It's really disappointing that in 2024 the staff doesn't know if their pastries contain nuts and you can be met with a shrug... I had a major hankering for a kouign amann so it was really disappointing to have to play it on the safe side. I do think it's incumbent on every business to educate their staff on what products contain the top 5 allergens (nuts, dairy, soy, egg, wheat), no matter if they're made in house or outsourced, considering how prevalent allergies are. While I appreciated to some degree that he didn't just guess, which could have been an awful outcome, I also saw no effort to find out. Other than that piece of constructive feedback, Ballast Coffee is a lovely neighborhood coffee shop with a nice, relaxing atmosphere. I saw several people working on their laptops Monday at 9am - plenty of seating and outlets, plus an outdoor patio area.

I took a quick coffee break at this charming café while traveling through San Francisco, and I have to say, it's an absolutely delightful spot with adorable interiors. There was plenty of seating, perfect for enjoying a coffee or getting some work done. I tried the Ballast Special Coffee, and it exceeded my expectations, not only did it look beautiful, but it also tasted fantastic. I wish I had more time to explore the other options on the menu. Service was pretty quick too.

I love a coffee menu that highlights Filipino flavors. You already know I'm on my way to try it out and support. Menu: https://ballastcoffee.square.site/s/order?location=11ea8f1a6cabc4b790d30cc47a2ae324&item=5#5 Upon arrival, I was shocked at the vibes that I was not expecting. Upbeat loud punk rock music was playing. I thought it was entertaining but very opposite to what I imagined. Then, on my second visit, it was the total opposite of the first visit, Norah Jones's music haha. Overview: Coffee: 8/10 Service: 6/10 Ambiance: 7/10 Parking: 7/10 COFFEE: 8/10 So far, I have only been drinking their Iced Ballast Latte which I believe is condensed milk-based. I thought their latte was pretty good enough to where I wanted to make a second visit the following week. I can taste the quality of the espresso shot and not just the sweetness of the condensed milk or whole milk. I want to try their Ube lattes. I have not tried their food or pastries. SERVICE: 6/10 Very mid, straightforward, and quick. No greetings upon arrival. On my second visit, I was a bit disappointed that the barista skimped on my drink and did not fill up my drink all the way which was done on my first visit. AMBIANCE: 7/10 Decent amount of seating, but not a lot. I noticed the seats were filled up with a lot of people working on their computers. The ambiance is very sleek and minimalistic which I think is nice. PARKING: 7/10 All primarily meter based parking. You will find parking. I just don't like how it's a meter parking situation so you have to pay haha so I'm just being biased.

Absolutely adorable little cafe to do work! There's free wifi with plenty of seating (along the main room, in a study room, and an outdoor garden patio in the back!) there's quite a few outlets as well. Service was quick and fast and the drink was delicious! I got the ube ballast latte with oat milk and you could really taste the ube. A lot of places the coffee overwhelms the ube but I could taste both! I'll definitely be back to study again. It can be a little noisy with people talking and some light ambiance music but not bad if you have your AirPods or headphones in!

What a cute place for late coffee and/or remote work! Was in the area and wanted coffee at ~7pm, after dinner. Saw this place closes at 9pm so we stopped by. Went in for an ice americano. They typically serve dark roast, but the barista was kind to switch to a medium roast for my americano. This place was very cute and charming as there were multiple spaces available for those who wanted to study or work remotely! The outdoor spot looks cute too! Will definitely come back when I'm in the area and I want a coffee at a later time in the day!!

Nobody told me this place had ube lattes! Popped in here on a rainy day in West Portal around 10:30am. It was busy but I found a spot to sit at the counter while I waited for my order. The menu had some unique items - a barako and ballast signature drink which I'd love to try - but I only had eyes for the ube latte. They also serve mochi donuts from Third Culture. I would have ordered the avocado toast but they don't start serving until 11am... :') Got a veggie quiche instead. My coffee order was quick, but empanadas and quiche orders took a few minutes. Overall, super cute and cozy local spot - kicking myself for not checking it out sooner!

I found this place after a friend posted on their Instagram! I have been interested in coffee beans grown in the Philippines and was pleasantly surprised to learn about Ballast Coffee, all their coffee beans are grown in the Philippines (these beans are only grown in the Philippines and Vietnam). They have a great selection of pastries, it looks like they used to or do rotate pastries from other local businesses. Right now they have pastries from Third Culture Bakery and they're best known for their mochi donuts! Unfortunately, I had come too late in the day to get my hands on one. There is surprisingly a lot of space, a back room and even a back patio. A couple of outlets and wifi for guests to use. A single bathroom, pretty bare bones, no seat coverings but they have toilet paper. Tables are a mixture of tables that can fit 2 people comfortably and somewhere you can fit 4-6 people depending on comfortability. Wifi was pretty strong in what my needs were. I had the iced ube latte, ube flavor didn't come through too much but I am willing to give them another try! From their IG and social media it looks like they've hosted various community events in their shop including a yoga class in their back patio. I also posted it on my own IG stories and had many mutuals reach out and rave about this place.

I was walking around the neighborhood and stumbled across this cozy coffee shop. The workers are super friendly and provided excellent service. There are tons of seats around the shop and they even have free wifi! I love that the tables are spread out and comfortable enough for you to do work at, if you wanted to. I saw a few outlets but not a lot. Although, they do play music and it could get loud at times with people conversing. This might not be the greatest spot if you want to do some deep studying. I ordered the iced ballast latte, which is their signature latte, sweetened with condensed milk and a sprinkle of cinnamon. The latte was very smooth and not overly sweet. Overall, a great casual coffee shop with free wifi, which is always a plus in SF! We definitely need more coffee shops with seating for work in this area. Don't forget to check out their back patio!

One of my favorite coffee shops in San Francisco. Their Ube latte is delicious and beautiful - the purple is really unique and the Ube (Filipino purple yam) flavor really stands out. They specialize in barako beans from the Philippines. They also have unique baked goods like mochi muffins. The space is big if you need to work or hang out. Plenty of outlets and a bigger table in the back that can fit six. There's a cute patio with seating if the weather is nice.