After years of patiently waiting in line at a kiosk on chilly Linden Alley-braving wind, rain, and fog just for a taste of the perfect latte-Blue Bottle Coffee fanatics were justly rewarded with the opening of one of the best coffee shops in San Francisco on Mint Plaza. Blue Bottle Cafe here offers a place to sit and enjoy it’s fabulous coffee. But that’s not all: there’s also breakfast and dinner too. Outfitted in calm hues of pale brown and blue, the utilitarian space with high windows and lots of light is a low-key place for hipsters to get their fix. Head to the counter and order a BBC classic, or check out the siphon bar, where a $20,000 Japanese brewing contraption ensures a cup of coffee that’s as artful as the machine that made it.

Photo 3: Flickr/kennymatic“