Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters

Cute little place in the Marina. The first thing that attracted me was the logo. Miley’s Wrecking Ball song played in my head right away, so, of course, I had to come in because I couldn’t get it out of my head. The coffee is good, too. And that wallpaper? Swoon… Plus, the staff was friendly.

I stopped by this coffee shop while I was in San Francisco. The shop has a nice all white décor and has a large espresso machine right behind the bar. The prices were reasonable and the staff was friendly. One of the baristas talked to me about how this company coined the term «third wave coffee».
The store features drip coffee and espresso drinks as well as small snacks.
One of the baristas was trying to impress some hot babes by talking about how much he drank over the weekend, that was a little obnoxious but it wasn’t a big deal.
The espresso I ordered was truly excellent. The barista was sure to take extra time measuring and preparing the shot.
The only qualm I have is that the roaster was not on site. I assumed there would be a roaster at the location because of the name of the business. I prefer the look and smell of the roaster as well as the ability to talk to the roaster.
Overall an excellent location, you should stop by to try some amazing espresso if you get the chance.

Highlights
— That wallpaper tho! They have the most adorable wallpaper and even sell matching patterned greeting cards from Rifle Paper Co. Stepping inside makes me happy!
— Amongst their coffee offerings, they sell pastries, boiled eggs, gourmet chocolate bars, Wrecking Ball bags of coffee, Rifle Paper Co. stationary, and fancy Japanese coffee brewing tools.
— They don’t mess around here, quality ingredients that you can taste and everything is meticulous weighed/​crafted.
— $ 5 for my cup of mocha. Pretty steep for a small cup, but you can definitely taste the quality gourmet chocolate and the focus on the coffee, if that’s your thing. None of that overly sweet artificial tasting syrup stuff here.
Improvements
— I stopped by Sunday afternoon and there was a line to order as well as a wait time for your coffee.
— it’s a tiny place, there are only a few chairs near the coffee making bar area, the rest are seats along a wall without tables where patrons sit when they wait for their coffee orders, and a few tables with chairs outside.
Tips
— Metered street parking or neighborhood parking.

Thank you Wrecking Ball for opening a quality coffee place on this stretch of Union St. Starbucks is great for a venti mango black iced tea, but I betcha you passed by this place a hundred times and completely missed it. Let the simple white sign guide you into the treasure trove for the caffeine lover. (Pillowfight Espresso beans, fancy chocolates and even fancier coffee brewing accessories)
Stop it. I know I’m not a coffee drinker. But on the times I find myself on Union St. itching to walk the entire neighborhood browsing shops and people watching, I want to drink something good. That something good I had here was a decaf latte. Deliciously smooth and not needing any sugar. YAAASSS. You can now put your head in your hands and scream «WHY did she get decaf?!» ;-)
I love the all white space with the cool pineapple wallpaper (perfect for snapchat selfies, right?) and the minimalist coffee bar area. However minimalist, you’ll notice they take their craft seriously: weighing scales for the beans, water thermostat set at 209 degrees and a sexy La Marzocco machine. RAWR.
As much as I love the Mission and it’s hottest restaurants/​bars/​coffee shops, sometimes, I just don’t want to deal with hipsters. Here you’ll get the neighborhood folks dressed in their best lululemons and perfect looks even though they just «came» from Soulcycle. Don’t hate, just appreciate and drink that amazing cup of joe.

Such a cute hole in the wall place. If you’re ever in this area and you are a coffee fiend, then you’ve got to try this place! Staff is super friendly and atmosphere is relaxed. They are used to people taking pictures of their pineapple wallpaper so they don’t care if you want to go ahead and take that selfie. Coffee is strong!!! I had their espresso and it was super acidic but a perfect morning wakeup. They also have the option of almond milk! Overall, came with high expectations, left with them all fulfilled.

Great quality coffee. I would recommend the almond milk latte/​cappuccino or the slow pour coffee

This place is a cute destination spot…
I’m only writing this review for the cold brew, but I feel like it wasn’t strong enough.
It’s so cute inside though and I’d definitely come back to try something else!

Cool, TINY place. Very small inside and very hipster (which I love). It’s dark, not much natural light, but great color scheme and fun wallpaper.
Deliciously made lattes and delightful chocolate chips cookies! I haven’t tried their other sweet treats but they all looked great! Overall really good but expensive for what you get.

