50 Best Cafes near Santee

“We go to Donutopolis a couple times a month and they are always so friendly and the donuts are delicious! ❤❤“

“Cozy little Cafe. Very clean. Friendly staff. Great coffee drinks. Delicious pastries. Love this place!❤“

“Their avocado toast is bomb!!!“

“The sandwich was good“

“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)“

“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.“

“Todo riquisimo muy amables y atentos“

“Loved Saturday, and Sunday breakfast at Gillespie Field. A great staff of folks, and a must visit if your only on vacation.“

“Great little coffee house in Normal Heights.“

“The best! The food is always spectacular and monstrous portions. The nicest family you will ever meet run the place and the service is excellent. Don’t pass it up.❣️👍🏻👍🏻“

“I don't know what they put in their homefries, but this place belongs in the clean plate club. Maybe cuz they don't throw so so much sodium like a chain breakfast place would so I can enjoy it without feeling like crap afterwards, so thank you. I really do love this place and look forward to my takeouts. (Chicken fried steak was fire, ordered the #16 and added bell peppers and onions to my homefries [highly recommend]). Give this place a try, they've never let me down.“

“We’ve been going to Antique Row Cafe for 20+years. The food is great with ample portions. The service is excellent.“

“Quaint . Great service and food“

“Met Toran at our work event and he shared his story… What an amazing business! Everyone needs to go and try this pudding!!! I will always support a business that supports the community and will always show up when asked! Thanks for the amazing pudding, and for showing up!“

“Me encanto el lugar que es muy familiar♥️“

“Delicious breakfasts 😋 and good service“

“Good matcha, not overly sweet. I prefer matcha bitter. They have so many choices for matcha drinks and fun seasonal flavors.

Alternative (plant based/vegan) milk choices.

Love the patient and friendly staff.

Plentiful seating inside and out. Normally not at all crowded when I go in early evenings, but it can get busy. Still totally worth the wait.

I love that they serve hot drinks without a plastic lid so I can be mindful of plastic consumption.

They also have snacks, sandwiches items for sale.

Thankfully they have a restroom for customers! Definitely a necessity in this neighborhood.

Five 🌟 stars - worth giving a tip.“

“1st time, won’t be the last....“

“Service and food were amazing! Unexpected gem of a little food spot on the 4th floor of an office building. My Gyro burger was great! Very flavorful, thick burger patties, perfect Gyro meat, veggies paired greatly, and the Tzatziki sauce helped tie it all together. Portion was perfect to have the burger by itself without any sides, you can get the half (1 patty) or full like I did (2 patties). The burger plus the Pastrami came out to around $30 and for the amount of food and quality, I’d say it’s a great deal. Will be back for sure to try the many different options that are offered. Too many good choices!“

“Exelente servicio y todo de primera calidad súper recomendado“

“Great customer service and delicious tea!! Love the custom drinks and adding coconut to anything is fantastic. Erica is a great barista and I"ll definitely be back and bring my friends! So friendly, knowledgeable, and professional.“

“Cozy and friendly best coffee ☕️“

“I love La Mesa Bistro team working is very nice, friendly and efficient. It’s clean and you can eat indoor or outside The food is all very good and ready quickly! My favorites açaí be wil and grilled Cheese on sourdough with artichokes and avocado. It’s fabulous- sorry I can’t remember the benefits of it. ?“

“usually a restaurant in a shopping mall is suspect, but the food was Really good and menu was large“

“This place is truly a hidden gem. The sandwiches are tasty and combo is ridiculously affordable. The food is made with love and you can taste it..On top of all that the owner is super sweet. I only wish I had reasons to come out this way more often.“

“Best soup and sandwich in years! Homemade tomato soup on a cold day is just the thing, and this was outstanding. I added ham to the grilled cheese sandwich but don’t bother—you’ll be more than filled up. Mack is friendly and efficient; I didn’t meet the cook but he deserves a raise. This place is just a small deli in an industrial park but that means quick, quiet and with plenty of parking. Highly recommended!“

“El mejor restaurante de comida casera ❤️❤️❤️❤️“

“Great vibe and crowd! Kava is excellent!“

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

“Love, love, love El Cajon Bistro! It really is the best breakfast in town. Almost as if the North Park brunch scene found its way to east county, and I'm so happy it did. I always get a Benedict, the poached eggs are always perfect and the hollandaise is satisfying. The salsa that came with the breakfast potatoes was SO GOOD. I will be dreaming about it until I can have it again. My grandma and I always come here whenever I am in town. Highly recommend.“

“The Live Music and Veteran Owners“

“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!“

“Coffee is really good !! Owners are incredibly nice !“

“My baby girl loves Smoothies and we drive past everyday so figured today we should try it…& I’m so glad we did!! These smoothies are very yummy!! Baby girl drank all of hers and even wanted mine…. We will definitely be back for more soon!“

“I cannot recommend Green Leaf Catering highly enough! They provided an absolutely stunning spread for our annual holiday party, and their dedication to excellence truly made the event unforgettable. From the moment we began planning, their team demonstrated impeccable communication, ensuring every detail was thoughtfully considered and executed.

