Caffe Amici Espresso
Category: Coffee & Tea [Edit]
Neighborhood: Financial District155 Montgomery St
(between Bush St & Sutter St)
San Francisco, CA 94104 (415) 391-3241
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Free
337 reviews
Neighborhood: SOMA
"Granted, I was there with one of my favorite people, Lady K- but the place is gorgeous! We sat outside, staring out across the infinity…" read more »
50 Reviews for Caffe Amici Espresso
i haven't been coming to this place as much as i like to since Ive been trying to save money by using my company's flavia coffee machine. My coworker wanted to go to for a walk and buy me a cup of joe the other day. how nice of her huh? she suggested that i try her favorite - the chai soy latte. i usually like my coffee and latte plain. after just a few sips, i was sold! it didn't taste water down and was a perfect mix of sweet, spicy and creamy. amici's you have won me over again!
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/21/2007
I love this place!!! Just a few steps away from my workplace this little tiny italian coffee shop's… Read more »
I like this place mostly because it's inside a beautiful brick wall building and the deco is mellow, almost clashing with the strong aroma coffee that is supposed to wake you up. The pastry (I had only tried the breaky here) was standard and nothing to write home about.
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5 stars for it's convenient location to work and for its amazing vanilla chai. Even if I didn't want a work break, I'd find the time to drift down here to get a cup. mmmm.
Friendly coffee shop with lines that are usually much shorter than the Peet's one block over. I'm a big fan of their lattes, which are pretty consistent and nicely done.
Their regular coffee is OK, even the dark roast isn't dark enough for me and I don't particularly like coffee places that don't give you a little discount for bringing your own cup (a small thing, I know, but something that should be encouraged).
Many of their pastries (muffins, etc.) are the same/similar to what's at Peet's - they may share a supplier (City Bakery?).
Overall, a nice place.
What is the best way to apologize to a barrista at a fidi coffee shop after you've thrown a temper tantrum of monumental proportions in response to hearing that they do not have chocolate chip cookies on offer? Any suggestions? No? Maybe a 4-star review will do the trick.
Great coffee, delicious looking food, euro atmosphere in the middle of cubicle hell and better looking patrons than Peet's across the street (meow!). Also, there's a cute little patio you can sit on and smoke on and drink coffee on and hit on all those cute suits on. Well, you can do that last part. I can not.
But seriously? Who sells oatmeal raisin, snickerdoodle, and peanut butter cookies but leaves out the CHOCOLATE CHIP?? They do. Minus one star. But I realize that temper tantrum was completely unnecessary. And I take it back.
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The service and venue is excellent. I want to go back to try an espresso drink one day. For now though, I'm giving one star for location, one for nice staff and service, another for cleanliness and recycled products.
The caf au lait was watery and empty. I could barely taste the coffee. I know what a caf au lait is and how to make it.
You cannot go wrong with this drink, unless your drip coffee is extremely weak.
Bummer.
This place has one of THE best chai lattes (Vanilla Chai Latte) - sweet, smooth and creamy! Free wi-fi sometimes doesn't work though, so check before ordering.
This place is on my gym-to-office route ... I've seen it a trillion times with the same, 'i should really try that sometime' thought but I mean seriously, who wants coffee when they're on their way to the gym ... or right after?
well, this was the morning that all the planets and elements were in alignment and there I was (post-gym for those keeping track), in line at Caffe Amici ordering a 20oz sugar-free, non-fat vanilla latte with the high hopes this will get me through the long day ahead. They have many tempting little treats held captive in glass jars that were calling my name but I didnt try any ... all looked good though. The service was very friendly even to the gentleman in front of me that wanted to debate with the cashier on whether they should or should not have decaf available on the weekend. I stopped listening so I can't tell you whether its avail or not ... I couldn't care less.
survey says? Its pretty good ... not the best, but it works. Definitely warrants a return visit from this picky girl.
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After a long and successful career in radio and film, Don Amici also enjoyed considerable success in San Francisco's restaurant business, with a guiding hand in ventures such as Amici's pizzeria on Lombard and Caffe Amici downtown. In the years following his retirement, his smile and trademark moustache were often seen in the kitchen and behind the counter, much to the delight of customers and employees alike. (1)
The latter, Caffe Amici, still serves and excellent cup of coffee, sort of a medium roast, not too bitter and without the sour aftertaste you'll find down the street at Tully's. Save your cup; refills can be had for a nominal charge, 50 cents or so if I recall correctly. The staff here is friendly and efficient. (2)
(1) I made up some of this part.
