It may suck, but they do have coffee shops there
Well, sorta. It was written a week ago or so that the 29th St Mall is lame. That may be true, but there’s still coffee being served and today this reviewer actually found itself in the mall. So….
1- Pete’s Coffee and Tea has pulled up shop here. Californians know Pete’s well as the Starbuck’s antidote. Not sure why, since Pete’s is every bit as corporate as Starbucks, but maybe the coffee is better. I personally know some coffee nuts that have Pete’s coffee mailed to them back east because when they lived near SF they got addicted. Go figure. Anyway, sorta nice to have a Starbucks alternative here but THEY DON’T HAVE WIRELESS!!! Can you believe it? So go for the coffee and that’s it. That and the only thing the place doesn’t have in common with SB is the name.
2- Starbucks. Yea, there is one here. Turns out it looks exactly the same as the other 9,465 stores in the western U.S. Next….
3- Panera Bread. Ah, now here was a find. It is weird in a very corporate, chintzy, cheesy way, but for the laptop worker it’s actually pretty damn nice. It’s open and spacious with lots of corners and tables both against and away from windows. It’s not really a coffee shop but a pastry/lunch counter (bagels, sandwiches, etc.) with coffee (don’t count on the boy working the auto espresso machine to have any idea how to work it). The chairs are comfortable and at least so far the room is mostly empty. Logging on to their (free) wireless they flash you a message that you have to acknowledge before getting on that asks you to respect their busy time (11a – 2p) and not take up a 6-top with your work project, but I can abide all that. And I can also try to ignore the gimmicky “french toast” flavor bagel I got and the fact that the cream cheese came in a little tin for me to spread myself. (The sacrifices we make for good working conditions….) Panera is nearest Walnut on the 28th St side of the mall.
