50 Best Cafes in San Diego

“Absolute best donuts in the world. 100/10“

“We visit the “Little Lion” on every trip to San Diego. It’s the absolute best brunch spot on Point Loma!“

“Very nice environment and outstanding food and entertainment 👌 😀“

“Tastylife™️. Would buy treats again.“

“Enjoyed Madi again. Food is always great. Potatoes were a bit undercooked. Everything else was tasty. Started w churro waffles - always recommend them. One of the best waffles. Chicken fried steak was a 8 on a scale of 10. Shakshuka is delicious but it is not shakshuka anymore.. it is more of a carnitas w a poached egg and cheese. Name is misleading since it is a regional dish.. (check the recipe) Setting is great and simple. Service is always friendly. Our waiter was great - once he noticed that our coffee (2 cappuccinos) was not delivered on time.. he got us replacements asap. Very thoughtful.“

“Great food! The only thing negative for us are the seating. It’s always crowded every time and there’s no restroom😔.“

“I love this place. It captures a breezy beach vibe with great coffee and a delicious breakfast menu that feels both simple and thoughtfully made. The décor is cute and quirky in the best way, creating a relaxed atmosphere that fits the neighborhood perfectly. It has an easy, welcoming energy that makes you want to linger. I’ll definitely stop by again the next time I’m in San Diego.“

“Great food, fun and quirky vibe.“

“Very friendly staff. I got a monkey mocha and it was delicious. I saw the orange coconut cake and had to go back later to get some. It was amazing also.“

“highly recommend this place! AMAZING coffee, DELICIOUS acid bowls and incredible breakfast croissants. The owner is awesome and the staff is incredibly friendly. I will definitely be returning (:“

“Highly recommend- tell them it's your first and you get the tour of the menu and art. Great prices, food, drinks and outstanding service. See you there.“

“Great fun to be had at Coffee Cycle. Fun people, great coffee and if you ride a bike to the shop you will receive praise!“

“
Normally, one of the better quiet café spots in San Diego, and so the 4.9 rating.

The Xtra thick breakfast sandwich is fantastic...one of the best I've had in over a decade..had it made by the middle aged fellow on Sunday at noon for $11. No meat, no extras. Don't need it. Vegetables on it were very fresh and thick as was egg. You will need patience in preparation. If you have a smaller toddler, ask for a second egg on the side, it's perfect size.

House, Americano, and Expresso are excellent for the reasonable price.

Order at counter, take paging coaster, rings when ready, you have to pick it up yourself. But usually drinks are taken to you first. It's not full service. But food makes up for that.

Improvement? Keep the small backpatio clean and foilage manicured, add some more flowers or plants. Add one-person coffee tables outside to free up larger tables, smaller umbrellas in vacant tables. and stay true to modern and folk Portuguese music (owner) to complement the relaxing vibe, or keep other music quieter as you shouldn't have to prevent people from enjoying conversation or reading.

Cafés in San Diego are overpriced and noisy. Nice to find a gem. Keep up the good work“

“Food was good. I can't give 5 stars when orders are messed up. There were only 3 of us and they switched our orders so I had a steak that was undercooked and my friend had one that was overcooked. Really? You want to charge us over $200 each and you can't get a basic restaurant function right? If you want to charge prime/premium prices. Get the details right!“

“Todo riquisimo muy amables y atentos“

“Charming atmosphere and wonderful tasting as well as beautiful dessert s.“

“Audrey was the best! We came from Maine and short notice we were able to get a dozen cupcakes ordered for pickup with 2 days notice. They were fantastic and gone quickly!! Thank you again!!“

“My daughters & I visited this area in March & found this cute little cafe. It was so good we ate there 3 mornings in a row. Andrea greeted me by name on only our 2nd visit there. If you want a friendly, quaint little breakfast place I would highly recommend The Cliffs Cafe!“

“I met Marcela and Amina at an industry event recently and they were AWESOME! They have the cutest cart, the most delicious drinks, and best of all - they are just incredibly fun to hang out with! Highly highly recommend for a holiday party, wedding, industry event... seriously anything. Love them!“

“Loved my visit, All the women working there were so sweet and super quick they really keep things moving while still being super friendly. The vibe of the place is fun and cozy, and it’s beautifully decorated. I tried the Morning After Juice and I totally recommend it super refreshing and delicious. Can’t wait to come back“

“Cannot wait to go back and enjoy the the food, excellent service and ambience of this restaurant. We often each brunch here and their chef events are amazing! I savor every bite 🤤“

“Because they have good music and they sing good love sherry“

“I would’ve loved to give this place 5/5, but the heat in the store is miserable. I feel extremely bad for the girls working efficiently in the heat. Coffee is good, matcha looks good but not my thing.

