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    Perky's

    4.7 (254 reviews)
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Perky's Photos

    PERKY'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Quiet
    Good for kids
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Perky's

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    Reviews With Photos

    Steak and Mushrooms Hot Meat Pie
    Dianne A.

    I've been eyeing this place for quite some time, and finally said f**k it and went here on a whim. Perky's is in a business/industrial complex right off the 163, sandwiched between other notable landmarks and other food places to boot. You might not see it at first, but they do have a sign outside. Once inside, you'll find that the store itself is quaint and small, displaying different decors to highlight Perky's South African roots (love!). They also have a (South African) grocery inside! Perky's is somewhat of a "hole in the wall," but what a hidden gem this place is. An elderly (couple?) was in front of me during my (first) visit. Shortly after, the store was filled with more people! The pies on display were also limited, so an ambulance was going off in my head. I CAME HERE FOR MEAT PASTRIES AND THERE WASN'T A LOT LEFT :( AND PEOPLE ARE BEHIND ME. I DIDN'T WANT TO BE "THAT" CUSTOMER THAT TOOK THE LAST XYZ PIE :'((( WELL, PLOT TWIST: I WAS STILL THAT CUSTOMER ANYWAY, lol. I may have taken one of the lasts: + Chicken & Mushroom Pie + Steak & Mushroom Pie ...So, yeah, I was "that" customer. I'm honestly not sure if they can make more, or if it's a "what you see here is what you get" kind of deal. If that's the case, then you need to come here once they open for the day... I am not kidding when I say that they did NOT have many pies left on display. OKAY, ON TO THE FOOD. I love mushrooms. I'm a mushroom fiend. Mushroom mama. The pies are as big/bigger than a palm (bigger than mine, at least). I heated them up in my air fryer and I, unfortunately, JUST EVERY SO SLIGHTLY burnt them :( It ended up being OK! The meat and mushrooms were neatly tucked away under that layer of buttery and flay goodness. They were seasoned perfectly and each bite was truly just so darn good. Though they were slightly smaller in size, the 2 pies made me full! If you have a larger appetite, I would definitely get a 3rd one (for an afternoon snack... or eat all 3 in one sitting... you do you... and they're that good). CONCLUSION. I am looking forward to many other meaty trips here and will be back to check out their grocery store! GET YA PERK ON AT PERKY'S!!!

    Matthew B.

    Wow! What a great little spot to get a variety of South African foods. Both handmade pastries and sausages, as well as canned and packaged items. I ordered the Chicken Curry pie, and it was flavorful and delicious. The chicken was nice and tender. I enjoyed the fact the pie wasn't messy, yet each bite had a burst of flavors. PLEASE BE AWARE: The curry had some heat to it. I highly recommend this if you love spice! If you don't, please skip this and try another item. I will definitely come back to try other items!

    The freezer of delicious pies!
    Rika C.

    Now you mean to tell me I've lived in SD my whole life and never went to Perky's?! A crime! This hole in the wall spot sells South African style pies, desserts, and condiments of all sorts! You can buy the meat/veggie pies piping hot or frozen for later -- I grabbed a few of each! My absolute favorite was the steak & mushroom pie ($9), which had a perfectly flaky pastry crust and the most delicious, umami-full steak and mushroom filling. The steak was tender, not chewy! I was able to prepare it at home by simply throwing it into the toaster over for 10 minutes. I still have a beef curry pie at home for later! I also got a milk tart to share ($18 large, $6 small) by recommendation of the owner, and just as he said, it was not too sweet, and almost like a flan! It's a fluffy sponge cake base with custard and cinnamon on top. You'll have to scoop it out with a spoon unless you're really talented with pie cutters, since it's so soft. But oh my was it delicious. Cant wait to come back to try more!

    Beef and mushroom pie
    Miranda G.

    Just had my first meat pie at Perky's! Can I just say that this is about as close to the ones at home as possible. I'm an Aussie and was very impressed with the African meat pies made here. The gentleman who served us (I'm assuming) was the owner and very chatty! He kept telling me that his pies were better than Aussie pies! And so we're his Lamingtons and baked beans.... I had a good laugh with him, he was funny. The sausage roll was pork, I liked it, but did not love it. Either way, I ended up buying some already frozen pies and beef sausage rolls to go as we make our drive back to Vegas! If I'm back in San Diego again, I will be sure to come back and get my fix of meat pies! Tip: if you can - call ahead of time and place your order. When we got there around 12 - all that was left were two beef and mushroom pies and a few sausage rolls.

    Graham the owner of Perky's
    sean d.

    I met the owner Graham and he invited me to come check out his store. The biltong was so tender and well spiced, better than what I had in South Africa years back. I bought a pound of biltong and a mushroom and beef pie, I can see why he has many devoted customers. There is a great little shop in back and Graham says he does catering for parties as well. Thanks for a fun morning on my birthday!

