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    Lofty Coffee

    4.1 (875 reviews)
    Open 6:30 am - 4:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Lofty Coffee Photos

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    LOFTY COFFEE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Trendy
    Classy

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    Recommended Reviews - Lofty Coffee

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    Cold brew
    Tina K.

    Came here and unfortunately, left disappointed. Such a cute open air coffee shop. We came here two mornings in a row. Both days there was a bit of a wait. The first day there were out of a syrup so the person working told us it would be in stock the next day. We got other cold brews, and they were fine. The next day we came back, and the experience overall was tough. We got our drinks right away, but they forgot to put in our food order, so we stood there waiting for a really long time. Overall, normal cold brew, but nothing to wow me with a $10 coffee.

    Hummus and avocado toast
    Matthew S.

    Great location downtown, nice outdoor seating, some along the street, some in a patio area above the street a few steps. Located on the corner there are plenty of people to watch hustle about during the easy morning commute. Coffee is excellent, if you are having a bite there are free refills. There is cream and raw sugar, but no Splenda or equal. I ordered the hummus and avocado toast, on a croissant (they were out of artisan bread). This was an excellent breakfast. A nice fresh meal with excellent coffee, beats a coffee and reheated snack from that other coffee chain.

    Alex A.

    A nice coffee shop in Little Italy with a cute ambiance. Just be prepared for big lines and long waits on weekends, especially on farmers market days. I wanted a classic matcha latte, but they only offered a mint‑mixed matcha. The employee said it was subtle and refreshing, so I gave it a try. The wait was long, but the drink was pretty -- it came with a mint leaf garnish, which was a nice touch. Flavor‑wise, it just wasn't for me, but it was refreshing and lightly minty, not overpowering. They have a great outdoor seating area and food options too, though I didn't try the food this time. I'd come back if I was already in the area and it wasn't so busy.

    Americano
    jacqueline s.

    Delicious coffee and food that never disappoint! Everything tastes fresh, and the menu has a great variety whether you're grabbing a quick drink or something more filling. Prices are very reasonable for the quality. There's plenty of seating, which makes it a comfortable spot to relax or get some work done, and the free WiFi is a nice bonus. Definitely recommend for a cozy café with great vibes!

    Jenny C.

    We stopped by this charming café in Little Italy for breakfast. We ordered the açaí bowl, a croissant sandwich with egg, sausage along with a vanilla latte and a cappuccino. The açaí bowl was refreshing, topped with fresh fruit and crunchy granola. The croissant sandwich was buttery and flaky, with the savory egg and sausage balanced by the subtle sweetness of the jam. Both the vanilla latte and cappuccino were smooth, rich, and expertly made. They also have a lovely outdoor patio, making it a perfect place to relax, enjoy breakfast, and soak in the vibrant atmosphere of Little Italy.

    Cloudy with a Chance of Cold Brew
    Veronica

    It was very busy on a Sunday. The cold brew tasted watered down so I didn't feel like it was worth it, especially it being $9.

    Iced mocha coffee egg  and cheddar croissant
    Rudeboy D.

    First time here pretty good chill spot id come back again ... the service and vibe was chill especially to sit down and people watch while u sip your coffee

    Absolutely love Lafty Cafe. The regular croissant was fresh , and the Turkish latte with almond milk was perfect and well-balanced
    Ray T.

    Absolutely love Lafty Cafe. The regular croissant was fresh and delicious, and the Turkish latte with almond milk was perfect and well-balanced, as always. Great spot in Downtown San Diego!

    Turkey and avocado croissant, cloudy cold brew
    Jessica G.

    Cute coffee shop with lots of outdoor seating. I ordered a turkey and avocado croissant and a cloudy cold brew. The sandwich was so tasty with tons of avocado and the most flaky croissant. Delish. The coffee was very big with cold foam on top, not too sweet, perfect way to start the day. The staff were friendly and very approachable, very kind team. Fast service too!!

    Pull apart cinnamon roll
    Ryan G.

