I stumbled across Ballast Coffee while looking for a cute cafe to study at close to SFSU. Ballast Coffee was the perfect place to go to because it is less than 10 minutes away and has a lot of street parking available (which is rare in SF lol). Like everywhere else in SF, you have to pay for street parking but it's free after 6pm! The vibes inside are of a typical coffee shop and there is a good amount of tables and seats! The barista makes each drink one at a time, so it could take a while to order and get your drinks, but it just shows that they are very intentional with their drinks! I was super excited to find out that Ballast Coffee is actually a Filipino coffee shop that serves Barako Coffee, which I believe they source from the Philippines. They also sell barako bean roast blends for $20 in case you wanted to make it at home! Since they use Filipino barako beans, I had to order their Ube iced latte and Ube hot chocolate! The coffee had a slightly fruity yet chocolatey undertone that made it really delicious with the Ube! I do think that the coffee had a lighter taste to it, so it let the ube taste stand out more. My favorite was the Ube hot chocolate because it was super decadent and warming! I'll definitely be back at Ballast Coffee to study more and to also try their Ube Mocha as well as other drinks! read more

Ballast Coffee - Ube Hot Chocolate (front) Ube Iced Latte (back) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

As you walk in it's a quiet nice atmosphere and the staff looked busy but was very friendly and helped out as much as they could. Service here by the ladies is top notch. I ordered uber latte. I must admit I'm not a latte drinker but when I tried their latte it was surprisingly delicious. I would order it again when I come back. As for the donuts, it's pricey ($5 each) but it was delicious and it was a dense donut. Went well with the latte and it actually satisfied my hunger for sweets. So if you're here in the neighborhood, give this place a try. I'm pretty sure you'll like it. Give it a shot :) read more

Ballast Coffee - Five delicious donuts and a velvet cupcake..... sorry.... Ate one donut before I took the picture. Was hungry - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Ballast is one of my go-to spots for either working or visiting with friends. They have ample seating inside and a very cozy little backyard seating area too. I love sipping their latte or a beer, depending on the mood, in the sun in their little outdoor space. WiFi and outlets are great for when I need to crank out some weekend work and need a change of scenery. read more

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 :) read more

Ballast Coffee - ube latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Unfortunately for me, nothing from my visit is noteworthy for positive reasons. The shop seems to have its regulars and I imagine if you take the time to get the baristas to remember/like you, maybe you'll have a 4 or 5 star experience. Also, maybe this spot is more for flavored/sweetened coffee drinkers, or I caught them on an off day *shrug* I've walked past Ballast _many many_ times and finally found an occasion mid-morning, mid-week, mid-November. There were big posters poo-pooing PSLs in the name of advertising an ube latte. The line of two moved quickly and when it was my turn, the (very) nonchalant cashier took my order of a cappuccino. Imagine my horror when my for-here capp was served up in a huge 16oz bowl. I didn't think I needed to specify "small" for a cappuccino, but I suppose the ube latte ad should have been my hint. I took my bowl of coffee out front and choked it down for sake of caffeine. Maybe I shoulda said something, but I didn't like the taste of the espresso (too light), the thought of throwing that drink away made me sad, AND I had little faith they'd make me a proper capp. Can't speak to the ambience as I was in and out, but there was mixed seating throughout. read more

It's okay. I have come here twice now. The UBE latte is good and the brown sugar is okay. Unfortunately nothing really stood out here. Vibe isn't friendly. Probably won't come back. read more

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. read more

See all

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. read more

Ballast Coffee - Not so "nitro cold" brew. Just slightly chilled stirred up bubble coffee. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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! read more

See all

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. read more

See all

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 read more

Ballast Coffee - Ballast latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

On my way to my next client, I stumbled upon this cafe. It had a clean restroom and a welcoming atmosphere. There was a designated area for using devices and a laptop-free zone. I was impressed with their service, especially since I was new to the cafe. However, I encountered an issue when I ordered a croissant. The barista mentioned that it had onions, bacon, and cheese, but I only heard onions and cheese. I don't eat bacon, so I tried to eat it anyway, but it was difficult because I could taste the bacon bits even as I tried to remove them. I eventually asked if I could swap the croissant for a different pastry, and the barista recommended the ube mochi muffin. I was pleased that she was able to understand and take care of me. It had an interesting texture and combination of flavors. I think you should definitely try it once. On the other hand, if you like bacon, the onion croissant is very tasty. I also ordered the ube ballast cappuccino, which was delicious and visually appealing. Overall, I had a pleasant experience at this cafe. I'll definitely be back! read more

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!! read more

Ballast Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

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. read more

See all

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. read more

Ballast Coffee - Cafe ole - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

First star for the consistency of the drinks (iced americano and calamansi), second for the staff, third for the ambiance, fourth for the wifi, and fifth because I'm Filipino read more

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. read more

Ballast Coffee - Ube latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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. read more

Ballast Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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. read more

Ballast Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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.

