Is Blue Bottle Coffee on its way to becoming the next Peet's or Starbucks? Recent moves would certainly indicate such. The Bay Area-based coffee chain recently raised $25.75 million dollars in funding -- from venture capitalists and other tech leaders, who usually keep their investments in the tech industry -- and it's using that cash to fund an ambitious expansion trajectory. First, the chain started selling its famous New Orleans iced coffee at Whole Foods. Then it announced it was opening a coffee shop and roastery in Tokyo. Today came the news that it's acquired L.A.-based Handsome Coffee Roasters and Tonx, an online coffee subscription service.
Humans are hardwired to be loyal creatures, I like to think. But nothing does so much to divide a city into a tribalistic den of animals as well as coffee, and nothing does so well to disguise a legal drug habit as "brand loyalty." That said, being picky is a privilege born from abundance, and San Francisco affords a lot of pickiness when it comes to coffee. We harbor some of the world's most talented coffee professionals, from roasters to café owners to baristas, and they're doing some interesting stuff. Chances are, you might not know about it. For a taste (or just some novelty), here are a few to get your hands on right now.
See also: Meet the Newest Coffee Game in Town: Red Bay Roasters
It's a beautiful thing when strangers come together on the street to devour warm pork buns in a downpour. Last Saturday, I braved the rain with Savor Oakland Food Tours and a few kindred spirits for a three-hour walking tour of Oakland Chinatown. The husband-and-wife team launched about two years ago, and have been charming locals and tourists alike with a winning formula that combines historical narrative and cultural context to explore Oakland and its food.
See also: Oakland's Champa Garden Brings Laotion Food to Ingleside
