Sacred Grounds Coffee House, San Francisco

Places go to great lengths to achieve the retro-mellow ambiance to be found here but Sacred Grounds Coffee House is the real Mc-coy, and has been around almost since the Summer of Love. It is cozy, with a motley assortment of wooden tables, dining room chairs and sofas upholstered in velor. There are nooks perfect to spend a lazy afternoon, flanked by a tense philosophy student from the neighboring University of San Francisco on your left and a sweet middle-aged hippie on your right. The service is as casual and friendly as the atmosphere. The food includes sandwiches, soups, pastas and sweets; which is hearty and cheap. The coffee is always fresh here and there are Poetry Readings on Wednesday nights.