How many coffee shops are there in San Francisco's busiest areas?
We counted 368 coffee shops within 1 km of the centres of 10 San Francisco areas. Union Square is the most crowded at 35.3 per km²; Inner Richmond is the least, at 5.1.
Mapped
368
in 10 areas
Busiest area
35.3/km²
Union Square
Average rating
4.4★
places with 10+ reviews
Last scanned
13 October
2026
Coffee shops by area, most crowded first
Measured within 1 km of the centre: LOW under 5, MODERATE 5–15, HIGH 15–40, INTENSE over 40 places per km².
| Area | Within 1 km | Per km² | Avg rating | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union Square4.3★ average | 11135.3/km² | 35.3 | 4.3★ | HIGH |
| North Beach4.4★ average | 5316.9/km² | 16.9 | 4.4★ | HIGH |
| Mission District4.4★ average | 4313.7/km² | 13.7 | 4.4★ | MODERATE |
| Hayes Valley4.4★ average | 3812.1/km² | 12.1 | 4.4★ | MODERATE |
| Fillmore4.3★ average | 288.9/km² | 8.9 | 4.3★ | MODERATE |
| Castro4.4★ average | 206.4/km² | 6.4 | 4.4★ | MODERATE |
| Haight-Ashbury4.5★ average | 206.4/km² | 6.4 | 4.5★ | MODERATE |
| Inner Sunset4.4★ average | 206.4/km² | 6.4 | 4.4★ | MODERATE |
| Marina4.3★ average | 196.0/km² | 6.0 | 4.3★ | MODERATE |
| Inner Richmond4.5★ average | 165.1/km² | 5.1 | 4.5★ | MODERATE |
Where is it least crowded?
- Inner RichmondMODERATE
16 coffee shops within 1 km (5.1 per km²), averaging 4.5★.
- MarinaMODERATE
19 coffee shops within 1 km (6.0 per km²), averaging 4.3★.
- Inner SunsetMODERATE
20 coffee shops within 1 km (6.4 per km²), averaging 4.4★.
Fewer coffee shops is not the same as more demand. Look at foot traffic and rents before you read a quiet area as an opening.
How they are rated
All 368 coffee shops in the 10 areas, by rating. Places with fewer than 10 reviews are counted apart.
- 4.5 and up162 (44%)
- 4.0 to 4.4144 (39%)
- 3.5 to 3.930 (8%)
- Below 3.57 (2%)
- Under 10 reviews25 (7%)
Chains seen most
Brands with two or more outlets inside one area circle.
- Starbucks Coffee Company15 outlets · 4 areas
- Blue Bottle Coffee5 outlets · 2 areas
- Peet's Coffee4 outlets · 2 areas
- Delah Coffee2 outlets · 1 area
- Philz Coffee2 outlets · 1 area
- Mellis Cafe2 outlets · 1 area
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Questions
Is San Francisco saturated with coffee shops?
It depends on the street. Within 1 km of the 10 area centres we mapped, density runs from 5.1 per km² in Inner Richmond to 35.3 per km² in Union Square. 2 of the 10 areas count as high or intense competition (over 15 per km²). Check the exact address you have in mind before you commit.
Which San Francisco area has the most coffee shops?
Union Square, with 111 within 1 km of its centre (35.3 per km²). Next come North Beach (53) and Mission District (43).
What is the average rating of coffee shops in San Francisco?
4.4 out of 5, across the 343 coffee shops with at least 10 reviews in the areas we mapped. The highest area average is Inner Richmond (4.5), the lowest Fillmore (4.3).
Which coffee shop chains are most common in San Francisco?
In the areas we mapped: Starbucks Coffee Company (15 outlets in 4 areas), Blue Bottle Coffee (5 outlets in 2 areas), Peet's Coffee (4 outlets in 2 areas).
How was this counted?
We scanned a 1 km circle around the centre of each area on 13 October 2026 and counted every coffee shop on the map inside it. Places missing from the map or opened since are not counted, so treat the numbers as a floor. Circles of neighbouring areas can overlap, so a place near two centres is counted in both, and the figures are not a total for the whole of San Francisco.