At 4th and Townsend, I used to like the Creamery much more than I do now. This past summer (only a few months ago) I'd stop in practically every other day. Things have slipped and there's a huge quality discrepancy depending on who's working the machines. In fact there are a couple of baristas that I'll turn and walk right out if I see them at the Marzoccos.
The Place:
The Creamery is a restaurant with a decent espresso bar setup by the front counter. It's decor is probably best described as SoMa Rustic and it has a pretty good seating area outside. They serve all meals, and wine and beer. It's also attached to the Iron Cactus. A Mexican restaurant, they share restroom facilities with. I'm not sure if they share the kitchen space. The food in the Creamery looks really good, fresh and seems well prepared. They do seem worthy of consideration if you are hungry, but I haven't actually stopped to eat here. The menu items are interesting and appeal to local tastes. They also have great baked goods if you are on the go. Try the strawberry scone if they have it.
The real benefit to The Creamery is its location. It's kitty corner to the San Francisco Caltrain station at 4th and King. It's the quickest restaurant near the station get to. It's fast and if you really want to use a restroom (and not the one in the station...) it's your best bet.
The Coffee:
They use Ritual Roasters for their espresso. Should be pretty decent, right? Again, it depends on the barista. If it's good you get that familiar warm nutty, start with a slight acidic finish. This last time, it was burnt and just flat tasting. And most of the time, lately, it's hit or miss. I did not enjoy it. My palate can handle 4 shots of espresso from Starbucks in an emergency, so my sensibilities aren't too delicate. I just prefer to have my coffee with a bit of craft and finesse rather than a sledgehammer.
I think this is a management issue because I've seen a couple of them doing just about everything, running the cash registers, serving food, busing... I don't blame them if they are being stretched too thin, but I'm going to spend my coffee dollars elsewhere. It seems a great place to stop and grab a bite to eat, but speaking strictly about the coffee - move on. And speaking of Starbucks, there's one about a block or so in the other direction if time is an issue. If you want the really good stuff there's a Philz about two blocks south of the train station. Either way, odds are it will be better coffee.
3.5 of 7 stars.
