Achilles Coffee in the Carmel Valley area has become one of those coffee shops I can always count…read moreon. It's consistently clean, quick, and most importantly, the coffee is excellent. What really makes this location stand out, though, is the staff. Everyone is friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely personable. They remember an impressive number of regular customers by both name and order, which gives the place a neighborhood coffee-shop feel that's becoming harder to find. Natalie especially deserves recognition. She's consistently outstanding, friendly, attentive, personable, and always makes you feel welcome rather than like you're simply the next order in line. Great coffee gets you through the door, but employees like Natalie are what keep you coming back. The location itself is always clean, there's plenty of outdoor seating, and parking is incredibly easy. Between the consistently great coffee, quick service, and staff who actually care about their customers, Achilles is easily one of my go-to coffee spots in the area.

Stopped by today for coffee and breakfast with a friend. Coffee and food were great! Their vanilla…read morecinnamon latte was a great recommendation from my friend. I went with a create your own bagel sandwich and it hit the spot! It was pretty busy for a weekday but we got our food and drinks in a timely manner. However, service could be improved. Noticed the bus boy/server was cutting through customers in a very rushed/rude manner-not really saying anything and almost appearing as if he wanted to push us out of the way. Caught him rolling his eyes at a customer. When he came to our table with our bagels, he just sat the plates down without acknowledging us or even saying a word. Must be a Gen Z thing idk.

Love Mostra so my family and we decided to make a quick pitstop for a pick me up. Upon our arrival,…read morewe saw a sign stating that the shop was closed momentarily for the barista's lunch break and would be open at a certain time. Understandable so we all waited outside. However a good 10-15 minutes passed after the stated time that they'd reopen. The barista kept making eye contact with us, all while staying seated. We're all for taking your government mandated break, but maybe leave a realistic or updated time when you'd be back for service next time?

Came in on a Sunday morning. The location was in an office building situation, which was out of the…read moreway of most stores. Parking was relatively easy, since the medical office seemed to be closed on the weekends. Coffee was amazing! We got the One Brazilian Coconuts Cold Brew and an Ice vanilla latte. All syrups are made in house, besides the carmel (I believe), and the roast complement the flavor of the house made vanilla. For the coconut cold brew, surprisingly it worked really well! The coconut wasn't overpowering and I didn't expect it to be so refreshing. For the interior, they had a couple tables and bar seats. I was only able to see 2 outlets, and I would definitely study here since it doesn't seem to get too busy or distracting.

Parking structure with free parking. Was busy the day we went. Staff the helpful. On the higher…read moreprice point, even the regular pour over coffee was $6 so I opted for a drink they are known for, the Iced Nola for $7 and the banana bread for $6.50. It may be because I'm older but despite it being well made and tasty, this would be more of a when I am looking to splurge kind of purchase. Everything was excellently made for what it's worth

I enjoyed the Iced Nola, cold brew single origin, and the lattes, but the single origin espresso…read morecould have used more crema. Ordered 6 drinks and they all came out in intervals. 2x cold brews came out first, then the Iced Nola, then the lattes, then maybe 10 minutes later the single origin espresso came out. I found out this visit that Blue Bottle has an app now to earn rewards every time you order!

I've been waiting to try this place for soooooo long! I'm so glad I get to finally try their…read moredonuts! Ambiance was top-notch--the smell of donuts will hit you the moment you pull their door open. It was bright and inviting inside. Their aesthetic was a blend of modern minimalist, and I loved it. Service was quick and staff was very friendly. She was patient and cheerfully offered recommendations, which we beyond appreciated. She also offered some samples of some of their donuts and they were pretty much fresh off the oven. And speaking of donuts... oh, the donuts were HEAVENLY. They were all still warm when we got them in our box. Every single one we got was soft, pillowy and decadent with just the right amount of sweetness. Some of them were so unique that I never thought it'd work well being a donut, but it did! Flavors we tried: Passionfruit Pavlova Mango Sticky Rice Choc-a-lot Maple Bacon Butter & Salt Old Fashion Saigon Cinnamon Crumb The biggest surprise was the Mango Sticky Rice--very unique and tasty at the same time. It was a donut and a dessert in one. My favorite was the Maple Bacon--sweet & salty is always a winner for me, but it was the bacon that was crunchy and NOT old & chewy that really brought this one home for me. I already see us coming back here soon. Next time though, I'd love to try one of their coffee drinks too!

