La Stazione / Cannoli & Co. — Restaurant in San Francisco

It's December 21st and I just experienced the worst hospitality I've had this entire year.

Let me explain.

Everybody who catches the train on 22nd Street has walked by La Stazione. It's right on the corner.

I was about 15 minutes early for my Caltrain on a cold and slightly drizzly morning. So, I decided to kill some time at La Stazione before my train arrived.

The barista and I make eye contact and then I tell him I probably won't get anything this time, I'm just trying to stay a little warm. He smarkly replies "well the tip jar looks a bit lonely."

I chuckle, thinking he must be joking. But seconds later, the barista says "No, seriously. If you're not going to buy anything, you have to get out because we're a really small place and it can get crowded in here."

I look behind me because I knew there was only one other customer in front of me. No one else was there.

For context, today was the Friday before Christmas. La Stazione and the Caltrain, for that matter, were ghost towns.

I told the barista "I'll happily leave when more people come, but there's plenty of space and it's cold outside." After reading the barista's reaction, I decided to just leave and wait for my train outside. Before I left, I asked him for his name, to which he replied "Daniel" with a bit of hesitation. He had long-ish dark hair (maybe with a bit of green dye, but I can't remember) and pale white skin.

I left the coffee shop embarrassed, confused, and cold. But Daniel the barista (if that was his real name) was right about one thing.

La Stazione is too small... It's too small to fit blatantly rude employees...

I've been wanting to check this place out. Got there while my partner walked the dog in the area. So first time there, after ordering Too Good To Go the day before, I was greeted, after the first/only customer before me was helped. So was asked if I knew what I wanted. I said I'm still looking and waiting for my partner to lmk. So I took awhile to check out the menu & pastries. I then put in my order: a cappuccino, hazelnut latte, and a cannoli. Coffees were mediocre. Couldn't taste the hazelnut, had it with oat milk. My partner said capp was like regular coffee. Gave it two starts as I had to ask for drink carrier (two coffees & two bags) - wasn't offered one, when clearly my hands were full. At first she said, after ordering, that my cannoli would be in a pastry bag. I said ok. Then after filling the shell, she held the cannoli in her hand, granted with a pastry sheet, asking if I wanted a pastry bag. Okay, my two drinks and two pastry bags (one was Too Good To Go), you expect me to carry it in my hand and no bag? Hmm. Maybe she thought I was eating it there? Still. I think they changed owners because the older photos don't show the same atmosphere. I did notice she was nice to the regulars that was there and one who walked by...

Imagine driving through the city to a quiet neighborhood you've probably never been to just to have a cup of coffee with cannoli. Sounds a bit quirky, right?! But I guess it what makes it for a fun experience. Add a stroll across the block – and it could become a favorite weekday activity.

We tried a Classic and Chocolate cannolis, both with pistachios. What can I say – it was good. The filling was rich and decadent, but not heavy which is a huge plus in my books. The shell was a bit hard to my liking, but it didn't stop me from finishing dessert ;)

In the world of 'fancy' brunches, La Stazione is a good old friend you'd probably go to when you want to decompress from hustle and bustle of everyday life. Worth the drive and...