Cafe International

A gem of the lower haight that continues to be the best café to enjoy a wonderful meal and a comfortable cozy hang. The owner couldn’t be nicer. The breakfast I just had was just perfect. A double espresso and toasted bagel with hummus, avocado, tomato, red onion, sprouts, and a bit of fruit. Been coming here since 1990 and today I am reminded how lucky our neighborhood is to have an anchor like Café International.

Thank God for this place. It’s one of those businesses holding down some of Lower Haight’s character as the hood is unceasingly encroached upon by reclaimed wood and edison bulb-​decorated yuppie haunts.
The coffee: strong and under $ 3. The owner: funny, slightly surly, tells the truth, knows everyone, and doesn’t have time for your shit. Soul music plays on the radio. Jazz bands and old hippies play live in the evenings. There’s a smoking section out back and comfy couches inside.
If you don’t like this place take your fey little self elsewhere that will remove $ 10 from your wallet in exchange for a piece of toast and a single cup of a coffee.

I used to recommend this spot to all my guests and friends since I heard great things. I never personally visited till today. Sadly I do not recommend this spot. The employees made our group feel extremely uncomfortable. I believe the owner even came over to our group to tell us that their a business and need every single person in our group to have ordered something even though one of us did order a drink. It was one of the most awkward and rude experiences. As a customer you should never feel uncomfortable like this and pressured to have everyone order at least one thing. You’ll find a better experience at café du soleil right down the street. They welcome anyone and everyone without counting how much you order.
One star for experience because life’s too short for bad ones.

Came here to get some work done. It was nice but it wasn’t the cozy coffee shop feel I was looking for. That being said, it was a chilly, rainy, day– I bet it’s nicer on hot days.
I was excited about the teapots so I ordered one with jasmine tea. There was a bit of residue in the spout so when you get your teapot, just check to make sure it had been cleaned out properly.
Computer users be aware– there aren’t many outlet options! I started running low and juice and actively seeking out a place to recharge wasn’t the simplest.
The bathroom is grungy. Its decorated with heavy, authentic, graffiti. You’ll need the barista to buzz you in– customers only.
Additional stray comments: There was some rad shark art on the wall. The place had a bit of a gritty hostel feel to it. The lady who was working there was energetic, very friendly, and seems like a great person. On Fridays they host open mic! Didn’t stay to watch but they were setting up right before I left.
In sum– It’s a fine place to get a coffee or hang out but isn’t everyone’s pot of tea.

Great atmosphere, tables to work at as well as comfy couches. Tea is Stash tea unfortunately, not too happy I paid $ 3 for a $ 0.50 teabag, but it was worth it for the free wifi. Except that the wifi was as slow as a dinosaur. Background music was nice, not too loud. Big windows, well-​lit, cool art on the walls

Friendly customers and a very nice, chill vibe going on. I got a Hazelnut Latte and it was really good. I also got a chocolate covered coconut macaroon and omg it was mouthwatering. I’ll be back!

My favorite café for over 20 years.
Nicest people, in my neighborhood, roomy, back patio, live jazz on Sundays, great tables for playing chess on full-​size regulation boards (and chess-​friendly). What more could a person ask for?

Pro:
— fun, artsy place
— good customer service
— reasonable drinks
— plenty of seats
— good location
Con:
— slow wifi

This place has the BEST iced coffee in town… and to top it off… the skull and gun frozen coffee cubes they use are RIDIC!!!

Pros: Friendly service! Excellent peanut butter/​chocolate bars!
Cons: Open mic night was interesting to say the least. Cash only.

Cash only, wifi.
Limited outlets and the sofas just don’t look very clean to me. The coffee here was not good and their almond croissant felt slight soggy. I wanted to like it more, but couldn’t stay very long because it was also ridiculously hot inside. The place also starts playing music at 4PM.

I recently moved to the area and I really love this place! Always feels super cozy and it has a good neighborhood vibe. The owner is always working and shes so much fun to talk to. She once offered me a banana instead of chips and it made my day! I’m the healthy eating type and thought that was awesome!
Recommend the mediterranean platter and all the sandwiches on dutch crunch bread.
I know this café has events on different days of the week and I’m hoping to check those out soon!

