50 Best Coffee Shops in San Diego

“Handsdown one of the best brunch spots I’ve been (and I go to A LOT) delicious food, amazing coffee and extremely efficient and friendly service. Highly highly recommend. (We had the French toast, the goat sandwich and the goat pancakes + waffle sticks. All amazing. The latte’s and ube matcha were amazing as well)“

“Amazing vietnamese coffee!

​We ordered a seasonal drink and their Hanoi egg coffee. Hanoi egg coffee was definitely the winner. We were a bit skeptical about the hype surrounding this place, but our experience proved that they truly serve incredible Vietnamese coffee! We would definitely stop by again if we're in the area.

​Expect long lines, especially on the weekends. It's a good idea to plan for takeout, as seating is limited and the inside can get crowded with people waiting for their drinks.“

“I tried this place after a news article on them. The sparkling rose cardomom lemonade is nothing like I’ve ever had before. So refreshing and unique. I highly recommend! The Knafeh is a must try. It’s made fresh to order and is sweet cheesy goodness. I’ll definitely be back.“

“I ordered the Oaxaca (washed) and Puebla roasts for espresso. Both are out of this world! Hands down some of the best coffee I’ve ever enjoyed. I can’t wait to order more! (Photo taken before opening the second bag)“

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

“POV: You came for coffee and accidentally found a personality trait.

Ko’s has me in a chokehold. The coffee is incredible, the iced matcha is undefeated, the strawberry matcha scone deserves its own fan club, and the smoked salmon toast? Zero notes.

The owners are the real secret ingredient though. They’re kind, efficient, and funny. Good food, good coffee, good people. That’s how you create a cult following.“

“we tried several samples! very refreshing and taste good❤ I got Mint and Mango habenero chile..yummy“

“This coffee is the best! Hands down! Forget Starbucks! And support local!“

“I get the pleasure of coming here frequently for meetings and absolutely love the staff! Highest quality coffee I’ve seen locally and my body appreciates that 🫶“

“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!“

“Super cute place, lots of coffee options, very friendly staff support your local coffee shops with love.“

“Absolutely loved this spot. The espresso drinks were delicious, the prices were almost unbelievably affordable, and the whole place had an edgy, energetic vibe that made it feel like a real neighborhood gem. Great coffee, great atmosphere, and the kind of place you immediately want to come back to. Highly recommend.“

“Great food and great service! Pho Nom has a warm and welcoming atmosphere, and everything we ordered tasted fresh and flavorful. The pho was comforting, the portions were generous, and the overall experience was really enjoyable. Special thanks to Olivia and Leyna for their excellent service — they were friendly, attentive, and made us feel very welcome. Would definitely come back again!“

“I absolutely love Elvira! The night I went, I spotted the legend himself, Guy Fieri - which felt like all the validation I needed. If it’s good enough for him to sit down and eat, you know it’s good. The pasta is incredible, unique, and full of flavor. The cocktails are just as impressive, and the dirty martini with blue cheese olives was absolutely perfect. Can’t wait to come back!“

“Visiting from Michigan! I loved my hot lavender oatmilk latte and poached eggs were amazing! I went 2 days in a row! Lol“

“Boards n’ Beans is such a little gem in Pacific Beach. The atmosphere of their family business is welcoming the moment you walk up. You can feel the sense of community right away with friendly, laid-back staff and regulars.
The coffee itself is amazing. The drinks are made with time and care, and their own house-made simple syrups making their spot stand out from others. I took home a bottle of their coconut vanilla syrup, it was that good.
You can also hang out & work from their shaded back patio! Worth stopping by.“

“were already lines around 9-10am and all the tables we’re pretty much occupied, I can only imagine how busy the weekends must be. I ordered a latte and a jalapeño bagel cream cheese and they were both okay. I do wish they would offer “for here” cups, when asked they said they only offer paper cups. It’s a very cute place overall, lots of plants and a bunch of outdoor tables as well.“

“Absolutely exceptional. Their dedication to the to the craft is obvious. I think you can tell a lot about a coffee shop by ordering the drip; this one was bursting with fruity flavors and floral aromas. I was marveled by what I found in my cup, wondering if was something more than coffee.“

“We were in town from the East coast for 5 days. Achilles was our go-to breakfast place. It is exceptional. Friendly staff and great food and lots of excellent coffee choices.“