I recommend the owner look into getting a real AC instead of dingy fans. I understand it’s a store-front coffee shop, but the heat was circulating in the shop from those fans. It felt unclean, sticky, and muggy inside.“

“Awesome little coffee shop! Kim's baked treats are to die for. She brightens everyone's day and makes you feel like family. The 1st Avenue neighborhood is lucky to have her.“

“Love the bakery and matcha latte!“

“Nice place to relax and chill away from the house“

“I really enjoy the coffee here, it’s consistently great but the overall experience could be improved. The atmosphere tends to feel warm and stuffy since there’s no AC, which makes it uncomfortable to work for long periods. The music is also quite loud, making it hard to have a conversation with friends. Because of these issues, I’ve stopped recommending the café, even though the drinks themselves are excellent.“

“Amazing cultural events. Ongoing. Something for everybody: music, dance, celebration.“

“la nieve muy deliciosa(Gelato) matcha late no esta muy concentrado como ami me gusta, el pan que venden muy rico, la chicas que atienden muy amables, pero sobre todo una vista maravillosa... P.D. precios accesibles.“

“This place has a lot of potential but a few things need to be addressed. The food variety and taste were both excellent—everything we ordered was delicious. Our waiter was friendly, and the location right off the main road is super convenient.

However, the dining experience had some major downsides. Despite there being open tables, none were clean, so we had to sit down at a dirty table and wait while a table was bussed. The old plates and cups were removed but there was still sticky honey all over the surface that we just avoided during our time. Also, the staff seemed under-resourced, and the restaurant felt expensive for what we got. I was also disappointed by the $4 upcharge for a fruit side with my breakfast sandwich since the fruit was mostly overripe watermelon and some off-tasting cantaloupe. The number of flies inside and out was also a big turn-off, and parking was a real hassle.

Despite that, I would try it again, but maybe I'd do take out.“

“Phenomenal service. Be warned this is cash only, but luckily I carry cash on me usually for these reasons. Cheap coffee and definitely good quality. Nice drive through makes it an easy stop before work as well. Would recommend if you're in the area“

“We are visiting from England and wanted to check it out again. We were here six years ago. Our friends really enjoyed it. Loved sitting opposite the ocean. The food is still amazing.“

“Best food i have had in my life. Nice people and good service. I have ate there so many times and order diffrent things every time. Best café in all of rb“

“Always a fun visit. Every location has been great.“

“Grilled Shrimp bowl….delicious“

“Awesomeness had great time“

“Was only in town for 2 days, saw this spot thought I would try it out, and was not disappointed! They have great coffee, food, and bread! And the customer service was amazing as well!“

“1st time, won’t be the last....“

“Great drinks and food - with fantastic customer service!“

“I come here almost daily because I am obsessed with their match Tres leches with matcha boba and egg pudding. It's a combination that lives in my taste buds memory. like the marriage between a matcha frappe with flan. At the family table came boba and a snow cap that easily translates to tantalizing flavors jumping for joy! Then the Bahn mi is packed with the perfect ratio of meat, picked carrots, cucumber, and JALAPEÑOS!!! I love a jalapeño that delivers and these always hit the mark. The fact that the ingredients are fresh and natural are major brownie points.“

“I just had the most unbelievable customer service here. It was so good that it blew my mind! Like, for real!! It turned out the barista today is Strawbaby by Destinee who bakes some of the baked goods sold here as well. She apparently runs all kinds of adult and kid events, and I will be checking out her business too! I'm so glad I randomly walked in today! 🧋“

“Great drinks and food - with fantastic customer service!“

“Great ambiance. Was a great scene to see a kitten being walked on a leash. I appreciate the dog friendliness. Reminder of better times. Hopefully all is well in sunny San Diego.“

“Great service & good menu options! I’ll come back 😁😁😁“

“The food and service is magnificent. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“I love this place! You can stop by and get everything always with all the attention of the employees and taste the best things 😋♥️“

“Service is always fast, it can be little busy and loud but the crepes are so delicious, I make the drive to this place since there aren't any good ones in my local area. I never have been served anything incorrectly made and the workers are attentive to what I ask for (added/taken off items).“

“The beverage and food selections are plentiful. I ordered the burger with fries. My friend had the eggs with bacon and potatoes with sourdough bread. The view of the ocean is absolutely amazing! Just a note for new visitors, use the valet parking on the left side of the property - it's worth it!!“

“Nice staff, everyone was super friendly and helpful. Coffee is decent but sweetener choices were limited and I had to ask for cream. They only gave me creamer, not cream. I ordered the avocado toast with poached eggs and hash browns. Did the chef forget to use salt and pepper? Normally I never add salt to my food but I had to. The avocado toast and eggs were nice. I do like my yolks runny. While the hash brown was nicely browned on the outside, the inside was mushy. I’ll pass on that next time.“

“Today we decided to try a new protein smoothie place and we were pleasantly surprised.Service was quick and friendly.They have an extensive delicious menu on protein shakes. They have different add ons: we added a post workout shot and fiber to our smoothies. I thought these add ons were unique!The best of all is that the shakes are delicious without any milk!!! Definitely coming back and 200% recommended!“