Spro is a lifestyle. Spro is a manner of being. The phrase “spro”—an colloquial abbreviation for espresso—got here into widespread parlance someday within the overheated early days of the third wave espresso increase. Right here’s a Reddit thread of individuals speaking about it from 2012. Right here’s a Sprudge story that makes use of “spro” in 2010. We’re engaged on reporting the fascinating slang etymological historical past round “spro” within the coming days on Sprudge—watch this area!
Within the meantime, there’s SPRO Espresso Lab, a brand new espresso bar in San Francisco’s FiDi, a number of quick blocks from the historic Ferry Constructing. With a severe gear set-up and concentrate on worldwide espresso tradition, this spot is excessive on our radar as a significant new opening right here in 2026. Let’s be taught extra.
The 2026 Construct-outs of Espresso is offered by DONA, Pacific Barista Collection, and La Marzocco.
As advised to Sprudge by Wealthy Lee.
For many who aren’t acquainted, will you inform us about your organization?
SPRO Espresso Lab is a San Francisco born specialty espresso firm that I based with my spouse, Liza, my associate within the enterprise and in every little thing else. We began in 2017 as a single espresso trailer with no exterior funding, opened our first brick-and-mortar cafe in 2021, and have grown thoughtfully throughout the town ever since, at all times staying targeted on hospitality, neighborhood, and occasional that feels thrilling with out feeling intimidating.
I might be trustworthy: I’ve at all times carried main impostor syndrome, and it has by no means absolutely gone away. What it has accomplished is push me to by no means cease rising. Yearly I’ve tried to remodel myself into a greater barista than the 12 months earlier than. Liza guess on me early, and I’m continually attempting to verify she didn’t guess on the flawed particular person. In the identical manner, I really feel I don’t but deserve San Francisco, so I hold attempting to make this metropolis a greater place.
At our core, SPRO has at all times been about making specialty espresso extra approachable and extra memorable. We care deeply about sourcing stunning coffees, telling the tales behind them, and creating areas the place individuals really feel welcomed, whether or not they’re tasting a uncommon competitors stage espresso or simply stopping in for his or her day by day latte. San Francisco has given us a lot, and we see our cafes as a part of the town’s day by day rhythm, locations that really feel alive, beneficiant, and rooted within the neighborhoods they serve.
Are you able to inform us a bit concerning the new area?
Our new cafe at 201 Spear is targeted on European fashion espresso, with coffees sourced from the locations which have impressed me most: Barcelona, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Paris. The purpose is a menu that feels each approachable and aspirational. Somebody can stroll in for one thing acquainted and comforting, but additionally have entry to coffees which can be often a lot tougher to search out.
The meals program follows the identical spirit because the espresso. Breakfast and lunch are made in-house daily, with a rotating menu that attracts inspiration from different international locations, and we press our personal juices recent day by day. The entire area is constructed across the thought of bringing flavors from distant dwelling to San Francisco.
This area can also be private for me. After I first began as a barista, I used to think about what it will really feel wish to work inside a really considerate cafe, one thing virtually like being inside origami, the place the room itself might unfold round you. Years later, a few of these early sketches are actually a part of this challenge. The ceiling grew to become a significant design function, virtually an artwork piece and a mission assertion on the similar time.
I labored with Lincoln Lighthill to carry this imaginative and prescient to life, and he launched concepts round structure, lighting, and spatial design that pushed the challenge far past what I might have imagined alone. The result’s a restaurant that feels intentional from each angle, from the ceiling and lighting right down to the way in which visitors transfer via the area.
For us, 201 Spear isn’t just one other cafe. It’s a state-of-the-art area with a thoughtfully curated meals and occasional program, rotating menus, and the prospect to serve every little thing from on a regular basis favorites to exceptionally uncommon coffees in a manner that also feels heat, accessible, and really San Francisco.
What’s your strategy to espresso?
Our strategy is rooted in curiosity, hospitality, and respect for the individuals behind the espresso. A part of why specialty espresso fascinates me a lot is that it by no means stops altering. Yearly, espresso turns into higher than the 12 months earlier than, and that’s one thing very expensive to me. I attempt to maintain myself to the identical normal.