You can tell this place has history. Just what kind of history, I couldn’t tell you, but owner Zahra Saleh keeps things hippy-​dippy friendly here. It’s just enough to make this the cure-​all antidote for any anger you may have gathered toward Starbucks, Peet’s or even Blue Bottle, any place that has packaged and pitched their coffee and sustenance at a more suburban, Crate & Barrel-​shopping level. This café is furnished with what appears to be cast-​offs from thrift shops and Salvation Army outlets with sofas that look well worn from ample derrieres quoting Allen Ginsburg and William S. Burroughs (photo:
). Not so coincidentally, the people match the décor with pork-​pie hats and Ganesh-​inspired caftans more prevalent here than any other spot in the city.
I came here after an exceedingly large bowl of seafood udon at Stone Bowl across the street. I needed something to calm down from the literal fire in my belly, so I ordered the $ 2.50 Iced Latte hoping to get the coffee ice cubes shaped like revolvers (photo:
). I was probably too late for that, but it was refreshing especially out in the back patio where I was admiring an impressive mural of what looked to be a break during an old Michael Jackson video or at least a third world conference on a beach (photo:
). To accompany my libation, I had a rather large and chewy $ 3 coconut macaroon dipped in chocolate (photo:
). It’s a place to chill for a spell like the two musicians shooting the breeze next to me, especially when your moon is in the seventh house.
COFFEE — 4 stars… refreshing richness… though the macaroon was a bit stale
AMBIANCE — 4 stars… Woodstock revived
SERVICE — 3.5 stars… friendly enough though Zahra was not there
TOTAL — 4 stars… groovy global vibe

This is a true neighborhood gem of «real» San Francisco. Some of the friendliest, most genuine service I’ve ever experienced. I’ve been coming here for 11 years, it’s been here longer.
Best café food on the block, great prices, coffee, BEER! and a great place for students o work online and what’s even better… One of the few precious places that has indoor and outdoor seating, with a sweet little courtyard off the street.
They even have an iMac you can use. Remember Internet cafes? So do they.
And they even have music nights, I think Sunday is their famous open mic night.
Five thumbs up!

Really nice staff! Got a latte — wasn’t expecting the nice big mug of coffee I received!
Some big tables to spread out and study at for hours. If only I lived closer to come by more often.
The best part — a toasted bagel of my choice with Brie melted on top!

Café International has been a long standing San Francisco Haight institution since I’ve lived in the Bay Area.
It’s been a welcoming haven of quality vibes, diverse customers, consistent live music, and solid hot drinks and lite bites.
I remember stopping in on many a foggy night when I first moved to the city — for a sugary coconut macaroon or a hot chai. The staff were always kind. There was always an open seat. I always felt comfortable here.
And so recently when I was in the area with some friends and we were looking for a spot to enjoy some hot tea and some sun — Café International beckoned us in with it’s warm allure.
The staff prepared us some hot ginger tea — with fresh lemon and cut ginger pieces. It came served in charming floral teapots. My friend was able to store her bike in the outdoor patio area and we sat beneath the clear blue sky and made friends with the others customers basking in the beaming Bay area light.
I love this place. So San Francisco. So genuine.
Trust.

Grab a book and sit in the patio wile drinking beer and smoking cigarettes!
This place is super chill. Very laid back. Might not be perfect if you’re in a rush but perfect if you’re taking time to smell the roses.
The coffee is good. They buy from an old San Francisco roasting company, that was roasting coffee and making espressos well before the coffee revolution in the 90’s, that is what originally brought me to this place.
What keeps me coming back? They do it right. This place is what San Francisco was 15 years ago. They’re not cool. They go for the hippie vibe. That is very refreshing in a town that is overrun by yuppie coffee joints that cater to Los Angelino transplants that make 150k a year. The clientele are typically neighborhood people, young hippie kids, or old leftovers from the 60’s or 90’s.
They serve beer here too! Which is what I do half the time I come here. They have a back smoking area, a smoking area in «Obama’s america», which is a perfect place to read, drink, smoke, and be alone.

Caught at a critical moment by the manager: My mistake in buying a ‘quick sale’ lemon slice, was about to send me on a rampage across San Francisco. But the quick-​thinking staff offered me salvation in the form of a pecan slice. For free! The streets are safe once again thanks to Café International.
The menu is a little pricey, but it covers everything. The atmosphere is very homely and comfortable, great if you’re looking for somewhere a little more chilled.

As you walk by Café International, there is a direct line of sight from the front door to the colorful mural on the back outdoor patio. If that doesn’t draw you into the café, perhaps your travel bug will make you curious. It feels like walking into the café of another country, from the décor and furniture to the mugs and outdoor tropics feel. Some may describe this place as dingy, but it could also be called rustic.
Ordering food & beverages at the counter is such a friendly experience. My friend got a hot chocolate, and the lady made it right in front of us. The beauty is in the details, right? We enjoyed our beverages on the outdoor patio, which was filled with plants, painted furniture, the mural, and a bunch of smoking patrons. There are plenty of couches to sit inside as well if you don’t like the smokers outside. Everything is so eclectic and different from any other café I’ve visited in San Francisco. They even have open mic nights!

I went to Café International for a (tiny) art gallery event. You could probably see it right now if you want — you really can’t miss it.
But yeah, this place is chill. Lots of couches around. Pretty solid food and drink too — I’d say it’s worth a visit