Bernie's
Cafe · Noe Valley ·
Neighborhood cafe offering Tully's coffee, pastries, WiFi
Neighborhood cafe offering Tully's coffee, pastries, WiFi
"Bernie’s is the gold standard of neighborhood coffee shops. If you find yourself sitting here working on your latest novel about Jane Goodall’s secret life as a house DJ, you’ll notice that everyone seems to know each other. But this place isn’t just a community meet-and-greet. Aside from the strong coffee, the wifi is undoubtedly better than your own home’s, so you’re all set when you inevitably need to research what Jane would use as a stage name." - lani conway, ricky rodriguez, julia chen 1
"Bernadette Melvin, owner of Noe Valley’s beloved Bernie’s Coffee, told me she can’t see extending hours because sales have declined — she’s observed roughly 100 regular customers move out of the city and state — and because she’s currently staffing the shop by herself. Opening for dine-in feels even further off due to Bernie’s small size and the challenge of accommodating lingering customers: Bernie’s is known for free WiFi, and Melvin worries that laptop users would have a hard time accepting time limits required under various reopening tiers." - Clair Lorell
"Some customers come in wearing no mask, a mask below the nose, or only put the mask on as they walk into the business, and it’s not fair that restaurants have to enforce mask policies—please help us out. There’s no need to yell through a mask or pull it down and speak slowly; if Bernie has ever messed up your latte, she hasn’t—she’s got you, promise. Also, resist peppering business owners with questions like “Are you gonna make it?” or “When will you reopen fully?”—we’re stressed and don’t have answers; maybe just tip big and say thanks for the coffee." - Becky Duffett
"As the eponymous owner of Bernie’s in Noe Valley, Bernadette Melvin says SFPD visited to confirm people were masked and that she encountered eight customers who came in without coverings and “either shrugged their shoulders or claimed they couldn’t find” a covering; she asked them to leave, half returned with coverings, all were annoyed, and she says she “hates having to tell people the obvious” but will not risk her business being closed." - Eve Batey
"From my vantage point next door at Bernadette “Bernie” Melvin's Bernie’s Coffee Shop on 24th Street, I saw residents lining up in the parking lot as early as 7:30 a.m. in anticipation of the 8 a.m. Whole Foods opening; Bernie summed up the rush simply: “They all want chicken. And toilet paper.”" - Becky Duffett