(2) This part is all true.
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Methinks NOT!
Idiotic kids with poor attitudes work here.
I was looking for lunch/food in the afternoon after working at the office for a bit and thought maybe I'll look for pizza. To my surprise, Caffe Amici was not the same as the Amici's pizza, both of which I had never tried. No big deal, I'll check out what Caffe Amici has. I looked at their menu and couldn't see any food items besides the little snacks that were in the refrigerated glass cases.
I asked "do you have any food" looking up at the menu and the young server girl pointed with a "duh" attitude to the glass case when I was obviously asking for real hot food.
Knowing immediately that they had nothing good to eat, I asked if there was a "DFS galleria" or something around here. (I later found out it was called the Crocker Galleria on my own) The girl just gave me an "are you serious look" and said she had no idea with eyes rolling. She asked her co-worker right next to her, a male teen who said "you mean like an art gallery?". I imagined myself slapping the palm of my hand against my forehead grimacing. No I don't want to eat paintings you... The question was so stupid I just said reiterated my question again, "is there a galleria around here with food?". He then answered, talking about a completely irrelevant topic, advising me about how he thinks there might be a Thai restaurant down the block but it was probably closed.
I left hastily and with enormous respect for . I discovered seconds later the galleria only one mere block away with a gigantic fabric sign "Crocker Galleria" visible from miles away.
How freaking incompetent and stupid do you have to be to not know anything about your surroundings?!! You probably are from the area given that you work at a cafe, most likely going to a local high school. Given those facts, how the hell do you not know where the "Crocker Galleria" is???!
Moral of the story: STAY IN SCHOOL!
Now that I'm not working in the financial district, the only daily ritual I miss is Amici's coffee. Great flavor, not too strong and definitely not watered down like Starbuck's. The best thing about their coffee is that it leaves no after taste!
I might even drive through the crazy traffic in downtown just to get me a cup this week!
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I am currently drinking a 16oz non-fat double shot latte from Amici.
I like the little heart on top in the foam. It makes me happy. Especially when I take my straw and stab it. Die little heart die! I will drink your soul! Muahahahahahha! Errr...did I mention it's a double shot? Buzz buzz....
for flavor, is okies. for style, it has flare, baby! Plus, it's only two blocks away from work and they have those little cookies that while I have never gotten one, they look really good, stairing at me from their jar on the counter, with their beedly little err...coconut flakes.
Okies then...do de do...oh, look! shiney!
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Oh yes. Oh yes oh yes.
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There was a post once upon a time on Chowhound that raved about their European-style hot chocolate so of course I had to try it out... Um, it was OK... Better than the once-served drinking chocolate at Starbucks, but still kind of chalky. I won't be going back for it... otherwise, it's a super cute place but I'd have to go back for something else.
Caveat: I have a belief that Starbucks is the choice of the lazy or desperate. Make no mistake, its coffee is drinkable when there are few to no alternatives, but it's lackluster and overly burnt (I've at times described it as coffee-flavored waxy water). Considering the fact that it pretty much runs the FiDi coffee racket, if there are other choices that are of comparable or higher quality, please please please don't let the extra block's walk preclude you from getting away from it. In spite of popular opinion, coffee is still a food, not a drug. And so since this place is located in the Bucks/Peets territory (both of which I feel eschew flavor for buzz, sacrilegious, I ), it gets a one-star bump.
So here's my moral dilemma: I loved Torrefazione. Mind you, probably more out of nostalgia than anything else considering Starbucks decided to kill it out of jealousy. But I do. So when I found out that this establishment was opening up in the corpse of Torre's, I was curious.
Is it better? I don't know (my mind is clouded by the aforementioned nostalgia). Is it drinkable? Quite so.
One of the things I used to like about Torre was their unassuming yet delicious coffee -- not so over the top you have to take it slowly, but nott bland and tasteless like some other places. This sounds like a backhanded compliment. It's not meant to. Amici's does a brilliant job of claiming that FiDi mantle.
So maybe the one-star upgrade isn't just a FiDi thing. They stock/brew Caffe Umbria, and it's good enough I'll take the Terra Sana blend home for both drip and espresso. And they actually pull a decent shot of espresso, which, if you've been following my reviews, is key to my appreciation of any coffee place. So there. The four stars stay.
