21 editor picks in San Diego.
21 cafe places in San Diego we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in San Diego | Cafe across every city.
San Diego's cafe culture is dense in North Park, where independent roasters and coffee bars cluster along University Avenue and the surrounding streets. Communal Coffee and Holy Matcha sit close together on University Avenue, with Dark Horse Coffee Roasters and James Coffee Co also in the neighborhood. Bird Rock Coffee Roasters is a respected name out in La Jolla, and Caffe Italia keeps a long-running Italian counter going in Little Italy.
Communal Coffee in San Diego is the University Avenue cafe and floral shop in North Park, a long bar with bouquets along one wall and Stumptown coffee.
TipThe back room takes laptops; the bar holds the morning queue, line moves fast before 9am.
Holy Matcha in San Diego is the North Park ceremonial-grade matcha cafe on University Avenue since 2017, the first dedicated matcha room in the city.
TipPair the matcha with the avocado toast; the East Village sister location runs the same menu.
Bird Rock Coffee Roasters in La Jolla is Chuck Patton's coastal flagship on La Jolla Boulevard since 2006, the Roaster of the Year 2012 cafe.
TipFilter is the room's strength; the Waterfront and Morena cafes also pour the same beans.
Dark Horse Coffee Roasters in San Diego is the North Park direct-trade roastery and cafe on 30th Street, a tight grab-and-go counter with small-batch single.
TipThe Juniper Street location is the larger sit-down room; this 30th Street counter is the grab-and-go.
Caffe Italia in San Diego is the Little Italy espresso bar on India Street since 1992, pulling Miscela d'Oro beans imported from Italy at La Pensione.
TipOrder an affogato with the house gelato; the patio fills first on Mercato Saturdays.
Tartine in Coronado is the long-running First Street European cafe and bistro near the Ferry Landing, with patio seating, pastries, sandwiches and an all-day.
TipIndoor and patio seating; reservations recommended on weekends, the patio fills by 11am.
Hob Nob Hill in San Diego is the Bankers Hill 1944 institution where the bakery counter opens at 6am, with fresh muffins, cakes and the long-running American.
TipGet a counter seat at 7am for the bakery-fresh muffin; the dining room runs lunch and dinner too.
Bread and Cie in San Diego is the Hillcrest European bakery and cafe on University Avenue, a rustic stone-hearth bread room serving cafe drinks.
TipThe kalamata olive bread is the room's signature; the cafe serves sandwiches on house-baked rolls.
Sidecar Doughnuts and Coffee in San Diego is the Costa Mesa import in Del Mar Highlands Town Center, a small-batch doughnut counter rotating six monthly.
TipThe huckleberry doughnut and the butter-and-salt are the recurring strengths; arrive by 9am for the full case.
Lofty Coffee in North County is the Encinitas Coast Highway roaster and cafe, a converted gas station with a wide patio and Lofty's direct-trade single.
TipThe patio runs heater-equipped year-round; the Encinitas cafe is the original of the four-cafe group.
Moniker General in San Diego is the Liberty Station coffee bar and retail shop on Sims Road, a barista-driven counter inside a converted naval-base building.
TipThe shop sells curated goods alongside the coffee; the patio adjoins the Liberty Public Market food hall.
Snooze, an A.M. Eatery in San Diego is the Hillcrest pancake-flight breakfast room on Fifth Avenue, a Denver-import diner with rotating pancake plates.
TipNo reservations; check the live waitlist on the app. The pineapple upside-down pancake is the recurring star.
Stella Jean's Ice Cream in San Diego is the Pop Pie Co. team's Pacific Beach scoop counter on Garnet Avenue, small-batch flavours with real ingredients.
TipPair a scoop with a Pop Pie pot pie next door; weekend hours start at 9am for beach-walkers.
Bird Rock Coffee Roasters in La Jolla, San Diego, the 2008 roastery that scoops cup-of-excellence lots from Ethiopia, Colombia and Burundi across eleven.
Dark Horse Coffee Roasters on 30th Street in North Park, San Diego, a small-batch roaster pouring espresso and pour-over with ten outposts across the city.
James Coffee on 30th Street in North Park, San Diego, the local roaster's longtime production roastery with a sit-down cafe while Little Italy rebuilds.
Communal Coffee on University Avenue in North Park, San Diego, the flower-shop-meets-cafe that opened in 2016 and now anchors five neighborhood roaster.
Goldchild Coffee Roasters on Broadway in downtown San Diego, Jeff Rambo's small-batch single-origin roastery with a Brew Lab and Swedish cardamom buns.
Holsem Coffee on University Avenue in North Park, San Diego, the in-house roaster from Muna Farhat and Salpi Sleiman known for freeze-dried fruit latte.
Better Buzz Coffee in Hillcrest, San Diego, the local chain's flagship roastery cafe with a vintage Probat roaster, cold-brew lab and a full espresso bar.
Lofty Coffee on Coast Highway 101 in Encinitas, north San Diego County, a specialty coffee roaster running two neighbouring cafes plus brunch service.
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