10 stars if I could give them! The açaí bowl and salted caramel latte from Lofty are by far my absolute favorites. Everything is always fresh, delicious, and made perfectly every time. The açaí bowl is packed with flavor and never disappoints, and the salted caramel latte is hands down one of the best I've ever had. Together, they're my go-to order, and honestly, I could eat and drink them every single day! Great food, great coffee, and consistently amazing quality. Highly recommend! read more

Lofty Coffee Roasting Works - Açaí bowl - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Awesome venue, being elevated above the street near the ocean is a nice setting. Lots of outdoor seating, so never had a problem finding a table, even with a big group. Coffee's great, love that the pour over comes in a carafe, making it feel extra fancy. The sausage+egg+cheese croissant is a GOAT breakfast sandwich. I wish they had the ham version that the location across the street has (or, at least, had -- haven't been there in years since I like this spot more). They pass the "do they date the beans?" requirement, but fall victim to a less critical pet peeve, where the beans are located right below the register. So I have to wait in line, only to hold everyone up once at the front to look at the options. Putting them somewhere to the side of the line, so people can browse while waiting is the way, or even somewhere outside the line altogether. It's hard to understand how such a painfully obvious no brainer can be overlooked. read more

Quite disappointing. I ordered a London fog and I couldn't adjust the sweetness level because it was already in the concentrate. So instead, they put less concentrate which made the drink lack in flavor. It was basically like drinking warm milk with a drop of tea. Seating was ok, there were plenty of tables but no outlets. This location also had limited restrooms availability. To top it off, their wifi name was something along the lines of, this is not a library buy a coffee. Overall, not the best coffee shop experience. read more

Lofty Coffee Roasting Works - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Encinitas, California

I love to see huge coffee shops with a plethora of seating and a great view! We walked to this location and had a sunny view of the beach and town (personally love sitting on a hill). The coffee was delicious and exactly what I wanted plus the sandwich was the perfect size and the brioche bread was SO fluffy!! I can see myself coming back here with friends or by myself to work and have a beach day. read more

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Good coffee and fun vibes at the Encinitas location, I love the side area they have with all the picnic tables & you're able to bring your pets. The coffee is also great whether it's from regular coffee to espresso drinks everything is great! read more

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Loved trying this spot on Saturday! Staff were all really nice. We had a few lattes, a croissant, and the croissant sandwich. All amazing. They also have freshly made (delicious looking) pastries and loafs of bread. Seating is outdoors, and it is so relaxing. Full of trees, plants, and fresh air. Parking lot is a little tight so be prepared for that. We will come back asap! read more

Lofty Coffee Roasting Works - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Encinitas, California

I'm so picky with my coffee because I've tried so many places in San Diego but I can genuinely say this was one of the best lattes I've ever had. I got the salted caramel syrup with almond milk. It was to die for. The sandwich was also pretty good. The service was fast. Parking was easy. The view was so beautiful! One of my favorite shops read more

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Loved the ambiance & esthetic. Super yummy matcha & coffee but customer service needs to be worked on. Nobody smiled, said thank you or anything of the sort. Customer experience drives repeat business and we will not be back. read more

Not far from the whispering Pacific, Lofty Coffee stands as a cathedral of caffeine--where black gold flows from glistening cisterns, heated with precision and poured with reverence. Every cup is an alchemy of flavor: caramel whispers, mocha depth, and classic brews bold enough to wake your senses and usher in another remarkable day along the Coastal Highway. The staff? Professional, skilled, warm, and effortlessly engaging--guiding you through baked delights and crafted libations with the confidence of artisans who know they're serving something special. And then there's the setting: the ocean's edge just steps away, the salt air drifting in like a benediction. Here, a warm cup of bliss becomes more than a drink--it's a pause, a breath, a moment of calm carved out of the daily grind on sand impossibly fine. Lofty Coffee doesn't just serve coffee. It restores your spirit, one perfect cup at a time. I'll be back! read more

Frequented this place often while visiting! Couldn't stay away from their wonderful coffee, friendly staff, breakfast sandwiches, and calm atmosphere! Great little coffee shop! read more