My new favorite café in the Marina. Extra points for awesome wallpaper. My only rec would be to go during off-​hours, otherwise you’ll wait forever for your drink and there won’t be any seats for you. Enjoy!

I never knew pineapples n coffee went so well together til I came upon this special little coffee shop. one of the best things in the city is good coffee n I’m SO happy San Francisco has no end to making a cup of well-​crafted joe.
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters is located on Union Street in the Cow Hollow district of San Francisco. parking is mostly metered street parking. we usually have no trouble finding parking on the weekends in that area unless there’s some kind of festivity going on.
for a small hole in the wall coffee shop, this place is just too cool n definitely fit for hipsters. the sign on the wall by the entrance is simply a sketch of a wrecking ball with the word «coffee» on the bottom. the walls r covered in pineapples. (Hawaiian chic anyone? I’m going to wear a Hawaiian shirt n sit there next time just to b ironic.)
I ordered myself a cappuccino n waited in the short hallway. I watched the male barista as he made a pour-​over for the customer ahead of me. it was a beautiful «performance.» I almost clapped. :)
my cappuccino was strong n delicious. sitting outside by the entrance, sipping away on that sunny day. a perfect chill afternoon.

Small but adorable space with amazing coffee. I recently moved to the area and decided to check this place out after reading all of the reviews and I must say that Wrecking Ball did not disappoint.
The space is small but quaint and as everyone else mentioned, the pineapple wallpaper is super cute. Bummed I didn’t get a picture of it like others… but then again, I will be back.
As for the coffee, I went for the Almond Milk latte. Most places don’t make almond milk lattes or they aren’t that good but Wrecking Ball’s was amazing. The barista made sure to tell me how many shots of espresso were in each size to see if I’d want more or less and the amount of milk they typically use.
You may have to wait a few minutes longer than other coffee shops but it is definitely worth it and you know they’re taking their time and doing it right for every cup!

Another lovely unassuming coffee shop in SF. Wrecking Ball is a very, very tiny store (very little seating room, so get your coffee to go). They’ve got wonderful spunky pineapple wallpaper, a mad science like laboratory for coffee creations, and otherwise minimalist design. The SO and I stopped by on a Saturday afternoon as we were taking a walk through Cows Hollow and wanted a caffeine refill.
Prices are about what you would expect for coffee in the city ($ 4 range). I got a latte, and thought it was pretty well done. I never know how to review lattes. Milk to espresso ratio was fairly well done, not too much foam, and definitely tasted like quality. I don’t know if it was the most delicious latte I’ve ever had, but it was certainly quite good.
tldr; good little place to get coffee, but the store is pretty small so I would recommend getting it to go!

Wow. This place should be a Mecca for coffee aficionados. If you come here the first time, definitely go for their market priced pour over coffee. It has incredible flavor.
I usually drink my coffee black so this was no different but I could taste so much depth and flavor that I’ve missed from comparable gourmet coffee places.
I happened to be starving so I had one of their scones. It was very good but I’m not sure how objective I was in the moment haha.
Overall, don’t miss this spot — I’m very lucky that it’s nearby but it’s worth the trip. My one complaint is that it’s not really conducive to working or holding a coffee meeting with someone. The seating is quite limited.

Such an adorable minimalist coffeeshop! I love the white walls and white countertop, accented with the sections of famous pineapple wallpaper. My friend took me here for some afternoon coffee. Very classy Cow Hollow feel to it — excellent service and coffee. No complaints here. Would recommend stopping by if you’re in the area! Plus, it’s called WRECKING BALL Coffee Roasters. How can you not?

Coffee done right! This tiny space on Union St. has never let me down and I continue to head back because they make proper coffee drinks on the regular. If you live in Cow Hollow, you’ve probably driven by here many times and not even noticed because it’s basically a small window with a hanging sign above.
The first thing I always notice is the water thermostat on the wall set to 209 degrees, so right off the bat you know they are using precision for their drip coffees. The multiple scales at the bar ensure you’re getting the right weights for coffee grounds too.
I generally order espresso because I can’t make it well at home, and it’s always superb. It’s acidic, bold and the head is nice and light. I’m pretty sure they don’t roast anything in house but, rather offsite. I’d love to see that process because of the few bags of beans I’ve purchased they have always tasted great at home too. Super friendly service, quick and a great morning stop!

