The Mission gets a lot of new coffee shops, but most of them feel like they’re trying too hard to be different. Hopper & Burr, which just opened quietly on 18th Street, takes the opposite approach. Clean lines, serious equipment, and a focus on craft over concept. I stopped by during their soft opening week and immediately knew this was going to become one of my regular spots.
What caught my attention first was the La Marzocco machine taking center stage, but what kept me there was watching the barista work. Every movement deliberate, every shot timed precisely, every milk pour done with the kind of attention that turns coffee making into performance art. This isn’t someone who learned latte art from YouTube videos. This is someone who understands that good coffee starts with respecting the process.