Home News This adorable boba shop in a train caboose near San Francisco is the perfect post-hike treat

This adorable boba shop in a train caboose near San Francisco is the perfect post-hike treat

by Marjorie

Simply throughout the road from considered one of Pacifica’s hottest coastal mountain climbing trails sits a bit of crimson caboose that’s been changed into a restaurant. This in itself just isn’t distinctive — on this procuring plaza alone, there’s a barbecue spot in a transformed railcar in addition to an previous practice station that’s been reworked right into a steakhouse.

P-City Espresso and Tea, although, serves not solely your commonplace espresso and bagels, but in addition boba — a few of the greatest I’ve ever had. And I’m saying this as a former resident of Berkeley, boba mecca of the Bay Space.

Downtown Pacifica is viewable from the Mori Level Loop Path in Pacifica, Calif., on Sept. 15, 2021.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

After tackling the pretty brief however typically treacherous Mori Level Loop Path, I knew I deserved a reward. I’d endured slim stretches of rocky path nail-bitingly near the sting of a cliff, had my face mauled by the relentless wind and was out of breath after ascending the steep Bootlegger’s Steps. Certain, it was all extremely lovely, but it surely was lunchtime, and I’d had sufficient sand pelted at my face — I wanted to be someplace much less windy, ideally with snacks.

Possibly it’s my vegetarianism that made me beeline for P-City Espresso and Tea as an alternative of the 2 meatier choices close to the trailhead, however I’m glad I did. At first, the massive block-lettered “COFFEE” signal on high of the caboose was what beckoned me, however one other signal beneath asserting “boba tea,” in addition to a waving model in overalls and a pug flag flapping within the wind (extra on the pug theme later), sealed the deal.

A labyrinth and other rock formations are visible along the Mori Point Loop Trail in Pacifica, Calif., on Sept. 15, 2021.

A labyrinth and different rock formations are seen alongside the Mori Level Loop Path in Pacifica, Calif., on Sept. 15, 2021.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

Inside, I used to be instantly overwhelmed by a protracted and eclectic boba menu, from Nutella milk tea to chipotle pineapple and mango. P-City seemingly had all the things: bagel sandwiches, pastries, a drool-worthy chocolate macadamia nut latte and even cute earrings on the market.

The particular person in entrance of me ordered the Rainbow Railroad, a really Instagrammable pastel pink and blue beverage made with butterfly pea flower tea, watermelon and cotton sweet. I used to be intrigued however settled on one thing rather less sugar-bomby: the strawberry mango mojito with inexperienced tea, as advisable to me by very pleasant co-owner Jeremy-Tristahn Bascara Jr.

Left to right, the Nutella frappuccino, Ode to Pacifica (a taro white mocha), the Rainbow Railroad and Strawberry Mango Mojito are some of the signature boba and coffee drinks available at P-Town Coffee and Tea in Pacifica, Calif.

Left to proper, the Nutella frappuccino, Ode to Pacifica (a taro white mocha), the Rainbow Railroad and Strawberry Mango Mojito are a few of the signature boba and low drinks accessible at P-City Espresso and Tea in Pacifica, Calif.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

Because it seems, my drink was on the “secret menu,” a reference that took me straight again to my short-lived days as a Jamba Juice worker. This secret menu, nonetheless, wasn’t so secret — it was written in chalk on a small blackboard beneath the principle menu on the entrance counter.

“It’s too onerous to suit all the things on the menu, so this provides a bit of little bit of attract to it, a bit of little bit of novelty like, ‘Ooh, what is the secret menu?’” defined Bascara.

The primary sip of my mojito boba, which was nonalcoholic, was heaven after a day spent breaking a sweat exterior. Refreshingly fruity and never too candy, the pile of contemporary mint made it really feel a bit of subtle. Basking within the solar on the espresso store’s homey outside seating space, I feel I downed it in 5 minutes flat.

Customers walk down the steps of P-Town Coffee and Tea, a cafe in a train caboose, in Pacifica, Calif.

Prospects stroll down the steps of P-City Espresso and Tea, a restaurant in a practice caboose, in Pacifica, Calif.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

This charming caboose lived many lives earlier than changing into P-City Espresso and Tea — most lately as one other espresso store, and earlier than that as a jewellery retailer. A placard contained in the practice automobile dates it again to 1935, when the earlier house owners believed it was a part of the historic Pacific Coast Railway, which ran from 1882 to 1941 on California’s Central Coast.

Homeowners Bascara and Ashlee Shelton, a long-time Peet’s Espresso barista, stumbled throughout the caboose on Craigslist after deciding they needed to open their first enterprise collectively. Sadly, their opening day occurred to be March 1, 2020.

