Elaichi Co., the Berkeley-based chai specialist that's built a devoted following across the Bay, officially opened its second location in SoMa on April 19. The concept is refreshingly simple: it's all chai, all the time.

In a city where every other corner seems to host a third-wave coffee shop charging $7 for something that tastes like burnt cardboard filtered through a vintage flannel, a dedicated chai spot feels like a genuine breath of fresh air — or, more accurately, a breath of cardamom, ginger, and black tea.

Here's what we like about this: it's a small business expanding, not because of a government grant or an incubator program, but presumably because people actually want what they're selling. That's the free market doing its thing. Berkeley loved it, so now San Francisco gets a shot. No subsidy required.

SoMa has had a rough few years. Between office vacancies, retail closures, and the general malaise that's hung over the neighborhood like Karl the Fog's less charming cousin, new storefronts opening — especially ones that bet on foot traffic and in-person community — deserve a tip of the hat. Every new lease signed downtown is a small vote of confidence that San Francisco is still a place worth doing business.

We don't know yet whether Elaichi Co. will become the next beloved neighborhood staple or just another flash in the pan (pun very much intended). But a business owner looking at SoMa's current landscape and saying "yeah, let's set up shop here" is the kind of optimism this city could use more of.

So if you're in the neighborhood, maybe skip the $8 cortado for once and go see what a proper chai is supposed to taste like. Your wallet — and your taste buds — might thank you.