SF is a major hub for awesome coffee made well and wrecking ball is definitely not an exception.
In the hustle and bustle of The Marina, Wrecking ball is a small, quaint, coffee shop that knows how to make a delectable cup of joe. There’s a 3 small 2 people tables outside, perfect for people watching and catching up with your pals and a long bench inside. Although prices are meh, $ 5 for a cup, it’s pretty standard for SF prices.
My friend got a skinny latte and i opted for the Karl, a signature drink of theirs. It’s an almond milk latte, with cardamon, honey and some other spices. Very well made, great flavors, nutty, smokey, and not too sweet.
I would definitely come back here for a nice cup of coffee event though it’s on the pricier side and enjoy the atmosphere. They’re also infamous for their adorable pineapple wallpaper (all the blogger girls take a photo in front of this for their instragram). Over, lovely experience, but do remember that seating is limited and it’s not a place to go hang/​chill for a long period of time with your laptop.

Wrecking Ball is a solid coffee shop in the Marina district of the city. They are the city’s distributor of Kalita products and their owner’s name, Nick, is sexy as hell. I had the pleasure of talking to Brenna and Jose while I was there and not only does Jose makes a mean pourover, he’s funny and easy to talk to. If I lived closer to Wrecking Ball it would probably be my home base shop. I haven’t been able to go back in some time, but I definitely will be going back to buy a bag of beans. Probably one of the must stop spots to grab a cup and hang out. The store is small, homey and the interior design of the shop is A1. The pourover station is one of the nicest ones I’ve seen so far too.

Perfect cortado. The place is small. In fact very small with 4 chairs searing counter. Service was friendly and personable. We will beck when we are back n the area.

Hip, spare and modern. Not your typical cozy brown shop. Very tiny. Limited food selection. I felt 20 years too old when I walked in. That said, gracious, friendly staff and… wow! The tea and hot chocolate both on point and outstanding! I can’t speak for the coffee, but I appreciate a coffee-​centric shop with high standards for their tea, and their hot chocolate, too. Lovely shop.

[Out-​of-​Towner Review]
Blogger heaven!
The infamous pineapple wallpaper is why most people go here. Others go for the coffee, but really, it’s for a selfie with the wallpaper. You aren’t a legit blogger, unless you get a selfie here ;)
Okay, well, at least that’s why I went. The coffee was just a bonus. I ordered a Soy Mocha and the staff generously told me the granache they use has some dairy in it, but I ordered it anyways. $ 5 for my drink, which is pretty on par with Sacramento — so I’m used to these boughie coffee spot prices!
Selife and coffee, my whole day trip to the City was complete!

Yes! Oh San Francisco, I’m so glad your trendy coffee shops aren’t like Los Angeles ones. New Years Day, our buddy took us into the city and saw we needed some coffee to pick us up.
I’m not too big of a fan of fancy coffees anymore as I’m trying to cut my sugar content down and I actually enjoy the taste of coffee, not cream and sugar
.
I got myself a basic pour, black, HOLY CRAP! Delicious, very very very smooth and mellow. No bitter taste to it. So glad these beans weren’t burnt like how I feel every single coffee shop that’s popped up in LA does. So acidic, sour, bitter and oily it’s so gross.
+
If you like coffee, this is for you!
This place could probably convert you sacrilegious cream and sugar pourers to the dark side. TRY IT OUT

Love cute coffee shops.
Love the décor and hipster-​ness of the place.
Also love Union street for shopping and good eats.
Now, I don’t mind the drip coffee here (although tastes like every other drip coffee joint in the city), but the specialty drinks are pretty bad. I got their special latte, Karl, with honey and a few other spices. I had to throw it out after a few sips because it tasted that bad. If i had to describe it, i would say it tasted like drinking burnt wood. I don’t know what they had it in but it does not work. Not sure who approved that for selling.
I will go back if i am ever in the area for the drips and maybe even some of the chocolates that they sell.

I am from Portland and am a major coffee snob and this place is is my favorite coffee shop in all of SF. I buy the beans and make French press with their coffee every day. Their beans are fresh with a sweet aroma. So good
This is also my favorite coffee shop because of their establishment. The baristas are very friendly and it is always clean in there.
Plus they have great chocolate chip cookies which pair well with their pour overs :)
Highly recommend.