Our complete program is constructed round importing distinctive coffees from locations that aren’t native, principally from roasters throughout Europe, and bringing one thing from very distant dwelling to San Francisco. That’s the magic of it for us.
We concentrate on exceedingly uncommon coffees, and we aren’t shying away from the worth. We’re merely targeted on serving the very best high quality we are able to discover and provide. We’re particularly drawn to coffees that present readability, sweetness, and a powerful sense of place. On the similar time, we by no means need espresso to really feel unique or laborious to grasp. An enormous a part of our work is translating that complexity into an expertise that feels joyful for visitors.
I function a Licensed Sensory Decide for the US Barista Championship, and years of judging and studying from espresso professionals world wide have formed how we construct our program. I see our cafes as a option to carry that world espresso dialog again dwelling to San Francisco.
Any machines, coffees, particular tools lined up?
On bar, we’re working Modbar, La Marzocco‘s latest version, paired with the Mahlkönig E80 GBS and Weber Workshops EG-1 for grinding frozen coffees, with a devoted water filtration setup supporting each espresso and brewed espresso. On the espresso facet we’re additionally utilizing the Weber Workshops Unifilter and the Pesado quick extraction display, and our brew bar options the Hario Neo for pour-overs alongside the brand new ThermoPro X by Curtis. The bar is designed for a 3 to 4 barista workflow, and we thought laborious about movement. We even paid additional for a devoted steam wand by the register, towards the tip of the road. With two steam wands on the espresso machine, one is nearly at all times underutilized, so separating one out retains drinks shifting and the bar balanced. The area stays technically robust behind the counter whereas feeling easy and welcoming from the visitor facet. We even have specialised tools for urgent recent juice in home daily.
The espresso menu might be in depth: single origin espresso, single origin pour-overs, and a rotating choice of standout coffees from throughout Europe, with a concentrate on exceptionally uncommon tons. About half of the menu is designed round Geshas and different uncommon coffees. We can even carry retail beans that visitors can not get anyplace else, and we’re persevering with to discover frozen espresso choices, reserve coffees, and brew experiences not generally out there in San Francisco.
How is your challenge contemplating sustainability?
For us, sustainability is each environmental and human. On the environmental facet, we make considerate selections round sourcing, waste, packaging, and operations wherever attainable, and we prioritize espresso companions who worth long run relationships and accountable sourcing. One small however deliberate selection: we don’t cost additional for milk options. Dairy is without doubt one of the largest elements of a restaurant’s environmental footprint, and we by no means need the extra sustainable option to price our visitors extra.
On the human facet, sustainability means constructing a enterprise that may assist our staff, our distributors, and our metropolis over time. Unbiased cafes aren’t straightforward to function, particularly in San Francisco, so a part of the work is making a mannequin that may final. We wish to develop in a manner that’s accountable and nonetheless rooted in care.
What’s your hopeful goal opening date/month?
We hope to open on the finish of July 2026.
Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you simply’d like to say?
Completely, this cafe may be very a lot a collective effort. We partnered with Strada on this challenge, and the structure, lighting, and spatial design have been formed by Lincoln Lighthill, who was the unique architect for among the authentic Blue Bottle cafes. Lincoln took a really tough draft of my imaginative and prescient and introduced it to life. He’s an unimaginable particular person, and I plan on working with him on extra tasks to return.
Our signage was crafted by one of many business’s finest, Tinkering Monkey. They’ve at all times constructed our signage and their work is unimaginable. Our furnishings is hand constructed, customized made for the area by Coffey Customized Builds. Espresso Companies Inc. helped us design and outfit the bar, and Younger Electrical Co. dealt with our AV and technical techniques.
Extra broadly, SPRO has at all times been formed by the espresso neighborhood round us: baristas, producers, roasters, designers, visitors, and associates who imagine in what San Francisco could be. This cafe is a continuation of that shared effort.
Thanks!
Thanks for taking the time to be taught extra about SPRO and our new Spear location. We’re excited to carry this cafe to the Embarcadero and proceed sharing particular coffees with San Francisco.
The 2026 Construct-outs of Espresso is offered by DONA, Pacific Barista Collection, and La Marzocco.
