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This former Holey Bagel shop has earned an extremely loyal (dare I even suggest "partially blind"?) following in the central Haight district. They switched owners in 2007, but the new crew actually took a decent espresso and made it downright pedestrian. On their front door, they have long boasted themselves as the #1 coffee shop in San Francisco - based on Yelp reviewers but more recently as the 2007 AOL Cityguide's best coffeehouse. There's no other word for it than 'preposterous'. It's a huge space, a little on the dingy side, with tables covered in socially conscious stickers and artwork: they know how to play to their customers. There is also a reading library with couches and free WiFi. So of course, there are the usual Haightsters sleeping at tables. They roast their own coffee beans in San Rafael - all Fair Trade and organic, of course, as many of their clientele seem to be single-issue coffee drinkers. (Despite Fair Trade certification?s many flaws, many customers here bestow it with a monopoly on ethical behavior.) They'll even give you a bag of grounds to take home for composting. Using a three-group La Marzocco Linea, they serve espresso with a medium brown, micro-thin crema (it was more substantial under the previous owners). It has a mild flavor of cloves and cumin, but it's not terribly distinct from quality drip coffee - for example, there's no uniqueness to its flavor profile nor special notes like sweetness. Even the aroma suggests a flat, careless espresso. Served in Hall cups. With a loyal following that proves that social activists often let their minds short-circuit their taste buds.
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