McLaughlin Coffee Company

san francisco has more specialty roasters per square mile than almost anywhere in the country, which means the bar is genuinely high and most places know it. mclaughlin coffee company operates out of emeryville, just over the bay bridge on hollis street, which puts it at a useful remove from the city's more tourist-facing coffee corridors. that distance from the scene isn't a drawback. if you're crossing the bridge for beans or a cup, you're probably already the kind of person who cares about what's in your bag. the standing here is strong, built on consistency rather than novelty, and emeryville's industrial-to-residential mix gives hollis street a working character that suits a roaster. come early, come on a weekday.