Sextant Coffee Roasters

Rare East African Drinks From Sextant Coffee Roasters Just Landed in San Francisco | Eater SF

"Offering a likely first-of-its-kind East African–style coffee experience in the Bay Area, Sextant Coffee Roasters — run by Ethiopia-born Kinani Ahmed — has expanded with a Mission café near 16th and Valencia that opened in late February. The ambitious menu features traditional East African and Arabian Peninsula drinks such as the Wired Gandhi (a spicier dirty chai that's already hugely popular), the Frosty Gandhi (a peppermint syrup infusion riff on the Wired Gandhi invented by Ahmed’s daughter), ginger gasheer (fresh ginger with black coffee), and adeny from the Port of Eden in Ethiopia (cardamom and star anise); Ahmed says people used to drive from Palo Alto just to get that at his last café. While The French Spot is currently bringing pastry into the shop, Sextant plans to roll out its own pastry program with Ethiopian and French goodies and tiramisu — the baker will be trained by Ahmed’s wife — plus open-faced and baguette sandwiches, three or four cold-pressed juices for brunch, and matcha and teas. Despite Valencia Street's post-pandemic challenges, Ahmed is optimistic — “Valencia is happening” — and the café, which originally opened in SoMa in 2014 and hits its 10th anniversary this April, has new Marco SP9s for pourovers and James Hoffman–designed Eagle One espresso machines and plans a grand opening and birthday celebration; hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday–Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday–Sunday." - Paolo Bicchieri