50 Best Coffee Shops in San Diego

“Love the Madi! Incredible service and food is always good. Had the chicken pesto sandwich and breakfast potatoes. I also tried the peach and basil mimosa - a tasty combination that isn't too sweet. Highly recommend this restaurant as my experience is always consistently great.“

“Do I want you to know about Mnemonic? I want the lovely owners to be successful and for their brilliant drinks to be appreciated deeply. But no, I don’t want this gem to get taken over by a crowd. This is not only an LGBT friendly business, but also has become a local community hub for anyone whose life definitely got better after high school. The drinks are unique, well balanced, and served beautifully. The neighborhood hub serves incredible coffee, tea, and a rotation of featured bakers. Don’t let the line out the door intimidate you. However, if you love sweet drinks, you’ll need to ask for a little extra or pop into any of the other shops within walking distance. Add to the kindness, hospitality and accepting environment of community built around the shop. You might make a new friend or two.“

“We have gone to Divo Diva many times since I discovered this place in October the best place ever. The food is great. The coffee is amazing. The dinner OperA shows are outstanding. Never had a bad experience. I wish I knew about this place sooner I have told my friends about this place and they love it as well. We all look forward to the dinner shows. It is just a lovely Rosario and Victoria are genuine and super friendly. We love this place. The atmosphere is fresh and quaint. It is nicely decorated for whatever season or holiday. I love the Roman Holiday poster of Audrey Hepburn on a Vespa. Coming to this place is like an escape and a treat. Oh, speaking of treats, their gelato is the best. Feels like I’m in Italy.“

“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 🫶“

“Wow, I would drive back to San Diego just to have this coffee again. Don’t let the egg coffee cream weird you out. It’s very delicious. It has a sweeter cold foam taste which matches well with the coffee they use here.
I do want to warn that the line gets long! We were in line for about 25 mins but honestly it wasn’t too bad. The inside is small with very very minimal seating. A good thing is that drinks come out fast so no need to wait extra longer for the treat.
Parking in San Diego is a bit tricky but there is a structure a block or two away.
Definitely making this place a must stop every time I come to San Diego.“

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

“Best coffee in San Diego, there is no contest. Try the Sparkling Orange Espresso for a great change of pace.“

“Employees are always friendly and coffee is delicious. Love the empanadas too.“

“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!“

“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)“

“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!“

“The staff at this shop are wonderfully delightful and the food and coffee were very much what a tired traveler needed. My toddler dropped a cup of water that spilled on the ground and within seconds someone came over with a rag to clean it up and then she followed up with me by bringing another full cup for my daughter. Very impressed with the service and offerings. The place was quite busy, which is always a fantastic sign!“

“If you think there's a better coffee place than this, you are wrong. Kim and her crew are brewing and roasting up something special. Quick and efficient should be their motto but it's probably something way cooler than that. I could go on forever about how awesome this place is but I'll let you decide for yourselves, enjoy!!!“

“Todo riquisimo muy amables y atentos“

“I tried their new Biscoff latte with almond milk in a size medium. The total came out to almost $10.

Pros: The latte was overall delicious. I love that they have WiFi for guests. They give you a number for your seating and come over with your purchase. Staff are very friendly and the atmosphere is pretty.

Cons: No restroom for customers and drinks are expensive (worth it for special occasions or if you don’t get coffee at shops that often).“

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

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

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

“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.“

“Sine wave is the place to be!!!! Feels like a little warm home right by the ocean. You can see plenty of cute furry friends, get some work done or catch up with an old pal for hours sitting at their tables. It is a glorious place to be and you must add it to your SD bucket list!“

“the best coffee in San Diego hands down!“

“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!“

“We really enjoyed our meal here! The Pho Nom was my favorite, the broth tasted rich and authentic, and the portion was very generous. The broken rice, chicken wings, and spring rolls were all delicious too. A special thanks to James, who was so attentive and helpful throughout our meal. We’ll definitely come back!“

“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.“

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

“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!“

“oh my goodness…. The food, vibes, staff were exceptional. I cannot express how good the food is. Every dish, every explanation, the experience of this place was just extraordinary. I just would like to say I don’t think I could go back to eating at a different Italian restaurant. My expectations are too high.“

