Ecco Caffe Founder to Launch New Roastery/Retail Operation in San Francisco

The new Linea Caffe location in The Mission

Ecco Caffe founder Andrew Barnett has plans to launch a new roasting operation with a retail presence in San Francisco’s Mission District, in a former pop-up burger stand at 18th and San Carlos.

According to an Inside Scoop SF report, Barnett is developing the concept, known as Linea Caffe, with Mission-based restaurateur Anthony Myint. Here’s more from Inside Scoop SF:

Caffe Linea will take over the tiny space: 292 square feet, just enough for a stand-up espresso bar designed by Envelope A+D (Proxy, Slow Food Nation, Locanda); in some ways, it’ll be the antithesis to the new generation of grander coffee houses in San Francisco, like Sightglass and the Mill. Outdoor seating is in the works as well. Barnett will offer retail bags of coffee beans for purchase.

“What I wanted to do was start roasting again, and do something a little different, not like our neighbors,” says Barnett, referring the other coffee shops in the Mission. “I wanted to do something that was espresso-centric. There are interesting espressos in our town, but this will be a little fresher and a little sweeter, similar to Italy.”

Myint, the founder of Mission Street Food, Mission Chinese Food and Mission Burger, among others restaurants, is expected to develop the food component for the retail shop, which will reportedly be centered around the odd combination of Brussells-style waffles and made-to-order salads. Here’s more on the salad concept.

Intelligentsia acquired Barnett’s Ecco Caffe and its brand in 2009.