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    Lightbulb Coffee

    4.0 (630 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 6:00 pm

    Order Lightbulb Coffee Takeout or Delivery

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    LIGHTBULB COFFEE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Lightbulb Coffee

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    Reviews With Photos

    Reuben
    Jade C.

    Menu changed. My roasted red pepper panini is no longer on the menu and prices have gone up. I ordered the reuben sandwich for lunch instead. It was good but I would not pay $15.50 for it again. I think all sandwiches should come with house chips or a bag of chips. The strawberry vanilla smoothie is still good and a fave! Love it:) I like the decor near my table and love that the restaurant is consistently clean, kind service and quiet. I don't like the 2.5% credit card use fee. It's so annoying. I hope they start offering discounts for cash or debit transactions.

    Crumbs of food just sitting here. Nobody cleaning this place.
    Bobby M.

    Like the 3rd time we've been here but this time I had to write a review. We walk in, and order, everything is cool. When we go to sit down there's literal crumbs of food on the benches, food all over the tables, waited 15 minutes for our order even after people got theirs. When we went up to get our order, we noticed like 5 workers just sitting there shooting the shit. It looks like it's run by people who care more about chilling out instead of actually working. I'm

    Best cookies ever! Hunt up this La Mesa coffee shop in San Diego. Your belly will thank you!
    Erika T.

    Stumbled upon this coffee house on the Too Good to Go app when looking for a snack while in the area. Loved the chocolate chip muffin (semi-sweet chocolate, but more of a biscuit consistency, not sweet, just satisfying). And let's talk cookies...absolutely the BEST sugar cookie and oatmeal raisin cookie that I have ever had. Again, not too sweet, but full of satisfying flavor. If you haven't been, swing by and give them a try!

    Catalina G.

    The service here was really good. The coffee was to die for, there is a Middle Eastern spin off of this place and I'm not sure what type of Middle Eastern it is, but it brings a unique ambience to the environment and the flavors are very good and unique. It's a decent size café and there's good seating and it would be a great place to do homework.

    Strawberry,  banana, pineapple smoothie. Was a struggle to even drink this much. Ended up tossing it.
    Jessica S.

    I'm not sure if ownership has changed but it was definitely a different visit/ experience and quality of drink than I've had before. I frequently visit as I go to Pilates nearby and usually come here for an after class drink. I have gotten the strawberry banana smoothie add pineapple before and it was great. Very flavorful. Today I got it and it was not enjoyable at all. I didn't get anywhere near close to drinking even a third of it. It tasted so watered down and had no flavor at all. It also took 20 mins to get the smoothie. It wasn't that busy and they had a lot of workers behind the counter so not sure why the long wait. The barista who made my drink wasn't super friendly either. Just tossed drink on counter. I'm sad because I loved to visit but I think I may have to find another after class treat now.

    Elisa N.

    LIGHTBULB COFFEE This place was highly recommend by my friend's mentor, and this place is a hit! The place itself is so wide, spacious, and very welcoming. The pastries at the front are mouthwatering, and I had to get the pistachio crossiant and almond which were a must! Coming to a total at about $7 each, it isn't super bad. I love the strawberry matcha, it was so delicious, however was a bit too sweet but i'd adjust it next time. The flavor was there and it came to be about $7. Service is welcoming, the owner, Naba is extremely kind and nice! She's always there and is happy to help you. Overall, the place was amazing, parking states it is an hour however usually no one checks. Pretty simple and at a plaza.

    Grace F.

    First time going and the atmosphere is amazing. Very tastefully decorated and a great place to sit down and get work done for a few hours. I got an iced chai tea latte, pistachio croissant, and almond croissant. I would highly recommend it all - especially if you have a sweet tooth. Their menu is also very extensive with a variety of foods in addition to their pastries, which are baked fresh everyday. Parking was easy for a Tuesday afternoon but the lot can get filled easily on busy days. It's located in downtown La Mesa, so there's many small shops and businesses in the area which is great to check out. Overall, the quality of the foods, atmosphere, and service were exceptional and I would highly recommend checking it out

    Pistachio Croissant
    Heather A.

    I decided upon this cafe on a whim and ordered their Baja Mexican spice iced late and a pistachio croissant. I was seriously impressed! The coffee was good but the pistachio croissant was amazing! I'm not usually a frosting girl but whatever it is they put on top of the croissant I could eat by the spoonful. It wasn't too sweet and the croissant was flakey and buttery, with a pistachio cream filling. Over all I had a great experience and will definitely be visiting again.

    Pastries
    Vivian T.

