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    Paper Son Coffee

    4.4 (115 reviews)
    Closed Closed
    Updated 2 weeks ago

    Order Paper Son Coffee Takeout or Delivery

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    PAPER SON COFFEE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Paper Son Coffee

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    Anita L.

    Wow, this was worth the wait. We lined up around 7:40am on Thursday (opening is 8am) and were second in line. The line quickly formed after us before opening! Note they open at 8 Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and 8:30 on Monday and Friday. There was a 2 per flavor per person limit which is great to ensure there's enough to last. I also got the guava cloud, interesting and refreshing coffee soda with guava, and the matcha passion fruit soda (delicious). I highly recommend eating the salt bread there (our 15 min walk changed the second one dramatically!), but the ube one definitely holds up better. I was bummed there was only two flavors available but they had a salted egg cinnamon bun not on the menu! That was really soft and delicious. We also bought a bag of coffee, and it came with a free drip coffee, which is such a nice touch! There were a few tables inside and outside.

    Guava pillow: coffee soda with a guava foam. It's bubbly, slightly tart and tropical (it's subtle).
    Elma C.

    5 stars for: - innovative coffee and tea drinks - innovative pastries - helpful staff I ordered the guava pillow that a staff member recommended and enjoyed EVERY SIP: coffee soda with a guava foam. It's bubbly, slightly tart and tropical (it's subtle). The drink looks like a cloud sitting on soda coffee. 5/5

    John P.

    Arrived on a Wednesday around 8:30am to a line out the door but don't let that scare you off. It moved quickly and I was in and out within 10-15 minutes. I came specifically for the pastries, and wow, was that the right call. I also grabbed the Pandan Aerocano to drink, and I'll be honest, I couldn't really taste the pandan at all. It got the job done caffeine-wise, but flavor-wise it was just okay. I'd probably try a different drink next time. The pastries, though? An entirely different story. I went a little overboard and ordered basically everything, and I have zero regrets: -Japanese Curry Potato Salt Bread -Black Sesame Salt Bread -Jasmine Lychee Cream Puff -Everything Cream Cheese Salt Bread -Mango Sticky Rice Butter Mochi -Ube Filled Salt Bread -Sticky Toffee Red Bean Banana Bread -Strawberry Shortcake Cookie -Sesame Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookie Every single one was delicious, but if I had to pick favorites: the Ube Filled Salt Bread, Strawberry Shortcake Cookie, and Mango Sticky Rice Butter Mochi were on another level. I'll 100% be back to work through more of the menu and find my go-to drink. This place is the real deal.

    Connie N.

    Had some time in the morning before work - showed up at 8:19 and there was already a small line (for the Tano pop-up). Moved pretty quickly and they have a limited amount of seating inside and outside. Drinks were great - iced latte (simple or pandan syrup) and guava pillow (I love a sparkling moment with my coffee and this had a great guava flavor as well). They have my favorite SJ roaster Moonwake Coffee stocked at the counter! There is a constant flow of people in the shop so can feel crowded and noisy, but the staff are patient and kind!

    Matt L.

    Always will support an Asian based cafe. In the menu, you can see the creativity in taking the familiar and adding a twist: a Thai tea cloud, coffee soda with guava foam, passion fruit and matcha. The inside is small but well designed. I want my living room wall to look just like Paper Son's. Thai tea cloud - 3/5 - the drink unfortunately did not have anything unique in its execution. The foam sat too firm on top of the drink and all I had was a Thai tea drink with some foam to sip on at the very end once the Thai tea was finished. With ice, the quantity probably came out closer to 6oz, so the drink didn't last very long. Tip - if you're a blackbird user, there are deals that might incentivize your visit (e.g. 20x blackbird points).

    Jessica A.

    We were craving some coffee with asian-fusion inspired pastries and saw that Tano was recommended. It's a little confusing because we originally were looking for Tano and didn't realize it wasn't a standalone bakery and that it was a pop-up within Paper Son Coffee. The shop was small and though the furniture appeared sleek, they were far from ergonomic. The metal chairs were ridicuously uncomfortable and the table was too small. We were readjusting in our seats and ended up spilling one of our drinks. Thankfully, the staff was understanding and kind enough to remake it. We got the cortado and pandan latte. The cortado was a bit bitter for my taste and the pandan latte's flavor was a bit subtle but good. We would not likely stop by for just the coffee again.

    Monica M.

