Feb.7/2013 Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters 1648 Pacific Ave, San Francisco http://wreckingballcoffee.com / Remnants of the old fire hall With Nick at Wrecking Ball we hade a deliciously well executed espresso and cortados  with a deep dive into the philosophy of coffee tasting. The espresso blend was mostly Columbian with Ethiopian coffee... It is a pleasure to engage with a drink and a barista that are as equally stimulating and thought provoking. This fire hall of a coffee shop is a must visit, on many more than one occasion! Spacious!  Practiced Hands What then must we do?!?!? 

Peter Lowell's Restaurant,  7385 Healdsburg Ave #101, Sebastopol, CA 95472 http://peterlowells.com/ Heather along Highway 1 north of San Francisco We are en-route to New Zealand with a very small window of time in the San Francisco area. Our mission is to sample as many high quality espresso bars, eat great food and experience the arts and culture. Fortunately Dr.Coffee had been to Sebastopol years before and had the “BEST” pizza in the world there. So, as strange as it may seem, we got in the car, after a glorious  lingering pause at Sightglass Coffee and drove out of SF as fast as possible, over the Golden Gate Bridge, then averaging 15 mph and slowly winding our way up #1 to Sebastopol. One of the most scenic drives of ocean and rolling country side in the USA. Going to Lowell's for lunch was delightful! The service is superb and friendly. The outside patio comfortable with the sun pouring in. The espresso that they pull, roasted by Fou

  Feb.6/2013 Sightglass Coffee  Bar & Roastery,  270 7th St, San Francisco, CA 94103 http://sightglasscoffee.com/ A  spacious, light filled bar/roastery with counters and a layout that flows like a gentle river.  We especially enjoyed having the roaster operating in the middle of the cafe while we were sipping espresso that is intriguingly bright with hints of nuttiness, chocolate and sweet cherry-cola...This is one of our favourite places yet, with the option of going upstairs for the coffee-bar tastings (espresso, drip or AeroPress) or staying downstairs for the Sightglass espresso blend (today a combination of Costa Rican, Guatemala and Ethiopia). Fantastic croissants!