Gibraltar Review
The Pour:
Very good, roast is mellow and tasty — AND not even a little sour (IMHO) like most of SF’s artisan coffee shops. They use Straus Family Creamery milk but oddly, their default is 2% milk. I tried it like that since it’s their default… not a fan. Next time I’ll have them put whole milk in.
Service:
Baristas are all skilled at pulling the shot and the latte art — quite friendly too.
Ambiance:
Super clean and modern, bucking the normal hipster coffee shop trend of rustic and/​or industrial.
Conclusion:
Fantastic. Current favorite spot in SF, edging out Elite Audio and Trouble. Assuming it was not an aberration, they’ll most likely earn a fifth star on future visits.
About Me /​Review Criteria:
–I only check out /​review «Third Wave”/artisanal/craft coffee shops
–Nobody gets more than 4 stars until I’ve gone several times
–Reviews can’t be based on just a select group of baristas, they all have to be equally skilled, or at least must all have a minimum level of skill
–My star ratings are solely based on the drink, never on food, ambiance, or if the barista is emo or snobby (because that would bring down more than 50% of the shops), although I do mention those in the review
–I don’t claim to be a trained coffee connoisseur
–My reviews are generally based on gibraltar/​cortados (or cappuccinos), not espresso or drip/​pourover coffee

Amazing coffee. Great service. No-​nonsense perfection. Do yourself a favor and make Wrecking Ball your go-​to neighborhood coffee spot. I have a hard time thinking of a better latte in the city.
Every time I come here it is often the best decision I make all day.

Wake up and smell the forth wave! While the Marina isn’t a place I normally would go or even think would have decent coffee options, I was happy to find Wrecking Ball on a recent shopping trip to Union Street.
I was pleasantly surprised — in the best way — how knowledgable the staff was about the beans and how to brew them. I had a great pour over that came out just as the barista said it would. Delicious!

I heard about Wrecking Ball coffee and their entire process on a Joe Rogan podcast months before this storefront was opened. It was such an enlightening and eye-​opening podcast about everything regarding the art form of coffee. The interior is very chic and artistic. Needless to say, the coffee is excellent. One of the best and smoothest cappuccinos I’ve ever had.
I mean, even if you don’t drink coffee, you know you want a selfie with that pineapple wallpaper!

Oh. My. Gosh. New favorite local coffee shop.
Right off the bat — props for making almond milk lattes. I know that’s growing in popularity, but it still hasn’t caught on mainstream and people just don’t know what they’re missing out on.
Anyway, moving along… The space is adorable. I love the fun wallpaper from Rifle Paper Co. So many coffee shops are so masculine and/​or industrial — it’s nice to see them having a bit of fun. Especially since the rest of the space is actually SUPER space age-​y — they have SO MANY cool coffee gadgets. It’s really fun to see them get so precise and scientific about things!
They have a pretty legit selection of snacks, but their hardboiled eggs are the bomb. Yes, they’re a little expensive for just being boiled eggs… but it’s SO NICE to be able to get something other than sugary pastries. When I went last weekend with a little hangover, these eggs saved my life. I actually saw a guy go in and wait in a decently long line for coffee… just to buy half a dozen eggs and nothing else.
Now, to the pièce de résistance…their seasonal beverage, Karl the Latte. This is the BEST coffee drink I’ve ever had. It was fancy green tea plus two shots of espresso plus almond milk plus honey plus cardamom plus cocoa powder (the latter sort of just being dusted on top). The drink was simultaneously sweet and savory. Like a coffee rubbed barbequed meat plus chocolate cake. I know I’m probably making it sound disgusting, but it was straight up the best drink ever. I want to go back for me, like, ASAP.
I’m going to go map out how long it’ll take me to walk here on Saturday. #LOVE

This small café is easy to miss if you are driving but definitely not if you’re walking around the area. The sweet aroma of their coffee drew me in from across the street.
Their cappuccino is very good! (But price is a bit steep) And the staff are all very friendly and inviting. This place is good for coffee-​to-​go because of the limited seating but don’t forget to take a pineapple selfie before you leave: P

This is a great to go coffee shop in the Cow Hollow/​Pacific Heights area. The prices here for coffee were a bit on the steeper side ($ 4 – 5 for a pour over??) so I decided to share a cup with my brother. The employees here are friendly and are surprisingly not snobby. Sorry I dont know why I think they would be, but good thing they werent: p
This store is really small and doesn’t offer much seating other than the small outdoor chairs and tables. The interior I would say is quite cozy and cute. The pineapple wallpaper adds a nice touch to the shop. They have a few seats near the counter where you can actually see them making your coffee etc which is kinda cool.
Might stop by again if I am ever in the area.