    Fun beverages! Got the guava pillow - yummy foam with guava sugar sprinkled and coffee soda was very bright and refreshing - service was great - cute merch! They accommodate cafe orders and purchases without having to line up for the bakery! My next visit, i will definitely want to try their pandan drink or hojicha latte! The nook in their cafe would be a great cozy sit and chat - the only drawback here is, parking is nonexistent...

    Menu
    Su O.

    Found this out again on Blackbird and loved the vibes. Still no chance to try their pastries but the drinks are amazing. Hojicha is a bit more on milky side but still super. Will come back again for Ube salt bread and coffee specialities. A good stop for mid-day coffee! Drinks: 4.5/5 Service 4/5 Ambience 4/5

    Morning bun and Thai Tea Cloud
    Maggie W.

    The drinks here are delicious and the pastries are to die for. They get their drinks out fairly quickly and boast a decent variety of classic coffees to more trendy matcha/hojicha offerings. I've had their Thai tea with a cloud foam top and morning bun, along with the salt bread from their Tano pop up! Paper Son has plenty of indoor seating, but the location makes it really easy for people to grab their orders and take them to the office. Excellent option for something swift and on the go near Fidi.

    Julia S.

    I stumbled upon this spot because my office is nearby and there was a line out the door--always a good sign. Turns out it's a super cute, very vibey little café. I'm a total sucker for good branding, so yes... I ended up buying merch. Their logo is adorable (a bear with a pour-over/coffee cup on its head), and I couldn't resist. I also picked up a bag of their coffee beans, which were great quality. What really pulled me in was the Asian-inspired drinks--that always gets me. I tried the pandan latte, which was really nice. I personally would've loved a bit more coffee-forward flavor, but the pandan definitely came through and was well balanced overall. The space itself is on the smaller side, but there's still room to sit and enjoy your drink. Service was friendly and welcoming, which made the experience even better. I didn't get a chance to try the pastries this time, but they looked really tempting. Overall, I really enjoyed this spot. If you're into Asian-inspired coffee flavors, cute café vibes, or just need a nice place nearby to grab a drink, this is definitely worth checking out. Also feels like a great spot for a casual one-on-one walk-and-chat coffee.

    Robert W.

    Finally had a chance to try these amazing salt bread pastries. Last time we tried to line up but they were sold out. So we were very excited when a friend brought this collection of different saltbread and other pastry varieties. The salt bread here is the highlight. It reminds me of my recent trip cafe hopping in Seoul. Texture was perfect and the variety of flavors we tried were spot on including the ube filled and cream cheese savory option. The curry filled option was also surprisingly delicious. Eating these makes me itch for another trip to Seoul! Prices are a bit high though and can range ~$9 for single saltbread pastry.

    Pandan Latte
    Joey W.

    Stopped by in the morning and the place was packed. I normally take a 15 min walk during my lunch break to come here and it's less busy. Pandan latte - my go to order. The pandan always sits at the bottom so I have to swirl the drink every now and then so it mixes. Most times when I get to the end of my latte, I'm left with a strong pandan flavor. Pandan cappuccino - my favorite hot drink to get when it's cold in the mornings. The pandan isn't as strong when it's in hot drinks.

    The line can move quickly. Most people already have looked today's menu outside and know what they want to try.
    Randy S.

    San Francisco, FiDi. August 2025. I love this Asian inspired coffee shop with forward thinking flavors. Located in 303 Second, on 2nd St and Folsom, the simple interior is plastered with notices of all owner Alex Pong's previous pop ups and collaborations before opening Paper Son Coffee. The inspiration for the name comes from Pong's family history where his great-great grandfather circumvented the immigration restrictions aimed at keeping out Chinese. The 1906 earthquake in San Francisco destroyed many paper records creating a loophole where Chinese-Americans could claim to be American born and thus able to bring "family" into the country. Paper son. Paper daughter. You'll find the usual drinks well executed here. There are good pour overs of Gesha coffee varietals. But the inventive Asian inspired riffs are what you come for if it is your first time. There is the Thai Tea Cloud. Passionfruit Espresso Tonic. Guava Pillow. My first time drink was the Pandan Aerocano - an aeropress steamed americano full of effervescent microfoam and flavored with pandan syrup. Yes, there are lines out the door. Yes, it is worthwhile.

    Matcha Cappuccino

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    Ask the Community - Paper Son Coffee

    How do you make reservation for the tastings?

    https://komakase.coffee/ We host Komakase in our downtown space!

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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