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    Ballast Coffee

    4.2 (304 reviews)
    ModerateCoffee & Tea
    Open 7:30 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Ballast Coffee Photos

    Business Info

    BALLAST COFFEE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Ballast Coffee

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    ube latte
    Lauren B.

    Finally a place that serves ube and it actually tastes like ube!! It was my first time at this cafe and I honestly loved it. The place was cute and perfect to get work done. The ube latte was perfection! Their beans are also from Costa Rica and the Philippines which is amazing. Love the Filipino representation. The latte itself was not overly sweet and you can definitely taste the ube. I highly recommend :)

    Menu 1/2026
    Doug T.

    Stopped in for some coffee while waiting for restaurant wait list. Ube Ballast Latte and House Ballast Latte. So good. Warm and creamy. It was cold outside so coming in for a hot cup was perfect. Nice seating area in a cozy environment.

    Not so "nitro cold" brew. Just slightly chilled stirred up bubble coffee.
    M J.

    Coffee is ok. Nitro brew is just bubbly cooled blan coffee. (See photo) Other drinks are too sweet. I tried twice to make sure it just wanted a bad day, but they have failed. The workers are... just don't care. Literally they just stand around looking at their phones. Taking my business elsewhere.

    Matcha Mochi Muffin
    Mike L.

    While I've always been really fond of West Portal, I think my affinity for this part of SF has only grown over the years. Granted, it stinks that some of the neighborhood's longtime institutions are gone, such as the old Empire Theater and the original Shaw's. However, it has been just as great to see so many awesome spots come along, like the new Shaw's, Little Original Joe's, and, of course, Ballast Coffee! Which just so happens to be one of my new favorite coffee shops that, not so coincidentally, serves up one of my new favorite drinks! From the outside, Ballast may not look all that big, but this place is deceptively large with a ton of seating options. Along with the handful of tables out on the sidewalk, they also have a few tables by the front door (including a no laptop section), some smaller tables and counter seats by the "coffee bar", larger tables in their back room, and even a patio/yard. Somewhat rare to find a coffee shop with so much seating, but quite handy as this place can get pretty full on weekends. As for their menu, it's equally impressive, featuring a mix of classic coffee offerings, teas, several signature drinks, and a wonderful selection of quiche, toasts, empanadas, and pastries from bakeries like Starter and Third Culture! -- DRIP COFFEE...$3.50 (small/8oz) This may not have been the best drip coffee I've had, but it's certainly one of the best! Although I wish it had been a bit more robust, the tail (aftertaste ) was good and didn't lave a burnt/bitter taste to it. -- UBE LATTE with Ube Condensed Milk and Topped with Ube Powder...$6.50 In a single word, this was FANTASTIC. The latte wasn't super sweet and I love how the taste of the ube in this was relatively strong. Plus, the creamy-ish consistency of this was really. SO GOOD! -- BARAKO CRUSH - Barako Style Cold Brew with Calamansi Juice and S. Pelligrino...$5 As much as I enjoy both cold brew and calamansi juice, I think they're better apart. Even though I did find it refreshing, the bitterness of the cold brew and the tartness/acidity of the juice didn't really mesh for me. -- MATCHA MOCHI MUFFIN...$4.50 Not quite what I expected, but not bad either. The muffin was moist, had a nice hit of mochi flavor, and, most notably, had a soft/gummy texture to it. That said, I didn't expect it to resemble mochi as much as it did ("bouncy", for the lack of a better description). -- ICED UBE LATTE...$6.50 Given how much I thoroughly enjoy the hot version, trying the iced version was a must! Not surprising, this was just as good - not quite as creamy, but the ube tasted so much stronger. Perfect on a hot day! -- LORRAINE QUICHE...$8 I had high hopes for this and it did not disappoint! The quiche was the perfect size (love that it wasn't just a slice) and the dough was amazing, but the custard was the star - not too rich and a good ratio of bacon to egg to cheese. Along with the delicious coffee and food, the other highlight about Ballast has been the service. Every time I've been here, the workers are always so friendly and get drinks out super fast. All of that, along with the chill vibe, makes this a fantastic spot to study/get some work done, catch up with a friend, sit and relax, and/or to stop in for a quick caffeine fix on the go!

