clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile
More Maps

15 Stellar Lunch Spots in San Francisco

Turn Up the Heat With These Hot and Spicy San Francisco Dishes

10 San Francisco Bars With More to Do Than Just Drink

More in San Francisco See more maps
A drink on a table.
Aziza’s Marrakesh Express is just one of the Bay’s best coffee cocktails.
Brianna Danner

14 Buzzy Coffee Cocktails Around San Francisco and the East Bay

San Francisco loves an espresso martini but the caffeinated cocktail fun doesn’t stop there

by Paolo Bicchieri, Lauren Saria, and Becky Duffett Updated
View as Map
Aziza’s Marrakesh Express is just one of the Bay’s best coffee cocktails.
| Brianna Danner
by Paolo Bicchieri, Lauren Saria, and Becky Duffett Updated

As the year comes to a close, and temperatures drop like so many disco balls on New Year’s Eve, it’s paramount to find cozy drinks to tuck into. Most of us will need a nip of caffeine to get all the way to midnight, too. Thankfully, San Francisco has long been the go-to city for espresso martinis, Irish coffees, and caffeinated cocktails of all sorts. Say goodbye to the Four Loko and vodka Red Bull days. Say hello to the upscale blend of cardamom, raspberry, and rye at Aziza, or the smoked banana and Bacardí Cuatro slushy drink at White Cap. Is there a better way to ring in 2023 than with a craft cocktail that also keeps you up? Reclaim your youth and stay classy with any of these 14 Bay Area coffee cocktails.

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission.

Read More
If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Farley

Copy Link

The new triumvirate of restaurants and bars underneath the Golden Gate Bridge are truly a respite from the business of the city. Importantly, and relevantly, new restaurant Farley’s offers the Cafe Presidio to the Bay’s ongoing coffee cocktail competition. This boozy beverage blends Licor 43, Siete Leguas reposado, Averna amaro, and Ritual cold brew.

602 Murray Cir, Sausalito, CA 94965
(415) 339-4751
(415) 339-4751

Friends & Family

Copy Link

Coconuts and coffee rub elbows in the For Rei, a deceptively simple-looking number on the Friends & Family cocktail list. Not only does Toki Japanese Whisky get a coconut wash, there’s also a coconut water “popsicle” at the heart of this drink. Coffee notes, meanwhile, come from infused Cynar. 

468 25th St, Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 225-0469
(510) 225-0469

Also featured in:

The Buena Vista

Copy Link

This San Francisco institution isn’t just a place to get a great Irish coffee, it’s the place to get the best one in the country. Bartenders in crisp white coats make hundreds of whiskey-laced coffee cocktails every day, allegedly using the same recipe developed by then-owner Jack Koeppler and travel writer Stanton Delaplane way back in 1952. It’s a simple drink but the secret is the technique. 

2765 Hyde St, San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 474-5044
(415) 474-5044
Ellen Fort

Also featured in:

Sobre Mesa

Copy Link

Fittingly, the espresso martini riff at Sobre Mesa — chef-owner Nelson German’s swanky Afro-Latin cocktail lounge in Oakland — gets a South African twist from Amarula, a cream liqueur made from the fruit of the marula tree. It lends nuttiness and citrus flavors to the otherwise familiar combo of vodka and espresso. 

1618 Franklin St, Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 858-7544
(510) 858-7544
A view of the main bar at Sobre Mesa. Thomas Kuoh

Also featured in:

Red Window

Copy Link

There’s probably no better place to escape San Francisco’s notoriously foggy weather than at Red Window, a North Beach restaurant and bar that’s always a splice of sunshine. Decked out in plants and vibrant colors, its like stumbling upon a hidden Spanish paradise just off Columbus, and to really seal the deal, sip on the espresso martini made with LP rum, coco nib-infused walnut bitters, burnt sugar, espresso, and lemon zest.

500 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 757-0600
(415) 757-0600
Red Window Patricia Chang

Also featured in:

Balboa Cafe

Copy Link

Balboa Cafe is a cocktail institution and brunch scene in the Marina dating back a century. Due to wild demand, espresso martinis are now on a nitro tap, pouring out an ultra smooth mix of Top Hat Provisions condensed coffee, Stoli vanilla vodka, and Kahlua coffee liqueur. By request, they’ll also do a made-to-order version with a hot shot of espresso, which can be made decaf. And they’re selling canned espresso martinis to go over the bar.

3199 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 921-3944
(415) 921-3944
Espresso martinis at Balboa Cafe Balboa Cafe

Also featured in:

Tosca Cafe

Copy Link

North Beach’s infamous drinking den reopened in 2021 with a loving restoration, and it’s better than ever, bullet holes and all. Of course, they kept the House Cappuccino, which might be a controversial inclusion on this list, because as true San Franciscans know – it does not include any coffee. But with bourbon, cognac, chocolate, and steamed milk, it’s a warm and cozy comfort.

