HI NRG Coffee Is Getting Its Own San Francisco Café

HI NRG Coffee is getting its own café in San Francisco after growing from a pop-up with long lines, music, and a strong local fan base.

HI NRG, said like “high energy,” is moving from its current home inside High Treason on Clement Street to 5801 Geary Blvd. in the Richmond District. The new café is expected to open in August, according to the San Francisco Chronicle and Mission Local.

The business is run by Luis Gonzalez and Nathan Kruse. Since 2024, they have made HI NRG more than a place to grab coffee. It is now known for specialty drinks, daytime DJ sets, and a crowd that often lines up before getting to the counter.

Two baristas prepare drinks behind a coffee bar with espresso equipment and turntables in the foreground at HI NRG Coffee. — Photo via @hinrg_sf / Instagram

From Pop-Up To Its Own Café

HI NRG now serves coffee inside High Treason, a wine bar at 443 Clement St. The setup works because HI NRG runs during the day. Then High Treason opens later for wine service.

Richmond Review / Sunset Beacon reported that HI NRG started serving at High Treason in June 2024. The menu included espresso drinks, filtered coffee, and café de olla, a cinnamon coffee drink.

This helped HI NRG grow without having its own store. Now, the new Geary Boulevard space gives the team more room to run things their way.

What The New Café Will Add

The new space at 5801 Geary Blvd. will let HI NRG do more than daytime coffee.

Mission Local reported that the owners plan to add later hours. The new café will also focus more on wine, music, and evening service.

Gonzalez told Mission Local that the new HI NRG will be a wine bar “that just happens to serve the best coffees in the world.”

Coffee will still be a main part of the shop. But the new café will also give more space to the music and wine side of the business.

Key Details To Know

Name: HI NRG
Founders: Luis Gonzalez and Nathan Kruse
Current spot: High Treason, 443 Clement St.
New address: 5801 Geary Blvd., San Francisco
Opening target: August
Started: 2024
Known for: Specialty coffee, café de olla, malted mocha, pastries, DJ sets, and long lines
Future plan: Coffee, wine, music, and later service

Coffee, Music, And A Loyal Crowd

HI NRG does not feel like a regular coffee counter. It mixes coffee with music and a casual hangout feel.

The name HI NRG comes from a type of dance music. That music link shows up in the way the pop-up runs. DJ sets are part of its events. Music is part of the brand.

Eater SF wrote that HI NRG draws weekend lines and serves coffee from roasters such as Dak and Tanat. The San Francisco Chronicle also reported that the pop-up has served drinks like malted mocha and café de olla.

The café also plans to keep working with Vinegary Personality, a pop-up known for cakes and pastries.

A Bigger Step In The Richmond District

The new café will stay in the Richmond District. That keeps HI NRG close to the area where it first built its crowd.

On Substack, Gonzalez wrote that the new location will help the team bring more of its plan to life. He also said, “In a few months, we’ll be able to open our doors to the public and get the party going.”

The Geary Boulevard space is also near local spots like Four Star Theater, Pearl 6101, and Pizzetta 211.

What This Means For Customers

For customers, the move means HI NRG will no longer be limited to pop-up hours inside another business.

It will have its own space, its own schedule, and more hours for coffee, wine, and music.

People who already visit HI NRG can expect familiar drinks and familiar faces. New customers may find a café that feels more like a hangout than a quick stop.

HI NRG’s move also shows how a small pop-up can grow when people keep coming back.

What Comes Next

HI NRG’s move to Geary Boulevard is a big step for one of San Francisco’s rising coffee names.

What started as a daytime pop-up inside High Treason is now becoming its own café with more room for coffee, wine, music, and later service.

The new café is expected to open in August. For now, HI NRG is still serving from its Clement Street location.

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Allen Lardizabal