    Ube Latte and Crushed Barako
    Allister D.

    Huge thank you to my Filipino people for doing this for the culture. I'm so proud that we have our own coffee style out there in the public for people to try. Not to mention, this coffee shop is located in one of the most charming neighborhoods in SF. Barako coffee: A strong and pungent coffee variant that is mainly from the two places in Philippines; Batangas and Cavite. It's categorized as Liberica and is pretty rare due to its cultivation. We tried their Barako Crush which is their Barako style cold brew mixed with calamansi juice. This is unique and tastes fresh. Their Ube Latte is also delicious and not overly sweet. It's thick still which is great and has a pretty strong coffee taste. I also tried a mochi muffin from Third Culture which tastes really good! I'd love to go to the actual bakery for these again. Overall, this is a great coffee shop with some Filipino art work on the walls and a cozy setting. There's even a bar-like seating area which is nice. I'll be sure to definitely come back again.

    Ballast latte
    Kritika S.

    Love this neighborhood cafe. Ballast latte is too good. There's space to do some work and there's even a cute little backyard to drink your coffee with some outside air

    Grace M.

    Gorgeous art and a chill spot to study or get some work done. My matcha was delicious but grainy/ floppy, would've appreciated a better whisking for the price!!

    iced matcha latte
    Audrey H.

    Went here after a basketball game at Waldorf. Stopped for a quick coffee. Staff are AMAZING and so fast. We got our drinks less than a minute after ordering. The vibe is super modern and minimalistic.

    Cafe ole

    Cute little coffee shop. Local hot spot to sit and enjoy a cup of Joe. Knowledgeable baristas serve a beautiful "sit in" cup of coffee.

    Ube latte
    Amy F.

    I love the Ube latte; it's as good as it looks. The atmosphere is bright, cheerful and vibrant with people working, socializing, and enjoying the space.

    Lyna N.

    As a SoCal native I WISH I could have their ube latte every day! I've been looking for something similar to my favorite ube latte in Hawaii and I didn't expect to find it on a trip to SF but was SO pleasantly surprised. Warm, beautiful art on top and the perfect mix of both coffee and creamy ube flavors, neither overpowering the other.The avocado toast was ALSO amazing - it checks off all of the things I look for on an avo toast and was super filling. Came here on a gloomy day to get some work done with a friend and was greeted with a warm and welcoming ambience - the cafe is small and bustling with a decent selection of seating in the back and some artwork hung as well - it's a great meeting spot/place to do work.

    Joan W.

    I come here to get the ube latte which is very pretty with a rich purple hue. The café also serves empanadas and mochi muffins and donuts from 3rd culture bakery. It seems to be busy a lot, I think it's a popular place for people to come and study. The 9pm closing time is a huge plus because this city has so few late-night coffee places open. I love walking around West Portal after, it's such a cute main street that seems like it's from a different time.

    Ube Latte
    Madeleine H.

    Stopped in before stern grove and had the ube latte. It was super flavorful and not too sweet, which to me makes for the perfect latte. I loved the drink, but I felt the service was lacking. Not very friendly and didn't call out my name when my drink was ready so it was sitting out for a while getting cold before I realized it was mine. If I lived in the area I might give it another try, but probably won't be back.

    Inside

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    3 months ago

    The music is blasting louder than any coffee shop I've visited. If that doesn't bother you, then you might be able to get work done.

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    6 months ago

    Great local coffee that generally delivers highest quality drinks, with a nice little vibe

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    11 months ago

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    Ask the Community - Ballast Coffee

    Do you have outlets?

    Plenty

    Is the outdoor patio heated?

    Sorry, no it isn't.

    Do you have secure wifi there?

    There is wi-fi available, but no publicly-available internet access should be considered secure. You should use a VPN service when you connect to any coffee shop's free wi-fi network.

    Is their back patio open during pandemic?

    Yes it is open! There are a couple benches, a few small coffee tables and chairs in the back area.

    Hello, are the straws compostable?

    No, they are plastic

    How are they operating during covid?

