One thing I know for sure is that San Franciscans love their coffee. As a resident of San Francisco for four years, I’ve had my taste at some of the coffee spots around the city. I’ve narrowed my favorites to two different coffee shops. They are both very different from each other in terms of size and overall vibe; but, the commonality between the two is the number one essential to any coffee shop: a good ol’ cup of joe.

What I love most about these two coffee shops is what differentiates them from one another. Now that might be hard to understand at first, so let me explain.

©Snowbird Coffee

My first go-to coffee shop is Snowbird Coffee located on Ninth Avenue in the Inner Sunset. Having only been open for almost two years now, it’s still relatively new; but, as soon as you walk in, this small hole-in-the-wall café gives off a very warm and welcoming vibe, with plain lightbulbs hanging from the ceiling and natural wood décor. The workers at Snowbird want to make sure you feel at home too. Owners Eugene Kim and Dave Feng pride themselves on instilling their ideal of a customer-first approach with their employees.

“We tell our employees that good customer service comes first—yes, even before the taste and quality of our coffee,” said Kim, “I personally can’t take pretentious service, and we wanted to make sure that our customers never had to feel bad about asking what a certain drink was. We want to help introduce everyone to good coffee, but we’re not going to ding you for not knowing that a classic macchiato is much shorter than what you’re probably used to.”

What I love most about this small café, aside from the coffee of course, is the fact that I can have a conversation with anyone who is working there. It’s a great place to get some work done; it gives you that ‘homey’ vibe while still getting you out of the house. Snowbird offers coffee roasted from places such as Wisconsin and Colorado, giving coffee enthusiasts the choice of a cup of home brewed or something from out of town. This is my go-to coffee shop for the perfect combination of a comfy café and some coffee made with extra care. Not to mention it’s only two blocks away from where I live so it’s super convenient. I recommend the Spaniard—a latte mixed with sweetened condensed milk.

©Sightglass SOMA

My other favorite coffee shop in the city is Sightglass Coffee located in South of Market. This is one of the most popular coffee joints downtown and for good reason. The place is huge! As soon as you walk in, the smell of coffee will hit you like a slap to the face. Sightglass is equipped with a giant roaster for practicing their craft throughout the day. A coffee bar island sits in the middle of the shop, with baristas handcrafting the beverages and toasting pastries. The wooden furnishing, high beams that line the ceiling, and dark accents of the counter tops and floor give the place a rustic feel. It doesn’t end there. Sightglass boasts a second floor loft area—equipped with barstool and table seating, and a second coffee bar. The view from atop will give you a real sense of how big the coffee shop is. It also makes it a comfortable place to get some work done with a great view. I would recommend the cappuccino or affogato.

Snowbird Coffee and Sightglass Coffee will give you two different experiences and that’s what I love about them. Between the two, the coffee shop I end up visiting really depends on my mood. Snowbird will give me that comfortable mom-and-pop shop vibe. While, on the other hand, Sightglass will give me the true downtown San Francisco coffee experience. Either way, I suggest trying them both. Coffee-lovers will not be disappointed.