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    Communal

    3.9 (56 reviews)
    Open 6:30 am - 5:00 pm

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    Spicy turkey bagel sanwhich
    Amanda S.

    Woah- the audacity to charge $7 for cold brew from a carton is mind blowing. I ordered the mint cold brew and was kind of floored to see them use store bought coffee. Their "house made" mint syrup has a very "artificially sweet" taste. I also ordered the spicy turkey bagel sanwhich which was basically just sliced deli turkey, avocado, melted cheese and a bland sauce. There was a slight spice, but the avocado wasn't seasoned and that's my number one pet peeve. Both things could have easily been made at home and definitely didn't justify a $25 price tag.

    Peter T.

    I'm not a picky coffee gentleman. Black tea, iced or hot, that's my vibe. I used to be an aeropress / pour over guy though. The food here, that's what crushes all. It beats Izola imo. While Izola leans towards the sweeter side Communal has some of the best savory breakfast item's i've had at a smaller coffee shop. Avacado toast - incredible quality. Bread is not overly toasted, not flimsy and mid. It's perfect. The avacado is not all brown and poopy, its bright and perfectly ripe. The crushed red peppers on top make it. My sausage sandwich was the best I've had. We all like McDonalds sausage mcmuffin things. Imo that's an 8.5 out of 10. This is a 15 our of 10. Similarly sized, 3x flavor + there is some maple butter club sauce or something. It's not necessary but it adds a nice touch. The bonus here is the playground. It's primarily for little ones. 3 and under. My nearly 7 year old son lost attention quickly, my almost 4 year old daughter was entertained for a bit. Lots of little 2 year olds though doing their thing. One downside are the tables right outside the cafe and no organized line system. Super small downsides though, but noticble.

    Canary H.

    What a lovely space to do work or catch up with an old friend over coffee with. There is plenty of street parking, but be sure to get here early to secure a spot. The coffee shop is right across the kid's park and athletic work out area. It's a half outside, half inside place. The menu is simple and the coffee is made to order. My fiancé got the Gold Coast and I had the honey lavender latte. The Gold Coast wasn't bad and was a tad bit sweet. The lavender latte was perfect. The cashier also gave us little passes that we had to keep on our table in order to work at the beautiful hall that's connected to the apartments. It was quiet in there and the music wasn't overbearing. We got a lot of work done. WiFi was also provided. The food itself was also good and very filling. The portions were big and generous. Overall, the coffee shop and the study area itself was magnificent. Highly recommended for anyone who needs some work space.

    Sweet Mint Cold Brew and Golden Coast
    Taylor C.

    My Instagram feed has been funneling this place into my brain, so I finally went out to try it. Parking is limited, so I recommend getting here early or getting lucky finding a spot. Once you order your drink, there is a nice area next door to chat, drink, or work. There is free WiFi and plenty of outlets as well as tables to sit at. I was first drawn to this place because of how aesthetic their working space was, which did live up to the hype. The design and decor of the interior made me feel cozy especially with their nice selection of plants. The baristas are friendly and helped us choose our drinks. My friend and I got the golden coast and the sweet mint cold brew. The golden coast was light on the sweetness and had subtle hints of honey and sea salt. I felt that it lacked flavors and could be stronger. The mint cold brew impressed me however, as the mint stood out providing a refreshing taste in the sweet drink. Although I did not enjoy the drinks, this place is an amazing spot to work if you're in the downtown area.

    Adriana A.

    Gold Coast is one of my favorite espresso based drinks I've had in San Diego. It's espresso with honey and sea salt and topped with oat milk! Perfectly sweet and salty I've also had their ceremonial matcha and brown sugar latte, both delicious Communal shares seating with the apartment complex next door named Kaya. On the weekends there can be a wait to get seating but I think it's worth the wait if you want a beautiful space to get some work done or enjoy some reading.

    Sign Post
    Emmett T.

    The newest branch of Communal Coffee is on the ground level of the Kaya Apartments in Bankers Hill. It's practically at a cul de sac with the suite facing north overlooking Olive Street Park in the distance. There was free parking on the opposite side of Third Ave where I was able to snag an open spot. A few small round tables were arranged in front of the suite, but the inside was only set up for ordering. There was a common area to the left (east) of the business where you could hang out, but I felt like it belonged to the apartment residents. See some of the other reviews for the details on the conditions to use this space. Three menu boards hung above the service counter. The left one featured coffee, espresso, and lattes. The middle one listed the matcha and non-coffee drinks. The right one contained the food offerings and was considered a seasonal menu. I picked a Lemonade from the middle board and the last item on the food menu which was a Harvest Bowl. The drink was available as plain, with lavender, or sparkling. I stuck with plain, but in hindsight I should have chosen lavender because my version was bland and not very tart either. The contents of the bowl were potatoes, sausage, broccolini, soft egg, sriracha mayo, and chives. The best parts were the broccolini and soft egg which was placed on top. For the $16 price tag, the serving size was small, and that was being generous. Communal is a convenient stop for those who live in or near these high-rise apartments. Based on the quality and cost of my order, I gave a three star rating.

    Cortado
    Jack M.

