Verve Coffee Roasters

College friends Ryan O'Donovan, Colby Barr and Mike Eyre founded Verve in Santa Cruz in 2007, and the roastery has since grown into one of California's more decorated names in specialty coffee, earning a 2024 Roaster of the Year title in the macro category. This Castro cafe at the corner of Church and Market was Verve's first San Francisco address, built as much as a neighborhood hangout with a real food and pastry program as a coffee counter.

The espresso program and sustainability focused sourcing that built Verve's reputation in Santa Cruz carry over directly here, and the Market Street corner location has become one of the more recognizable specialty rooms in the Castro.