Food Friday: The Mill

The Mill 736 Divisidero Street 


Alright you guys - I'm going to ask for a "free pass" today. After reading this post, you'll know why. I just did the most hipster thing I could have ever done. I spent $4.00 on toast. Yes, you read that right. I spent $4.00 on TOAST. Normally, you'd spend $4.00 (if that - let's be real here) on a loaf of bread... on TWO loaves of bread. But it happened and I am slightly ashamed. Like who am I? I don't even know anymore. Was it even worth it? You'll have to read through this post to find out.





It was a beautiful day in the city. I had Monday off and knew I had to make myself useful and explore a bit. In my book, exploration really means I want to eat. Not just anything either - I want to eat something new. So, since developing a newfound love for coffee and always sporting a curiosity for trying new bites, I decided to pop into Divisidero's hip and happening spot, The Mill.

Things to note: this places get's pretty full (and pretty quickly, I might add). Once you eye a table, don't hesitate to grab it or the moment you do. it's gone. (I know from firsthand experience.) The open floor plan makes it a desirable spot to sit down, enjoy some coffee, and get some work done. But, if you're the type who might want to use the internet to write a blog post or two, save yourself the trouble of bringing your laptop and don't - this place does not have wifi.

Ordering is tricky - you basically need to know what you want right away. The menu isn't plastered on the wall; rather, it's up front by the cash register, meaning you need to know what you want basically by the time you get to the front of the line. I don't know about you guys, but I'm pretty indecisive when it comes to choosing menu items, so that kind of a scenario stresses me out a bit. (Especially when the staff has a "too cool for school" demeanor and lacks patience...which this place, unfortunately had.) Luckily, I heard good things about the pumpkin butter, butter, sea salt trio (on whole wheat toast), so I went for it. I love pumpkin everything - but this pumpkin I did not. Disappointing, but perhaps my expectations were too high. The spread and bread was more sour than I would have liked. The toast itself was a lot harder than I imagined it would be and the piece was just too thick for me to stomach. I finished a decent amount of the toast - what I couldn't stomach more than the toast was the fact that I foolishly spent $4 on it. The coffee (Blue Bottle, I believe?) wasn't my favorite either - I'm not a big fan of Blue Bottle when it comes to coffee choices in the city.

While I'm sad that The Mill didn't turn out to be my jam, I am glad that I tried it out. Divis is such a fun stretch that I imagine I'll visit more of it soon. Perhaps I try my luck again at The Mill, but something tells me making my own toast might just be better...