Is it odd that a little San Francisco coffeehouse takes its inspiration from a majestic public library many thousands of miles away in Paris? Perhaps. Or perhaps such special, intrinsic, richly felt connections are at the very heart of inspiration in the first place.

When we set out to conceive of a new place to have a fine cup of coffee, to meet with friends, to snack, to get some work done, we were entranced by the story of the Bibliothèque Mazarine. The very first public library in France, having previously been a regal private storehouse, the Bibliothèque is a collector’s collection, comprising a wealth of literature and art. To this day, the Bibliothèque’s curatorial accomplishments make it a symbol of its country of origin: it is a center of culture, democracy, and taste.

The idea that an artfully assembled collection might serve the public good struck a deep chord with us. We treat with curatorial zeal each new coffee that we source from the most accomplished roasters, each pastry that we select from our partner bakeries. We believe that the right sort of institution can serve, in turn, as an inspiration to its customers. We want Mazarine to be a place where you can appreciate the best coffees collected from all over the world, where you can have engaging conversations with friends and colleagues, and where you can accomplish your own great works.