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Yet another in the SF chain of "The Grove" breakfast cafés. They gutted the former Vino Venue here and put in all the trappings for which The Grove is known: a casual atmosphere, exposed natural woods, a fireplace, tree trunks, and the feel of a rustic hunting lodge (without the moose heads). Outside they've taken over the sidewalk space in front, installing ample seating among wooden tables and chairs in a sectioned-off are with clear plastic overhang. It's good for people-watching. Inside they have many wooden tables and chairs, a chalkboard menu, and a central espresso bar that sports a two-group La Marzocco Linea with bold Verve signage. And yet the cash register setup is not optimized for coffee service: you can end up waiting for minutes in line while indecisive patrons ahead of you stare at menus. (Service has also gotten our order wrong, delivering a macchiato when we ordered an espresso.) The shot has a modest mottled medium brown crema. It has a smooth, rounded flavor of a real espresso blend of some herbal elements, some spice, some earthiness, and a hint of sweetness. Their milk-frothing shows unevenly sized bubbles, but it's not terrible.
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