    Sparletta Creme Soda
    Brent P.

    Today my mom and I decided to go here to try out traditional South African cuisine for the first time ever. It can be a harder spot to find and honestly looks closed from the outside but once you open up the door inside there is a counter with warm Gourmet Meat Pies and a hallway to a small authentic grocery market filled with foods, snacks, frozen treats, and more imported straight from South Africa. Today we were greeted by a very nice lady who helped us peruse throughout the store and give us detailed descriptions of pretty much every item in the store. Definitely a great experience especially since my knowledge of South African culture and food was basic. In the end we ordered 1 warm Gourmet Meat Pie with Beef Curry, 1

    Pie selection
    Darryl G.

    If Chicken and Mushroom, Chicken Curry, Pepper Steak and Steak and Mushroom pies do not sound good to, read no further. We just stopped in at Perky's and got these four pies. We went back for seconds, but by then they had already run out of the chicken and mushroom pies. The crust is just soft and flaky, and each of the fillings were really delicious. We will be back for the sausage rolls and cottage pie next.

    MILK TART
    Jasmine R.

    HOME AWAY FROM HOME!!! baie lekker Friendly, loving people that are passionate about their home. Everything is fresh & absolutely delicious!!

    Chicken curry
    Lisa G.

    I was hesitant to review this 3 stars as I much more preferred 3 1/2. It was quite the tiny spot to find within the industrial area and as I had 1 hour for lunch, boyfriend was off for his day - we went to grab something to eat. I've actually had this on my list for a while. Astonishingly enough, there was no menu listed. So here is the listing of what they claim to sell from the website online. Still wondering why they did not make one in-store. Unless the Perky's food and the DeliSA (that this is otherwise known as) is not the same thing. Chicken curry or lamb curry with rice and the fish and fries are limited. They make a specific amount and then they have no more - hence why they run out. Chicken curry was tasty - I give it that, but there was no sign of vegetables besides the chunks of potatoes. Yellow rice dominated half the plate alongside with the curry. Fish was nicely pan friend and very tasty. However it still felt like something was missing. My boyfriend tried to see if there was a sauce that they might have with it but after trying the ones that were on the table, it just didn't taste like the right sauce to complement the fish. French fries were crunchy and tasty. Place is small! So if you were planning on bringing a party in, this is not the place for it. There were 2 small tables right in front of the counter when walking in and then looping around the corner behind is a larger table with seating for 6 people. This definitely is not a restaurant - and if it is, it is a very tiny one. Family owned and apparently has been around for about 5 years according to the guy I asked who was working there. Might come around again to try out the pies. Just wish the place was bigger. And small as it is, it looked as though they just started working in that location though they had said they been around for 5 years. http://www.perkysfoods.com/menu.html The remaining part of this review lists the menu from the site. Most likely have to call and ask to see if they have things available as well as the timing for it. FROZEN GOURMET PIES FAMILY SIZE $25.00 SMALL $7.00 SIGNATURE SAVORY FILLED PIES BAKED TO PERFECTION CHICKEN CURRY PEPPER STEAK CORNISH PASTY VEGETABLE CURRY STEAK & KIDNEY STEAK & MUSHROOM CHICKEN & MUSHROOM SAUSAGE ROLLS (1/2 DOZEN) BEEF OR PORK WRAPPED IN A LIGHT FLAKY PASTRY $12.00 SAMOOSAS (DOZEN) A THIN AND CRISPY WRAPPED PASTRY WITH YOUR CHOICE OF SAVORY FILLING, POTATO / CHICKEN / BEEF $20.00 LAMB CURRY / CHICKEN CURRY GRAHAMS SIGNATURE CURRY COOKED WITH A BLEND OF HERBS AND SPICES LAMB CURRY TRAY FEEDS 10-12 PEOPLE $95.00 SMALL LAMB CURRY FEEDS 3 PEOPLE $30.00 CHICKEN CURRY TRAY FEEDS 10-12 PEOPLE $85.00 SMALL CHICKEN CURRY FEEDS 3 PEOPLE $25.00 COTTAGE PIE SOUTH AFRICAN STYLE SHEPHERD PIE LARGE FAMILY PIE FEEDS 10-12 PEOPLE $85.00 INDIVIDUAL SIZE $8.00 BOBOTIE NATIONAL DISH COMPOSED OF SWEET & SAVORY GROUND BEEF MIXED WITH WALNUTS, RASINS & APRICOTS TOPPED WITH EGG & BAKED IN THE OVEN. SERVED WITH YELLOW RICE. SMALL FEEDS 3 PEOPLE $25.00 LARGE FEEDS 10-12 PEOPLE $90.00

    Storefront

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    Photo of Joy D.
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    Photo of Alex P.
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    11 years ago

    Delicious food, fantastic service. Graham is amazing! Most authentic South African food in San Diego. 2 thumbs up.

