In addition to unique foods and drinks, business owners say they are also building community
Editor’s note: This is Neighborhood Explorer, a series in which culture correspondent James Salazar highlights the people and places that make their pockets of San Francisco unique. In this entry, he stops by the Outer Sunset .
Read his first dispatch from the neighborhood, and follow the entire series here.As with the neighborhood’s growing restaurant scene, local roasters and merchants say the diversity of their offerings reflects the communities they serve. They say their menu items express their love for the Outer Sunset and allow them to share unique aspects of their lives with their customers. Amy Kuang opened Not Latte on Irving Street at 23rd Avenue three years ago with co-owner Heng Qiu, transforming Kuang's bubble tea shop into a cafe where coffee drinks are made with a fruit base. Kuang said she was initially drawn to the Outer Sunset because of the neighborhood’s “unique community and cultural charm. “Being close to the ocean, the neighborhood has a relaxed pace of life and attracts many families and young people, which really aligns with our brand’s values of warmth and sharing,” she said. Not Latte bills itself as the first fruit-latte concept in the United States, a trend that has spread to other coffee shops throughout The City. Drinks get their sweetness from the fruit, which is mashed on-demand by shop employees. Not Latte has introduced guests to exotic fruit like the durian, known for its uniquely pungent odor, which customers can spread on toast or add to a latte. The cafe has also put its own spin on avocado toast: Not Latte’s version comes with tender eel seasoned with black pepper. Its osmanthus latte infuses drinks with the honey-like flavor of the flowering plant found in east Asia. Not Latte opened another outpost in Daly City one year after its Outer Sunset debut, but Kuang said her heart remains firmly fixed in San Francisco. Both neighborhood locals and visitors have taken to Not Latte’s offerings, Kuang said, adding that she has been “truly touched by the warm welcome from the community.” Eddie Choi, a 23-year Outer Sunset resident, says he was similarly inspired when he opened Avenues coffee shop on Taraval Street seven years ago. The cafe's name is both a tribute to the surrounding area as well as to “getting people outside” through different “avenues in life or roads and paths of travel,” Choi said. The menu “caters to get people outdoors” by offering grab-and-go meals and quick coffee takeouts, Choi said. With its beach-adjacent location between 46th and 47th avenues, the coffee shop combines Choi's love of surfing with a desire to create a local hangout. Ex // Top Stories Report: Ex-city agency head self-dealt, misused millions of dollars A city audit found Sheryl Davis broke rules and set a tone for public money misuse in the Human Rights Commission What Wiener learned from vetoed AI bill in latest transparency push Derived from last year’s controversial Senate Bill 1047, SB 53 would require AI developers to disclose their safety testing and report incidents SF stemming crossing guard shortage to mixed reviews There are now morning and afternoon crossing guards at all but two schools, a significant improvement from when students returned to class a month ago — but the contro… The shop’s menu is inspired by Choi’s Korean heritage, as well as his trips to Hawaii. He sells musubi, the Japanese nori-and-rice snack, with salmon, kimchi and tofu. Signature drinks include a horchata cold brew, which staff has been making in-house since Choi first opened shop in 2018, and a white-coconut-cream tea latte. But beyond the complex drinks, Choi said, there are still customers who simply want a black coffee or a cappuccino.Employees live nearby, which Choi said means it's common for workers and customers to greet each other when running errands in the neighborhood. Future plans include adding more dishes to the menu and reopening Avenues’ back patio as a space where customers can hang out with friends, family or pets. “I just want to keep it going,” he said, of ushering the shop into the future. “Everything I do, I want to offer something for the neighborhood.” The owner of Diamond Coffee N’ Pastry, Wayne Situ, said he fell in love with the Sunset when he first arrived in The City 23 years ago from China. After he opened the original location on Clement Street in late 2019, Situ eventually expanded the shop to include an outpost on Judah Street at 31st Avenue.Situ said that it has long been his “dream to have a business at the place where I grew up,” having moved to The City in 2002, at the age of 10. As with Avenues, Situ and his employees are all neighbors who live blocks away from each other. The shop prides itself on high-quality products, which Situ said include its coffee beans and freshly baked goods every morning. Situ said that he feels like the Outer Sunset neighborhood “is coming back” with energy and momentum. Events such as the Outer Sunset Farmers Market and the Secondhand Saturday flea market provide ample opportunities to connect with customers on a regular basis. Kuang, looking ahead, said her Not Latte team is also “very excited about the future of the Outer Sunset. “The area is becoming more diverse, with growing opportunities in food, art and community activities,” she said. “We are thrilled to be part of this journey and to grow together with the neighborhood.”
Coffee Shops Small Business Irving Street Taraval Street Judah Street
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