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The line is often shorter here than at Peet's and the staff is always friendly and efficient. Love the heart on the top of my latte. Pretty good pastries too.
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Much better than Starbucks and Peet's, especially of the locations in the Financial District. Very, very tasty chai. I wish they had a few more chairs indoors but they've done their best with the 15x20' space. The service ranges from indifferent to friendly.
Friends don't let friends go to Starbucks if Amici's is nearby!
I get the same coffee formula everywhere I go - double-shot soy latte - but Amici's coffee has FLAVOR and isn't overpowered by whatever that sweetener is usually in soy milk at some places. And maybe it's the girl in me but the little heart they swirl in foam at the top won me over! Now, for the Italian side - although pricey, try the Cannoli! A little different than New Jersey but totally addicting. I think they're fresh on Monday because I still see one or two hanging out on Thursday in the case, but Mama Mia they're great! Quick service, friendly, and non-mall atmosphere!
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Starbucks around the corner is closed on Sundays, so I prefer to head to Caffe Amici for my caffeine fix. It's a sweet little corner coffeeshop dwarfed beneath the skyscrapers of the Financial district. It's usually quietly, almost subliminally, piping some alt pop into the never too busy seating area inside and on the sidewalk. A nice reprieve from the ball busting corporate backdrop, I'm sure. Also, their drip coffee (by which I first rate most if not all coffee shops) isn't bad at all... especially when you add a 50 cent shot of hazelnut torani which from experience might even make unleaded gasoline palatable. Also to note, they have vegan baked goods though I haven't tried any.
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I thought it's about time I wrote a review about a coffee house considering I don't drink coffee. I don't want to disrupt the personal feelings of all you coffee drinkers out there jacked up on so much caffeine you may as well call it legalized speed so I will make it clear. I don't drink coffee.
The few times I have been here, I have drank the tea. And the lattes of my guests looked good too. The reason I like Amici's has to do with the location. The other cafes on Montgomery don't offer outdoor seating and for some odd reason this particular arrangement makes it seem more laid back when you're trying to chit chat with your guests and probe their minds as to the meaning of life and let them know I'm good at what I do and so forth.
Lets face it, it is really hard to screw up tea. But in the era of expensive coffee and hot water too I might add... one must be choosy about their local meet-up places. For now I will prefer Amici's over the other joints because they are friendly, prompt, they have seats outside and there aren't 10 of them on every street corner. I like supporting the little guys so if I ever do a Starbucks review, that should give you a hint as to which way my bias will go.
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I stop here on my way to work to peek at my email on my phone (they have wi-fi) and sit down for some espresso... this way i can pick and choose which emails i want to read before i get to the office so i don't get slammed with tons of bad news and start off my day in a foul mood (lately it's been a lot of retardedness).
I just had their vegan sherry bread, and it is delicious! I don't think they always have it, so this bit of info may not be that useful, but if it's there and you like light, alcohol-infused yellow cake, give it a try! :) The madeliene (sp?) cookies are yummy too.
Espresso is pretty good. Lotsa crema.
Cappuccino is heavy on the milk - just FYI. (I like it.)
The seating somewhat lacks a comforting ambiance but service is friendly.
As a photographer, I used Amici's walls, which are a contemporary mustard color. The place has a rich blue ceiling, black trim and overall sophisticated appointments. It complements the financial district of San Francisco.
My work was complemented.
All of the associates, whom I had the privilege to meet were kind and friendly. The preparation and the taste of the cappuccino were elegant. I felt welcomed and happy.
The owner, Linda, is a supporter of the arts. Please, if you enjoy beauty as much as I do, consider having your coffee there, if you are in the area, and thanking her.
Service with a smile - these ladies are down!!
It is such a pleasure to hand over my money to a business where the workers aren't apathetic zombies serving me up my morning fix. CAFFe is a morning celebration, dammit, & that's the vibe i get when i go to Amici's ! AND EVEN MORE- they have the BEST CHAI TEA in the FInancial DISTRICT, by far. I've got my whole office, even the hippy who claims to have no vices, springing over to Amici's to grab a chai.
You can go ahead and add this place to my list of favorite addictions.
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Check out the Lunch Special at Amici - it's awesome. You get to choose any one of their panini's (totally fresh and good) + you get a BIG fresh cookie and a choice of drink (soda, coffe or iced tea) The service is quick and the lunch special is a bargain at $7.99 You'll feel like you visited Italy on your lunch break!
