Nook Cafe - Nob Hill, San Francisco, CA

Cable cars and coffee appear to be a good fit.

Nook (Cafe)
Nob Hill, San Francisco, CA
Price: $7
Meal: Brunch / Weekday
Compare to: Starbucks, Peet’s Coffee and Tea, It’s a Grind Coffee House,

Nook is a fantastically gourmet little cafe in the heart of Nob Hill, San Francisco, situated on the Hyde Street cable car turn at Jackson. Whether you’re looking for a quick cup of coffee to go, or an after work glass of Merlot - Nook’s the place to be. Open from 7am until 9:30pm they have free wireless internet available until 6pm for those of us who consider coffee shops our offices.

The coffee is hot and dark roasted, I think it’s fair trade coffee and is slightly more bitter than the coffee you’ll find at sbux, yet still good. There is a quite a selection of baked pastries and scones including many a vegan option. I usually get the hot oatmeal ($4.95) or the Bagel with cream cheese, lox, and all the trimmings — quite a steal at only $6.50! Although last time I had the lox it was doused in some sort of vinegar which kind of ruined the taste. A couple of times the oatmeal has come out slightly cold and gritty, not fully cooked. There is no head chef, the food is a responsibility taken by all of the employees so it can be fairly inconsistent.

I have not eaten anything from the lunch menu, but they have proscuitto sandwiches, turkey and avocado, veggie delights as well as unique garden salads with fanciful treats like chili-glazed pecans and pomegranate seeds. The sandwiches always look fantastic when they get to the table!

The last time I was there I stopped in for one of their $2 house wines from 4-6pm for happy hour. While they have a large menu of Soju cocktails I haven’t yet tried one. For a nibble you could try the Cheese platter, Hummus plate, or Roasted Artichoke hearts filled with olive tapenade….not too shabby. All for under $10, and all amazingly gourmet and good for a quick snack.

Now, while I love Nook, it is a pretty small cafe with only about 12 tables, so on weekends it can get really crowded and uncomfortable, with people standing in line knocking into you at your table; sunny afternoons are also really crowded. The one major drawback of Nook seems to be the nonchalant, debonair attitude of most of the employees. The cafe is too small to have table service so you order from the counter, but even so, more times than not employees are have having their own conversations and seem inconvenienced when I have needed an extra spoon, or to order another coffee.

Nonetheless, I never go there expecting the Ritz, just good coffee in a large mug and a place to sit and work for a few hours. I’ve also gone there with my girlfriend for a pre-show glass of wine. I mostly like it because of it’s true “neighborhood” feel, and I would definitely recommend that you stop by; my favorite part is just sitting back, sipping coffee and watching the cable cars — packed full of tourists — roll on by.

Pros:

-Small, cozy, neighborhood feel
-Good coffee in large mugs
-Huge selection of gourmet breakfast/lunch/small plates
-Good value Happy Hour
-Free WiFi

Cons:
-Sometimes rude employees
-Small and sometimes too crowded
-Inconsistency of food

J-Vom’s Score: 4.0 Chews

Subjective rating: Come back often.

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