Every morning, I start my day with a hike on Mount Coffee Movement. It’s a pretty advanced trail for the uninitiated (I had a friend who seemed about to puke halfway up the hill). But it’s a trip I’ve made nearly every day to satisfy my need for delicious coffee. The first part is easy. At the edge of Jones and Washington, I face an incredible view of the Transamerica Pyramid facing downtown. Going downhill, I’ll make my way past some old Victorians and dodge cable cars coming out of the barn at the Cable Car Museum.
As I pass Mason Street, I see my destination: The Coffee Movement. Where one would expect to find another garage is a tiny coffee shop nestled underneath an apartment building. Parked in front is The Coffee Movement van, which doubles as more seating but is also just plain cool.
I’ve made this trip hundreds of times, braving rain and Karl the Fog to get a taste of the delicious coffee inside. It’s become such a habit that it has sustained my weekly coffee streak on Swarm for nearly 2 years.
Once inside, I find myself in a tiny but cozy space with a minimalist aesthetic. A simple menu sits on the right wall surrounded by plants while magazines and coffee gear to purchase hug the left. In the middle, sleek coffee equipment and croissants.
I’m next in line, shit, what to get?
“Julio, the usual?”
“Yeah…”
99% of my mornings will start with one of the seasonal lattes. This time around it’s the rosemary vanilla latte, but my personal favorite is the orange cream latte. Still, if you’re not a degenerate like me and actually like trying out different flavors, there’s a good amount to choose from. You’ve got your basic black coffee and espressos, or you can be more adventurous and get hot toddys, matcha lattes, coffee cream sodas, and more (depending on the season). The fact that the menu changes every few months means that you can never get bored (even if you order lattes every day like me). You’ve also got a fine selection of pastries to choose from (I love the chocolate croissants).
Once outside and latte in hand, comes the real challenge: scaling Mount Coffee Movement to get back home. In front of me lies 150 feet of elevation separating me from sitting at my desk and sipping my drink. I start my journey uphill, passing the Cable Car Museum and Victorians that had warmly greeted me before. My ankles start swelling as I reach Taylor street, was this really worth it? I brush off some sweat as I finally reach the precipice at Jones and breathe a sigh of relief. As I make my way home I take a sip. Yeah, the hike was totally worth it.