North Beach · Espresso house, since 1956

Caffe Trieste

The West Coast's first espresso house

Local legend · Good for morning, midday and evening

Giovanni Giotta, known as Papa Gianni, came from Trieste, missed its coffeehouses, and opened his own at Vallejo and Grant in 1956. It's widely credited as the first espresso house on the West Coast. The Giottas were also a singing family, and music has been part of the café for decades.

OrderAn espresso, the thing it was built for.

• The original location; there are others
• Hours: Daily, 7 am to 10 pm

Last checked 2026-10. Hours change, so check before you go.