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

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. read more

Ballast Coffee - Ube Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

3.5/5 A cute cafe to work from home from! Bring your own cup for 25 cents discount! They have more space than expected with a back room and backyard patio area. They have 2 communal tables that have outlets, a longer area of 1:1 tables, and a countertop area. Wifi is good enough with video calls being a bit splotchy but doable. We ordered the Ube Ballast Latte (3.5/5 - good balance of coffee and ube taste), Smoked Salmon Toast (3/5 - I fear there was no smoked salmon and was just the salmon flavored cream cheese), and Black Sesame Butter Mochi Donut (1/5 - this was giving playdough in flavor and texture but this isn't technically made from them). read more

See all

ube ballast latte ($6.50) was pretty good, I could taste both the espresso and ube without either being too overpowering. it wasn't too sweet either read more

Ballast Coffee - ube ballast latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

The Ube Mocha and Ube Latte at Ballast Coffee is strong but a bit subtle. !! Both drinks taste similar,however if you want a good cup of coffee. I recommend coming here. If your looking to try something new! I saw go for it and ask for extra pump of ube! -try if you love creative coffee blends! read more

Ballast Coffee - Ube latte and Ube mocha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

I love a coffee menu that highlights Filipino flavors. You already know I'm on my way to try it out and support. Menu: https://ballastcoffee.square.site/s/order?location=11ea8f1a6cabc4b790d30cc47a2ae324&item=5#5 Upon arrival, I was shocked at the vibes that I was not expecting. Upbeat loud punk rock music was playing. I thought it was entertaining but very opposite to what I imagined. Then, on my second visit, it was the total opposite of the first visit, Norah Jones's music haha. Overview: Coffee: 8/10 Service: 6/10 Ambiance: 7/10 Parking: 7/10 COFFEE: 8/10 So far, I have only been drinking their Iced Ballast Latte which I believe is condensed milk-based. I thought their latte was pretty good enough to where I wanted to make a second visit the following week. I can taste the quality of the espresso shot and not just the sweetness of the condensed milk or whole milk. I want to try their Ube lattes. I have not tried their food or pastries. SERVICE: 6/10 Very mid, straightforward, and quick. No greetings upon arrival. On my second visit, I was a bit disappointed that the barista skimped on my drink and did not fill up my drink all the way which was done on my first visit. AMBIANCE: 7/10 Decent amount of seating, but not a lot. I noticed the seats were filled up with a lot of people working on their computers. The ambiance is very sleek and minimalistic which I think is nice. PARKING: 7/10 All primarily meter based parking. You will find parking. I just don't like how it's a meter parking situation so you have to pay haha so I'm just being biased. read more

Love this spot! Excellent coffee, friendly humans, and local art on wall. Service is great. read more

Ballast Coffee - Cold brew & almond milk latte. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

2.5 stars. 2 baristas had 2 orders total and still forgot mine until I went up to ask. Then was given my latte without an apology or a "have a nice day". On top of that, the latte tasted watered down. Not saying they did that, it was just subpar. It is a nice ambiance and if I feel like paying $8 again for a latte and have them forget my order, I'd come back. read more

Absolutely adorable little cafe to do work! There's free wifi with plenty of seating (along the main room, in a study room, and an outdoor garden patio in the back!) there's quite a few outlets as well. Service was quick and fast and the drink was delicious! I got the ube ballast latte with oat milk and you could really taste the ube. A lot of places the coffee overwhelms the ube but I could taste both! I'll definitely be back to study again. It can be a little noisy with people talking and some light ambiance music but not bad if you have your AirPods or headphones in! read more

Ballast Coffee - Outdoor patio - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Nice little coffee shop, on West Portal. It's inviting with plenty of seating indoors & outdoors. Also good to know they are open a little later than some other coffee shops around town (In Noe Valley, for example). Restroom is available, as all places serving beverages should have. I like their Morning Tide blend. Parking is hit or miss, depending on time. It's easy to come here by MUNI with so many lines stopping at West Portal. read more

Ballast Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

First time here at ballast ! This has been the best ube latte I've had so far! And their chicken empanada whew! Very good especially with the Chimichurri :) Everyone was very nice and sweet 10/10 would recommend read more

Ballast Coffee - Ube latte! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

So I have to admit I'm not a coffee connoisseur, and I love Starbucks peppermint mocha, so take my review with a grain of salt. Stopped by with some friends to grab a drink on a cold windy day. It's a cute coffee shop with a few more tables in the back. Since I love mochas I wanted something sweet that I didn't have to add sugar to. The ube latte was perfectly sweet (maybe a tad too sweet) and I thought it would be purple but it wasn't. The staff was nice and the latte was pretty. It was still a bit chilly inside at the back but it still seemed to be a nice place to sit and chill. read more

Ballast Coffee - ube latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Always swing by Ballast Coffee when I run errands in the area as they offer great coffee (I love the cortado) and service is efficient, and fast (if not inundated with high schoolers or college students). Small but high quality selection of pastries. Very nice, clean neighborhood spot, and I'm glad Ballast Coffee is here to get real coffee as opposed to the Starbucks on Vicente. read more

