Four Barrel - San Francisco, CA
When you imagine a “hipster” coffee shop, Four Barrel should be the stereotypical place that comes to mind: wooden interior and rustic atmosphere, with indie music blaring. As unique as it tried to be, there are three locations of this popular coffeehouse in San Francisco. I visited the location in the Mission district.
Around mile 5 my friend’s Fitbit dinged, reminding us to take a break from walking. Of course, my first suggestion was we find a coffee shop, since I felt I hadn’t hit enough of them during our long day of trekking around San Francisco. My friend recommended Four Barrel, as it was right down the street we were walking. Funnily enough, we passed by the large café before checking our Google Maps and realizing we had passed the café unknowingly… more walking for us. There’s no sign showcasing the place, except for tiny, white font that spells out “Four Barrel” on the two large windows on either side of the wooden entryway. Upon entering, I noticed some countertop seats by the front windows, and suspended above each table there was a large bundle of rope, which looked like it could drop an anchor, reaching from the ceiling to just above each table. Hazy, miniature Edison bulbs snaked around the rope: the cherry-on-top of the indie vibe. Modern art, eh?
The rest of the space preceding the extensive, reclaimed-wood counter is enough to host a decently sized party. It was refreshing entering a coffee shop that had a lot of open space before the counter, as I didn’t feel as suffocating when I entered. On one side of the substantial counter were small tables attached to the wall, each looking like two pieces of aged wood haphazardly drilled together. Groups of twenty-something’s occupied these tables, working on laptops, reading books, or socializing with friends. However, there was neither WiFi nor outlets. On the other side of the room there was a small coffee bar and bags of coffee beans extending across a gray wall like an intricate painting.
Oh! And speaking of paintings, there were some of the most gorgeous pieces of artwork hanging on the cream-colored wall by the tables (while writing this, I realize that I neglected to get the name of the artist… I’m kicking myself in the ass). Mainly depictions of dancers, the oil paints created beautiful colors and the attention to detail was down to the shadows.
My friend’s vocalization of needing to use the bathroom snapped my attention away from the paintings, so we wrapped around the three-sided counter to the back area. A high countertop table looked into an open room where there were cloth bags of coffee beans and an industrial-sized coffee grinder. I noticed a chalkboard sign in the corner that listed classes that they offered, such as grinding beans and better brewing at home. If I lived in San Fran, you’d bet I’d take one of these.
We finally ordered our coffee and found an open table. The baristas working there were kind, yet they expected everyone who was sitting in the establishment to know when and where their coffee was coming out. I was waiting for my cappuccino for 10 minutes, and had to move around the entire counter before I spotted it in a clay cup on a matching plate. A capp cost $4.50, which was unsurprising to me at this point in SF. The cappuccino itself was smooth throughout with nutty hints (I tasted almond) and just the right amount of acidity from the beans at the end. Unfortunately, since the barista who made my drink didn’t inform me of its arrival, it was a little lukewarm to my liking. Overall, I did quite enjoy Four Barrel’s beans and the brewing techniques they used to make a smooth cappuccino.
Out of the very few coffee shops I visited in SF, Four Barrel was my favorite. They have great coffee and a warm, cozy atmosphere. However, the baristas had a bit of an entitled attitude about the coffee shop they worked in, there was no WiFi nor any place to charge up your electronic devices, and it was difficult to hold a conversation with my friend because the music was turned up to a rather absurd volume. At least it wasn’t Screamo (no offense, Metalheads).
Coffee: 4/5
Food: N/A
Price: 2/5
Atmosphere: 3/5
Overall: 3.5/5