Tucked behind Duc Loi on the corner of 18th and San Carlos Linea occupies some as yet unnamed niche in Mission cafe culture. Does it fill a vacuum in the Valencia coffee gulch? Is it a tendril of 18th Street’s gourmet gulch extended towards Mission St., perhaps with ambitions on the Inner Mission? Maybe it’s another expression of the totalizing force of espresso in the Mission. Soon we’ll have an espresso bar on every corner. Will a mezcaleria be far behind?
Regardless of the digression, Linea makes excellent espresso, a balance of soft body and restrained acidity roasted by the cafe in Emeryville, served in heavy Heath ceramic cups. They eschew the normal cookie for a small waffle and whip up small salads for lunch. The latter appear to be a major force in the carry out trade. The former consumed along the three tables on San Carlos.
View Max’s Espresso Map in a larger map