Ah, Cafe du Soleil, or as I have been calling it, Cafe Desole... or Cafe of Apologies. Every time I have stopped in, the barista or server is apologizing for making a mistake: making a large instead of a small coffee, pouring something into a ceramic cup instead of a to-go cup, or in one case, overcharging us a couple of dollars (wish we caught that before leaving).
The coffee is ok... some of the best in the neighborhood, but nothing amazing. The barista steams a good pot of milk, but the coffee tends to be a little undertamped leaving an astringent espresso to be used as a base. The bread products, being from La Boulange/Bay Bread, are very good - the almond croissant is actually one of the best I have had in the city.
The decor is fantastic, and the selection of beer is quite nice - about a dozen taps with some intereting choices available.
Nothing amazing, but it's a great addition to the Lower Haight - better than another damned Starbucks opening up.
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