    Unique coffee flavors and yummy pastries lined up on the shelves provided the perfect vibes for a Sunday morning! I like Light Bulb Coffee because they serve more than just the classics and they have food options for a hungry gal like me! They have smoothies and even milkshakes in addition to their menu so if you are not a coffee person, they have many options! I was interested in the Cali Pistachio and my friend ordered a Chai latte. My Cali Pistachio was light and creamy, with a hint of pistachio flavoring. For a bite, I went for their Egg and Cheese Bagel. It could use some sauce of some sort as it was really simple, but overall a filling sandwich bagel. I'm considering coming back soon to try some more food and coffee options + study and lounge for a bit!

    Tavelle A.

    PRE GAME SPOT!!! Vibes vibes vibes! Says it all you know how every business is trying to make there establishments feel like a place you want to keep going to. But have you ever went to a place that looked so nice... but then order food or drinks and now they look like your X..... Well that's not Lightbulb coffee.... Light bulb coffee not only looks good she is smart and likes to read books oh yeah and she can cook.... She's Marriage Material.... Don't believe me Try her for yourself We Love Lightbulb Coffee!!!

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    10 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    Ibrahim F.

    We appreciate your support and feedback thank you

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    3 years ago

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    Ibrahim F.

    Thank you!

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    3 years ago

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    Ibrahim F.

    Thank you so much!

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    11 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    11 months ago

    Excellent service, menu and pastries. Wide selection of coffees, smoothies and food, great atmosphere.

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    Ibrahim F.

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    2 years ago

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    Ibrahim F.

    We appreciate your support and feedback, thank you Derek

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    3 years ago

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    Ibrahim F.

    Thank you very much!

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    Ibrahim F.

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    2 years ago

    Perfect place to come study/work or read a book. Staff is friendly and the place is super cute. Would highly recommend this place!

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    2 years ago

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    Ibrahim F.

    We appreciate your support and feedback. Thank you so much

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    4 years ago

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    9 months ago

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    Ibrahim F.

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    9 months ago

    Coffee's good, ambiance is nice. Love the sandwiches here. I got the one with the turkey and cranberry and it was nice. 10/10

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    Ibrahim F.

    Thank you for stopping in! We look forward to seeing you!

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    9 months ago

    Coffee is really good. I got the iced honey cinnamon latte and the people at the cashier are super friendly!!

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    1 year ago

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    Thank you so much for the love and support!

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    Page 3 of 16

    Ask the Community - Lightbulb Coffee

    Do they still have the light bulb cups? When I've been there they were not given to us.

    Hello, The light bulb cups are not given with every drink it is a separate purchase that we put the drink in. We give it upon request. We will have them in about a month!

    Are the Light a bulb cups reusable?

    Yup

    Do the have outside sitting?

    Yes They have a few outdoor tables

    Do you sell food all day, such as the paninis? Or do you stop selling them at a certain time?

    We do everything throughout the day

    Are there outlets available?

    Yes, there are many outlets! As you're coming in, there are side tables lined on the left side and there should be outlets nearby each one. At the couch/high table area, there is one outlet as well.

    Do they have sugar free flavor options?

    Yes we have a many sugar free flavor.

    How much is the light bulb cup?

    A double espresso is $2.25. Their coffee is NOT the usual burnt Buck coffee.

    Are dogs allowed?

    They appear to be allowed.

    Do they have any vegan pastries?

    No just gluten free pastries

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Public Square

    Public Square

    4.5
    (1.2k reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    My new favorite coffee spot! I'm currently in my pandan obsession era and this place does it RIGHT…read more I've already been back more times than I can count. So far, I've tried the pandan, the brown sugar, and the sesame latte all iced w/ oat milk and they've all been a hit. The pandan is easily my fave, but if you're trying the brown sugar and don't love super sweet drinks I'd recommend adding an extra shot to balance it out. The drinks are consistently good and you can tell they really care about the quality. It's one of those spots you keep thinking about and end up going back to without even planning it. Customer service was solid and there's plenty of seating, which makes it a nice place to hang out or get some work done. Parking was also easy, which is always a win. Highly recommend checking this place out especially if you're a pandan lover like me!

    Public Square has been closed since April after staff walked out and eventually quit due to unpaid…read morewages. Unfortunately, this place was on the decline leading up to these events. It would usually take a half hour to get a simple drink order. Food that was previously wow turned into meh (I'm looking at you, shashuka). I don't blame the baristas. I don't think the business owners ever properly streamlined their ordering process / menu to get items out effectively. I hope we get something nice to replace this space.

    Photos
    Their logo
    Their logo
    This wall
    This wall
    It's so beautiful inside!

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    It's so beautiful inside!

    Lightbulb Coffee - breakfast_brunch - Updated July 2026

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