$5 per donut but honestly SO worth it. Literally the perfect amount of breadiness/chew/even crunch…read moreon a donut. I got the old fashioned and it was perfectly sweet, not overly sweet at all. Paired really well with their cold brew, but it was a bit on the bitter side. Next time I would try a donut with an iced americano to cut the sweetness instead. I love that they have rotating flavors and specials, Wednesdays they have cinnamon rolls and Fridays they have apple fritters. Employees were very friendly, line moved fast too.

**Update:** I realized I hadn't updated my review in a few years!…read more I've been coming to this Philz location for about five years now, and it's still my favorite. Unfortunately, San Diego still doesn't have a Philz, so La Jolla and Del Mar are the closest options. Between the two, I prefer this location because it's a little more spacious. Inside, they have a large communal table, a handful of smaller tables, and a few comfortable lounge chairs. There are also plenty of outdoor tables if you prefer to sit outside. It definitely gets busy, especially in the mornings, so finding an indoor seat isn't always easy. Even so, it's one of my favorite places to work remotely when I can grab a spot. As for the coffee, it's still my favorite. My go-to order is a half Philtered Soul and half Jacob's Wonder with cream on the side. I love that every cup is brewed fresh to order. There really isn't another coffee shop quite like Philz. The freshly ground beans and pour-over style brewing make such a difference, and it's one of the main reasons I keep coming back. If you're looking for a place to work, catch up with a friend, or simply enjoy a great cup of freshly brewed coffee, this location continues to be one of my favorites.

I've visited this Philz Coffee in the Carmel Valley area a few times on work trips to San Diego and…read moream always impressed with his friendly the staff is, but most important... how great the coffee tastes! I took a work colleague with me to this location today after taking a work break from the office. We both got a large cold brew and both of us raved at how tasty and refreshing the drink flavor was! I will definitely stop by this Philz again the next time I'm in town.

Awesome Indian chai in the cutest hidden gem both indoors and outdoors. Loots like a place located…read morein posh suburbia very adequate for moms with small kids as they have also cute tables and chairs for them and a small garden with vegetables and herbs growing outside. Lots of space and very pleasant wall paint. Dot Cafe is also pet friendly, at least with dogs. A very nice spot for healthy food and drinks, and everyone was super friendly.

This was my puppy's very first outing and we were pleased with this pet friendly cafe. They had…read moretables indoor and outdoor, and pets were welcome in both places. It was a nice day, so we opted for one of the comfy sofas outside. There were tables and chairs, as well as lounge chairs, sofas, and low tables. For active pets, there's a wooden deck play area. For this visit, I ordered the Açaí bowl and a cappuccino. I loved the presentation of my açaí bowl and the assortment of fresh fruits (strawberries, blueberries, and bananas). It also had dried dates, honeycomb, hemp seeds, pistachios, coconut flakes, toasted oats, and cacao nibs. My pup loved the blueberries! The cappuccino was good, but was rather small. My friend ordered the Akuri Wrap, side of sourdough toast, and Desi Chai. She thought the wrap could've used a pinch of salt. The Desi chai was nicely flavored, but was a bit grainy. The sourdough was notably one of the best we've had, and we wondered where these were made. Overall, we enjoyed our visit and look forward to coming back. Service was friendly

The employee who helped me decide what to get--he was so kind and helpful! So I ordered the Golden…read moreSaffron Latte, asking him for his recs on the sweetness adjustment since I usually get 0% sugar in East Asian milk teas. He suggested getting 100% but said that I could try 75% and then see if I liked it. It was SO SAFFRONY and full of spice, with a bitter aftertaste, I really wish I liked it. It was so unique because the drink doesn't rely on sugar to give it taste, unlike so many drink places in SD. The flavor wasn't up my alley, so he replaced my drink with an iced Signature Karak Chai (which he'd given me a sample before). :) And before he left his shift, he even asked me if I wanted any adjustments to my chai! I appreciated that especially as a non-coffee drinker. 11/10 service. I also ordered the Ras Malai Milk Cake. Keep in mind I really don't like tres leches so I had really low expectations for the soaked cake lol. It was actually really good! The cream wasn't super sweet, and it was topped with sliced nuts. The soaked milk in the cake actually paired well with the cake. There's both outside and inside seating, a few outlets next to the booths, and plenty of parking in the plaza. I'll def be back!