    Needed a quick treat to calm the sweet tooth. The coffee also smelled amazing but I had my coffee fix for the day. The cinnamon roll was made from a croissant, which I was not expecting. Not too sweet, but sweet enough. Worth a visit if you're near gate 108

    cappuccino
    Sophia M.

    Fantastic spot to come get some work done. I like the open air feel with all the sliding glass doors. You can sit inside but still feel like you are enjoying the "outdoors". Coffee was delicious - a little pricey but most coffee spots are these days. Staff were very friendly and it was nice to be able to bring my dog inside. They even had a little jar of treats for him.

    Tony C.

    Yes..."Lofty Coffee" gets 5 stars!!! Their coffee is very smooth and tasty! They have plenty of gluten free options!!! It's not acidic or burned! I came here twice during my visit in San Diego...they were consistently good! I had the Mocha, gluten free lemon cake, and the sausage croissant sandwich, it was all amazing! The service is quick and very friendly. Seating is open and most of the time we had to wait for someone to finish their meal! That's the only gripe, aside from that come in and enjoy a fantastic cup of coffee in beautiful San Diego!

    Turkish latte
    Christina W.

    When we got here, there was a huge line but it moved fairly quickly. They have dogs on the patio (which I personally love) and it was definitely happening there. The patio was cute. I ordered the Turkish Latte and the Cedros for breakfast. My girlfriend ordered the Little Italy and shared half of her croissant with me. If she did not share, I definitely would had still been hungry. I left content but not full, so I wish there was a little something more that came with the Cedros. Though at first glance it might look a little sad the flavors were there! I loved the heirloom tomatoes, so tasty. Except for the sausage patty, I wish it had a little more umf of something for me. The latte was delightful, I personally wouldn't get it again though. Seemed kind of pricey for what I got, as do trendy places as such do.

    mint green tea, lofty nola coffee

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    The line was long but the people were extremely nice and helpful. The croissant sandwich was delicious. So flaky.

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    Coffee is smooth and delicious. Restaurant offers great vibe with both indoor and outdoor seating. In the heart of Little Italy.

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    Page 16 of 22

    Ask the Community - Lofty Coffee

    Do you have vegan pastries or breakfast options ? Nothing was specifically marked on the online menu, or I missed seeing it. Excellent coffee btw, employees were awesome but…

    Hi Carlos, Yes, lots of vegan options!… 

    Hello! I was here earlier today and the coffee was absolutely incredible down to how aromatic the beans themselves were. What kind of a roast do you use and who is your roaster?

    Hello Salma, We are stoked to hear you enjoyed your coffee! We roast our coffee in Encinitas at… 

    Are there outlets to charge phones/laptops?

    Don’t think so

    Is this a good place to study?

    I think it would be a great place to study. There are a lot of tables, both inside and out.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Selva Coffee House

    4.3(925 reviews)
    3.2 mi
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    This matcha was so good! Loved the strawberry cloud cream, it tasted like strawberry nesquik and…read morewasn't too sweet so you could still taste the matcha. The ambiance was really cool too! They had a DJ playing music, a bunch of plants to shop around for and it was very lively. They also offer online ordering so if you want your order quicker you can order ahead. Definitely recommend 10/10!

    The interior environment was so cute! I love the greenery and the cozy table settings. They have…read morefun trinkets lining the way to the register and strategically-placed menus with thorough descriptions of the drinks. I also got nice customer service, which is a plus! Unfortunately, this was the highlight. I ordered the "To die for" matcha with almond milk and no pumpkin cloud cream. My sister ordered the "To die for" latte with 2% milk, no pumpkin cloud cream, less milk, and more ice. We both ordered without modifications to the sweetness, under the assumption that the sweetness level wouldn't be particularly high. However, both drinks were entirely way too sweet and left a sharp aftertaste. We then ordered an additional shot of matcha and an additional shot of espresso, in hopes of remedying the taste. Unfortunately, the taste wasn't improved and we left. If you're a customer who is accustomed to a more matcha-forward taste, I would pass on this place. The matcha is pre-batched and tasted oxidized. If you're someone who likes a present espresso taste, I would recommend ordering with a quarter sweetness, although I'm not sure how that would affect the pumpkin flavor. On that note, the pumpkin flavor was difficult to place due to the sweetness, which also resulted in an inconsistent blend of flavors in both drinks. Maybe I'd come back to explore the trinkets.