“my drink had a brush inside. very unsanitary. becarful. not safe.“

“The coffee is here is excellent. Cold brew is spectacular black. It needs no sugar or milk. Smooth and sweet all by itself. Iced Aztec Mocha is a perfect blend of espresso, chocolate and milk. Skip Starbucks. Highly recommend!“

“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.“

“Customer service and knowledge/quality of their product is stellar! Oh, yeah...and the coffee is amazing, too! My first time experiencing horchata and I strongly recommend! If I lived in San Diego, this would be a regular!“

“We ate lunch here and had the most fantastic meal. I ordered the seared ahi, we also got the avocado salad bowl and the lamb kofta. My daughter is vegan and she had a great meal ordering the tofu selection. The flavors were so well balanced and the food so meticulously prepared, it was truly a five-star dining experience. Don't leave until you've had the banana tapioca with mango on top! The setting is beautiful, we sat outside. The lemonades were delicious .If you are looking for an elevated dining experience in the park, this is your place!“

“Best Coffe shop in San Diego Is really good quality Coffe and their baristas are very good“

“AMAZING!! My husband and I went to San Diego for a quick getaway and wanted to try Chiefy Cafe based on the reviews. We were so glad we did as the coffee and food is Amazing! We ordered the Open Mind Fat Burner, Mexicano Latte, Acai Bowl, and Turkey Bacon Avocado Croissant. Everything tasted so fresh and delicious - we wanted to savor every bite!! The staff is so friendly and Camile customized the Turkey Bacon Avo without the bread for me, as I am gluten free. We only had 2 days left in SD and went back to Chiefy Cafe and ordered the same thing each day. Camile & Larissa assisted us and were awesome! HIGHLY RECOMMEND CHIEFY CAFE!!“

“Definitely worth the stop!
I desperately needed a bathroom stop before continuing on with my day and found this cafe. The reviews about the Avo toast reeled me in and they weren’t wrong. The jalapeno cheddar toast was delicious and the toppings were so perfect. I didn’t have time for coffee but the barista and chef were cool and very nice and the place looked like somewhere I could sit all day. I only had a short time so I took in the nice outdoor seating with nice view of the city. Thank you Kind Corner cafe!!“

“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!“

“Shell Yeah! 🐚 Im in San Diego at Trident Coffee on Mission Boulevard and it's been a phenomenal experience! From the food, the drink, the atmosphere and the staff! Sydney was an amazing representative of Tridents Coffee's core values and really went above and beyond to deliver the best possible service. She connected and greeted every customer that came in with a buzzing energy and served each and every customer with her full effort. I would highly recommend Trident Coffee on Mission Boulevard! Thank you Sydney and thank you Trident Coffee!“

“I tried the Yamiel Latte and the Pink Milk Cake.

The cake was fresh and well made, though not really my favorite flavor. The latte was smooth and not too sweet, with a slight coffee bitterness.

What stood out most was the variety of unique drinks and desserts. The menu feels very different from a typical coffee shop. The atmosphere is interesting and has its own character. When I visited, people were watching football, so it felt more like a social spot than a study place.

Everything was very clean and well maintained, which really stood out to me. Overall, it was a great experience. It may not be exactly my style, but the quality, cleanliness, and unique atmosphere are why I’m giving it 5 stars.“

“Great sandwiches and Avo toasts! Their coffee drinks are the best!! PACKED on Sunday after church but the line moved pretty fast. Getting food and drinks took a little longer than we expected but enjoyed hanging out on the patio and on the swing benches. Worked for a little over an hour there this evening with plenty of space, a little music and nice breeze. My new favorite coffee spot!“

“We were visiting San Diego for the 4th of July and happened to come across this wonderful coffee shop after walking around for a while. It was the perfect place to relax and take a break. The coffee was excellent, the music created a great atmosphere, and the staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming. Reyna is the best, she is so friendly. We really enjoyed our visit and would definitely recommend stopping by if you’re in the area.“

“My favorite cafe in San Diego. I had an Iced Mexican chocolate mocha is out of this world. My boyfriend had an Iced horchata matcha dirty latte, he absolutely love it. The atmosphere is truly familia and festive. Don't miss this hidden gem.“

“So I literally went to Starbucks (because I had gift cards) and it tasted so bad.

