Very cool spot! Progressive Grounds is my favorite cafe on Cortland in Bernal Heights. They have a wide range of food and drink choices for all diet types. Their sandwiches are delicious and reasonably priced and there are vegetarian options available. There's also a patio (although it was closed when I was there) and lots of seating area. Definitely one of the biggest cafes in San Francisco I've been in. read more

We stopped in. Great vibe, great coffee and nice food selections. It's a homey place and the people working were extremely friendly. My wife didn't like her drink and they made her something else without making her feel badly about it. Dog friendly with a nice bench out in front to watch the world go by. Loved it. read more

I've been here a few times and the food is consistent. The croissants are yummy. Not the best I've ever had which is why I'm giving 4 stars. But a solid place to grab food and coffee. I like the internet style cafe they have in the back and the back patio is nice. read more

Average. Solid 2.5 stars. There are so many coffee options around town, this place does not stand out from the crowd. I came here for a quick pick me up after lunch, maybe around 2pm, and it was relatively empty. There was only one couple in front of me and as I was grabbing coffee, a few ladies came in. The set up of the ordering counter is also a little strange. It only feeds one way and you have to double back to get out of the line. It's fine if it's only a couple of people, but more times than not, people aren't paying attention and it's hard to leave the line. My review is strictly for coffee. I did not try their food. I ordered an iced coffee. It was okay. The flavor wasn't as rich as I would like and their coffee was slightly sour. I pick small coffee shops manly for the atmosphere and the service. The atmosphere was good. It has a homely feel and there's plenty of seating inside and outside. The main reason for my below average rating has to do with the staff. On the day I came here, there were 2 ladies behind the counter. One was on the register and the other was running around. The wait in line wasn't long, but when I reached the counter, the lady was trying to fix the ipad. I guess the payment wasn't working? Not sure. I said my greeting, asked for an iced coffee, and not once did she look up from the ipad. Not even a hello. She tells the lady behind her to grab an iced coffee. I offer to pay cash if her ipad wasn't working. She takes my money with no response. Hands me my change. All still without eye contact or looking up from the ipad. I've had warmer greeting from strangers on the street. There's a couple of coffee shops on the same stretch of the neighborhood. At least they greet me. read more

We were excited to find they were open on thanksgiving morning and decided to try it out. The coffee was solid and the staff was patient with my group who has trouble making decisions. Our big disappointment were the scrambled eggs we ordered with ham and cheese. We paid an extra $3.50 for the ham and cheese which we thought was going to be scrambled into the eggs. Instead the ham was on the side and a single piece of cheddar was placed half on and half off our eggs. We were a bit disappointed. Overall a decent neighborhood spot, I just wouldn't recommend adding the cheese and ham to your eggs. read more

Nice vibe, very friendly and felt comfortable there. Tried the smoothies they do and it was great! This place will become a regular

A neighborhood gem. Less pretentious and fancy than your hipster coffee shop, this place has the nicest owners, is work-friendly (they have a large seating area with cushioned benches at the back, and outlets for days) and good food (try their salmon wrap! You won't regret it). In the summer they open up the patio which is lovely. read more

Was in the area so stopped in to study and read. The coffee was good, but they also sell smoothies which is awesome. Easily the best part is the back room with lots of cozy seating and an actual fireplace on cold days. read more

This place is a gem. Great service, best prices for a mile around, and delicious baked goods. Seating is the back is quiet and excellent for conversation. read more

One of the coolest cafes ever. Beautiful vibe, so many games, books, service is excellent. People are friendly, cushions and pillows kept for comfort read more

I like how the back room has comfy pillows, fire place and a homey feel to it. It is a nice place to study. It can get busy in here, so I recommend bringing ear plugs (for studies). It's overall a nice place to meet with a friend, eat lunch and enjoy a coffee! I also enjoyed the salsa music. The reason why I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 is because the cleanliness can be worked on. read more

Progressive Grounds - Nursing school study time ! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

I'd forgotten that I'd been to this cafe many years ago when I first started taking a drawing class nearby. I sat out in the outdoor patio and imagined myself having Picasso-esque skills to render anything my mind could possibly whirl up... Alas, my drawing skills have fallen by the wayside but places like Progressive Grounds seem to inspire nonetheless. I wandered in here today while strolling through Bernal Heights to get re-aquainted with some of SF that I don't often visit. I had a felte (sp) wrap which was served hot and grilled and the cheese oozed out of it the entire time. While eating in the back area, I was lucky enough to strike a conversation with a pleasant employee who happened to be on her break. Our talk seemed to cover all sorts of topics from horses, to Tijuana, to crazy driving habits. But it was one of those random conversations that reminds you why you live in such a wonderful city! A San Francisco moment, if you will... I will be back for the lively decor, wonderful wraps, and the friendly staff. Minus one star, however, for the wreckless kids or more appropriately, for the mindless parents that let their kids run amok while others are reading or doing work. read more