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Not only does this place have delicious, quality coffee It also has some pretty great looking menu items - I mean, it has your pastries that you will find in the glass case in case you want some light eats, but it has some serious, beautifully prepared plates and meal items suitable for a meet up or a brunch in their vibe-y space. The people are friendly and the service was great from the cashiers to the baristas. There's seating inside (limited), but a good amount of seating outside in the courtyard and covered area outside of the building. This is really a unique space in terms of coffee spots I've been to. There's a few shacks on the property as well that looks like it could have high potential for cool pop ups, etc. My cousin and I went here on the morning I headed out of town. We split the matcha donut and the almond croissant - both were very delicious and the crisp on the croissant was perfect. In terms of drink, I got the Ethiopian bean pour over. Such delicious coffee with low acidity. I didn't use cream or anything to smooth it out. I ended up buying a bag of beans as well. Pretty excited to try the coffee using my Aeropress at home. All in all, just a great, unique space that serves great coffee and food. Parking might be the only tricky part. It's on a small grade and the parking felt a little tight. My car is fine as it is pretty small, but you may want to think twice if you drive a huge pick up truck etc. read more

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Went for the first time today. They had a small selection of pastries and breakfast options, but they were quality! I got a croissant with egg and sausage and it was so tasty. I also got a cold brew. They had some nice outdoor patio seating which was great. Friendly staff, lots of dogs enjoying the ambiance too. I will definitely come back for a nice casual breakfast and/or coffee read more

Great Lofty location with a delicious Turkish latte. I always tell myself I'm going to try something different next time but it's my go-to. Service has always been very friendly. Great outdoor seating with an industrial vibe, and huge bonus that they have their own parking. It is a bit confusing to meet up with people who don't live in Encinitas since there's 2 Lofty's right across the street from each other, but I've learned to just give the specific address. They only have outdoor seating so I wouldn't recommend coming here on a rainy day if you're trying to get work done. Overall great spot read more

No drip coffee after 12pm. Maybe put in a small drip pot? We've bought your beans for ages

This was my first time trying this coffee shop and i got the candy cane cloud. I personally am not a big coffee person but today i felt like testing my luck. When i first came into the store i was greeted with amazing customer service and drinking came out quickly. The ambiance of the shop was very calm and peaceful perfect for early birds who want to start their day off with good coffee. What brought me to write this review was because when i got my drink i spilt it all over the floor and i was soooo sad. It was such a bad start to my morning but lucky 3 amazing ladies came to the rescue to help me clean up and they offered to remake my drink!!!! If you are near the area or want to try a new coffee shop. I would HIGHLY recommend Lofty Coffee. 10/5 stars THANK YOU TO THE STAFF I HOPE YOU GUYS HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS!! read more

Lofty Coffee Roasting Works - Candy Cane Cloud - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Encinitas, California

My first time to this Lofty. The service was prompt and pleasant. My London Fog came out phenomenal, so pretty like black sesame and tastes lovely! Full body Earl Grey! I'm so glad because sometimes you can get a watery version. Not here! Ambiance was nice clean tables and nice to look at Moonlight Beach at a different vantage point. It can get busy with all the cars zipping up and down Coast Highway. Enjoy! Thank you for my London Fog! read more

Lofty Coffee Roasting Works - London fog hot. So pretty and tasted full body Earl Grey! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Encinitas, California

Lofty is a perfect spot for coffee and lunch. It's located in Encinitas right by the main road so it's hard to miss it. There is some parking space and plenty of seating areas outside. The coffee shop is cool and hipster. They offer good selection of flavourful coffees, yummy pastries and good food. Our order included Turkish cardamom coffee, matcha tea with honey, pastries baked in store and toast with fresh hummus. Everything was very good. Pastries were well baked and were not overly sweet. Toast was nicely plated and all ingredients were fresh and tasty. Also both beverages were prepared with care and tasted good. Good atmosphere, service, coffee and food. You should definitely visit this place! read more