“We did not have any concept what was going to occur 11 days later,” mentioned Shelton. “… The primary two weeks have been nice, after which it was actually gradual for 2 or three months.”

P-Town Coffee and Tea owners, center back, Ashlee Shelton and Jeremy-Tristahn Bascara Jr. help out customers inside their cafe in a train caboose in Pacifica, Calif., on Sept. 15 ,2021.

P-City Espresso and Tea house owners, heart again, Ashlee Shelton and Jeremy-Tristahn Bascara Jr. assist out clients inside their cafe in a practice caboose in Pacifica, Calif., on Sept. 15 ,2021.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

They used the downtime for analysis and improvement on new boba and low concoctions, and ultimately, enterprise picked again up. A 12 months and a half into the pandemic later, they mentioned they really feel lucky to nonetheless be standing.


“It’s considered one of my favourite locations, so I used to be actually pleased that we discovered the place in Pacifica,” mentioned Shelton. “I’ve at all times needed to stay there.”

When the couple first started relationship in 2018, Shelton was residing in San Jose, working two jobs whereas additionally going to high school, and Bascara was residing in San Francisco, working 70-hour weeks as an influence line employee. The thought to open a enterprise collectively got here partially from the easy need to spend extra time collectively (“Why did I need to personal a espresso store? The reply, very similar to myself, just isn’t very advanced in any respect — I did it for my girlfriend, as a result of it was cheaper than a marriage ring,” jokes Bascara on the espresso store’s web site).

P-Town Coffee and Tea owners Ashlee Shelton and Jeremy-Tristahn Bascara Jr. have four pugs. Their love for pugs is evident in pug decor hidden around the store.

P-City Espresso and Tea house owners Ashlee Shelton and Jeremy-Tristahn Bascara Jr. have 4 pugs. Their love for pugs is obvious in pug decor hidden across the retailer.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

“We’d have at some point each week the place we’d be capable of get collectively,” defined Bascara. “… As a lot life that we sacrificed the ten years that we have been working six days per week and 14-hour days, with all the cash that we saved up, we might begin one thing on our personal and spend extra time collectively. Sadly, we opened in a loopy time, however fortunately we have been in a position to survive.”

Now, the couple has moved to Pacifica along with their 4 pugs, who’re celebrated with an array of pug paraphernalia within the store (even of their brand, in case you look intently). They now spend six days per week collectively working within the cosy 200-square-foot caboose — a whole 180 from how little time they used to have collectively..

“We run into one another quite a bit. Throughout the weekend, it will get tremendous busy — it is like an artwork kind, it is like a dance,” mentioned Bascara. “It took us some time to get used to one another and determine how every of us wish to work, however after some time, it is form of like second nature.”

Two bicyclists take in the view of the shoreline along the Mori Point Loop Trail in Pacifica, Calif., on Sept. 15, 2021.

Two bicyclists take within the view of the shoreline alongside the Mori Level Loop Path in Pacifica, Calif., on Sept. 15, 2021.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

Whereas Shelton and Bascara inherited a lot of the bagel and low menu from the earlier espresso store, the addition of boba was all them. There weren’t many different boba retailers in Pacifica, so it felt like a sensible enterprise determination — plus, boba “makes for a pleasant reward after you go mountain climbing or browsing,” mentioned Bascara.

They began out with the fundamentals, however then started experimenting with extra distinctive flavors they appreciated, impressed by all the things from Bascara’s love of Nutella to Shelton’s love of mojitos.

“After we first began relationship, we might frequent Dutch Bros quite a bit,” defined Bascara. “So our place is like an homage to Dutch Bros and a boba tea store in San Jose that we appreciated to go to quite a bit.”

"The 56," a bagel with cream cheese, bacon, tomato and pesto, is one of the specialties at P-Town Coffee and Tea in Pacifica, Calif.

“The 56,” a bagel with cream cheese, bacon, tomato and pesto, is likely one of the specialties at P-City Espresso and Tea in Pacifica, Calif.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

Whereas the caboose’s quirky setting and various boba flavors are tempting sufficient, it’s the house owners’ heat personalities that make P-City Espresso well worth the journey out to foggy Pacifica.

“One particular person instructed me that they might get a frappuccino wherever, however they arrive right here for the pleasant service,” mentioned Shelton.

“The place else are you able to get boba and low and earrings and pastries and bagels in a single place?” added Bascara. “It’s all the things that we love. It’s principally our personalities within the retailer … possibly it’s kind of overwhelming, however we’re simply doing our factor.”

Customers enjoy the outdoor seating at P-Town Coffee and Tea, located in a train caboose, in Pacifica, Calif.

Prospects benefit from the outside seating at P-City Espresso and Tea, positioned in a practice caboose, in Pacifica, Calif.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

Extra “Meals Well worth the Journey”



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