Remember the Non-Fat Frozen Yoghurt Seinfeld episode? The one where everyone is eating this fabulous frozen yoghurt that is non-fat but doesn't taste non-fat? In the end it is discovered that the frozen yoghurt wasn't non-fat after all. Every time I go to Caffe Amici, I think of that episode.
I order a non-fat latte and sometimes the "low-fat" carrot muffin. Unlike so many other places, the foam on my latte isn't anemic and thin --- it's thick and luscious with a little heart in the middle. I keep wondering if they're secretly swapping my non-fat milk for whole milk. I not so secretly love them for this. The carrot muffin is blessedly free of raisins and has a slight pleasant ginger flavor. I'm pretty sure the muffin is actually "reduced fat" --- reduced from something like 50 grams of fat to 30 grams --- instead of "low-fat", but I'm not one to quibble semantics when talking about baked goods.
One quick note: the new hire who was committing coffee crimes is gone. While this means that they're sometimes a bit understaffed, I'd rather wait a bit longer than have to find a new coffee place.
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I got a really bland and milky Latte here. Not good.
The best coffee in town, hands down. Very good cookies. Excellent service. Linda, the manager, knows the busines and knows how to take care of her customers. Anyone who knows anything about coffee should come and try Amici coffee and experience the good ambiance there.
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They seemed friendly enough, but over 5 dollars for their Thai organic tea as well as a chocolate chip cookie is a bit much. I didn't think the tea was sweet enough, but perhaps I've been spoiled by the iced tea that I get from Thai restaurants. It was good enough and slaked my thirst. However, I got my tea out of order after someone else had received his coffee--and he had made his order after me. This was apparently due to confusion as to whether my order was here or to go.
They also didn't also jump on cleaning the tables--they had at least 3 people behind the counter, with two of them doing some other than prepping drinks/food or cashiering. That left a corner table with two comfy looking chairs uncleaned, which annoyed me since I wanted that corner seat. The staff got to it after things quieted down, but by then at least 15 minutes had gone by.
On the upside, the chocolate chip cookie was yummy--soft and chocolatey without being overly sweet. I might stop in here every once in a while if I'm in the area.
When they make the lattes, they pour the steamed milk across in such a way so it makes a heart in the center of the foam.
This makes me feel loved.
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I was just losing my steam on a Saturday afternoon spent shopping downtown when I walked by this place and decided a latte was in order.
After sipping at the brown water, my brain cells desperate for some caffeine; I gave up and tossed the thing and had to try again at the next coffee joint.
Just don't do it...walk the extra 3-4 blocks to Peets' on market st.
Every work day I stop by this place for my morning coffee and breakfast nibble. The dark roast house coffee is good and strong, and the pastries, etc. are nice and fresh. The help is friendly and they keep the line moving at a good pace. Only knock on them is that they've been running out of almond croissants by 8:45 lately.
Excellent sandwiches, deserts and coffees for a business lunch. Despite the busy location you can always find a place to sit (at least after 1pm) and enjoy a refreshing drink. A suggestion: ask your sandwiches to be toasted.
"amigo del cafe"
The latte line at that other coffee place you and I normally go to is snaking out the door and into the street causing a purge in traffic flow. All the Starbucks locations are closed due to a coffee shortage or an employee strike. So, yes Caffe Amici saves the morning and came through and proved to be not just a back up plan, but a pretty good coffee cup.
Fast service. Smiling cashier, but she held her hand out until I paid for my coffee. I told her I'm going to pay.. relax... but she still stared.. another employee called for her - asking her something about "a tall drip"... that's when I dug into the tip basket and got the coins for my drink... I recognized an impatient Peet's customer here - barking "excuse me!" repeatedly at the back of my head so he could get an insulator for his amici mocha.
After getting used to the cafeteria lighting, it's not a bad place. The artwork on the wall is groovy enough to make you want to google Mario Rosales. He's a New York painter.. a coffee friend of a coffee friend maybe.
The coffee to this drinker may not be as striking as the other places we visit ... not as fresh... but they are affordable and fast... The coffee is more drinkable than paint and there is plenty of sugar to go around. The bran muffins are dry, but that's what the half-n-half is for. Sasha gets the Caf Au Lait (translates to 'coffee with milk' plus ten cents). It's pretty good if you ask for it correctly. If you don't watch over their shoulders, they'll steam the milk instead of scalding it - if you can believe that. Caf Au Lait is cheaper than a latte because it's made with the coffee sitting in the big urn, instead of freshly grinded espresso bean . . . Hmmmmm . . . I'll have to order it from Peet's next time I have enough time to stand in that f---ing line.