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Great Coffee, Not so great prices. I am rating this place on 3 things: 1. Coffee & food quality. 2. Prices. 3. Atmosphere. So lets begin. --- 5-stars for the coffee and food. yumy yum yum on my tummy tum tum. --- 4 stars for prices. --- 5 stars for the view! The view: Sitting outdoors with the view looking down at Encinitas is awesome sauce. Locals and tourists walking, casual bicyclers as well as out-of-town serious cyclists passing through, cars and motorcycles driving by. So interesting. read more

I don't usually leave reviews, but I felt I needed to share my experience. Unfortunately, the coffee was the biggest disappointment it had a very harsh, earthy taste that I personally couldn't enjoy.On a positive note, the service was excellent. The staff were friendly and welcoming, and the atmosphere of the café is genuinely lovely. I also enjoyed the matcha donut and the bread I tried both were delicious. Overall, I love the aesthetic and the location, but I wouldn't recommend the coffee based on my experience. No hard feelings just honest feedback, and the workers are wonderful! read more

This roasting works location is an awesome and different vibe to Lofty Coffee. All the seating is outdoors and has a very cool and industrial vibe as this is where all the baking happens for their pastries. Literally all of their baked goods are so incredible and their croissants are the best. Combine that with their croissant breakfast sandwich, I could not be happier. read more

Stopped by this cool coffee spot in Encinitas. The staff was very fire and helped my husband decide on a what coffee to try. He had cloudy with the chance of cold brew and I have the salted caramel latte. We loved the coffee here! We also tried the sausage, egg and cheddar croissant and the Egg and Hatch Chili Tart which was delicious as well! Love the vibe here and we sat outdoors and enjoyed the beautiful San Diego weather! read more

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Our first time in and we were impressed! The staff were all very friendly. We sat on the patio, very nice indoor-outdoor, open-air vibe by the beach. Delicious pastries and coffee. read more

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Please train staff not take the numbers off tables, so fast when we are still waiting for food and to look for where people are seated rather than giving food to the wrong customer or wandering around in one section and not checking the tables. read more

Lovely place with flavorful coffee! There is another smaller one right across the street but we came here because it had a huge parking lot and plenty of outdoor seating (more than 20 tables!). They also had tiny tot tables so bring your little ones. It is above ground level over looking the busy street which felt nice and private. You would also see and feel the train pass right by you which was also fun. There's no fence between the coffeeshop and the train tracks so keep your kiddos close by. Their Aztec Mocha (shot of espresso, dark cacao, cinnamon, cayenne and substituted oat milk) is for those who REALLY love the cayenne spiciness. It gives a very very strong kick. Do not underestimate it! Ask for a sample if you are not sure. It is amazing. Their Turkish Latte (double shot latte infused with cardamom and raw sugar, and dairy of your choice) also had a strong cardamom flavor. When they say it is infused, it is infused. Does not taste like they just added flavored syrup. The staff were friendly and helpful in describing their drinks and recommending what to order. I look forward to coming here again to try their Tokyo-style cold brew as today, I was looking for some hot coffee. read more

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Stopped by here on our drive back from SD. A block from the beach with private parking. Love that they serve coffees out of ceramic cups. The mocha was great with a house made chocolate ganache but the star of the show was the chocolate chip cookie which comes with giant chunks of chocolate chip and is drizzled with large sized sea salt pieces for the perfect sweet salty combo. The chocolate croissant was good too but I wish it had more chocolate inside. There's a smaller location across the street if this location is busy. read more

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Visited 2 locations of Lofty Bro's (located across the street from each other) within our weekend trip to Encinitas! SOLID option for a caffeine fix with an AMAZING salted chocolate chip cookie! The roastery has a little more outdoor seating, a parking lot, and a bigger food menu than the cafe across the street ---chocolate chip cookie: perfectly crispy bottom and chewy top throughout the entire cookie! I cant stop thinking about this cookie TBH ---avocado hummus toast: generous amount of AVO ---crossiant with ham & cheese: not my favorite but the fiance enjoyed it more than the avocado toast ---tried the iced Aztec Mocha and Turkish Latte Will be back for that chocolate chip cookie, hope that have it the day I come *fingers crossed* read more