    Closed until Jan 3 for remodeling

    Do they have chai lattes?

    Hi Leann, Yes we do!… Read more

    Do they allow you to bring dogs inside?

    Unfortunately not.

    View All 12 Questions

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    Java On Ocean Coffee House - Pastrami sandwich with avocado on rye. Macaroon. Small coffee. Plant.

    Java On Ocean Coffee House

    3.6(603 reviews)
    1.0 miMount Davidson Manor
    $

    I haven't been on Ocean Avenue since our son was in middle school nearly 8 years ago. Always found…read moreinteresting local coffee shops, poke, sushi and burgers places near by. Today I dropped our recently senior rescued dog for his first grooming for us. I came upon an "Old Friend" Java on Ocean Coffee. The café is at the corner or Ocean Avenue and Faxon across the street from the former Walgreens which means amble parking! Java On Ocean Coffee is a classic San Francisco coffee place which has much more than coffee to order. There is a selection of savory breakfast items, sandwiches and smoothie! Given it was after 3 pm I ordered a Mexican Mocha and an oatmeal cookie. The café was fairly packed with nearby Riodan High School students studying about American history "New Deal" with great enthusiasm and laughter! There are 15 tables and plenty of seating including several outside but given the May gray day I cozyed under a poster of famous Mexican artist Frieda to drink my Mexican Mocha today. I look forward to future exploring Ocean Avenue including getting a smoothie or sandwich at the café!

    I was in need of a study space and came across this place -…read moremany of the smaller ones wobble a lot but its only a minor inconvenience - outlets: plenty of outlets along the walls - WIFI works - food: Way to pricey. You cant go wrong with their house special chicken sandwich and sweet mexican mocha. Save your money and dont get the Chicken quesadilla (expensive and just plain). -hours: usually close 30 mins before time stated they close. Still too early to actually study

    Photos
    Java On Ocean Coffee House - Bird

    Bird

    Java On Ocean Coffee House - Iced chai and turkey sandwich + avocado

    Iced chai and turkey sandwich + avocado

    Java On Ocean Coffee House

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    Higher Grounds Coffee House - Higher Grounds Coffee, $17.50, chicken delight.

    Higher Grounds Coffee House

    4.5(526 reviews)
    2.0 miGlen Park
    $$

    The kind of place you just don't see anymore. A true one man show. Came on a Thursday morning for a…read morelate breakfast - you order up front with the only guy there and then you find a seat. Cash only or venmo. When it gets busy, the order can take a bit of time, but with this, patience is a virtue and really, it is just one guy and he's super nice. The spot is a small, cozy place for a nice small brunch with a few friends. FOOD: All crepes that I've tried here are pretty dang good. Each one with a side of a simple garden salad that helps lighten up your plate and a nice serving of potatoes that are your standard breakfast potatoes but done well. Crepe itself is light and crispy, each filled with a very solid amount of well thought out combination of fillings that are each cooked to perfection. Most recently I had the puttanesca, which was served with a side of sour cream. This combination of flavors with the cheese, mushrooms, and sour cream was an excellent way to start my day. I've also had the curry crepe as well which is also an interesting combination but overall delicious as well. A bit more depth of flavor with the curry. Overall, a super cute place to have a nice brunch. The owner is super kind and does a great job with this place. I will definitely be back - see you there.

    The restaurant setup is more self-service than we expected. You have to order at the counter, grab…read moreyour own utensils and drinks, and the only menu is posted on the wall, which is hard to read. It would really help if they had printed menus and clearer descriptions of what comes with each plate. Also, they only accept cash or Venmo, a sign outside letting customers know ahead of time would be helpful. The food itself was okay but pretty bland. The omelets and potatoes lacked seasoning, and the toast was just plain buttered bread. Overall, it felt basic for the price. Unfortunately, we probably won't be returning, as there are other better breakfast spots nearby that offer more value and flavor.

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    Higher Grounds Coffee House
    Higher Grounds Coffee House - Pre buttered toast

    Pre buttered toast

    Higher Grounds Coffee House

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    Ballast Coffee - coffee - Updated May 2026

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