David Letterman:
"But if it weren't for the coffee, I'd have no identifiable personality whatsoever."
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This place has excellent lattes with thick creamy foam, even with non-fat milk! After coming here a few times for lattes, those at Peet's and Starbucks just don't cut it. They also regularly stock an array of yummy sugar-free flavored syrups in flavors other than vanilla (don't ask me what they were, I only recall the fact there were multiple flavors). Yes, I did wait here like 10 minutes the other morning for my latte, and when that happens in this cafe, you are squished into a small corner space with all the other patrons waiting on their coffees, but the wait was no longer or more arduous than any other financial district cafe at 9am and was totally worth it for their high-quality coffee.
Where to go when I'm running from Gumps to meeting up with friends for a quick coffee?
I know coffee places of now reflect the same decor and ambiance: woods, warm feel, cozy chairs. But in an effort to escape this redundancy, it reminds me of walking into the Firehouse due to the high ceilings and yellow glow from the painted walls. The Bizzari blend is my favorite coffee here........strong, medium roast, but very smooth on the palate. Lattes are good too, smooth transition from the espresso and hot milk.
We did not grab anything to eat because we were headed over into North Beach for some Italian, but in the event you are hungry for a late afternoon snack, their paninis were pretty enticing, especially the Prosciutto Italiano.
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I work a couple of blocks from this cafe and stopped by again today for my favorite afternoon coffee and, lucky for me, they were serving up free lattes to promote the new movie "The Devil Wears Prada." The lattes here are pretty amazing. Great coffee, but the milk they use really seals the deal for me. Clover milk... creamy, free of bovine growth hormone, and just absolutely excellent in taste. I'll take that any day over Lucerne milk (served at the Starbucks near my office) and Berkeley Farms (at Peet's, a nice alternative). And when you ask for a low fat latte, they serve you up one with 2% milk, not a blend of watery skim and whole like I get when at the 'bucks. Today, at the free coffee promo, I waited 25 minutes for my coffee (the place was packed), but no complaints here, it was well worth the wait. Definitely worth checking out if you work in the FiDi.
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Nothing beats having a little heart in your double mocha in the morning (see the uploaded picture). The mocha here tastes GREAT and creamy -- feels so good in the mouth! The temperature of their double mocha is PERFECT! You can immediately drink it upon walking out of the door. It's such a treat to taste their coffee on the way to work. Their pastries are fresh and look beautiful. They have free Wi-Fi which is awesome - bring your macbook pro and a couple of teammates, you're on for a pleasant meeting! The have tables outside but I don't recommend sitting out, you wouldn't want to breathe in that combustion and having people rushing by you all the time. Things I really like about this coffee shop are their art work displays - always from local artists. Also, if you eat in, they give you real ceramic cups and plates which adds a nice touch to your eating experience.
Favorite combo: Double Mocha and Chocolate Croissant
DID YOU KNOW that a small espresso at Caffee Amici costs the same as at Peets, but it has half as much espresso and an extra shot of milk???
And, over time, it's become not as perfect as I originally thought. Back to Peet's for good.
***
Original Review: Thank you, thank you, thank you for opening this location right next to my building in the Financial District! This espresso macchiato beats the pants off of that of Starbucks or Peet's. I still love you, Peet's, but I may have to leave you. MMMMMMMMMM-hMMMM! It is perfect. Perfect I tell you, PERFECT!
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I love this coffee shop! I do my best to stay away from Starbucks. This cafe is a gem! They make the best lattes in the Financial District. The milk is frothed to perfection and they serve it with a heart on top. It's the best way to get your morning started. They also have a frequent drinker card. Drink 10 coffee beverages and the 11th is free! As S.S.H. said, it's "perfect I tell you, PERFECT!"
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For some reason the decorator chose this tile for the floor that looks like it's splattered in barf. Seriously, the other day I took 87 doubletakes because I thought someone had puked coffee everywhere; however, the coffee is totally good and strong (I'm a bare-boned kinda gal, so just gimme me a double black drip, no sugar, no cream) and the line here moves super fast. My ginger cookie was a little too hard, i.e. sat unwrapped all night, but the spiciness of the ginger cut the stale factor right in two--which is a good thing. Also, the babes that work here are way nice, even though they have to deal with Financial District fuckwads all day.
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