Here's an early-2008 NY Times articleabout Blue Bottle Coffee in San Francisco, just two blocks down from where I live. It describes one of their more unique attractions: a siphon coffee maker from Japan. Click the slideshow to look at how it all works.

They also can pull single-origin God shots from a handcrafted manual-lever Bosco espresso machine - less than a dozen of those in the U.S., apparently.

All of this is quite reasonably priced, too (espresso is $2 from a regular machine, $3.50 from the Bosco). They also will brew you an individual fresh cup of coffee, ground from scratch, through a lo-tech, but effective, paper filter + funnel, for $2.

I've been buying half-pound beans from them since I got my Aeropress for Christmas; usually they're roasted Fridays, so on Saturday I get a fresh half pound. The Espresso Temescal is godly. The Three Africans has a very bright flavour, great for mornings. At some point I may splurge to get a Silvia but for now the walk will suffice when I need a shot.