It might be hard to tell, but something’s brewing inside this brick building on Shotwell between 18th and 19th streets in the Mission.
Jose Ortez, who lives a block away, told Gazetteer SF he’s noticed construction in the space for the last couple of months. Upon further investigation, documents filed with San Francisco’s planning department show that Hedge Coffee is planning to open up a cafe and coffee roastery on Shotwell Street. It also lines up what a contractor working on the building told Ortez.
The documents, filed back in 2022, detail a two-story facility located at 434 Shotwell St. for Hedge Coffee’s roastery, kitchen, cafe with a seating area, and patio. The architect, Boor Projects, has designed a number of trendy spaces in San Francisco, including Turntable at Lord Stanley, Sightglass Divisadero, Flora Grubb Gardens, and The Mill.
Ortez, a self-proclaimed coffee snob, said he doesn’t necessarily love Hedge Coffee’s coffee, but he’s still excited about the incoming Hedge Coffee because it’ll be a new cafe that’s not from one of the big three: Ritual Coffee, Four Barrel Coffee, or Sightglass Coffee.
Hedge Coffee, founded by Alex and Olga Sobal, got its start as a mobile coffee cart back in 2015. Over the years, the company has hosted pop-ups (on Alabama Street and its future home on Shotwell Street), catered events and sold its own coffee beans direct to customers via subscriptions.
Blair Cardigan, who has lived in the neighborhood for 10 years, told Gazetteer that Hedge Coffee will be a welcome addition to the area, where both the community vibes and the coffee could be better.
Shotwell Street has became a hub for sex work following the crackdown on prostitution on Capp Street, leading the city to install barriers on Shotwell between 19th and 21st streets.
Sightglass Coffee, located on 20th and Florida, had been her go-to for a long time, but “the energy has shifted over there and it’s not actually a coffee shop I enjoy going to,” Cardigan said.
“The coffee is still great but the environment doesn’t entice me to return anymore,” Cardigan said.
Hedge Coffee did not return Gazetteer SF’s request for comment. But whenever Hedge Coffee opens, Cardigan hopes the neighborhood can feel more like a community.
“Just this little corner of our neighborhood doesn’t feel that communal right now,” she said. “It’d be great if it could feel that way.”