Coffee :: Only tried the Chai Latte, but it tasted watered down... can hardly taste the chai or the milk. Food :: Mitchell's Ice Cream!!! Lots of food options that sound yummy. I have yet to try them... Wifi :: Couldn't connect. Had to hotspot from my phone instead :( Vibez :: Super chill cafe! Great space to study/work in (if your work doesn't rely on the internet). Plenty of tables and nice patio space! read more

If there's something great in this cafe, a specialty if you will, I haven't found it yet. I really want to like it, I do. With it's retro-hip name and old west wooden walls. But everything I've gotten here is completely average. The coffee, the sandwiches, the Mitchell's ice cream... why didn't I just drive down the street for fresh Mitchell's ice cream instead of choose from these handful of flavors that have been sitting here much longer? The layout of the store is bad, the employees sometimes disinterested, and yes, kids and dogs seem to be a regular feature. read more

What a cool place! It's hip, good for studying, meeting buddies, or enjoying the weather while eating good food and sipping a drink. The owner, Aziz, patiently helped me while I took my time with the extensive menu (neatly printed in colored chalk above the counter). I ultimately decided on the pesto eggplant wrap and soy hot chocolate with a shot of almond rocca. Both were ah-mazing! I sat in the back where a small group of mothers and babies were socializing. Lots of people on macs were scattered about. I enjoyed my book. Aziz came back and organized the bookshelf (in case you need a good read and forgot one of your own) and noticed a box of postcards. He gave them to me and we made friends before he ran off to vote. My only complaints are these: 1) I'm not convinced that my hot chocolate (although delicious) was really made with soy milk. It had the creaminess of 2% and the after-effects to prove it later. 2) Employees brought plates of food out to people in the back patio and would leave the door open. It was a cool day and the chill made me don my hat and coat indoors! Aziz and other patrons got up to close the door after those careless employees, but it continued to happen nonetheless. read more

Brought the third generation of the family in to enjoy some sandwiches, ice cream, drinks and show the little miss my favorite spot to tackle deadlines while she was in my belly. Great hang out spot. Expect the front and back rooms to be filled with folks on their laptops. Many parents with their little ones surfing together as well. Rear patio great for getting some of the Bernal Heights morning or afternoon sun. Everything from locally made bagels and ice cream to hummus platters and bakery delights. Blended juices, grab-n-go items, and just about every beverage you can think of. read more

Went there on Monday to get a quick chai tea and I must confess that I was disgusted by the poor flavor and taste!! It had NO cream on top, NO taste except for something in water, and it was downright terrible. I've had chai tea in Oregon, in the Mission, and in several cafes and restaurants around the Bay Area, and this was by far the worst I've ever tasted in my life!!!! Yes, I did take a leisurely stroll and saw the very comfortable back patio.... all very cozy but that chai was just so bad I left in a hurry!! read more

This is the other place that we pick up coffee when we feel like we need a little variety in our lives. We live on the edge, yo! The coffee here is slightly lighter, less bitter than at Martha & Brothers down the street, which I like. My husband likes Martha's coffee better though. There is less variety of specialty drinks here. I think for Xmas they only had an egg nog lattes. But there's a wide variety of wraps and bagels and ice cream! (But I've never noticed any morning buns.)It's also right next to the video store, which is convenient and there is ample seating in the back of the shop. Overall, a nice neighborhood place. read more

This is a nice cafe, probably the nicest, closest cafe to my place that is open on weekends. The place is organized in a neat way. There is the front room where you buy food, and there are a few tables there. Then there is a hallway with restrooms, then there is a back room with a bench along the wall with interesting pillows, and more tables. And then there is the patio out back, which is nice on sunny days (Bernal gets a good amount of them!). Their coffee is good, they have good pastries, and they have some nice looking sandwiches but I have yet to partake. You can bet I will return here time and again. read more

Love this spot and the people but this oat latte is a big miss. Ordered extra hot, received super lukewarm and overstretched. Saw that they aren't using a barista blend so that would explain difficulties in the steaming. Bummer read more

I love coming to this cafe to enjoy an Iced Almond Milk Latte and a Chicken Salad Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread, never disappoints and is packed with wholesome flavor. They offer a wide variety of goods such as, breakfast items that are but not limited to, bagels, bagel sandwiches, granola and even low carb choices. There are also Mediterranean grilled lavash wraps, salads, sandwiches and also ice cream and beer. Not to forget they have a coffee bar that offers hot and iced beverages with your choice of dairy or non dairy options. The staff here is consistently friendly and welcoming. Free wi-fi and lots of open space to study or to just relax and enjoy a nice lunch or light dinn read more

