As you may have noticed, Streamline Cafe has been delayed from its original opening. Today, the cafe—located at the site of the former Beach'n'Boba—will head to the Planning Commission to make several requests that would address zoning issues and allow the cafe to formally open by the end of the year.  

One would turn the cafe from a limited restaurant into a full restaurant, which would allow Streamline to serve wine and beer with its offerings. Their menu, which is still being finalized, currently includes baked goods, soups, tartines, and possibly even empanadas. Coffee will be sourced from Nomadic Ground, a worker-owned roaster that provides both beans and a poem written by a local poet.

Where possible, the menu will have organic ingredients, but cost remains an issue. 

"We want to be conscious of what the neighborhood can bear," said Dion Garcia, one of the owners and a resident of the Outer Sunset, as he gave Hoodline a behind-the-scenes tour of the new cafe. "We want to have a balance—all quality ingredients."

Another request is trickier—and one of the principal reasons behind the delay. The cafe would like to annex and expand into an adjacent space at 3554 Taraval, formerly the location of an insurance firm.

The cafe is hoping to turn the adjacent space into an area that would feature art exhibitions and literary readings. "We won't be able to have musicians out here," noted Garcia, who had previously worked in the music industry for nearly two decades. "We want art to be a central piece of this endeavor. Creative expression is a big part of our life." 

Finally, Streamline is asking to set up sidewalk seating on the northeast corner of 46th and Taraval. "We probably wouldn't open with that, especially at this time of year," he said, pointing out that the cafe had installed gas lines to provide heating for sidewalk customers. 

Flooded with natural light that showcases natural woods and chrome, the remodeled cafe bears little resemblance to its predecessors. Taking its inspiration from the Streamline Moderne architecture that gives the cafe its name, the decor pays homage to both Art Deco design and nearby Ocean Beach. 

After the hearing, the cafe will also need to go through further inspections to open. Ideally, Garcia hopes that the cafe will be open by the end of the year. 

To contact Streamline with questions or letters of support for their Planning Commission hearing today, email [email protected]