Mike L.
Yelp
You know, having been well aware of their reputation and all of the praise that folks have heaped on them for so long, you'd think I would've tried Andytown by now. Don't get me wrong - I've certainly been meaning to. However, despite how they've got locations scattered across SF (primarily in the Outer Sunset, where they first opened), I never seemed to be near one when the urge (need?) for coffee would strike. So, I guess I have my friend to thank for wanting to catch up over a cup of coffee on one of the hottest days of the summer - no better place to do it than while sitting right by the beach!
Between its perch right along the Great Highway and how it shares the space with Ocean Plant, an ocean-centric retailer focused on ocean awareness, the community, and sustainability, this Andytown has a heavy beach vibe to it. As others have mentioned, seating isn't as plentiful as you might expect for its size (portions are devoted to Ocean Plant's products, like apparel, surfboards, surf supplies, etc.), but there's still a handful of small tables, couch, shared table, and patio seating and the entire beach is right across the street. Similarly, the menu appears somewhat modest, but there's still no shortage of options across its coffee/espresso offerings, including their signature snowy plover, teas, bottled drinks, and baked goodies.
-- HOUSE DRIP COFFEE - Wind & Sea Blend...$2.75
Pretty straightforward...and pretty tasty. This felt like a medium roast of sorts, as it had a rather well rounded flavor without any overly assertive notes (in a good way). Most importantly, it gave me a nice pick-me-up to get through the rest of the day!
-- ORIGINAL BIRD SNOWY PLOVER - Iced Espresso Drink with Brown Sugar Syrup, Soda Water, and Topped with Housemade Whipped Cream...$6.50
Not sure why folks are so enamored with this, but mostly because I thought it was more good than great. I can see the appeal, as it's undeniably unique, but there just wasn't enough coffee, or soda water, for me to really enjoy this (it was mostly cream at the end).
-- IT'S-IT AFFOGATO - Vanilla It's-It Ice Cream Sandwich topped with House Espresso...$7.50
Not sure if this is a location specific item (haven't seen it mentioned at other Andytowns), but this was AWESOME. The espresso is pretty assertive, but it's mellowed and sweetened by the ice cream. Also, IT'S GOT AN IT'S-IT IN IT! SO GOOD!
-- MATCHA SNOWY PLOVER - A Green Tea Take on the Original Snowy Plover...$6.50
I know everyone likes the original one, but I thought this was better. Maybe it's just because the matcha replaces the coffee's natural bitterness, but this felt a lot more drinkable. The taste was slightly sweet, smooth, and had a creamier texture.
Along with their delicious offerings and fantastic location, the other thing that I love about coming here is how plentiful parking is. Typically, it's easy to find a spot in the small lot right in front, but even if it fills up (it's a public lot), it's not hard to find one in the lots across the street for Ocean Beach. The one thing about my experiences that has been a little more up and down has been the service. To be clear - it has never been awful and the staff, for the most part, has been fairly friendly. It's just that across all of my visits here, a couple of the workers seemed somewhat annoyed/irritated and weren't really hiding it. Even then, it's not enough to stop me from coming back again, especially so I can get my hands on another It's-It Affogato!
FOUR AND A HALF STARS rounded up.