Elaichi Co.
★ 4.7 · 169 reviews San Francisco Opened May 2026
Cardamom-led Indian bakes and chai on Third Street
Elaichi Co. opened on Third Street in May 2026, near the Moscone blocks and the museums. Elaichi means cardamom, and the cafe builds its baking and chai around Indian flavors instead of tacking a masala chai onto a standard coffee menu.
The surrounding blocks fill with conference badges several weeks a year and sit quiet the rest of the time. SFMOMA is a three-minute walk away, and this beats anything the museum café serves.
What guests say
Reviews by Google-
L 246 reviews · Local Guide 2 September 2026
Iced karak chai - amazing Iced Kashmiri chai - amazing Elaichi bun, toasted - sweet buttery cardamom flavor, delicious! Please open another location closer to ferry building. Needs more bike parking! Ok place to laptop, not very quiet. Tables are close together. There is a bathroom in the lobby next door. I waited a while to order while they trained someone in the back. There was no one at the register. UPDATE - I came back and did not wait at all. Might have been a one time thing
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Maitreyee 34 reviews · Local Guide 16 August 2026
Chai - 10/10 Food - 7/10 Vibes - 20/10 The chai here is incredible. So flavorful and full of Elaichi. I like that they have tried to make different specials (like banana cold foam chai or ras malai chai), however these drinks are not that great in my opinion. I suggest sticking with the basic chais. Food also is ok. Nothing to rave about, but good snacks to go along with the chai. The atmosphere is incredible though. People were studying and working and chatting. There is a great selection of books and I ended up grabbing one and reading for an hour.
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jay bagade 135 reviews · Local Guide 9 August 2026
Great place for an Indian chai. They do have unique flavors. There are also options for non-dairy milk teas. Ambience is great and customer service is nice as well!
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Sean 20 reviews · Local Guide 7 August 2026
Phenomenal chai, service and seating! So grateful this exists and the chai is strong and flavorful. Definitely one of sf’s best cafes and love that they only serve chai. Awesome seating to chill and catch up with friends. Mojo the owner is very hospitable and warm, 10/10 experience! Karak chai and Kashmiri chai are both extremely solid
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Sathira Katugaha 280 reviews · Local Guide 3 August 2026
Their Rasmalai Karak Chai Einspanner was genuinely mind blowing. I always love getting a their desserts and aloo paratha too but tbh it’s a bit overpriced for those items. The vibes of the cafe itself are very calming. A top tier place in my books overall.
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