    I had a very nice cortado from this new Communal Coffee located in Banker's Hill. The cortado was smooth and rich and offered a very good coffee flavor. Customer service was friendly and welcoming. There's inside seating at this location, but I think there's a minimum purchase to sit inside the apartment lobby. There's an outside patio with several tables right outside and there's a small community park right next door. They offer some baked goods provided by a local bakery, and toasted bagels with toppings. Good cortado.

    Outside
    Zana K.

    Ample seating available, mainly indoors but some outdoors as well. Perfect for those WFH or studying. Park nearby gives this location a comforting vibe. They have all the same menu items as the other locations. I had the banana carmel latte and the maple sausage breakfast sandwich and both items were delicious. If youre in the area or live in the complex above, this place worth the stop by.

    07/2025 menus
    Henri V.

    Communal coffee has branched out into the Bankers Hill area and opened its forth shop. Parking was a bit of a challenge, only street parking. Sharing ground floor space with Kaya, a newish residential apartment building and collaborated to share the lobby for indoor space for Communal customers with conditions: you must purchase from Communal at least $7 and only stay a max 2 hours. And just like the other Communal locations, the indoor seatings were all occupied by lots of solo people on their laptop nursing one drink. It was a sunny morning and the outdoor seating with umbrellas for shade was great. A community mini park is conveniently next to this shop, for kids and pets to enjoy. From the menu, I ordered one of the signature drinks; a Golden Coast iced latte with oat milk and an avocado toast. I requested a couple dashes of cinnamon to my drink, which was prepared rather quickly by John. The golden coast iced latte tasted ok, nothing special and wasn't as strong as I prefer and was mostly ice. The avocado toast looked ok, nothing fancy but the taste of rosemary herb was overpowering and a turn off. The description of this item on the menu does not mention rosemary herb at all. Sadly, rosemary herb is NOT a flavor I want in my avo toast, which appeared to have been added to the butter, which was spread on the toast. :( I ate the avocado, sans toasts :( and not worth it. The menu should offer more information as to the contents in food. I'm glad Communal coffee shop opened in this side of Bankers Hill as most of the coffee shops and restaurants are on Fifth Street and don't offer nice seating next to a mini park. A welcome addition to the neighborhood and community.

    Kaya Seating
    Jessica D.

    What we ordered | blood orange mint chiller Taste | not the sweetest drink but fruity and refreshing Service | drinks were made quickly Parking | street Notes | they have shared seating with Kaya apartments. To sit inside, you need to spend $7 minimum and you can stay there for 2 hours. Variety of seating inside and dog friendly but they just can't be on the rugs. If it's busy you can sign up on a waitlist to get seated inside. Communal has outdoor seating as well with shade umbrellas.

    Golden coast
    Roxanne H.

    The service was great and the coffee was delicious! The inside seating that you see in pics isn't technically for the coffee place (I think it's for the apartment complex) and the front desk told us we needed permission from the coffee shop to sit in there, so we just opted for outdoor seating to make it less complicated. My friend and I both got the golden coast coffee. Mine came out to a little over 9 dollars with tip which is very pricey. I'm not sure if i'll be back but if I happen to be in the area and in need of coffee I may.

    Marci T.

    Went to Communal Coffee on a Saturday -- kind of busy but not exactly what you see on Instagram or TikTok. It's a small spot connected to an apartment building, and if you order a coffee you can hang out in their lobby. Not quite what I expected from online pics, but it worked out fine. I had my baby with me, so we got a couple of looks, but I get it -- a lot of people are there to chill or get work done. Overall, it's a nice little place and I'd come back, especially to try one of their breakfast sandwiches. The menu actually looks pretty good.

    Golden coast latte 1000/10. It's shaken- TRUST, just quick to separate
    Halle J.

    I had no idea there was a communal coffee here and honestly I never would've gone based on my experiences at the other locations (not bad just nothing special). However, my friend recommended the golden coast latte as well as the seating area- this location and the latte are great! The golden coast latte has the best salty sweet flavor, if you don't like salt - it's not for you! The first sip is always strong but gets more delicious as you get used to it. This is one of my go to spots now and I love that they open at 630am. I've seen the same rotation of baristas and they're always friendly, fast, and helpful! Also, they ALWAYS shake my drink which I appreciate considering so many places skip that step and it does make a difference The picture makes the latte seem like they don't, but trust they do, the espresso just separates fast but it's well incorporated and a lil shake quickly blends it The location! You can ask to sit inside the building it's attached too and it's a great place to study or read. Good lighting and always clean. There's also outside tables and a little park, it's such an unsuspecting location and so nice to have in the area.

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    2 months ago

    The shop is really cute, the drinks are more on the expensive side but are really yummy, definitely coming back.

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    9 months ago

    Great coffee and even better service. Sydney is super nice and helped me find the perfect coffee!

