Graffeo Coffee, which opened in San Francisco’s North Beach in 1935, is not only the city’s oldest coffee roastery, but one of the longest operated ones in all of North America.
Italian immigrant Giovanni Graffeo originally started selling his fresh roasted beans in a small grocery store he opened on Columbus Avenue. Today, beans are still roasted there each day.
It remains a favorite at top restaurants such as Michelin two-starred Lazy Bear in San Francisco, Zuni Cafe in San Francisco, House of Prime Rib in San Francisco, and the Girl and the Fig in Sonoma.
Unlike many other coffee companies that offer a multitude of different beans, Graffeo sells only four types: Dark Roast, Light Roast, Swiss Water Decaf, and a custom blend of Half Dark/Half Light.
What also sets Graffeo apart is that it roasts its beans in a custom-built fluid bed hot air roaster that roasts the beans with warm air instead of hot metal, making for faster roasting at more uniform temperatures to lessen the possibility of burning.
New this year are Graffeo’s online coffee subscriptions, as well as a nifty logo gift box ($55) that slides open to reveal three 8-ounce bags of whole beans, one of each of the Dark Roast, Light Roast, and Swiss Water Decaf. Also included is a booklet with directions for making the best cup of coffee whether it be with French press, drip coffee maker, stove top espresso maker, pour over, or cold brew methods.
I had a chance to try a sample of the gift box. My preferred method is French press, so that’s how I prepared my coffee after grinding the beans.
The Dark Roast beans are shiny, as well as deeply fragrant even through the bag. It makes for a robust cup that’s rich, earthy, and slightly chocolate-y with an uncanny smoothness.
As a Dark Roast kind of gal, I sometimes find light roasts too weak and too acidic. Not so with this Light Roast with its toffee-colored beans that create a smooth brew with a decent body and an almost creamy, caramel quality.
The Decaf uses Swiss water rather than any chemicals to remove the caffeine. While I rarely drink decaf coffee, this one is again quite smooth and so flavorful it could easily pass for regular high-octane coffee. Even if you don’t drink decaf on a regular basis, it’s handy to keep around for baking or for an affogato after dinner minus the buzz.
The coffee beans are available for shipping nationwide. Or the next time you’re visiting North Beach, stop in at the cafe to visit a piece of history in person.