The minute you walk in you know you’re in for an interesting experience. This location is a dash and go place. There’s a long wall bench along the side with cool pineapple wallpaper, which makes for a great photo op. Outside, you’ll see 5 chairs and a small table.
Although it’s a small space, it’s still pretty clean and enjoyable. I ordered a pour over which cost $ 5, a little steeper than BB or ritual, but nevertheless it was a good cup of coffee.
Spoke with the barista about their roastery, and staff overall seemed welcoming, and not snobbish. Overall I love the space and will want to try their other selections if I was in the neighborhood.

Wrecking Ball, not to be confused with a Miley Cyrus track, is the epitome of why I believe in walking when you’re in a new city. My introduction to this café’s stark white walls and Rifle Paper Co feature wall is the direct result of «just passing by.»
Having walked and made my way to Union Street I noticed this nook and wandered in. Met by a friendly face, a filter coffee was ordered and I sat by the bar to chat to the baristas as orders were processed. It reminded me of cafes at home in Australia and the wait as my filter was brewed was worth it. The Guatemalan beans I’d been recommended certainly were everything described. As I sat and sipped my coffee, chatting, checking Unilocal for where I wanted to venture next, I was left to my own devices and never made feel like I needed to rush along.
It is the kind of café I can imagine myself frequenting after weekend yoga or SoulCycle classes if I were local. Like Nadia V said, this place is the real deal and I just hope that if I make it back to San Francisco next year they’re still here for a return visit.

Small coffee shop down the quieter end of union street. Outside there are small tables to sit at and inside there is some bar seating. But most of the time I come here before or after my journey into the unknown (so… takeaway).
The coffee is tasty and the service is always fast and friendly. The also have good music playing, so far I have been able to get down and bogey with The Unicorns and Strokes while waiting for my cappuccino.

I almost don’t want to review this place because I feel like it’s still sort of a hidden gem on Union, but that would not be fair to you all, would it?
This place is not only adorable, it has amazing coffee. I always go with the almond milk latte, but everything I’ve seen them makes looks delightful and made with a little l-​o-​v-​e.
Definitely worth checking out! Their pastries look amazing too.

I guess another thing I do not enjoy besides a sour espresso drink is a burnt tasting one. My cortado was cute but it tasted like the coffee beans were burnt.
The pineapple wallpaper is cute.
And the service was pretty good.

I came in like a wrecking – wait, someone’s done that review already? Okay, I’ll stop.
I don’t quite understand why Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters isn’t a bigger deal yet. It’s run by Trish Rothgeb, who, outside of being a licensed Q-​Grader and a Q-​Trainer (among many other accolades), also supposedly (if you believe all the gossip coming out of the coffee vine) has the uncanny ability to tell what blend/​roast outcomes will be like just by simply smelling the beans.
Her partner in crime, Nicholas Cho, is on the Board of Directors for the SCAA (the people that grade potential Q Graders, the ones that set the standards, etc.) and also the Board for the World Barista Championships (the competition that brought us Paul Bassett, Tim Wendelboe, et al.)
So, with some of the world’s foremost experts on the handling, roasting, blending, and serving of coffee backing it up, Wrecking Ball should easily be able to serve up some of America’s best – no, the planet’s best coffee, and I really think it does. Another coffee enthusiast friend (who informed me of this establishment’s existence) and I stopped here on a sunny Marina/​Cow Hollow afternoon after a hefty Dim Sum lunch. I ordered the Guatemala Huehuetenago and he got the espresso, and the Kalita pour-​over of the former (an interesting choice in a market that seems to be over-​saturated with Hario and Chemex) probably was my eureka! coffee moment.
It’s hard to describe the momentary bliss I felt with the first sip of my Guatemala, as the following sips were just as delightful, if not more interesting than the first – before I tried the the pour-​over at Wrecking Ball, it had never crossed my mind that the flavor and the bouquet of coffee could change so drastically even with the slightest difference in serving temperature (try it next time – take a sip when the coffee is piping hot, a minute after that, and two minutes after that)
I will never see coffee the same way after that fateful afternoon on Union St. You could even say that it wrecked me. Yeah it, wre-​eh-​ecked me.