“I am never going to Starbucks again!! Quality coffee for a small price. We got two 12 oz cups of coffee and banana bread for under $15. It tasted like coffee and not like sugar in a cup👌🏾 I have always been hesitant to go because the line of cars seemed excessive. But today, I had time. There were at least six cars in line before I got there and we were through the drive through at the most 10 minutes!! If you can make the trip to good ole Mission Gorge then come on by“

“Tastylife™️. Would buy treats again.“

“I travel a lot and Torque is my favorite roastery in the States. They manage to produce amazing tasting coffee while also having an ethical relationship with their farmers.

More coffee shops should model their practice after Torque.“

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

“My favorite donuts spot!

Let’s start with the donuts, always fresh and soft. The perfect balance of dough and sweetness. My son loves the donuts so much he’s decided to have donuts instead of cake for his birthday. Also, such an amazing variety of bakery items from donuts, muffins, cinnamon buns, cookies, and more. They also have an extensive list of croissant and breakfast sandwiches. If you’re a coffee lover be sure to try the Vietnamese coffee, it’s simply delicious.

I always receive such the happiest service from the man who is usually working the front. The ladies not as friendly as the guy.

The area may be a bit sketch sometimes, but what area in San Diego is not lol. It’s worth the sketch lol!

Prices have went up in the past few months, about a $2 increase on a dozen of donuts. Yikes!“

“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!!“

“Such a great dining experience in the heart of Balboa Park.

Emiliano was our waiter and absolutely made the experience. We let him help guide us through the menu, and he did not disappoint.

We started with the pear and beet salad and masa-fried squash blossoms, then worked our way through the Vietnamese pork meatballs and lamb seekh, and finished with the Wagyu burger. Every dish brought something completely different to the table, which made sharing everything even more fun.

The food was beautifully presented, full of flavor, and just adventurous enough without trying too hard. Add the atmosphere of being right in the heart of Balboa Park, and it made for such a memorable meal.

Definitely ask for Emiliano and let him help you choose you won't be disappointed.“

“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 😍“

“amazing coffe and live the atmosphere“

“Went for first visit to try their coffee and was not disappointed. It was delicious and staff was friendly. Will be returning!“

“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!“

“My son and I came here for the first time for a mini date. We shared an acai bowl and banana bread. I ended up getting an Hawaiian Hawaiian Creme Brulee Latte too. Everything was delicious and the staff was super friendly. There was even a little kids corner for entertainment. we will definitely be going back.“

“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.“

“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!“

“Orange Cardamom Iced Latte is my favorite coffee in the entire WORLD!!! Sooooo addicting!“

“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.“

“Love this place. Great owners, great coffee, great food, fair pricing, go small business!“

“Really delicious coffee and a nice place to spend a while listening to music with a tasty drink. I had the aisu kohi, there was a generous amount of coffee to drink and all of its flavor characteristics (it was a berry co-ferment) got to shine.
Please be mindful that this is a speciality coffee shop and not a fast service cafe.“

“Great little coffee oasis off the beaten path in Old Town. The thrift store furniture gave it a homey feel and I couldn’t stop staring at all the BEAUTIFUL plants!! 😍 The coffee flight is a MUST DO for any coffee lover. The variations of flavors were so unique and tickled my tastebuds. Just say YES to this spot! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“Mystic Mocha has always been a favorite place of mine. It's one of the many coffeehouses in my neighborhood. Although it's changed hands a few times, I was impressed with the breakfast I had yesterday. Yum! AND they certainly have a great sense of humor!“

“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!!“

“Such a great coffee spot, they have a wide selection of coffees and cold brews. They even have a decaf cold brew which I’ve never had and it’s really good. Highly recommend, a great location and reasonably priced. They also have great protein donuts 🍩“

“I had the Mexican Mocha Espresso as a Frappuccino....oh my gosh it was so tasty. San Diego winter warm enough for a cold coffee. I'm feeling so spoiled and lucky. ❤🤍💙“