I had my last cup of coffee from Ritual Roasters the other day. Not that I'm quitting, it was just the fact that it was sooooo bad, so burnt and acrid tasting, I almost returned it. Even with cream and sugar, I only managed to choke down half of it. I've had bad cups there before (french press) but I thought I'd give it one more shot, so to speak. I still might go there for espresso drinks, which have always been good. What's the deal?
The best cup of Joe in town has to be from Blue Bottle Coffee. I had their Gibraltar a couple weeks ago, and it was definately one of the best cups I've ever had. It comes in a large shot glass and is basically espresso with a little foam and milk. Like a cafe con leche. So fucking good that I didn't mind the 15 minutes I had to wait to get my drink. Their beans are always fresh and classy. It's best to go when they aren't busy. Pictured is a superb latte from 4 Barrel, Ritual's rival, they make a damn fine latte. The hipster quotient is high, but they don't have free wi-fi like Ritual does, so the minimal table space isn't taken by mac books.