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Although their smaller cafe is literally across the street, their roasting works is a whole different world. Industrial, stylish and affording a nice view of the Coast Highway, this Lofty central command offers great coffee and decent food in a convenient location. Ordering your coffee indoors is part of the fun: behind huge sheets of glass is their roasting facility, on display and fascinating to watch. The coffee comes out in fairly quick order--and in addition to their estimable espresso drinks, they also do a whole host of tasty brews. The seating is exclusively outdoors, also industrial in a Spartan concrete sort of way, but extremely comfortable and surprisingly quiet as it is a good 25 feet above street level. In all, a great place to wile away the day, chatting with friends or doing a little work. Well worth a visit! read more

We went for a stroll around Moonlight Beach then ended up here. I had the Avo and Hummus. My friend had the Chicken Sausage Croissant. Both menu items were fantastic. Full of flavor and not heavy. The coffee is super strong but good as well. Atmosphere was great. You just need to make sure that you are not sitting in front of the speaker. The only down side is that I missed my dog who will be joining us next time. read more

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Stopped by this roastery and had a very pleasant experience. My friends ordered the salted caramel latte and enjoyed it very much. I ordered a basic drip which was a medium roast blend which was above average. Their ethos sign is posted on the patio and I can attest to their attention to pleasing the customer. I will be back next time I'm down in Encinitas. read more

Lofty Coffee Roasting Works - Salted caramel latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Encinitas, California

I prefer this location on the east side of the street. There is more space in between tables and a mix of table sizes, some under a patio and some not. I also like the views better from here. I enjoy how they serve coffee in a real mug. Only issue is limited parking. read more

We love visiting Lofty Coffee! The Cloudy with a Chance of Cold Brew is my wife's favorite and the salted caramel late is my go-to. To the owners - I cannot give a five star review because of the facilities. There was no changing table located in the restroom and when this was mentioned to a female employee she rolled her eyes and looked less enthused a customer had a suggestion for the management. Besides this experience, we have always had great coffee and good times here! read more

Lofty Coffee Roasting Works - Cloudy with a Chance of a Cold Brew and the Salted Caramel Late - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Encinitas, California

Great ambiance and location. Very popular place, so plan accordingly. It was solid for sure. I'm a bit of a coffee snob and always looking for coffee shops to try (other than *bucks). All I got was a coffee, so can't comment on anything else but I'd def go back. read more

I've always enjoyed the coffee here, the Nola style iced coffee is one of my faves, but what took it over the top today was the cinnamon rolls they have here, not sure if they make them or get them from a bakery but damn ate they everything you want in a cinnamon roll and nothing you don't. The best thing about it is the cream cheese icing, I don't know why more places don't do this but it takes what is already a tasty pastry and takes it to a level of sensual delight that most pastries dare not dream of. Seriously though, great coffee, enjoyed everything I've had here but get a cinnamon roll next time, they will not disappoint. read more

Lofty Coffee Roasting Works - Wow was this an amazing cinnamon roll, puts others to shame. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Encinitas, California

This is our favorite Lofty Coffee branch because of all the open seating. They have so many picnic tables available and the weather's typically nice. I also like that they have a good variety of pastry and other breakfast items. Their Salted Caramel Latte is great. If I'm craving something savory for breakfast, I usually go for their Ham, Egg and Cheddar Croissant sandwich. If I'm craving something sweet, I usually get an almond croissant or, on a hot day, their acai bowl. Prices here have unfortunately increased over the last year but that's the case at most restaurants/coffee shops nowadays. read more

Although pretty busy in the morning on a Wednesday, I was able to find street parking across the street, and there were still tables (most outside the covered patio area). Super nice staff, order and sit down with a number. I love croissants, and they have delicious large ones. Busy, but due to being outside it wasn't too noisy--I was able to carry a conversation with my friend for an hour without difficulty. It definitely cleared up by the time I left around 10am and I saw lots of parking spots, but it was super crowded at 9am (no parking in small lot in front, sporadic open spots in the back). Tables are not super close together, and it's a great spot for a coffee meeting, as it appears most people were doing. read more

Great coffees, croissant sandwiches & pastries with a lovely view served by friendly staff.