Starting out with that because I come here 2-3x a week now and they have some of the best coffee (decaf too). Aka: I will never be going to Starbucks again. Heartwork 4 life“

“Love this little neighborhood coffee shop. Super nice people and top quality coffee!“

“Todo riquisimo muy amables y atentos“

“The beef noodle soup was super delicious and was enough to feed me and my mother. It contained tone of meat which was really tender and the broth was overall phenomenal. The popcorn chicken was also really good as it wasn’t too big and served as a great snack I would highly recommend coming here.“

“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!“

“There are two Rose Donuts, but this one below USD is the best. The people are the ones who make it or break it; and this team is the best! After the 1st visit, they will know you by your name; and probably after your second visit, they will know your order. They are so friendly and work so quickly to get your order out. Connie works so hard all day and into the late evening, making sure she bake most of the donuts before her shift ends. Anyone who is a local knows that they are dedicated to making fresh donuts every day. Let's not forget their breakfast sandwhich deal that comes with a donut and coffee. Also, the iced Vietnamese coffee just hits hard for me. I always order two, so I can enjoy one and save the other for the next morning. It's just right..not too strong.

Btw...it's not just the donuts that bring in the customers, but it's the positive, family feel, mom and pop vibe that Connie and her team brings each day. I don't know everyone's name but shout-out to Connie, Rowland, Mo, and one other person. They are the best!“

“OMG! BEST FOOFY COFFEES that aren't too sweet. Morgan and the crew turned us on to white coffee. our world has been rocked. the Toasted Turtle is off the charts! And, it isn't often in retail that the service is so personalized and friendly, but it is at California Bean. We felt like family, and drove out of our way several days while on vacation to partake in this hidden gem! can't wait to get back to San Diego. this will be our first stop!“

“Seeing some misunderstandings in the one star reviews, I gotta go to bat for this joint. This is not a Starbucks. This is not a consortium holdings joint. This is a unique and highly curated experience for music lovers, with some nice coffee and food options as well. One commenter below mentioned having customers is the privilege, which in this case I substantially disagree with. The space is meticulously designed and executed with substantial investment, and is unlike any other in San Diego. If you want to experience that you should not arrive here expecting fast casual. For those who appreciate the nuances of quality you will find them here, and your appreciation for the delivery will be rewarded.“

“This coffee spot was just a 5 min walk from our Airbnb. The atmosphere was welcoming, clean, and relaxing. The staff were friendly and attentive, and you can tell they care about quality and customer experience.

To drink, we ordered toasted coconut cold brews, the coffee was delicious, smooth and very flavorful. We also ordered a deluxe avocado toast, and egg salad toast- the sourdough was so good, thick cut, loaded with avocado, arugula, 2 poached eggs and topped with sun-dried tomatoes. Whether you’re looking for a quick coffee run or a cozy place to sit and unwind, this place is definitely worth visiting.

Highly recommend and will absolutely be coming back!“

“When we visit San Diego, we eat here at least 3 times. We absolutely LOVE their bagels (they are heavenly and actually give you a good amount of cream cheese!)I love the look of their merch, my only complaint is that we visit yearly, every single year I try to get merch and they are always “sold out” 😔 I dunno how everything is always sold out every-time I ask the last 8 years. Online they tend to be sold out as well the few times I have looked. It is such a dang bummer. I’d love to support with wearing merch. Still hoping one trip I’ll get lucky and they will have something in stock 😅. Also, their lemonade is super super tart. So if you like it sweet like I do, dont get it. The sugar did not help it at all and I added a ton 😂 The other drinks are good!“

“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!“

“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.“

“I love Better Buzz!! Caleb is awesome and very welcoming! This is also my favorite better buzz location as there is ample seating where I can get some work done 😍“

“Tastylife™️. Would buy treats again.“

“Great coffee, friendly staff and an excelent European breakfast alternative with croissants instead of the traditional mountain of fried stuff.“

“One of the best cafes in San Diego (and that’s saying a lot!). Love the support of local fishermen and other local food options, and the food is absolutely divine. Great place to work, meet a friend, or hang out when they have DJ events. My fiancee and I had a few backgammon and coffee dates there and the vibes were excellent.“

“Freddy and staff not only offer great food, drinks and knowledge. They’re very welcoming and kind. Honestly, this is a place you want to be for a boost mentally, physically and spiritually!“