I was disappointed with the food and service. The staff was all around clueless. Do not order the cannolis.

The lentil soup, house salad and roasted veggie panini is my favorite! I just discovered this place 3 weeks ago and I've already visited 4 times since. I'll definitely keep coming here for lunch at least once a week. Thank you! read more

Let me preface this review by saying I've never actually eaten here, but I wanted to commend one of the workers for what I saw happen today. As I was walking past this cafe, a woman was verbally abusing one of the staff here. I stopped walking my dog in case the situation escalated to a violent situation. The female staff member held her composure and tried to diffuse the situation even so much as to offer remedies to make the woman happy. This did not work as the "customer" continued to treat the staff member inappropriately. A man then walked up clearly with the woman having the complaint and also started yelling at the worker. Not even then did the worker raise her voice or respond in an equally negative way. Once the worker went back into the cafe I stalled a little longer to make sure the couple didn't go inside the cafe to continue their disturbance. I am in awe of the workers poise and respect how she handled the situation. I walk past here quite often and never tried it, but now, I will definitely give this establishment a try since that worker impressed me so much! read more

It took me 6 months to come back to this place after a bad experience. Cafe De L' Opera, my go-to place for croissant, how I miss you so much. I meant to go to a cafe across from here but as I walk by, I told myself.. Damn, I really should give it another try. I am so glad to be back! The flaky crust and the soft inside of a freshly baked croissant, Oh my! its just so good! The vanilla latte was perfectly made, not too sweet, just hot enough... The server was very friendly and she kept the cafe clean. Since then, I've been back a few times. All those times, I had the same best croissant and great service. Thank you Cafe De L' Opera! read more

Cafe De L' Opera - Love Love the croissant! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

4/5 solid stars Man, if you want freshly baked croissants that are made in house, come here! They are flaky and soft inside. I ordered a dozen to be picked up in the morning. I highly suggest to call 24-48 hours ahead of time so they can make them and box them up for you. I ordered regular, almond, and chocolate--all equally delicious :). read more

After much careful consideration, I believe Cafe De L'Opera still produces the best croissants (butter, almond, etc.) in San Diego. It really is the gold standard. They also make great muffins! read more

If you want to have the best coffee and croissants you ever had, then Cafe De L'Opera is your place to go! After going there for the first time, I simply couldn't stop going, their coffee, food and staff are just on another level. Totally would recommend to anyone that's visiting San Diego for sure! read more

Ordered an iced tea it took 20 mins to make with only 1 person behind the counter. i asked for sweet but it isnt, its just plain brewed tea water read more

This is a little slice of Paris in downtown San Diego. We were in town for the SDSU graduation and found this place on our first day for lunch and went back everyday for breakfast. They make everything there except the macaroons. Homemade almond croissant omg so delicious. Go and get the lavender latte with the almond croissant. If I lived in downtown SD, I'd be there everyday! read more

The best French croissants in San Diego!!! Fluffy, buttery, delicious...feel like at any European bakery. Cappuccino and macchiato are both tasty, amazing flavor. Service is great, and everything is new and clean: pretty wood tables in green and orange. Sit by the window for people watching, chances are you will ser many good looking folks considering this cafe is across from posh Fit gym. I am coming back very soon to try the soups and get more of those croissants! read more

See all

I love this place. As a neighborhood local, I prefer it to Copa Vida across the street (I know CVs aesthetic is more modern, but Cafe De L Opera's quality of food/drink is better). I'm gluten free and their selection of gluten free snacks, bread, pastries etc is second to none in east village. They've made grab and go with good allergies a possibility for me again. The new nitro cold brew is AMAZING. Friendly staff. Great selection of food and drink for anytime of day... don't overlook this place from the advice of a faithful local. read more

It's a nice little cafe that's good for an hot almond milk latte and a croissant egg sandwich on a cool morning.

Egg and sausage bagel was lukewarm and took 15 minutes. Coffee was weak and also not very hot.

Ordered the green goddess salad, I had them add a protein of grilled chicken for an extra charge. It was tasty and earthy. Glad I took it home and gave it a good toss w the vinaigrette, which was measured just right. read more

So yesterday my office wanted to order some salads from this place. I went on a huge search online for their website and menu. To my surprise there is not a working website, then to get their menu I found it on their FB page. This is not a printable version so I had to copy/paste it into word so that everyone could easily view it. Annoying but whatever, then I try to find the number to call and make my order. The only number is to their 5th ave. location and it keeps getting sent to their mail box. Finally I decide to just go down and order the food. I tell the cashier about the lack of menus online (and as it turns out in store) and he agrees and cant figure out why they wont take the time to print some up/make them more readily available online. The food takes quite a while (which I was told by the cashier it would) since there were only 2 people working. Then I saw the cashier handling the salads (without washing his hands or wearing gloves) after he had handled payment from a few other customers. Grabbing hand-fulls of lettuce and other toppings and tossing them into the container. I'm fairly certain that's a health code violation. Overall not pleased with this place, it was my first and last time coming here. read more

