Bullitt - Coffee Cantata
Bullitt meets Cathy and friends at the Coffee Cantata, a real cafe with that name at 2026 Union Street in the Cow Hollow district. It is now the popular Betelnut restaurant.
Then ... There's a pastry counter at the front of the cafe and a coffee bar up the right side.
... and Now, a full bar replaced the confectionery and the coffee bar up the stairs is gone.
Then ... Up the stairs, a jazz quartet is playing in the back corner next to the coffee bar.
... and Now, with the coffee bar gone, this space has become the side dining area.
Then ... Bullitt and Cathy join their friends at a table at the rear, filmed though the window from the rear deck. The band's bass player can be seen off to the left.
... and Now, the rear deck was sacrificed when the Betelnut renovation pushed the rear wall back for added space. The same view, taken inside from where the deck was, shows part of Betelnut's open kitchen.
The jazz band plays throughout the entire Coffee Cantata scene; they are seen below behind a radiant Cathy.
A collage of the band members from the movie is shown below. The band was Meridian West and the musicians were, in spatial order:
Guitar - Larry Vogt Flute - Julie Iger Roseman
Percussion - Al Pimental Bass - Nat Johnson
Citysleuth learnt the identity of the band from a reader of this blog (see comments at the bottom of this post including much appreciated background about the gig from flutist Julie Roseman and news and comments from other band members).
Update ... Betelnut closed late 2016, eventually replaced by Flores, a Mexican bar/restaurant.
Comments (38)
It's great to know the band members playing in that scene. Fab call-and-response between the post and the thread.
I lived in North Beach, but I worked at the Coffee Cantata as a busboy in 1967-68. I remember there were paintings (by local artists, I believe) that hung on the walls and were for sale. I also remember we had large trays of exotic pastries and desserts we would take to the tables for patrons to choose from. It was such a cool place to work. Every morning I would walk down the street to a nearby florist to purchase fresh flowers for the tables. Does anyone remember Mike's Pool Hall or Clown Alley Burgers? How about the Old Spaghetti Factory on Green Street? martinvera46@yahoo.com
FYI, Betelnut is now closed. Flores is the new occupant of 2030 Union St. :-) https://www.google.com/amp/sf.eater.com/platform/amp/2016/11/18/13679626/flores-menu-mexican-adriano-paganini-cow-hollow
where can i get a copy of this recording.I have all the soundtracks but as you know this was missing
Thanks
John
Larry Vogt (the guitar player in the movie) explained in a comment below that the soundtrack heard in the movie was a dubbed tune "by a Hollywood composer". You can hear it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_9RScMYv4A (where the songwriting credit is quoted as Lalo Schifrin, but that's unconfirmed) and you can see the movie excerpt at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UO-b67lgmyk. The tune was not included on the soundtrack album.
- CS
I thought the flute player looked a lot like Ann Wilson from heart.
Excuse me for my english, I'm a frenchman : thank you for the names of these musicians. I always liked this stage, for the play of the looks and the cinematic assembly but also, many, for the master's degree of the musicians. Thank you for going public to them.
Fred, Toulon
I was an investigator, for govt, worked a lot with NYPD, late 70s-early 80s, only time for coffee- bagel in the run. McQueen played it very, very, accurate, also his San Fran, superiors. I'll try to back you as far as I can Ha, Ha ... not to mention the mutt who theyvwerecpulling the protection detail for, Vaughan the Senator, the hospital staff. All authentic.
McQueen .... watch his eyes, you get to learn how to read your partners eyes.
Speaks volumes without a sound. They got it all right. FIVE Stars *****
the
I used to love going to Coffee Cantata during 1966-1970. When I went there for coffee or lunch there was a game room up stairs on the second floor in a sort of apartment , there were chess boards and then they had a great dining area downstairs in the back. Eventually the game room was gone with an even better dining area with lots of windows. I went there for dates and with friends. I always recommended it to people who were going to the city for the day.
Tamara - How many people did Coffee Cantata hold during your visits? Thank you
Shortly after" Bullitt" came out, I got to see the Meridian West group "LIVE" at a college concert. I loved the set and feel fortunate to have seen the same musicians as in the movie right after the release. (Not one mention on the official sound track of this group!) :( Thank You for updating us. I have always wondered how many concerts they gave and where they went. The music still washes over me as it captured the 60's Cool Progressive Jazz Scene; Coffee Canata with Mcqueen and Bisset the rhythm of the base and flute, the blues, the soul of the romance and Steve saying "take it slow."
The music sounds really good. The flutist is very goood also. ( she resembles my sister in law no big deal). Did you see jacquline bisset get menu handed upside down and steve mcqueen gets a menu in the eye a little when waiter was collecting menus. ( Again no big deal). Also you could see mugs hanging on wall behind bar for regular customers , San Fransisco is a great town and i am a huge Steve Mcqueen fan ! Its a shame we lost him at 50 ( why mexico) was he seeking special medical attention for his ailment , maybe he dislodged a clot , respectfully he was a great actor
Its good sound , the flutist looks like my wifes sister. Its a nice scene , thanks for the infoe on the club. Steve. Steve mcqueen fan and sanfransisco fan. Philly Pa
Oh, BTW...the Chocolata Suisse was an early type of the Frappucino. The Chocolata Suisse was ice, coffee ice cream, coffee, and a lot of Hershey's syrup frapped in a blender with fresh whipping cream flavored with vanilla.
The service bowls were Heathware. The Griffin Stew got its name because the manager and chef couldn't decide if it should be Burgundy Beef or Boef Bourguignon. Cybele said, "Just call it Griffin Stew." So they did.
Fantastic place in the late 60's, glad to find this article. Took my girlfriend there on first date, at the end of a very long busy day in "The City" coming from the "East Bay" area. They served a drink in the restaurant called the Chocolate Swisse. An iced chocolate and coffee drink with chocolate shavings on top, served in a large goblet. Extremely rich and hard to finish. To show off, I finished mine and then hers when she stopped. By the time I got home, I thought my stomach was going to explode. Married to her for 40 plus years though.
Robert, that I don't know.
did the place have a retractable glass roof in the back? if so i work there around 1994 as a part time bartender...
Sent from my iPhone
Hi,
Some time ago I sent out a request for memories and information about the Coffee Cantata. I assume you are replying to that request? Frankly I forgot having asked around (nobody responded) and had to dig into my memory pocket.
I lived in North Beach between 1957 and 1961. I'm writing (finishing) a novel based on that period. I knocked around the entire city but seemed to be more at home in the Beach area. Crazy scene. Crazy people. Crazy times.
The Cantata was a great place to hang out and I could nurse an espresso for a couple of hours, meet a few new faces and talk about a hundred things. Nice memories. Now it sometimes all seems to be so far in the past. I believe the Coffee Cantata was owned by a pair of gay men (?). Perhaps not. Any memories of that? Once in a while I would request that they play a Bach recording - which they would normally do for me - and, at least a couple of times they played his Coffee Cantata. Of course! I met a Spanish couple there and they often danced at a little basement place on Green, just down the street from where I lived on Castle Street.
Let me know if you have any more memories of the Cantata or North Beach. Do you still live in San Francisco?
James L Hendricks