I've grabbed an espresso here on the weekend every few weeks for the last couple years. I was excited to have great coffee consistently... I got decent food a few times too. I would probably have given 5 stars in 2013, changed to 3-4 stars in 2014 (I actually asked them if the ownership had changed...they said it hadn't) But the last few times I've been, the espresso was inconsistent, and at best just average. Today was disgusting. My iced latte had a sour, metallic taste and was VERY watery. (I think they really need to clean their machine) My wife's hot mocha had NO chocolate, and had a very strange flavor we couldn't identify. (maybe they squirted the wrong syrup in it...) Anyway, my wife and I are giving up on this place :( read more

Mmm hazelnut lattes... mmm lox and cream cheese bagels... mmm outdoor patio with tons of sun... ooh look cute babies! Plus, the guy at the counter refers to everyone as "my friend". I dunno about you, but I love friends. read more

I'm stunned at the number of really high reviews this place has. I come here pretty often bc they have gluten free bagels and almond milk, which are both really hard to procure in coffee shops on Cortland St. for some reason, but the service here is TERRIBLE. I'd say they screw up my order, the order of the person in front of me, or the person behind me pretty much every single time I've ever been here, consistently for the last year and a half. Nothing sucks more than getting home looking forward to having your bagel and cream cheese, to unwrap a bagel with a slice of slightly warm cheddar cheese on it. Seriously? How many people order a bagel and slice of cheddar cheese at 8am? And the woman who works there in the mornings falls about 100 yards short of being pleasant or appearing like she gives a shit that she just messed up 3 orders in a row. On a more positive note, the chai they carry is fantastic, and like I said, they've got almond milk and gluten free bagels. The cost of these things, because they majorly charge extra for anything outside the norm, will run you about $15 for breakfast. Worth it as long as you double check your order before walking out. read more

Lots of plug ins and good WiFi! You can have private events in here, but perfect for some work/study time. Good lattes! I'm glad I tried them out read more

Gotta love Progressive Grounds. It's a nice place to grab a cuppa joe, or a sandwich and hang out for a while. Maybe read a book or the paper or something. Good spot in the back for those who go to cafe's for the wifi. It's comfy, it's cozy. Their coffee is pretty good, maybe not the best in the neighborhood, but it's really good. The wraps are killer, and turkey sandwich is excellent. I'm a vegetarian, so I no longer order the sandwich. Last time I cheated on my vegetarianism, I got a turkey sandwich from here. I get the sun-dried tomato on it. It was delicious, and it was worth it. I like the staff here. They're usually really nice, and they're quick to remember a face. I appreciate that sorta thing. It makes the neighborhood feel like home. Go show them some love. read more

This is my coffee stop alternative when I don't have time to get over to Last Laugh. Progressive Grounds is on my way to work when I stay over at my sweet baby's house on the Mission side of Bernal. I work on the Bayview side, so i just stop off at Progressive Grounds for my morning fix. Always tasty, good quality coffee and well stocked sugar/cream/milk area. Nice selection of pastries and bagels too. The staff here is always really friendly and quick. I'd like to check out the patio on a non-rushing-off-to-work morning. My only drawback so far is the coffee is about $0.50 more expensive than Last Laugh, and Last Laugh uses Capricorn. Tasty. Other than that, a super convenient and friendly place to get your morning on! read more

The guy in front of me ordered: a Mitchell's mint choc chip on a sugar cone, WITH a milkshake (on the side). He finished the ice cream in 85 seconds. He came back in for a chocolate-covered cookie, and ANOTHER scoop of Mitchell's strawberry ice cream. all this BEFORE i could even decide on what to order. BEAST status. He was probably higher than a kite... Finding yourself on Cortland, you have the option of grabbing coffee from any one of four+ places within a 5 min walking distance. Progressive Grounds gets pts for lots of baked goods, sammies and huge wraps as big as a body builder's forearm, MITCHELLS, MITCHELLS, MITCHELLS (though limited flavors, but ill still take what i can get), lots of study room, a cozy back room with bench seating, pillows, and books, AND an open patio/backyard!! All that and free wifi! If I was a student, I could def see myself camping out here. I'm a fan! read more

I love this local coffee house. It has my favorite iced chai latte in SF. They also have amazing homemade pastries and cakes that are moist, delicious and bursting with flavor. You can tell that everything here is made with care and pride. They have an extensive menu of sandwiches and salads that look very appetizing. They have a great array of displayed ice cream from Mitchell's making this cafe attractive for adults and kids alike. They have a lot of table space and moderately loud music making it a good place to read the newspaper, browse the web, meet friends or just chill and relax. read more