I tried the ube latte w/ almond milk and a cinnamon mochi muffin. Both were really good! It was past 5:30pm on a Thursday and I had been stuck at my desk all day, no breaks & craving coffee. Java beach was closed. Didn't want Starbucks or Peets. Found this place on Yelp. Grateful this place is open until 8pm. But MOST grateful for their awesome & honest employees. I left it where I sat (on the seat). Didn't realize it until the next day when I reached for my wallet to pay for something. This place doesn't have a phone number listed, only an email. But I got a response in less than 5 minutes! Don't know his name but he's the one that put my wallet away. I picked it up & everything in it. Very grateful. Thank God read more

What a cute place for late coffee and/or remote work! Was in the area and wanted coffee at ~7pm, after dinner. Saw this place closes at 9pm so we stopped by. Went in for an ice americano. They typically serve dark roast, but the barista was kind to switch to a medium roast for my americano. This place was very cute and charming as there were multiple spaces available for those who wanted to study or work remotely! The outdoor spot looks cute too! Will definitely come back when I'm in the area and I want a coffee at a later time in the day!! read more

See all

Probably one of my favorite coffee shops in the neighborhood! I finally got to try Ballast Coffee a few weeks ago. I got there early-ish on a Sunday morning to make sure I could secure a seat to study at. Luckily for me, the cafe was practically empty when I arrived. I ordered a hot latte and their veggie empanada. I really enjoyed the latte: it was smooth and I loved the roast on the beans. The veggie empanada was just OK: there wasn't much filling and was very craft yellow cheese heavy? On the other hand, I really liked the ambience of the cafe. I sat in the back and it felt like a nice secluded place to work or study. I did notice that sound tended to carry and echo throughout, so the noise level may be bothersome to some. read more

Good coffee, but probably won't be returning. Detailed breakdown below: **Service, 4/5** Friendly staff. Just docking a star because I ordered a flat white because I dislike foamed milk, but my drink still came out like a latte with a half inch of foam. **Price & portion, 4/5** Seems like the sizes of coffees here default to what looks like 6 or 8 ounces; so the prices seem OK at first, but you're getting about half of what you might expect at other coffee shops. **Taste, 5/5** I enjoyed the beans used for my drink -- toasty, rounded, and rich with no punchy acidity. **Other notes** Keep in mind the smoked salmon toast is a bit misleading. There is no pieces of smoked salmon; instead, they use a salmon cream cheese. read more

Nobody told me this place had ube lattes! Popped in here on a rainy day in West Portal around 10:30am. It was busy but I found a spot to sit at the counter while I waited for my order. The menu had some unique items - a barako and ballast signature drink which I'd love to try - but I only had eyes for the ube latte. They also serve mochi donuts from Third Culture. I would have ordered the avocado toast but they don't start serving until 11am... :') Got a veggie quiche instead. My coffee order was quick, but empanadas and quiche orders took a few minutes. Overall, super cute and cozy local spot - kicking myself for not checking it out sooner! read more

Ballast Coffee - Americano and ube latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

I found this place after a friend posted on their Instagram! I have been interested in coffee beans grown in the Philippines and was pleasantly surprised to learn about Ballast Coffee, all their coffee beans are grown in the Philippines (these beans are only grown in the Philippines and Vietnam). They have a great selection of pastries, it looks like they used to or do rotate pastries from other local businesses. Right now they have pastries from Third Culture Bakery and they're best known for their mochi donuts! Unfortunately, I had come too late in the day to get my hands on one. There is surprisingly a lot of space, a back room and even a back patio. A couple of outlets and wifi for guests to use. A single bathroom, pretty bare bones, no seat coverings but they have toilet paper. Tables are a mixture of tables that can fit 2 people comfortably and somewhere you can fit 4-6 people depending on comfortability. Wifi was pretty strong in what my needs were. I had the iced ube latte, ube flavor didn't come through too much but I am willing to give them another try! From their IG and social media it looks like they've hosted various community events in their shop including a yoga class in their back patio. I also posted it on my own IG stories and had many mutuals reach out and rave about this place. read more

I was walking around the neighborhood and stumbled across this cozy coffee shop. The workers are super friendly and provided excellent service. There are tons of seats around the shop and they even have free wifi! I love that the tables are spread out and comfortable enough for you to do work at, if you wanted to. I saw a few outlets but not a lot. Although, they do play music and it could get loud at times with people conversing. This might not be the greatest spot if you want to do some deep studying. I ordered the iced ballast latte, which is their signature latte, sweetened with condensed milk and a sprinkle of cinnamon. The latte was very smooth and not overly sweet. Overall, a great casual coffee shop with free wifi, which is always a plus in SF! We definitely need more coffee shops with seating for work in this area. Don't forget to check out their back patio! read more

Ballast Coffee - Ballast Iced Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all