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    LONGPLAY HiFi

    4.7
    (94 reviews)
    2.3 mi

    The best coffee in california! Hidden cafe but amazing!!!…read moreMust try it. All drinks are all good Service is good Vibes are good Everything is good

    Street parking only, very scarce. No obvious signage, look for writing in the window. They have a…read morering type camera door system. Wait outside on the sidewalk (no exterior seating) and someone will come to take you inside. Do not ring the door bell. The theme is to take it slow. Each customer typically waits 20-30 minutes to enter as part of how they do things, even if there is open seating inside. Not sure if they use a timer to space entries but it seems consistent. They take one group in at a time. Interior: A few tables around the wall and then bar seating. Would not recommend for parties greater than 2, there just isn't the space. They welcome service animals, babies/children and strollers from what I observed. The music was very, very loud. It was difficult to hold a conversation. I did not see a bathroom. Ordering process: After seating you wait for a little bit for them to bring small water cups and a QR menu with a table number and a set of rules. They do not have a physical menu, you must use your phone to order. Cell phone reception was dicey and took a long time to load. They have an interesting concept where you have a digital 'tab' open on their toast website. Unfortunately you must provide your full name, email and phone number. They have pour over drinks (note these can take 15-20 minutes), matcha, Hojicha and others. You may only order one drink per person at a time. They have a small snack menu with rotating foods. They use oat milk only. No substitutions allowed. After mobile ordering, drinks take 20-30 minutes as part of their take it slow vibe. Matcha $8 is from Paru tea and was very good. Hojicha $8 was too milky and didn't have a strong enough flavor. When you are done you walk to the register by the door and wait to be checked out. If they are making a drink you wait until they are finished. I wasn't really a fan. Staff were brusque. Music was too loud to converse.

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    Flowers on the table
    Flowers on the table
    Matcha and Hokkaido
    Matcha and Hokkaido
    Counter

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    Counter
    Asa Bakery & Cafe

    Asa Bakery & Cafe

    4.1
    (984 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Certified professionals

    Arrived here, a short walk from the Pendry Hotel where we're staying. Right on the corner with nice…read moreclean open space interior, AC & fans. They have baked goods as well as sandwiches u can order. Someone will ask u if u want baked goods first then u go down the counter to order drinks and sandos. Got the everything mochi bagel with cream cheese and the egg & chicken katsu sando. Everything mochi bagel 5/5: so fluffy and light yet still tastes like a bagel. Can be a lil salty on the top where the salt is but contrast with parts that dont have it. Egg sando 5/5: yummy and filling, has cucumber and the milk bread is thick and so fluffy! Chicken katsu sando 5/5: my favorite. I love the spicy mustardy sauce not sure if it's in the actual brown katsu sauce or separate mustard. My bf didnt like it but i loved it! Chicken also juicy and soft. The milk bread is so fluffy and lil sweet and perfect pairing. Interior has lots of tables and seating and they they also have an outdoor patio and they clean the tables frequently which is nice. Recommend!

    ASA Bakery is a Japanese-inspired bakery that focuses on fresh baked goods, pastries, and…read morecafé-style items with a mix of traditional favorites and creative flavors. We walked into a modern space with a clean, inviting layout that makes it easy to stop by for a quick pastry or pick up a few things to share. The selection is one of the biggest draws, with everything from classic Japanese breads to savory items that make it feel like more than just a dessert stop. The display cases are well organized, and the visual appeal of the baked goods adds to the experience before you even order. The pastries are where ASA Bakery really stands out. The curry pan is one of the highlights, with a crisp exterior and a savory filling that makes it a satisfying snack rather than just a bakery item. The croissants are also worth trying, especially the matcha croissant, which has a buttery flaky texture with a matcha filling that adds a slightly earthy flavor without becoming overly sweet. The matcha comes through clearly, and the croissant itself is well laminated, with the right amount of crispness on the outside and a soft, airy interior. The melon pan is another classic option that delivers the soft bread interior and lightly sweet cookie-like topping that makes it a staple in Japanese bakeries, staying true to the traditional version while feeling freshly made. The savory menu adds another reason to visit, especially the katsu sandos. The cutlet sandwiches have a nice balance between the crispy fried filling and the soft bread, making them one of the more memorable items on the menu. The bread stays soft and pillowy, and the cutlet holds its crunch even against the sauce, which is a detail that often gets overlooked. Items like the hojicha latte and other drinks pair naturally with the pastries, making ASA Bakery feel like a place where you can sit down and enjoy a full café break rather than just grab something quickly. The drink menu is thoughtfully curated and complements the baked goods without competing for attention. Service is friendly and the bakery has a welcoming atmosphere, although popular items can sell out depending on when you visit. The staff are knowledgeable about the offerings and happy to guide you through the selection, which is helpful given the range of choices. The shop gets busy, especially during peak hours, so going earlier gives you the best chance to see the full selection. The pace of the visit stays comfortable even when the line forms, and the team handles the flow efficiently. ASA Bakery is a great spot for anyone looking for Japanese-style baked goods with a mix of sweet and savory options. The combination of quality pastries, unique flavors, and a comfortable café setting makes it a place worth returning to, whether you are picking up a quick snack or settling in for a longer break. It delivers on both the familiar classics and the more creative offerings, leaving you with the sense that you have found a bakery that takes its craft seriously.

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    Asa Bakery & Cafe
    Asa Bakery & Cafe
    Asa Bakery & Cafe

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    Communal - cafes - Updated June 2026

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