The food was not only visually impressive but also delicious—our guests couldn’t stop raving about the variety and quality. Every dish was crafted with care, and it was evident that Green Leaf Catering takes great pride in what they do. The presentation was elegant, and the flavors exceeded all expectations.

Beyond the food, the team’s support throughout the process was invaluable. They were flexible, responsive, and a joy to work with, making what could have been a stressful experience feel seamless and easy. Their professionalism and warmth added a personal touch that made all the difference.

Thank you, Green Leaf Catering, for your hard work and dedication to making our holiday party a resounding success. We are incredibly grateful for your partnership and look forward to working with you again in the future!“

“My favorite place to go ... great tasting & friendly stafff :)“

“Best bagels in San Diego county.“

“I’ve been going to lestats since I was just a child really. I haven’t been since 2018 maybe when we moved. But I can tell you I’ve known horrible humans in my life not by choice. But fate led me to John a sweet gay man who ran a 24/7 coffee house. And I’ve loved coffee since age 5. When times were hard a lonely girl could get a hot cup of coffee and use the wifi even and hang out. John took in many of us. I was one of the pre 98-2006 post crew that practically lived here. Idk why John never charged us rent he truly should’ve! Hell he probably could’ve for our cars even. I was pregnant here. They fed me when I was hungry. They kept us warm in the cold months. Lestats was always a shelter in the storm we call life. I was but a passenger for a while. John let me park my Honda accord out back for some time when an alternator wasn’t the only problem even. When I think of angels and I think of gods I think of folks like John. They gave us life without even knowing it. My daughters 20 this year and we’re both alive because of John’s goodness and kindness he has a huge heart most have no clue. He’s just the sweetest man. He was a woven interact part of my life. He’s one of those people who is why I am here today. Because when I needed a safe place in the storm we call life. I could lean on Lestats and John. Whom I knew well. To think my neighbor would lead me here he worked there eventually and was a lady’s man 😂 Travis was his name and I laugh cuz I knew that boy from just a little boy. To see him become a man and even a dad around when I was a mom. Seemed then something was surely in the water 😂 or so we’d all joked. Maybe it was just knowing we had a safe place to land for awhile that truly helped us all survive. But a huge part of that was John! So thank you John. Idk if you remember me or not. But I was that blonde girl with short hair and a damaged heart. 90s-2006 was my life there then I’d come when I was in town very rare then. But I always loved your veggie chili and your sandwiches. And the coffee ☕️ gosh if I miss anything from San Diego it’s Lestats and their amazing teas and coffee and food. Because when I had no home even I always had a safe place to go when the storm of life was crushing me. I met a boy in 2006 and disappeared really. But John was always like family for me. So I wanna thank him for being the light in the dark for a young street kid. Who didn’t have much but I always had enough for a cup of coffee and some safe space to enjoy it. I know it’s been 20 yrs because my baby is 20 now. But we wouldn’t be here without John. Thank you for being a safe place for us in life’s storms.“

“Best coffee in San Diego!!!! ☕️✨“

“Such a cute place. The food was good, service was great, and the coffee yummy.“

“strawberry matcha is the best try one for sure“

“This coffee shop is right when you pull into the Salvation Army Kroc Center. Parking there is busy. There is one parking spot dedicated to the coffee shop - I think it has a 10 minute limit - but that means whoever gets there first can apparently stay there in their car for as long as they want. The coffee shop should look into another spot so people who want coffee don’t have to park across the entire parking lot. Good customer service, coffee is aight.“

“Hit up the New Nutmeg on Danielson Street in Poway. I heard their Scripps location closed because the landlord raised the rent so high it was unaffordable for them to stay there. We were a large group so we were able to order a bunch of menu items. There was a line but its a very popular place so we were not surprised. We started with some espresso drinks, and agua frescas. We had the Hearty Bowl, Avocado Toast, and Amazing Burrito. Some in our group had the new Grandpa's Breakfast Bun with the egg and spam, and the Porky. They are very flexible with special orders including one in our group who is gluten sensitive. We finished, sharing their in-house baked pastries (they have gluten-free pastries); the warmed espresso scones and cinnamon buns (don't ever leave without having the "buns"). I work in the area so Nutmeg is now my go-to for breakfast before work, or lunch. Its also located nearby Costco and Home Depot, convenient for a weekend meal before or after my weekly Costco runs.“

“Swami's has the perfect local vibe with great food and great service! We recommend them to visitors and locals who don't know yet. It is a great La Mesa dining option!“

“Bica was excellent. We ordered the crudo, prosciutto cotto, tuna sandwich, ricotta toast, and the vegetable sandwich, and every single dish was a hit—fresh, well-balanced, and clearly made with care. Everyone in our group loved their food, which almost never happens. On top of that, the employees were incredibly friendly and welcoming, which made the whole experience even better. Can’t wait to come back.“

“Wow what a nice call work they are the best“

“Come for breakfast, stay for the vibes. The absolute freshest orange juice, great service, delicious menu. The new owner personally helped us today and let us know all the updates and hard work he putting in to really make the experience great. What a great alternative to chain coffee/breakfast places. Golden bagel is not only more cost effective than the chain next store it’s made with more love.“

“Great tasting food wonderful service“

“This is a very calm warming coffee shop. The owner is super friendly and welcoming. I can’t wait to go back.“