The Coffee Movement, a renowned name in San Francisco’s specialty coffee scene, is brewing up something new. This fall, the company will unveil its most ambitious project yet, a new cafe just 300 feet from their original location in Chinatown. Owners Bryan Overstreet and Reef Bessette have secured a 10-year lease on the former Gallery Cafe space at 1200 Mason St., which they envision as their “forever home.”
The new location, situated across from the iconic Cable Car Museum, promises to bring a fresh perspective to the neighborhood while retaining the vibrant essence of downtown San Francisco. “It will still have the energy and essence of downtown, the snowglobe effect of San Francisco,” Overstreet shares. “Like, ‘Man, is this real?’ as you sip your cappuccino with the Transamerica Building in the background.”
The Art of Slow Coffee
Bessette is spearheading one of the cafe’s most anticipated features: a slow bar and tasting menu with just four seats. This intimate setting will offer an extended pour-over selection, coffee cocktails, and a multi-course coffee menu. The concept reflects a growing trend in the coffee industry, where quality and experience take precedence over speed and convenience.
A Growing Trend
In Los Angeles, Endorffeine has gained recognition from the James Beard Awards, attracting hardcore coffee enthusiasts despite being a one-man operation with weekend wait times up to 45 minutes. Similarly, San Francisco’s The Wild Fox on Battery Street hosts international barista champions for ticketed tastings. Even within The Coffee Movement, baristas Circle Chan and Justin Lee launched their coffee omakase pop-up, Little Plum, in the summer of 2026.
Expanding the Menu
The new cafe will not only offer an enhanced coffee menu but also a variety of food options. Pastries will be provided by Juniper, the Polk Street bakery from the team behind Saint Frank, who already supply pastries to The Coffee Movement’s existing cafes. Additionally, Clement Street’s Breadbelly may join the mix, offering classics and a few items specific to The Coffee Movement.
A New Look and Feel
Keiji Ashizawa, the woodworker behind the design of The Coffee Movement’s second cafe on Balboa, will bring a dark-wood ambiance to the new space. He is also crafting the furniture for the cafe, ensuring a cohesive and inviting atmosphere.
The decision to expand comes after the successful 2026 opening of The Coffee Movement’s Richmond location. This new venture marks another step in the company’s growth and maturation. While the original Chinatown shop will remain open, it will focus on serving Saint Frank-roasted house coffee, leaving the single-origin offerings to the new location.
The hours at the new cafe are expected to align with those of the Chinatown shop, though Overstreet and Bessette are considering extending them to 6 or 8 p.m. “It’s not an extreme departure,” Overstreet notes, “but it’s a new look and feel. It feels good as we mature as a business.”
