “Negroni” featuring mezcal and vermouth. For a sweet and energizing dessert drink, try Bogota Cafe, flavored with cinnamon, and subtly sweet Montanero, plus bourbon and honey liquor. The restaurant recently launched a brunch menu, on which a couple of additional coffee-infused drinks make an appearance. 

2295 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 922-9687
(510) 922-9687
A bar with chairs. Adahlia Cole

The Buena Vista

2765 Hyde St, San Francisco, CA 94109

This San Francisco institution isn’t just a place to get a great Irish coffee, it’s the place to get the best one in the country. Bartenders in crisp white coats make hundreds of whiskey-laced coffee cocktails every day, allegedly using the same recipe developed by then-owner Jack Koeppler and travel writer Stanton Delaplane way back in 1952. It’s a simple drink but the secret is the technique. 

2765 Hyde St, San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 474-5044
(415) 474-5044
Ellen Fort

rendezvous

2030 Lombard St, San Francisco, CA 94123

At this new Marina bar, bartender Shaher Misif describes the Espresso-tini shots as an “espresso martini that we put on a workout regimen and shrunk it down a few .” Small, yet potently awakening, the shot mixes vodka, cold brew coffee, and a housemade espresso tincture. It can be an accessory to a bigger cocktail, or hold its own. 

2030 Lombard St, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 494-7383
(415) 494-7383

Balboa Cafe

3199 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94123

Balboa Cafe is a cocktail institution and brunch scene in the Marina dating back a century. Due to wild demand, espresso martinis are now on a nitro tap, pouring out an ultra smooth mix of Top Hat Provisions condensed coffee, Stoli vanilla vodka, and Kahlua coffee liqueur. By request, they’ll also do a made-to-order version with a hot shot of espresso, which can be made decaf. And they’re selling canned espresso martinis to go over the bar.

3199 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 921-3944
(415) 921-3944
Espresso martinis at Balboa Cafe Balboa Cafe

Tosca Cafe

242 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133

North Beach’s infamous drinking den reopened in 2021 with a loving restoration, and it’s better than ever, bullet holes and all. Of course, they kept the House Cappuccino, which might be a controversial inclusion on this list, because as true San Franciscans know – it does not include any coffee. But with bourbon, cognac, chocolate, and steamed milk, it’s a warm and cozy comfort.

242 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 986-9651
(415) 986-9651
Cappuccino cocktails at Tosca Cafe Tosca Cafe

La Mar Cocina Peruana

PIER 1 1/2 The Embarcadero N, San Francisco, CA 94105

This beloved waterfront Peruvian restaurant recently added a slightly more casual bar to its offerings. While enjoying nigiri and taquitos and listening to a rotation of DJs, visitors can lift their spirits with Que Bacan, a pisco cocktail infused with sherry, Kahlua, and espresso. The pisco adds a welcome refreshing twist to the coffee-forward flavor profile, making the cocktail an early-evening favorite. 

PIER 1 1/2 The Embarcadero N, San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 397-8880
(415) 397-8880

Macondray

2209 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109

Macondray is that lush bar on Polk that’s downright dripping with plants, and usually known for spicy margaritas and chicken tenders. But espresso martinis have been upsetting the menu of late. Veteran bartender Aaron Paul calls his version the Midnight Mookie, and it’s a creamy shake-down of Humboldt Distillery vodka, Philz coffee, coconut milk, and Angioletto hazelnut liqueur, with a nostalgic sprinkle of Folgers speckling the top.

2209 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 829-3464
(415) 829-3464

Bar Sprezzatura

One Maritime Plaza, #100, San Francisco, CA 94111

It’s not just negroni sbagliatos at this new FiDi bar and restaurant. Italian-born and San Francisco-based bar expert Carlo Splendorini is adding a strong contender to the Bay’s rich coffee cocktail scene: his Negroni Caffe mixes Italian brandy Tuaca, the city’s favorite Fernet, and both espresso liqueur and coffee liqueur Galliano Ristretto.

One Maritime Plaza, #100, San Francisco, CA 94111
(628) 466-0230
(628) 466-0230
Patricia Chang

Left Bank Brasserie

55 Webster St Suite 66-055, Oakland, CA 94607

The newest outpost of the successful French-leaning restaurant group offers an interesting spin on a negroni by adding cask coffee to it. The bitterness of the Campari plays well with the richness of Mr. Black coffee liquor, while amaretto and vermouth smooth the flavor out.  

55 Webster St Suite 66-055, Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 459-4500
(510) 459-4500

The Felix

138 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94102

At the new subterranean speakeasy-style bar attached to the Tenderloin hit Bodega, Vietnamese coffee, and Reposado tequila mingle in the innocent-looking Espresso Cheeky. Not quite the size of a cocktail and slightly larger than a shot, the Cheeky is flavored with chrysanthemum simple syrup, which leads the drink to have a pleasant herbaceous kick.

138 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94102

Aziza

5800 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121

This soulful Moroccan institution reopened in 2019, to the delight of legions of fans, after years shuttered. Thankfully, the restaurant survived the worst of the pandemic to bring coffee connoisseurs the Marrakesh Express. This cold drink combines rye, Nonino amaro, Nola coffee liqueur, raspberry, creole bitters, and a dash of cardamom.

5800 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121
(415) 682-4196
(415) 682-4196
A drink on a table.
The Marrakesh Express at Aziza.
Brianna Danner

CAVAÑA

100 Channel St 17th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94158

Coffee and salt? The talented team at one of San Francisco’s newest rooftop bars pulls it off. The Coco Cafecito arrives in a simple, clear glass that displays the drink’s foamy layer. It features Venezuelan rum, toasted coconut, sherry, almond extract, and, of course, cold brew. Finished with orange salt,  the cocktail is both sophisticated and easy to sip on, as you watch the sun go down. 

100 Channel St 17th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94158
(415) 757-1470
(415) 757-1470

Rosemary & Pine

1725 Alameda St, San Francisco, CA 94103

The look of Clear Skies, one of the cocktails on the menu at the relatively new Design District restaurant, doesn’t disclose the involvement of coffee. However, the bright clarified milk punch, which combines tequila, scotch, rhubarb liqueur, coconut milk, and citrus, gets a subtle coffee note from coffee-infused tepache — a fermented beverage made in-house.

1725 Alameda St, San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 757-0594
(415) 757-0594

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