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    10 years ago

    This is a fantastic spot! I tried 3 pies, and loved each one. They are worth the high prices. Haven't had good ones since I was a child.

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    Photo of Kim S.
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    10 years ago

    Best South African Pies in the United States! Can't wait to see them available everywhere.

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    16 years ago

    The lamb curry that I ordered on line was excellent. It is frozen so you can get many meals out of it. Thanks.

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    Page 7 of 7

    Ask the Community - Perky's

    Is their pie dough made with butter or shortening?

    So does this place serve hot food as well or just frozen?

    They have some warm pies and sausage rolls at the front.

    What is there menu and prices?

    You can view their prices and menu here, but as with all restaurants, in person is the only way to make sure they're up to date. http://www.perkysfoods.com/menu.html

    View All 5 Questions

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    Lynda's African Delicacies

    4.2(223 reviews)
    72.1 mi
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    This small shop is worth visiting to have some delicious Nigerian food. If you're looking for an…read moreinteresting place to take a friend, this is a great choice. Portions are generous and there is plenty of outdoor seating and parking in the area. There are a couple of indoor tables, but I'd recommend going when it's nice out so you can sit at the picnic tables in the middle of the traffic circle out front and watch the planes on final approach to SNA. It does get a bit loud since the airport is so close by. You order at the register and the food can take a little bit to come out depending on what dishes are ready to go. I decided on goat as a traditional option and went with the non-spicy jollof rice. The cashier also offered their habanero sauce with a warning about how hot it is. I'm not sure what the greens were, but they were mild and not bitter like collard greens. The plantains were a nice sweet treat to round out the meal.

    I've really wanted to like this place more…read more I don't usually give bad reviews, especially to small local businesses but here we are. I came here because I've been wanting to try Nigerian food for the longest time. I ordered through doordash their beef egusi that came with fufu. It was about $28 for one portion. They put the beef on the side and it was dry AF. The flavor was okay but it was difficult to swallow since it was so dry. The egusi unfortunately had a strong fishy smell to it that was off putting. The fufu was probably the best thing there. I also gave some to two other girls to try and they felt the same. Unfortunately I was very disappointed in everything and didn't even finish my meal. That is rare for me. I also didn't like that when I came my order wasn't ready. I think they didn't even see my order. This place is small and casual. The two ladies working there were nice. The foods look pre-made. They also sell some grocery items in store. There is a few tables and chairs inside and outside. It's located in a business area by the round about.

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    Lynda's African Delicacies - Suya Kabob ($5). This was spicy and very flavorful. I recommend it! 9/16/2023

    Suya Kabob ($5). This was spicy and very flavorful. I recommend it! 9/16/2023

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    Taste of Africa Cuisine - Curry chicken, spicy jerk chicken, collard greens, lentil , veggies , yellow saffron rice

    Taste of Africa Cuisine

    4.5(53 reviews)
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    Foood was amazing. My girlfriend and I wanted to try something different so we found this place…read more Kinda run down, hole in the wall. They don't have a menu. You just tell the chef what kinda meat you want and he'll cook you up something good. Chef was really nice and recommended some dishes. I eventually went with the goat dish.. 10/10. Would definitely come back

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    Goat with rice

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    Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Deliciousness!

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    Came here one evening on a whim because it's close to the church my mother goes to. While I had my…read moreeye on the restaurant for a while, I never realized it was so close. The staff are all very welcoming and kind and quickly got me seated with a menu and soon after got my order in, just an order of Derek Tibs, and started. The water I ordered came soon after in the form of a glass and a pitcher. There's a wait time that's pretty typical of ethiopian food that you'll get used to as you have more of it. When it comes to the Derek Tibs, they're honestly a bit bland, but not any more or less so than what I've grown accustomed to. The Berebere sauce (they offered it to me as hot sauce), and the Injera is really what gives it a lot of flavor. Honestly my favorite part of the dry style Ethiopian food is the texture and amount of crust they're able to get on the meats. Overall a very enjoyable experience, I would definitely recommend trying if you get the chance. Likely will return with friends.

    as a san diego college student, i am in a tireless search for affordable and nourishing food in…read morehospitable places, and i was able to find this experience at lucy ethiopian restaurant. we ordered the two meat combo, which was satisfying for two hungry adults, and a glass of tej (ethiopian honey wine), which was a beautiful pairing to our meal. even as someone unfamiliar with ethiopian culture, the food and drink made me feel nostalgic, and the peaceful atmosphere of the restaurant contributed to a blissful dining experience. our server was very friendly and helpful, and the service was very quick. i felt very welcomed in this environment, and i will happily return again soon.

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    Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant
    Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant
    Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Seating to wait for takeout.

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    Seating to wait for takeout.

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