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    Spill the Beans Coffee and Bagels

    Spill the Beans Coffee and Bagels

    4.3(1.2k reviews)
    0.9 miGaslamp
    $$

    Super cool ambiance with the coffee shop sharing the space with the bar next door. Country music…read moreand football is viewable through the mini divider between the spots The cold brew is solid and there's plenty of seating. Fun "pot head" themed merch available as well. There's a couple locations around San Diego but this is one of the better ones

    ‼ DISCRIMINATION! RACISM! ‼ I had an extremely uncomfortable…read moreand upsetting experience here while picking up a large coffee order for a wedding. When I arrived, there was a very long line, but because my order had already been placed, I went to the designated pickup area. While waiting, I watched the employee behind the counter speak politely and normally to other customers. When it was my turn, I turned my phone around and politely said, "Hi, I'm here to pick up for" Before I could even finish my sentence, the employee looked at my phone, rolled his eyes, turned away from me, and went to retrieve the order. There was no greeting, no acknowledgment, and no basic courtesy. He handed me the order while staring at me, rolled his eyes again, and immediately returned to the register. The interaction was so noticeably hostile that I looked back at him and asked, "What's your problem?" He immediately turned away and began helping someone else. I then asked another employee whether there was a manager available and explained what had just happened. Her response was essentially that there was "a lot going on" and that they were busy. Being busy does not excuse treating a customer disrespectfully especially when I had just watched other customers receive normal, courteous service. What made this experience particularly concerning was what happened next. While I was still making sure my large order was complete, another customer approached the pickup area. The same employee who would not even allow me to finish my sentence immediately greeted this man with, "Hello, how can I help you?" and proceeded to speak to him politely and professionally. That was the exact basic courtesy I had been denied only moments earlier. As a Black woman, I cannot ignore that difference in treatment. I watched this employee demonstrate that he was perfectly capable of greeting customers, communicating professionally, and being courteous. He simply chose not to extend that same treatment to me. Based on what I personally witnessed, the disparity felt prejudicial and discriminatory. I then walked to the neighboring sister establishment to ask how I could contact management because I had not been provided helpful management information inside the coffee shop. Ironically, the employee I spoke with there was also Latino, and he treated me with complete respect. He listened, offered to get a manager, asked whether I was okay, and apologized that I had experienced something uncomfortable. That interaction is important because my complaint is not about anyone's ethnicity it is about the specific behavior of the employees who dealt with me at the coffee shop. What was also strange was that the coffee shop employees who had just explained that everything was so hectic suddenly had plenty of time to stand at the counter and watch me while I spoke with the neighboring business. They continued watching me until I got into my car. There had been an enormous line of customers, yet somehow the "too busy" explanation disappeared when it came time to watch what I was doing after I asked about management. That made an already uncomfortable situation feel even more hostile. The Smoking Gun needs to seriously evaluate who it places in customer-facing positions. Customers should not have to wonder whether their race affected the basic level of dignity and courtesy they received. If an employee is overwhelmed or having a bad day, take a break, ask for help, or work away from the front counter. What you do not do is selectively discard basic manners with one customer and then immediately demonstrate those same manners to the next. I came in to pick up coffee for a wedding. I was polite. I was there to collect an order and leave. There was absolutely no reason for me to be treated with hostility. I will be filing a formal complaint with management regarding this incident. I hope management takes it seriously, reviews what occurred, and provides its staff with appropriate customer-service and anti-discrimination training. No paying customer should be treated as though basic respect is optional. And yes, they can run the cameras back it'll be in there ! Then to ice the cake, they literally got the order wrong and didn't give me all the items for the party that I was taking it to! Could look me up and down but not look the orders up and down !