Good, casual spot for lunch! Lots of yummy salad and sandwich options. As someone who isn't typically a fan of kale, I really enjoy their Kale Caesar Salad. It's offered as one of their side options for $4.50 and it's a pretty good size. Meaning for a light lunch I could just order that and be good. Mostly I do a salad and soup combo or order a smoothie. I've ordered a few of their sandwiches though and they've always been tasty. Have yet to try their breakfast, pastries or coffees, but they have a good array of options. It's a convenient spot if you work nearby and want to grab something fairly quickly. read more

Adorable French style cafe, loved the aesthetic! They had amazing customer service and the food was amazing. I got a salmon avocado croissant and a kale aid smoothie. The salmon croissant was delicious and came with their house salad. The kale aid smoothie was also super refreshing. I also got a free chocolate macaron for checking in and the waiter was so kind she let us try their chocolate chip cookie which was so gooey and warm! Definitely will come back here next time I'm in town! read more

Cute little cafe near Petco Park and Hotel Indigo where I stayed. I had an Iced Chai that was thick, sweet and flavorful and a customized Croissant with ham, fresh mozzarella (instead of Cheddar) and Fig jam (instead of mustard aioli). I also got a free salted caramel macaron with Yelp check in! The lady was very sweet and accommodating and prices were very reasonable especially for a place that prides itself with 100% Organic coffee/tea and freshly baked pastries. read more

Cafe De L' Opera - Chai latte and my customized breakfast: croissant with ham and fresh mozarella, fig jam - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

This place has become my new breakfast spot in downtown. It is located very close to my school and all the items I have tried thus far are delicious! My favorite item on the menu is currently the chicken jalapeño panini. I just can't get enough of it! It is $8 and it comes with either salad or chips. The orange juice is also very delicious. It's not too sweet and not too sour. It's also freshly squeezed. There is also a bathroom available in the restaurant. I think a necessary improvement would be to place one or two trash cans in the dining area so it's available to customers. The only trash can that is behind the counter. Aside from that, this place is a gem! read more

Cafe De L' Opera - Chicken jalapeño panini - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Love this place! Dirty chai and croissant was very tasty. Parking should be difficult but every time I go the spot right in front of the store opens up. Meant to be. read more

I'm so mad that I lived right down the street for over a year before stopping in. A year of not having the BEST almond croissants I've ever tasted. Seriously, this place is one of the best that I've ever been at. The coffee is amazing - my other half says the French Vanilla Americano is the best coffee period that he's ever had. It's so good he doesn't add anything to it. But the pastries - that's the winner right there. All made daily on location and so many different options. The Almond Croissant is no joke, so buttery, the almond taste melts right through, flaky, - now I have to go get one. Do yourself a favor and try this as place out! read more

Quiche was great. Chili was good albeit with overkill on chili pepper. Pastries looked great as did desserts. The croque or apple pie crepe might be next. Friendly staff. read more

Update: owner is named Elena. She is typically there every day I have been in and is sooo sweet and friendly! My boyfriend and I finally tried lunch here and it was BOMB:) the tomato bisque is creamy and one of the best I've had. The Cesar isn't a traditional one but this makes it even better (has avocado, red onions, tomatoes...) The panini was also delicious- will be coming here frequently! They also have a loyalty stamp card for a free drink/lunch after certain amount of stamps. Thanks Elena read more

See all

I heard about this spot from a coworker. I typically go to Copa Vida and I never saw this other spot right across the street from it next to 7-11. I got the Vietnamese ice coffee and it was on point. 20oz cup for 4.75. They acutally have a nice lunch menu and the prices are very very reasonable. Haven't tried the food but I will definitely be back to try it. Great coffee, at even better prices than Copa Vida. Plus the decor of the place is rustic which I think creates the perfect atmosphere to have enjoy a nice cup of coffee. read more

Cafe De L' Opera - Vietnamese ice coffee. Delicious. $4.75. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

They'll toss your salad! Wait. They toss salads for you? No, no. Okay, they will make your own salad for you. Much better. But they will; you can build your own salad per your liking and specifications. Though they have a quaint, intimate space with a similar motif to a European cafe or neighborhood coffee shop, you can order to-go or call ahead. They also have a rather large coffee/latte menu to order off. If that's not your thing, they also almost always have a large cucumber water pitcher available for diners. Though there's no outdoor patio to enjoy the daytime hustle and bustle of downtown, they do have windows you can cozy up to and gaze out from. Also, did I mention that they're extremely affordable? Hey, $8 for a salad is probably one of the best deals you can find for lunch. And if you get to make it to exactly how you want it? Can't get much better than that. read more

