Paper Son Coffee - FiDi — Restaurant in San Francisco

Where to start..there's so much to say. 

Discovering a coffee shop genuinely committed to the craft is a delight. Every facet of this establishment exudes precision and foresight—from their bean sourcing and choice of roasters to meticulous brewing times, recipes, and even the provenance of their pastries.

My personal litmus test for any coffee shop revolves around their single-origin and house espresso offerings, as these often set the tone for the entire menu. Across my five visits, each shot here has approached perfection. I've had the privilege of conversing with Alex, the owner, who dedicates significant effort to perfecting the ideal settings for each roast, a rarity in an industry often marred by over-extraction. Their single-origin drips are alway treat in the morning as well — as they rotate the roasters often!

Paper Son operates as a small business championing others of its kind. Having frequented numerous coffee spots across the city, this establishment easily ranks among my top five. They boast a diverse selection of beans, with a notable emphasis on local varieties, and frequently offer tastings of their freshly stocked bags—a stark contrast to the staleness prevalent in other shops.

It's a rarity to encounter a coffeeshop that exhibits such meticulous care for the finer nuances often overlooked in coffee craftsmanship. Paper Son stands out in San Francisco's landscape as a bastion of proper barista techniques—from the art of espresso-making to brewing methods and the delicate touch of latte art.

I would recommend this place to everyone and have taken quite a few co-workers and friends here; all have enjoyed the experience and notice the quality in...

Absolutely delightful coffee, matcha, and baked goodies! This adorable little coffee shop always has a giant line, but I can absolutely see why — the coffee is rich and nutty, either on its own, in a classic espresso drink, or mixed with one of their delightful Asian-inspired syrups. They have some of the best matcha beverages in the city, and I am consistently impressed by their selection of classic and Asian-inspired pastries. Everything is available between opening and when they’re sold out, and they definitely run out of the exciting, house-made pastries — like their ube salt bread, kimchi furikake chorizo scones, or sesame toffee chocolate chip cookies — quite quickly, so you have to get there early if you want to indulge. I usually try to arrive within an hour or two of them opening if I want one of their delicious Asian-inspired pastries, but it’s absolutely worth the early morning trek. I especially love their salt bread, which is super buttery and pillowy, and it has a great balance of salty vs. sweet. I also love their more classic pastries that they got from another bakery for later arrivals. The millet muffin is my go-to — it’s not overly sweet, has a great grainy texture and crunch from the millet, and is a nice hearty breakfast. Even though the line looks long and intimidating, it moves quite quickly. The team is really efficient, so I’ve never waited more than 10 minutes to order or more than 5 minutes for my order to be made afterwards, even when the line is...

get their signature pandan aerocano; so smooth with a subtle sweetness, refreshing and goes down easy

my friend ordered the guava pillow, we were pleasantly surprised with how different and delicious it is

food offerings rotate through different bakeries, including Rosalind (Pacifica, CA) and pop-ups like Tano (in-house, SF) and the Butter Block (SF, CA)

so far i’ve tried the salt bread, the everything miso scone, and the coconut makrut scone by Tano - I enjoyed them each, the salt bread was crispy and chewy, the scones were flavorful and not too dry.

the vibe is nice, the baristas are approachable and genuinely seem to enjoy being there

there is seating inside and outside but depending on your party can be quite limited, I sometimes see people parked with their laptops but their patrons are kind and don’t mind sharing their seating/table

there is a nice public bathroom, please use it well and keep it clean

this location is downtown, there is a parking garage very close by but expect $6/30mins. I was able to get there via public transit just fine (Montgomery BART is closest)

will return to try more of their offerings (if i ever pull myself away from...