For part three of our Views West series, we head to San Francisco to talk shop with our good friends Lea Sabado and Andre Higgenbotham, who recently opened their beautiful race-fueled café called Excelsior Coffee.

In this episode, we dive deeper into the notions of home in California with Lea and Andre, further exploring what it means to live in one of the Bay Area’s most culturally eclectic neighborhoods. Inspired by their love of old cars and motorcycles, their sleek café is a special space that pours excellent coffee while providing the community a hub where all are welcome. For Lea and Andre, it’s more than just single-origin espresso, neon lightning bolts, and handmade ceramic mugs – it’s about creating an environment that embraces this immigrant-rich neighborhood where the tides of tech have yet to wash through.

While these two love their vintage machines, they also have an inspiring passion for their home and surrounding community that goes far beyond the café walls. For them, home is about living in a place where they can give back, empower their neighborhood, and spread their enthusiasm for all things handmade – like the shop class that Andre teaches at a nearby high school. Grease may run through their veins, but they bleed Excelsior through and through.

If you’re in the neighborhood, swing by for a coffee, ask Andre about his classic Mustang, and embrace the fact that you’re now part of something truly special.