Cafe De L' Opera - Rather large size, don't you think? Love it! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Great food, full stop. Seems like their lunch rush is hardcore, they don't have a ton of staff, and the employees deal with a lot of a**holes. Don't add to their stress, just chill out and don't add to their stress. Patience is a virtue. Recommendation: Prosciutto Panini is delicious. read more

Pretty awful experience. Walked in with 2 friends and were the only ones there. I ordered a cup of fruit and a chai latte. My friends also ordered a chai latte and 2 breakfasts. One the cashier recommended, and the avocado toast. The breakfast at the cashier recommended, included a croissant, which my friend proceeded to ask them to not have included. The chai lattes came first, without really a wait. They were delicious. We then waited 45 minutes for my cup of fruit, and the two breakfasts. The avocado toast came very plain, not a lick of salt or pepper, or any other seasoning for that matter. And my other friends breakfast was just embarrassing. Egg and egg whites prepared separately, 2 slices of tomato, and 2 slices of avocado. That was it. Although we were the first ones there we still waited 45 minutes. Can't imagine how long everyone else who showed up after us waited. The cashier even at one point came out from behind the counter to stop people from entering the business to order , they weren't able to accommodate their orders. Apparently the kitchen was extremely backed up before we even got there. Makes zero sense. Definitely won't be back. read more

I sadly have to update my review and subtract a star for Cafe De La Opera. I absolutely love the food. Since my last review I have tried a few more items off of their menu, my favorite being the jalapeno chicken panini. It is delicious and a very fair size. It comes out toasted to perfection on the most delicious bread and oozing with cheese. Most of their meals come with a side of chips or a side salad of your choice and here in lies the problem. During my last two visits I have opted for the side Cesar salad and both times the salad has come out wrong. This wouldn't have been the biggest deal if the food came out at a decent rate, but I feel like the service has become more and more slow. It should not take 30 minutes to receive a sandwich and salad, but it has, with an extra 15 minutes added to receive the correct salad. Please add more crew members during lunch hour. read more

My sibling and I tried this place out and we were pleasantly surprised. Nice staff and awesome croissants! I love the outdoor seating with fresh flowers on the table. We'll be sure to come back and support this quaint bistro. read more

Cafe De L' Opera - Got a macron with check in! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

wow wow wow. this place is amazing. the croissants were so flaky and just the perfect amount of sweetness. Everyone was so nice and welcoming too. They treated us so well. This is the perfect spot to come hangout, relax, and enjoy a delicious pastry. read more

Food is consistently delicious!!! Alina's menu selection contains a great variety to choose from...breakfast, coffee, lunch and dinner or just a pastry or two!!! I'm a regular at L' Opera and will continue to support Alina and this great place! read more

This place is so cute! Where it's located is in a nice area of downtown. The environment is lovely, how it's set up, the flowers and the service they give is excellent! So friendly. I tried their croissant and it tasted really good! Except the hot latte was ok. This place is almost perfect, it's just a bit pricey but besides that it's a nice place to stop by and enjoy! :) read more

Cafe De L' Opera - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Delicious cafe. Their crossiants are fluffy and buttery and their paninis are a good size for lunch. Great for a to go lunch or if you're craving a coffee with a treat to go with it. read more

I have lived within walking distance for over 2 years and I'm not sure why I hadn't tried this cafe sooner! I ordered an omelette that came with a side salad for breakfast (which is served until 1:00 by the way) and it was DELICIOUS! The omelette was one of the best I've ever had and the salad, so simple but amazing! I will definitely be back to try the other menu items! The customer service was great too. I can't wait to sit down inside and enjoy a meal after covid restrictions are lifted. read more

Had a cafe au lait, macaron, and ham and cheese croissant. The macarons were not good but the croissant and coffee were exactly what I was looking for. The lady behind the counter was very nice. Place was clean. Service was good and timely. No complaints (other than the macaron). Would definitely go again. Reminded me of Paris. read more

Cute place to eat if youre looking for a wrap, soup, salad, or panini. They also have a little bakery. My organic quinoa salad was good but the portion was a little small for $9. Also, it took a while to come out with my food because it was short staffed but the lady was very nice read more

See all

Best breakfast sandwich! We had lamb sausage with tomatoes. And croissants fresh out of the oven. Nice cortado too read more

Cafe De L' Opera - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Food is good , service is good They have the best croissant with blueberries and cheese that is very delicious ! Good lunch options as well . The only reason why I didn't give it 5 stars is because they are a bit slow sometimes but also it's expected , so definitely call to order if you're in a hurry . read more

Awesome coffee shop.. a little bit of Paris found in Downtown San Diego. They bake in house, so their choc croissant was to die for. I'm such a fan!! read more

Cafe De L' Opera - Cute place to have a coffee and the most amazing baked pastries!! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

First timer experience was excellent! Got the chicken jalapeño panini and it's one of the best I've ever had! I went at lunch hour and it wasn't too busy, so the prep time was quick! :) read more