Caffeine Hunter

San Francisco · Lower Haight

Third Wheel Coffee

The dark painted storefront of Third Wheel Coffee at number 535 with a hand lettered hanging sign, two people on the step collecting an order and a brick and white staircase beside it

Third Wheel Coffee began in 2021 when two San Francisco raised baristas in their twenties bought an eleven foot electric coffee tricycle and a gas powered espresso machine from 1963. After a stretch as a mobile bar at farmers markets and pop ups, it settled into a corner at Lucinda's in 2022, building the counter and shelves from free pallets, and in 2026 it moved into its own storefront at 991 Oak Street, a block away.

The menu turns with the seasons, with syrups and concentrates made in house, from rose cardamom and lavender to a pumpkin spice steeped with cinnamon, clove and cardamom. The coffee comes from Bird & Bear Coffee and the pastries from Saltwater Bakeshop, two small San Francisco businesses. The cafe is open every day from seven in the morning to three in the afternoon.