242 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 986-9651
(415) 986-9651
Cappuccino cocktails at Tosca Cafe Tosca Cafe

Also featured in:

Macondray

Copy Link

Macondray is that lush bar on Polk that’s downright dripping with plants, and usually known for spicy margaritas and chicken tenders. But espresso martinis have been upsetting the menu of late. Veteran bartender Aaron Paul calls his version the Midnight Mookie, and it’s a creamy shake-down of Humboldt Distillery vodka, Philz coffee, coconut milk, and Angioletto hazelnut liqueur, with a nostalgic sprinkle of Folgers speckling the top.

2209 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 829-3464
(415) 829-3464

Also featured in:

Bar Sprezzatura

Copy Link

It’s not just negroni sbagliatos at this new FiDi bar and restaurant. Italian-born and San Francisco-based bar expert Carlo Splendorini is adding a strong contender to the Bay’s rich coffee cocktail scene: his Negroni Caffe mixes Italian brandy Tuaca, the city’s favorite Fernet, and both espresso liqueur and coffee liqueur Galliano Ristretto.

One Maritime Plaza, #100, San Francisco, CA 94111
Patricia Chang

Also featured in:

The Snug

Copy Link

The favorite craft cocktail bar of Pac Heights, the Snug has many excellent concoctions on the list, but in the dead of winter only the Brown Buttered Coffee will do. It’s a real belly warmer and eye opener: strong coffee, strong bourbon, roasted chestnut, and salted amaro whipped cream, to set off the buttery and sweet flavors.

2301 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115

Also featured in:

Aziza

Copy Link

This soulful Moroccan institution reopened in 2019, to the delight of legions of fans, after years shuttered. Thankfully, the restaurant survived the worst of the pandemic to bring coffee connoisseurs the Marrakesh Express. This cold drink combines rye, Nonino amaro, Nola coffee liqueur, raspberry, creole bitters, and a dash of cardamom.

5800 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121
(415) 682-4196
(415) 682-4196
A drink on a table.
The Marrakesh Express at Aziza.
Brianna Danner

Also featured in:

Cole Valley Tavern

Copy Link

This relatively new favorite in the heart of Cole Valley is already well-loved for its crispy fish and chips. Now fans can add an impressive Irish coffee to the list of reasons to hit the tavern. The creamy concoction incorporates coffee from Bird and Bear Roastery, a mom-and-pop outfit just two blocks down the street. The liqueur comes courtesy of Alameda-based St. George Spirits.

900 Cole St, San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 681-7678
(415) 681-7678

Also featured in:

Chezchez

Copy Link

As with most things on the Chezchez menu, the espresso martini is classically built and expertly executed, courtesy of the Trick Dog team. It’s a basic blend of Grey Goose, Mr. Black coffee liqueur, and cold brew that’s offered up in a frosty martini glass. Sip one on the outdoor terrace while taking in the energy of Valencia or step inside the high-ceiling modern space.

584 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 237-1834
(415) 237-1834

Also featured in:

White Cap

Copy Link

Don’t be a fool: Of course, the Sunset has competitive cocktails. Maybe no bar more so than Whitecap on Taraval Street holds it down harder when it comes to commitment to quality. The bar’s current Endless Summer menu features the Switch Stance, a decidedly Outer Sunset riff on a coffee cocktail. This slushy drink incorporates Bacardí Cuatro, smoked banana, lime, and, of course, coffee.

3608 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA 94116
(415) 682-4215
(415) 682-4215

Also featured in:

More in Maps

© 2023 Vox Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
Link copied to the clipboard.

Farley

602 Murray Cir, Sausalito, CA 94965

The new triumvirate of restaurants and bars underneath the Golden Gate Bridge are truly a respite from the business of the city. Importantly, and relevantly, new restaurant Farley’s offers the Cafe Presidio to the Bay’s ongoing coffee cocktail competition. This boozy beverage blends Licor 43, Siete Leguas reposado, Averna amaro, and Ritual cold brew.

602 Murray Cir, Sausalito, CA 94965
(415) 339-4751
(415) 339-4751

Friends & Family

468 25th St, Oakland, CA 94612

Coconuts and coffee rub elbows in the For Rei, a deceptively simple-looking number on the Friends & Family cocktail list. Not only does Toki Japanese Whisky get a coconut wash, there’s also a coconut water “popsicle” at the heart of this drink. Coffee notes, meanwhile, come from infused Cynar. 

468 25th St, Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 225-0469
(510) 225-0469

The Buena Vista

2765 Hyde St, San Francisco, CA 94109

This San Francisco institution isn’t just a place to get a great Irish coffee, it’s the place to get the best one in the country. Bartenders in crisp white coats make hundreds of whiskey-laced coffee cocktails every day, allegedly using the same recipe developed by then-owner Jack Koeppler and travel writer Stanton Delaplane way back in 1952. It’s a simple drink but the secret is the technique. 

2765 Hyde St, San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 474-5044
(415) 474-5044
Ellen Fort

Sobre Mesa

1618 Franklin St, Oakland, CA 94612

Fittingly, the espresso martini riff at Sobre Mesa — chef-owner Nelson German’s swanky Afro-Latin cocktail lounge in Oakland — gets a South African twist from Amarula, a cream liqueur made from the fruit of the marula tree. It lends nuttiness and citrus flavors to the otherwise familiar combo of vodka and espresso. 

