Sextant Coffee Roasters, a SoMa coffee shop known for its Ethiopian blends, is planning to open a second Bay Area location.
Coming to 509 Valencia Street in San Francisco’s Mission District — the former home of Arinelly Pizza — the cafe will soon neighbor establishments such as El Cafetazo, Indochine Vegan, and La Cumbre Taqueria.
For readers who are unfamiliar with Sextant, the business offers a brief introduction on its website: “Sextant is an independent cafe and roastery in San Francisco. Founded by Kinani Ahmed, a first-generation Ethiopian, we work directly with farmers across Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia, and elsewhere in order to showcase the most flavorful coffees throughout the world.”
In a recent interview, Ahmed tells Eater, “I was born in Ethiopia but have lived here most of my life. I’m a part of the community, and I want to be a part of the Mission community, too.”
On the menu, locals can expect to find espresso-based drinks such as lattes, cappuccinos, and flat whites flavored with syrups made in-house — and, to eat, pastries by Vincent Attali of French Spot.
“Sadly I have seen few people from my part of the world do coffee,” Ahmed tells the journal — adding, “It’s just me doing it. I’m the only fifth-generation, crop to cup, Ethiopian American in San Francisco.”
Sextant Coffee Roasters on Valencia Street is slated to open by the end of October. Follow the business on Facebook and Instagram for updates in the meantime.