Alright, so I gave this place another try. Reluctantly, might I add - but my friend was dying to eat somewhere and since we were walking in circles around Cortland, I suggested Progressive Grounds. Earlier that morning, I had gotten myself an Oreo Cookie Milkshake, I kind of wrinkled my nose at the fact that they didn't put any whip cream on it, nor asked if I wanted any (I gotta have my whip cream!) but I wasn't put off; especially when I took a sip. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Heaven, you've finally come a-knockin'. I was dumbfounded by the sheer goodness of it. I have no idea what kind of secret ingredient whatever they added to that shake, but good Lord. I even bought myself a homemade slice of Almond Cheesecake, which by the way - I am a big cheesecake buff and let me just say that shit was bananas. I mean, it was crazy good. So when we walked into Progressive Grounds, I was a little more enthusiastic about it. We ordered the Tuna and Chicken salad sandwiches and sat down to wait. It didn't take too long. It was delicious. It was crunchy and melty and 'mmmm-mmmm'. I didn't even mind the fact that the tables we were eating on were child-sized, nor that we were the only ones there that weren't busily typing away at a laptop. That's how good it was. So - okay, I've got mad love for you, PG. Mad love. read more

I come here for sandwiches sometimes but they're not really what I would like them to be. Still, nice atmos, lots o wood, they play Fela and great for coffee or tea or something else sit down and read the paper. I can't vouch for their coffee but lots of stuff with sugar in it if you need. No burritos, just sandwiches and stuff. read more

First visit in ages. The shittiness continues. Waited in a long line. Tried to order a bagel. Out of bagels! If I had known (no sign), I would have gone elsewhere. I then order a cookie and sat down. How was the cookie? Stale! Then tried to connect to the Internet as I had work to do. Of course, it is not working! read more

Progressive Grounds - Shitty Internet, as usual. Cannot connect. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Several friends recommended it, so when I found myself in Bernal in need of a chai and quiet place to take a conference call while my son was in gymnastics, I made a beeline past all of the other Courtland Ave. fueling stations to Progressive Grounds. They actually carry a sugarless version of Divine Chai instead of the sickly sweet Oregon chai you always see, so I was psyched. The barista was excellent (that means fast and nice in my world) and the space comfy. Prices were average ($3ish for a chai or espresso drink, less for reg coffee). No one glared at me while I sat on my call, and I noticed that they have outdoor seating in case I did need to scram. The eats look great if you're a bagel or pastries type. I'll be looking for another excuse to loiter on Courtland! read more

The people who work here are nice and the food is pretty good, but the reason why this plcae gets only three stars are the people who bring all their kids to this place. Cafes are supposed to provide quiet, relaxing environments where people can sip their drinks and relax. Whenever I try to do just that, parents bring all their kids and let them scream and run around. It amazes me how deaf these parents are as their kids are throwing toys at the wall and screaming about some sort of animal they saw in a book. Note to parents, if you want to let your kids loose, please take them to a playground, not to cafes. read more

Progressive Grounds is likable, but it has its downfalls. Don't try to come here and study if you like peace and quiet. Be prepared for : --the owner saying, "Ah, my friend," over and again when people he knows come in. --babies... everywhere...screaming. However, this is definitely a great place to meet and see other people from the neighborhood. The coffee and pastries are decent and the atmosphere is friendly and small town-ish. On a sunny day, check out the back garden. read more

Love this place, hip urban and cool. As a suburbanite now I miss the City and places like this. The back room is great with fireplace, seating outdoors. If Jack Kerouack were still alive and kickin one could picture him chillin at this place. read more

I love this spot! Service is always super friendly and the food is great! I love the classic Falafel, as well as the grilled cheese on lavash. Mitchell's ice cream is also always a win. read more

When I go to Bernal Heights, I thought it would scared me, because I thought BH is a high-crime neighborhood, considerring it is close to Mission Street and Alemany. I thought wrong. The first place I went to, one morning is Progressive Grounds. They have some good tasting coffee at this cafe. Bernal Heights was a rough neighborhood, now a place I can take my family to stroll in the afternoon. Sorry,Bernal Heights locals!!! read more

Great Ice Cream and samies with patio in the back. This kind of feels like the meeting hall in Bernal. Sit for a while and you will run into someone you know, stay longer and chances you will make a new friend of two. I'm a fan read more

I'm about to spill the beans about my favorite cafe, but it's my first Yelp review ever, so it's well spent. I'm most interested in cafes as places to sit, have a conversation with a friend, read a book, or do work. I drink the tea, not coffee, so take this how you will. Bernal's Progressive Grounds is the calmest, most shanti place to sit. If you like some more action, you can sit up front. If you want a peaceful envelope of pillows, head to the room in the back. If you want to lounge in the sun like a lizard, go to the garden in the back. I like the crowd this place has--it's calm, not manic like Ritual. Tea is standard tea-bag. No loose leaf. Great place to plug-in, do work. They've got wifi. The soup is pretty tasty as well (I had some curry dahl-type ordeal). read more