Caffe Trieste

"Caffe Trieste is a San Francisco institution—it’s the first espresso-based coffee shop on the West Coast and has been open since 1956. This place is less your typical coffee shop and more of a local late-night haunt for the literary-inclined (it’s open until 10pm). The chairs are crickety, the floor looks like it hasn’t been redone in decades, and the murals on the wall could use some retouching—but it all adds to the charm as you yearn to join the people reading Nietzsche over a doppio. The extensive drink menu can be a bit overwhelming, but just grab a dark roast espresso or a cup of Italian drip, cozy up with a book, and see where the night takes you." - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez, patrick wong

"As North Beach staples go, Trieste is almost unbeatable — the storied corner cafe claims to have been the very first Italian-style espresso house on the West Coast when it opened in 1956. Its timing was fortuitous; Trieste became a gathering place for poets, artists, musicians, and the Beat scene at large. Grab a cappuccino and get working on your next novel. You’ll be in good company — Francis Ford Coppola reputedly wrote the script for The Godfather here, and still sometimes frequents the cafe." - Paolo Bicchieri

"A trip to City Lights Bookstore to pay respects to the Beat poets would not be complete without wandering up a side alley for a cappuccino, cocktail, or a cappuccino cocktail. Options abound, but one of the greats is Caffe Trieste, which has been pouring espresso since 1956. Grab a seat in the big window, flip open a newspaper, and watch the neighborhood stagger by." - Dianne de Guzman, Eater Staff

"As the first espresso-based coffee shop on the West Coast (it opened in 1956), this place is less a typical cafe and more of a late-night haunt for the literary-inclined. Caffe Trieste is open until 10pm, and filled with people reading Nietzsche over a doppio. Sure, the chairs are crickety, the floor hasn’t been redone in decades, and the murals on the wall could use some retouching—but it all adds to the charm. The extensive drink menu can be overwhelming, but just grab an Italian drip and get ready to turn some physical pages of an actual book. " - ricky rodriguez, julia chen 1

"Wifi: No Laptops are technically welcome at Caffe Trieste in North Beach, but you might fit in better if your work is a bit more analog. Open since 1956, this cash-only spot is the oldest espresso-based coffee shop on the West Coast. Inside, you’ll find a space packed with locals reading newspapers, books, and journaling their deepest thoughts late into the night (they close at 10pm). The menu is full of classic espresso drinks, some pastries like cannolis, and a small section of food like grilled cheeses and salads. So when you finally want to get some work done on that novel you’ve been putting off for years, come here to channel the Beatniks who used to frequent this place. " - lani conway, julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez