The Coffee Movement’s Mellow Vibe Moves Into S.F.’s Chinatown

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In 2014, Bryan Overstreet had an idea while working at a small café in the northern beaches of Sydney. He realized that the immersive culture around coffee in Australia stood in stark contrast to the transactional nature of American cafes. The communal vibe and celebratory nature of coffee culture Down Under was something Overstreet longed to bring back to the States. So he did.

The Coffee Movement, San Francisco’s new owner-operated café in the heart of Chinatown is Overstreet’s vision realized: a small, intimate space that prioritizes one-on-one interactions between baristas and customers and truly great coffee. The 300-square-foot space on Washington Street is the product of a collaboration between Overstreet and Rapt Studio: a warm, inviting environment that’s uncluttered yet cozy.

Photo courtesy of Suzanna Scott
Photo courtesy of Suzanna Scott

With curved, soft textured white walls and a nude terra cotta bar, The Coffee Movement instills a sense of interior comfort and ease, while sidewalk benches encourage lengthy stays and actual social interaction vs. social media solitude.

Custom wooden bar-height tabletops feature inlays of corten steel and sit under handcrafted alabaster sconces while the soft palette echoes Overstreet’s original intention: authentic, honest, meaningful connection, all over a cup of joe.

The Coffee Movement is located at 1030 Washington Street, San Francisco, CA 94108 — open every day, 7am – 4pm.