TO MEET · 04/01/2013
Coffee and Toast at The Mill
“White or wheat?” is often the question we’re asked when ordering breakfast that includes toast to compliment the main dish. Of course toast can also be French Toast, but otherwise its potential to be the shining star of a meal is often overlooked.
A partnership between two San Francisco favorites, Four Barrel Coffee and Josey Baker Bread, lead to the creation of The Mill. This month-old operation offers Four Barrel’s selection of coffee and espresso beverages alongside pastries, cookies and toast from Josey.
Aside from the coffee, the toast is the main player here. A few mainstays always appear on the menu: rye with cream cheese, whole wheat with butter and almond butter and country bread with butter and cinnamon sugar. To keep things fresh, they consistently offer a daily special. On the day of our visit it was crusty whole wheat with almond butter and honey.
Prior to officially opening, they opened the doors of The Mill and popped up a small tent to doll out coffee and toast. Without any space to sit inside, customers would then stroll down the street with both items in hand. They soon had others walking up and saying, “I just passed someone walking down the street with toast and they said I could get it here. Is that true?”
True it was, and they’d end up with lines down the street! Who would’ve guessed that bread with a schemer could be such a hit?
The completed space was built by hand by the Four Barrel and Josey Baker teams, with the help of some of their friends. They it to resemble a classic San Francisco kitchen, with the walls lined with white tiles. Each individual table is small, creating a feeling of intimacy between table mates.
The time it took to build The Mill was time well spent for Jodi, Tal, Jeremy and Josey. They’re still settling into the space, but they’ve already acquired a loyal set of visitors and are soon to become a neighborhood staple. Plus, their very own flour mill will soon be up and running for them to grind their own whole grain flours!
Tal is wearing the Edgeworth in Striped Sassafras, Josey is wearing the Thatcher in Striped Sassafras, Jeremy is wearing the Roosevelt in Striped Chestnut and Jodi is wearing the Neville in Sugar Maple.
Photos by Collin Hughes