Trouble Cafe, Outer N-Judah

Judah and 46th, SF - 12:15 pm
The next to last stop on the N Judah, at 46th yields a small neighborhood strip on both sides of the street. The small store front, had no tables, but bar seats built along the window, the wall and along the coffee service area. There was also outside bench seating for three and a built up planter around the tree in front of the window.

Trouble Cafe

The counters themselves are only about eight inches deep, enough room for a cup of coffee and a small treat (and my journal). I sat at the window counter in the corner, offering a view of the entrance. I ordered a macchiato and a piece of cinnamon toast, which seemed to be a very popular order. Its thick slab of white home made bread doused in butter and cinnamon was truly great.

One of the unique drinks served here is coconut water served in a full coconut shell with slabs of tender coconut, which the couple next to me was sharing with a straw and long stemmed spoon. They were in love - nuzzling and exchanging smooches in between straw fulls of coconut water which must have been doing its magic.

After I was hypnotized by the consumption of most of my cinnamon toast, as I looked out onto the overcast sidewalk a couple sat down on the bench built along the outside of the window. They both had coconut mugs. As I sat, neighbors, mostly 20 somethings converged on the cafe, some with children and others just for to-go coffee during lunch.

After I finished my burnt macchiato, I obtained a free "swisher" shot of coffee, labeled such by the server. The coffee by contrast was truly great.

In the future, a cup of coffee, a coconut juice and a cinnamon toast would make for a great alternative brunch, or even lunch. As more people came in, the cinnamon toast seemed universally popular - "toast - it's not just for breakfast anymore!"

Unlike most cafes that have become laptop offices that provide wifi, between the narrow bars and the neighbors that visited each other during the lunch rush, not a computer or tablet was in sight. This cafe was a neighborhood stop for talk, chatter and other human utterances that used to make most cafes before the laptop the social alternative to getting drunk at a bar. This place is quite a pleasure. Perhaps more cafes should cut their wifi, for that lost neighborhood conversation center that was the domain of the morning cafe for years.