Amazing coffee and an amazing space to hangout. Love that it is a Roastery and they even have small food options. The employees are awesome and always ensure you leave happy. They have some of the best roasted coffee in California. read more

Speaking about my experience with the Encinitas location: I had been buying whole bean coffee from Lofty Coffee, but no longer go there. Starts with no available parking. They seem to think its important to park their delivery vans right next to the building so that their Customers have to park in the dirt behind the building. Ask their employees about the taste/style of their coffee, and most of them have no idea. They are very friendly and polite but most of the employees of this "coffee roaster" know nothing about their own coffee. Coffee seems to be an unimportant part of their business as they focus on their food stuffs. The coffee's, while excellent, seem to change on a too frequent basis. As soon as I find a coffee I like, it is gone in a few weeks later. Finally, the prices here, for coffee and food are pretty high. read more

Japanese style cold brew on ice - excellent. Salted chocolate chunk cookie - toasted upon my request, perfect level and distribution of salt, and good crumbly chewy texture. Avo hummus toast - comes with fork and knife but this tasty combo is hard to eat and makes me wish it was just the same ingredients as a salad with toasted bread on the side. Vibe - the only thing that drops this a star is that the highway sounds and obnoxious billboard are a buzz kill. But the baristas are friendly and wonderful (seems consistent across Lofty locations), and the factors they can control are lovely - art installations, plentiful seating with options for shade, overall decor. read more

Lofty Coffee Roasting Works - This billboard tho - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Encinitas, California

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After just leaving this place, I had a wild experience. Living in Encinitas as an Afro-Latina woman from the East Coast is challenging; most of the time, you're the only person of color in the room. Which makes you vulnerable to mistreatment, and this place is an example. Living close by, I stopped in for a Matcha Latte. Although I order Matcha lattes often, this was my first time at this place. When I took a sip, the mint mixed in the Matcha was way too strong for me. I asked if they could make it without mint, but the server said no, as the Matcha and mint were pre-mixed. I then requested a refund since I wanted Matcha. They had trouble finding my bank card because I had used Apple Pay. When asked for the last four digits of my credit card, I provided the unmasked digits, not realizing they could only see encrypted numbers. The server had to ask the manager or owner for help. The manager was rude, visibly struggling to locate my card, and asked, "Why are we doing this?" I explained my dislike for the drink due to the overpowering mint and requested a refund. He repeatedly stated, "Oh, you don't like it, that's why," before eventually offering to refund it later. I insisted on a refund receipt before leaving. After much struggle, he finally found the Matcha latte on PayPal by checking recent purchases. It was the only latte bought within the last two hours. I couldn't help but wonder, why the unnecessary hassle? Ugh, Californians can be frustrating. Edit: My response to the owner: 1) Let's be honest about Encinitas--it's not as diverse as it claims. With a significant 76% white population and less than 2% Black, calling it diverse doesn't hold up. And trust me, I've faced more racism here than back in my hometown of Boston. 2) So, I ordered the Matcha Latte with Mint, thinking it would be to my liking. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. And according to California law, if the food isn't up to par, I'm entitled to a refund. Plus, I barely touched the drink--no lid on the cup says it all. 3) The barista didn't offer a refund right away. She suggested remaking the another drink, I brought up the possibility of a refund since I intended to buy a Matcha latte elsewhere. 4) Shoutout to the very kind frontline baristas--they were great. But the owner isn't. Your lack of compassion and empathy really soured my experience. Did you really need to question me three times about not liking the drink? It felt rather dismissive. 5) After mocking me and saying " Oh so you don't like the drink. that's why you want a refund" three times, you expect me to trust your promise of a refund if I leave? Not likely. 6) Oh, and by the way, apologies for the "POS" typo. But honestly, who cares about the payment system? The real issue here is your lack of empathy. That's why I felt compelled to leave this review. read more