1618 Franklin St, Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 858-7544
(510) 858-7544
A view of the main bar at Sobre Mesa. Thomas Kuoh

Red Window

500 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133

There’s probably no better place to escape San Francisco’s notoriously foggy weather than at Red Window, a North Beach restaurant and bar that’s always a splice of sunshine. Decked out in plants and vibrant colors, its like stumbling upon a hidden Spanish paradise just off Columbus, and to really seal the deal, sip on the espresso martini made with LP rum, coco nib-infused walnut bitters, burnt sugar, espresso, and lemon zest.

500 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 757-0600
(415) 757-0600
Red Window Patricia Chang

Balboa Cafe

3199 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94123

Balboa Cafe is a cocktail institution and brunch scene in the Marina dating back a century. Due to wild demand, espresso martinis are now on a nitro tap, pouring out an ultra smooth mix of Top Hat Provisions condensed coffee, Stoli vanilla vodka, and Kahlua coffee liqueur. By request, they’ll also do a made-to-order version with a hot shot of espresso, which can be made decaf. And they’re selling canned espresso martinis to go over the bar.

3199 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 921-3944
(415) 921-3944
Espresso martinis at Balboa Cafe Balboa Cafe

Tosca Cafe

242 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133

North Beach’s infamous drinking den reopened in 2021 with a loving restoration, and it’s better than ever, bullet holes and all. Of course, they kept the House Cappuccino, which might be a controversial inclusion on this list, because as true San Franciscans know – it does not include any coffee. But with bourbon, cognac, chocolate, and steamed milk, it’s a warm and cozy comfort.

242 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 986-9651
(415) 986-9651
Cappuccino cocktails at Tosca Cafe Tosca Cafe

Macondray

2209 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109

Macondray is that lush bar on Polk that’s downright dripping with plants, and usually known for spicy margaritas and chicken tenders. But espresso martinis have been upsetting the menu of late. Veteran bartender Aaron Paul calls his version the Midnight Mookie, and it’s a creamy shake-down of Humboldt Distillery vodka, Philz coffee, coconut milk, and Angioletto hazelnut liqueur, with a nostalgic sprinkle of Folgers speckling the top.

2209 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 829-3464
(415) 829-3464

Bar Sprezzatura

One Maritime Plaza, #100, San Francisco, CA 94111

It’s not just negroni sbagliatos at this new FiDi bar and restaurant. Italian-born and San Francisco-based bar expert Carlo Splendorini is adding a strong contender to the Bay’s rich coffee cocktail scene: his Negroni Caffe mixes Italian brandy Tuaca, the city’s favorite Fernet, and both espresso liqueur and coffee liqueur Galliano Ristretto.

One Maritime Plaza, #100, San Francisco, CA 94111
Patricia Chang

The Snug

2301 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115

The favorite craft cocktail bar of Pac Heights, the Snug has many excellent concoctions on the list, but in the dead of winter only the Brown Buttered Coffee will do. It’s a real belly warmer and eye opener: strong coffee, strong bourbon, roasted chestnut, and salted amaro whipped cream, to set off the buttery and sweet flavors.

2301 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115

Aziza

5800 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121

This soulful Moroccan institution reopened in 2019, to the delight of legions of fans, after years shuttered. Thankfully, the restaurant survived the worst of the pandemic to bring coffee connoisseurs the Marrakesh Express. This cold drink combines rye, Nonino amaro, Nola coffee liqueur, raspberry, creole bitters, and a dash of cardamom.

5800 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121
(415) 682-4196
(415) 682-4196
A drink on a table.
The Marrakesh Express at Aziza.
Brianna Danner

Cole Valley Tavern

900 Cole St, San Francisco, CA 94117

This relatively new favorite in the heart of Cole Valley is already well-loved for its crispy fish and chips. Now fans can add an impressive Irish coffee to the list of reasons to hit the tavern. The creamy concoction incorporates coffee from Bird and Bear Roastery, a mom-and-pop outfit just two blocks down the street. The liqueur comes courtesy of Alameda-based St. George Spirits.

900 Cole St, San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 681-7678
(415) 681-7678

Chezchez

584 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110

As with most things on the Chezchez menu, the espresso martini is classically built and expertly executed, courtesy of the Trick Dog team. It’s a basic blend of Grey Goose, Mr. Black coffee liqueur, and cold brew that’s offered up in a frosty martini glass. Sip one on the outdoor terrace while taking in the energy of Valencia or step inside the high-ceiling modern space.

584 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 237-1834
(415) 237-1834

White Cap

3608 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA 94116

Don’t be a fool: Of course, the Sunset has competitive cocktails. Maybe no bar more so than Whitecap on Taraval Street holds it down harder when it comes to commitment to quality. The bar’s current Endless Summer menu features the Switch Stance, a decidedly Outer Sunset riff on a coffee cocktail. This slushy drink incorporates Bacardí Cuatro, smoked banana, lime, and, of course, coffee.

3608 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA 94116
(415) 682-4215
(415) 682-4215

Related Maps