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    Spill the Beans Coffee and Bagels - Inside--love the cleanliness and cool retro feel.

    Inside--love the cleanliness and cool retro feel.

    Spill the Beans Coffee and Bagels - Lox, stock and bagel

    Lox, stock and bagel

    Spill the Beans Coffee and Bagels - Chagaccino

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    Hatsuzakura - Salmon Onigiri

    Hatsuzakura

    4.4(608 reviews)
    3.2 miUniversity Heights
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    Decent service food was smaller than expected but overall very delicious would come againread more

    WOW!! This place is legit! Happened to be in this area and was looking for great place to get some…read moreomurice and stumbled into this little gem of a place!! First, street parking only but don't let that deter you from coming coz every inch or foot that you spend walking to this place is all worth it. Secondly, love the ambiance. Reminds me a lot of those ikazaya pubs in Japan but a little more chic and modern. They have bar seating of about 10 and 6-8 tables inside. But they also have outdoor seating. So I came at exactly 11 am and I was the second guest and they sat me at the bar. By 11:30 am, the entire resto was full, not granting it was a Saturday morning but people prolly got smart to come here early before the lunch crowd gets bigger. So for the food, I had to order their Hayachi Omurice and Chef Soichi's Chicken karage and both were BOMB! 11/10 each! Love the flavor of the rice and nice touch of thin slices of meat and the egg was perfectly made. I just wished there were heapings of those egg. The sauce was slightly tangy but love the flavor. The other star of my meal was the karage. Prolly the Top 2 karage I've had. I liked how they sliced in lengthwise and there not too much coating. And it wasn't oily and very juicy inside. Well seasoned and it came with lemon wedges and kewpie mayo. All I did was sprinkle some Nanami Togarashi for an added umami flavor. Overall, this should be on your top 10 restos in San Diego. Service was excellent, the servers were all friendly and always smiles!! Kudos to you guys!! I'll be back for sure!!

    Photos
    Hatsuzakura - Interior view from front to back

    Interior view from front to back

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    Hayashi Omurice

    Hatsuzakura - Ichigo Daifuku - Original and Matcha flavored

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    Spill the Beans - Basic Sitch

    Spill the Beans

    3.9(455 reviews)
    0.9 mi
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    The bagels TOP NOTCH…read more The location cute and quaint, but I do like the Mission Valley location more. This location seems to have a limited menu whereas their other location has more options. It was a busy morning, so they doing their best to keep up with orders while people were asking if their bagels were ready. The workers were being so patient and communicating with customers that they were on it. The coffee TASTES like coffee! Silly to say, but it's soooo delicious and I love when coffee doesn't taste like a complete sugary drink. We had two iced coffees (basic sitch and blondie mocha) and their drip coffee. Would definitely order again. They were out of some ingredients, but they advertised it, so customers were not lead astray. Easily, their bagels make this the place to go!

    Scheduled my day to make sure I could stop by their anniversary celebration before heading to the…read moreairport. Left, extremely disappointed... When I arrived a few minutes before opening the lights were off, turned the corner to find things still being unloaded. Waited, until 6, nothing, waited 5 more minutes, some movement but still not open. Finally ask what the situation is and they said they were running behind and needed maybe 15 more minutes. I didn't have confidence that would actually happen, and left hungry to fend for food at the airport. Not worth waking up early and planning for.

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    Spill the Beans - Fendi and the Ube Bagel w/ Ube cream cheese

    Fendi and the Ube Bagel w/ Ube cream cheese

    Spill the Beans - Spill The Beans Seaport Village is beneath that lookout tower

    Spill The Beans Seaport Village is beneath that lookout tower

    Spill the Beans - Hot Blondie Latte and Sugar-free Vanilla decaf latte were great! More people need to talk about their quality roast!

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    Hot Blondie Latte and Sugar-free Vanilla decaf latte were great! More people need to talk about their quality roast!

    Lofty Coffee - coffee - Updated September 2026

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