Founded in 1935 by Italian immigrant Giovanni Graffeo, Graffeo Coffee remains true to its tradition of fluid bed roasting and continues to use a straightforward, high-quality approach when roasting coffee beans today. Graffeo later sold his roastery in 1954 to Giovanni Repetto from Liguria, who later passed the business down to his son, Luciano, in 1978. Luciano took a huge leap of faith by installing a custom-built fluid bed hot air roaster. Thus began a decades-long quest for the world’s finest roasted coffee.
Now, fast-forward to 2024, when sixth-generation San Franciscan Walter A. Haas invested in a percentage of Graffeo. Together with Luciano, Walter has committed to sticking to traditional ways, believing that the perfect cup of coffee is not so elusive after all. Today, in addition to its iconic North Beach location, Graffeo can be found in fine restaurants and specialty markets, including Lazy Bear, Zuni Cafe, House of Prime Rib, Cheese Store of Beverly Hills, and Girl and the Fig. Here’s what makes Graffeo Coffee so popular amongst chefs and restaurants. Here’s what chefs and restaurants have to share about what makes Graffeo so unique (and popular in the restaurant industry).
Graffeo coffee roasting
Graffeo roasts all coffee beans in a custom fluid bed roaster, calibrated over decades to exact temperature parameters. “While it’s not rocket science, our approach requires a relentless commitment to experimentation, meticulous note-taking, and constant observation. We tasted thousands of batches to arrive at our signature Graffeo Light and Dark roasts,” says Walter A. Haas, co-owner of Graffeo.
“Most coffee roasters use drum machines that can scorch the beans on hot metal, leading to bitter, smoky, unevenly roasted coffee. The majority of coffee roasters use drum roasters where beans come in contact with searing metal. This can lead to scorched, smoky, unevenly roasted, and potentially toxic coffee, yielding bitter, off-putting flavors. Because our coffee is roasted by convection using precise temperature controls, beans are heated uniformly at lower temperatures, resulting in coffee that tastes rich, clean, and never bitter,” he says.
Graffeo coffee in restaurants
Per Haas, many of Graffeo’s earliest restaurant accounts, including Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe, House of Prime Rib, The Tides Restaurant, Harris Steakhouse, and Parkside Cafe, are still working with the brand today. As a heritage business renowned for its consistency, high quality, and smooth flavor, the brand is especially popular in the restaurant industry because it consistently delivers the finest products to its clientele.
“We’ve proudly served Graffeo coffee for over two decades and continue to appreciate its exceptional flavor and consistency. When brewed properly, it delivers a truly perfect cup every time,” says Kim McArdle from The Girl and The Fig in Sonoma, which serves both Graffeo dark roast and decaf in its establishment. “From the very first time I tried it, the aroma of Graffeo coffee was absolutely irresistible. While coffee can be complex, Graffeo is simply what I want my coffee to taste like. It’s the only coffee I’ve ever had that so perfectly matches what I always imagined the perfect cup should be.”
Others agree, such as Marco Galzazzo, General Manager of The Tides Wharf in Bodega Bay, California. “I’ve been drinking and selling Graffeo Coffee for over thirty years. It’s always fresh; never bitter. The mouthfeel is full and luxurious, ” he says.