Ambiance..chill place with comfy decor and plenty of parking…read moreService..fast and friendly..love how they have water station and utensils are out Food..amazing..the chai had good flavor and loved it ice with saffron cream. The rasmalai cake was so soft and good flavours like rasmalai

This place is everything you need in a quick coffe stop. They have plenty to choose from yet simple…read moreenough that you don't need a half an hour to go through the menu. My 16 oz iced latte $5.75 came out perfect. I think the highlight for me was they do not ask for a tip. It's a simple tap and go. Love that.

Vibe/Interior: A hidden gem in the Del Mar area and seems to be a local fav. It's part of a larger…read moreplaza and tucked away in the corner. Plenty of seating on the patio and is dog friendly. Standouts: We ordered 2 flat whites iced with almond milk. So delicious! We'll be back again. Their almond milk is thicker and is almost creamy! Service: A barista took our order from a window on one side of the shop and then our order was called out and placed on a cart on the other side. Friendly and happy staff! They even offered a treat to our pup. Parking: Street parking & residential parking. Restroom: None in the plaza but you can go to the library or civic center nearby.

This milk tea was absolutely delicious! The boba was perfectly cooked, soft, chewy, and just…read moreright. I got my drink at 30% sweetness, and it was honestly perfect- not too sweet and not lacking sweetness at all. Exactly what I wanted! I went on a Monday afternoon and only waited about five minutes max to place my order. The staff inside were also so nice and welcoming. Such a great spot for a refreshing milk tea! And there are other great places nearby too (The Melt if you're craving a good burger, or Sidecar for the most delicious donut to enjoy alongside your milk tea)

We just found our newest favorite bubble milk tea shop!!…read more We actually passed by last week, but the line was insanely long and we were pressed with time, so we weren't able to go. This time, we were lucky enough as the line wasn't too long. I absolutely loved the chic, minimalist aesthetic of the place. It was clean, bright and lively inside. The staff who helped us was very friendly and enthusiastically explained differences in drinks as it was our first time trying their stuff. Service was also fairly quick. What we tried: Black Jade Milk Tea Creamomo with B&W Boba Cocoa Latte Creamomo with Brown Sugar Boba Matcha Cortado Creamomo The drink that stood out to me the most was the Cocoa Latte Creamomo--it tasted like the perfect and most indulgent iced chocolate drink you'll ever have in your life and not get sick of it. The cheese foam on top just added more depth and complexity to the flavor of the drink. We asked for the sugar level to be at 80% and thought that sweetness was just right. Another thing of note--if you are a matcha lover, please, for the love of everything holy, get their Matcha Cortado. We got ours creamomo style and it was DIVINE. The matcha flavor was bold and intense without the drink getting overly earthy or bitter. We chose to have this drink at 100% sugar level and it was *perfection*. Their boba was also pretty much how you'd want your boba in every bubble tea drink to be--soft and chewy without that irritatingly hard center. Chef's. Kiss. Overall, we were incredibly happy and buzzing after getting to try this place. We're already itching to go back and get more!!

My colleagues and I wanted to enjoy coffee with view. One of my colleagues took us to this spot. We…read morewere truly blown away. First off, parking can be tricky but we were able to find street parking easily. As soon as we walked in, we felt peaceful. The ambiance was welcoming. They had a good outdoor patio with a view of the water body. I got the iced matcha pineapple latte. My colleagues got the regular cappuccino. Our drinks came out fairly quickly. The cappuccino had beautiful coffee art with a swan. My matcha tasted good. And more than anything it was colorful. The views from the patio were beautiful and we had a great time! If you are looking for good coffee, coupled with great views, this is the spot to explore!

From the second that you walk in to Bird Rock Roasters you know that you stumbled across something…read morespecial! Everyone is friendly and helpful. They have plenty of seating. It's sparkling clean. And, the coffee is incredible! You couldn't ask for a better place to start off your day at. The store is located right near the ocean, so you can smell the salinity in the air. The store itself is modern, sleek with lots of seating available. So, sit down and stay for a while or take one to go. They are passionate about what they do. So, get ready for a tasty treat. I got an iced decaf latte decaf and a drip coffee. My favorite was the iced decaf latte. From the first sip to the last drip. I savored every last sip of that delicious drink. It's creamy, dreamy, and delicious. With a bold perfect coffee flavor. Pure perfection! Also, I love taking home a cup of coffee for the next day. And, a pound of coffee to share. Trust me when I say that this coffee is incredible! You'll want that extra coffee. So, next time you see a Bird Rock. Stop by for a tasty treat! You won't regret it.