San Diego coffee shops - Page 3

Talk about your favorite cafes, local barista events, or plan your own get-together.
chococar
Posts: 72
Joined: 12 years ago

#21: Post by chococar »

On my little trip to San Diego, I tried these coffee places:
James Coffee in Little Italy -- Good
Heartwork Coffee Bar in Hillcrest -- Good
Dark Horse Coffee Roasters -- Great technique, but boring beans for espresso (their "espresso grinder" was broken so they were using "pour over beans")
Bird Rock Coffee Roasters on Kettner in Little Italy -- Great. Choice of two very different beans for espresso.
NOTE: this is across the streets from Crack Shack, an amazing chicken restaurant we went to for dinner, and then again for breakfast.
Bird Rock Coffee Roasters on Morena -- got there at 12:05pm on Sunday and they sent me away. I would have thought that people still drink espresso after noon...

Thanks,
Joe

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MNate
Posts: 957
Joined: 8 years ago

#22: Post by MNate »

I'm mid-way through my week in the San Diego area and there are certainly good shops with some nice attributes but overall it makes me realize how good we have it in Minneapolis. Makes me think we should start a thread of best coffee cities, but I digress. So far we have liked James Coffee the best, followed closely by Bird Rock in La Jolla. A strong honorable mention goes to Steady State Roasting in Carlsbad which had a lever machine and really great people and setting and after thinking about it James and Bird Rock weren't that great so Steady State gets my vote for favorite of the week.

I also got a flat white at Moniker over near the Public Market in Point Loma and it was good too. My only real bad experience was at La Costa up near Legoland that may have had decent beans but didn't have skilled people on the espresso machine.

So overall fine but nothing really stands out as must try places.

I added some reviews on the BeanHunter app too, which I do highly recommend.

Some sideways pictures:

Steady State Roasting:


James Coffee:

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MNate
Posts: 957
Joined: 8 years ago

#23: Post by MNate »

Finished my trip today with Dark Horse Coffee Roasters in North Park and got to Chris' Coffee Cycle on our way in to La Jolla. Both were good and friendly. Chris does particularly good work and also has a lever machine (also an Astoria like mine though mine isn't a lever) and he is the only coffee shop I have been to that single doses. Nice. Definitely recommend people finding him in his now permanent location on Grand Ave.


phillip canuck
Posts: 456
Joined: 15 years ago

#24: Post by phillip canuck »

Just to add my affirmation and appreciation for these suggestions - James Coffee was excellent. I had their espresso (twice) and a complimentary cold brew coffee that was the best I have had. During my less than 24 hour stay I didn't have a chance to visit the other recommendations.

Thank you,
Phillip

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