50 Best Cafes in San Diego

“The food was absolutely delicious. My plate was super filling and yummy.

The waitstaff was friendly and welcoming overall. The only downside was that at one point we were trying to get someone's attention for a spoon, and it took quite a while because no one seemed to notice us. It wasn't a huge issue, but it did stand out.

Overall, I'd definitely come back. Great food, a lively atmosphere, and a good experience overall!“

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

“Tastylife™️. Would buy treats again.“

“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 (:“

“Great food, fun and quirky vibe.“

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

“Every time I visit San Diego, a breakfast at Konos on Pacific Beach is a must. Great food, friendly staff, fast service, and you can enjoy your food inside or across the way behind the gift shop at the outside eating area right above the beach and the beautiful ocean. Dec. 27, 2021“

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

“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- 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!“

“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!“

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

“Love the bakery and matcha latte!“

“The food was amazing, with the exception of the mashed potatoes. The consistency was soft, smooth, and airy, however, there was absolutely no taste. No seasoning, no salt pepper no butter no nothing. Really bland would not order again. The service and staff were absolutely amazing. Only suggestion other than mashed potato fix is the ambience or the inside decor reminds me of late 1990s Seattle grunge. It just seems like the restaurant is stuck in the 90s decor wise. Food was absolutely phenomenal and staff as always were amazing.“

“Great little coffee house in Normal Heights.“

“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.“

“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!!“

“This is in the SDSU area but there were plenty of locals. I happened to be in the area. The staff is amazing, so friendly and fast. The food is pretty good, but nothing extraordinary. I enjoyed it very much but I wouldn't go out of my way to drive out there again like I do for other places. The place is clean and pretty cute. It's a little pricey but overall I enjoyed it. The coffee was pretty good.“

“Incredible place! The food is absolutely exceptional! It's a shame they only work 4 days a week, because I would absolutely go there every morning! They're a non-profit, which is also really nice to see. We got the crepes and a breakfast sandwich, both of which were amazing! And you have to get the strawberry lemonade as well!“

“I accidentally drifted into a coffee shop called Drift and now I can't seem to drift away.
Alex and Spencer somehow always know exactly what I want. It might be because I'm a regular, or it might be because I have a habit of trying every new drink they come up with. Either way, they always get it right.
The atmosphere is so welcoming and always make working remote seamless. They somehow make every customer feel like they're the favorite.
Great drinks, home away from home and a team that goes above and beyond every single time. The service is fast, and the quality of food is fresh.They make it way too easy to become a regular!“

“I’m not ever gonna do anything crazy coffee wise… but what I do is 3 shots on ice everywhere and what I’ll say is the coffee had today here was extremely tasty!

Check this place out you’ll definitely enjoy the pull!

Until next time… be good to small business as much as you can… they need all the support especially the times we are in now.

Tip your barista a buck or two… everyone needs a little love!“

“I came by with my family and we absolutely loved it! The owner is amazing and not to mention the food and drinks were so good! We are on our way back to try more things on the menu! We got the bagel, smoothies and ginger shots and everything was 10/10. Can’t wait to make this a regular visit!“

“We went on a Saturday morning, very cute inside but crowded (because it’s good!!) the staff was friendly, coffee options great, food options great, some street parking. My only consideration would be lack of seating during a busy time, but still a great business that I would return to.“

“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!“

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

“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 🤤“

“Todo riquisimo muy amables y atentos“

“Wow, such great food and awesome service! Had the lobster roll and it was quality lobster and overflowing with actual meat. Everything was delicious.“

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

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

“Best cannoli of my life. This is an absolute must stop in Little Italy.“

“Great food and friendly service. The place has a nice coffehouse vibe. My lady and I sometimes like to grab brunch to go from there and go sit at the beach to eat. My favorite is the brunch Burger. My wife has gotten a few different things each time she's gone. Everytime the portions are amazing and filling. Definitely a delicious place to get some brunch.“

“Absolutely LOVE Ultreya! Both locations are top notch. We love it so much that we get coffee beans sent to us in Illinois. Great staff, great coffee, great tea, delicious food and pastries, and amazing owners. If you haven’t been here, you will be in love after you go!“

“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“

“We were in the area during the weekday farmers market and found ourselves in this super cute cafe to take a break.

We got their Pool Party matcha and I loved how they infused mango into a refreshing matcha drink. Bonus points that it wasn't overly sweet!

The staff was very friendly and pointed me in the right direction with their recommendations.

We had our baby with us in a stroller and it was nice that this cafe was fairly stroller-friendly. We found a spot to sit and chill in their cool stadium-style seating area.

Would return!“

“amazing! I had their burger which was great! and their coconut shrimp on salad. which both were amazing! the salad dressing was so good. everything must be home made.“

“A great coffeehouse with a nurturing old-world atmosphere in a vibrant and pleasant environment.“

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

“Grilled Shrimp bowl….delicious“

“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.“

“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.“

“Olive Cafe is a lovely place! It’s a bit expensive for me, but typical of mission bay cafes. It is often crowded, because it’s rightfully popular, so expect long lines and narrow walking spaces on their lovely deck. Kid friendly, friendly in general, and busy but efficient. I’ve met a lot of friends here and it doesn’t fail.“

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

“I love starting my day here. Mr. John is so warm and kind. He gives my kids free animal crackers and they love it as we are usually on our way to the zoo. They pick out which animals we should go see based on which cookies they ate!
The coffee is excellent and he’s never gotten my order wrong. The best and quickest coffee when you’re headed out of Point Loma or Ocean Beach! We’ve been enjoying this coffee stop for years. Highly recommend.“

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

“1st time, won’t be the last....“

“I come here once a week from El Cajon Ca. to buy the keto vietnamese iced coffee. It's so delicious and made perfect every time. Staff is very friendly and polite.
I just wish they would sell keto chocolate chip cookies☺“

“Such a cute shop! I noticed they had pistachio and hazelnut flavors and asked if they could combine both in an iced latte, it ended up being such a good call. It was flavorful, not overly sweet, but still sweet enough. The barista was also really friendly, asked what I had going on that day, and was genuinely engaged in conversation. Great coffee and a welcoming vibe at Ocean Beach Coffee and Plants“

“Been to the spot for crepes a million times, always great food, friendly service, and fresh ingredients. Their whipped cream is amazing (I believe they make it in house?) Highly recommend. It’s a casual spot, but becomes a staple for us for dessert“