One of my "must haves" for a neighborhood is being able to go out and get decent coffee. It's one of the snobbiest things about me that I'll admit. Luckily, I have lots of great options nearby, including the tiny but potent Sub Rosa on 40th, the too popular Remedy Cafe on Telegraph, and the Mixing Bowl a couple blocks up from there.
But my fave spot to grab a cuppa joe is Arbor Cafe at 4210 Telegraph near 42nd Street. It's a very bright, airy and sparcely decorated space, which suits me just fine. (Okay, it could use some funky artwork, but not too much.) Lots of mismatched chairs and tables that I suspect came from Urban Ore in Berkeley. You'll find a good amount of outlets around for laptop junkies like me, as well as free wifi.
The bar just serves up a small assortment of coffee drinks, French press or pour-over. So no double-shot decaf mochachinno here. Just straight up joe from Bicycle Coffee. They are slowly adding to the food menu, including tasty scones and sandwiches.
The staff there are super friendly, including the owner Christopher and barista Tommy. Within a couple visits they were greeting me by name when I arrived, which is always nice. Arbor will definitely be one of my regular hangs. Check it out, if you are in the nabe.