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    Playground Art + Coffee

    4.3 (25 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 9:30 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Services - Playground Art + Coffee

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    PLAYGROUND ART + COFFEE ATMOSPHERE

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    Carolyn H.

    NOT FOR KIDS. And that's okay This was the cutest place. We just stumbled upon it walking and decided to try. Super open area. There's cute games and a seating area. I looks like they do game night activities and if I live here I would totally sign up. I ordered the oatmeal breakfast bar and the ube matcha latte....i wish I would've order a second order to go because it was AMAZING. The breakfast bar was so soft and the flavor was phenomenal. I literally want to call and ask what's in it and how they make it so I can try to make some at home for a snack. And the Ube Matcha Latte was delicious. Just the right amount of earthy and sweet tasting. 11/10!!!

    Pocket altar - closed
    Hazel C.

    Joined Playgrounds for their pocket altar event, and ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! The environment was so welcoming, and it was a great opportunity to introduce my friends to a new space. I am not very arts and crafty, but the opportunity to create something that is all about the vibezzz was right up my alley. I appreciated that it didn't matter how experienced you were, as the activity was described clearly, and everyone helped each other out. Once the event was closing, we also got to take our pick of a chocolate to try - went for the pop rocks one, and that was deliciously unique.... plus I get arts and crafts & chocolate, it's a win-win for me! Definitely will be coming back for coffee and treats, and another fun and welcoming event in this incredible space.

    Pistachio Latte
    Canary H.

    Playground Art + Coffee is located in North Park San Diego. The parking here is ridiculously difficult, though it's not the cafe's fault. Beware of coming on weekends, especially when there are sports events; you'll never find a spot on the street. You can park at the parking structure two blocks away for $1 an hour. We walked into this cafe, just in awe of how colorful and welcoming this place is. They have toys and board games of all sorts. They also have community events that are free to the public. On the day we went, they offered a painting activity. I came here with my friends on a Saturday morning. My best friend ordered the ice cream cold brew, I got their pistachio whipped latte, my fiancé got their tonic, and my friend's husband ordered their root beer latte(?). All of my friends agreed that it was delicious! I wasn't absolutely fam of my drink because I thought the pistachio wasn't prevalent enough. The caffeine is definitely strong and I only ordered a small size! We coincidentally met the owner of the coffee shop! Super unique and sweet individual with a love for what they do. We spent about two hours in here talking and playing board games. Loved the theme and feeling as if it was a play space for adults. I recommend for other coffee fanatics to come try it out. We'll be back whenever we are conveniently in the area!

    Suite front
    Emmett T.

    Playground Art + Coffee is a new cafe that has opened in the North Park neighborhood along a busy stretch of University Ave. The space used to house a short-lived, upscale eatery. The inside of the suite was redecorated with brighter colors and furnished with chairs, sofas, and tables for activities like gaming, arts and crafts, etc. The service counter was in the back of the room where there was a display case for baked goods and desserts. A menu hung on the wall to the right of the counter. Two-sided menu sheets were also available. For a cafe, this place closes rather late at 9:30 pm on Thursday to Saturday which was good for the night owls. I arrived about an hour before closing, and the place was buzzing with groups doing different things such as knitting. I had already eaten dinner and dessert so what I wanted was a beverage. Six signature drinks and five house-made sodas/tonics made up the choices. An Iced Root Beer Latte was my pick as I had not seen such a variety before. Two sizes were available, and I picked the smaller one of 12 oz. Their version of a latte had the strongest coffee flavor of any I have tried recently. It overpowered the sassafras of the root beer which was too bad because otherwise, it was a smooth drink. I liked the diverse communal vibe of Playground Art + Coffee as there aren't many spaces like this in the SD area.

    Iced espresso tonic topped w/orange yuzu cream foam next to a game of colorful blocks
    Henri V.

    Fairground Art + coffee, a new shop opened in North Park. It's half a block away from Target where there's also limited pay to park spots as well as the lot adjacent to this lot. Once inside, you'll see the hugh welcoming message of 'You Belong Here,' on the wall in bright colors, comfy cloud seating and tables with interactive Artsy games all look fun and the polar opposite of a quiet place to work, unless you can work with lots of background noise and kids playing. Had the chance to meet the staff of ladies and owners who were all very pleasant, welcoming to me and my pup and their positive energy added to the cool vibe. Ferris is one of females of this female owned and Yasmin made my custom drink perfectly. An iced espresso tonic topped with orange yuzu was the perfect drink with a perk to cool off from a hot day in May. Lots of other creative concoctions on the menu fun to try. Had a positive experience at Playground. Recommend

    Merch on display
    Lily W.

    Great staff and service! I loved the space -- it was bright and beautiful and had these little reminders/affirmations painted on the wall. They host a bunch of community events that would be cool to check out if you're in the area. It seems like a nice spot to chill and play some board games. I had the hazelnut sesame latte and it was strong! They are super dog friendly!

    Jack M.

    This is a cool spot in North Park, San Diego. In addition to being a full espresso bar, they also offer fresh baked goods, playfully games and toys, that even adults would like to spend time with to bring back those fond memories. I had a cortado and a house made breakfast bar. The breakfast bar was made in house and was made with oats, cranberries, cinnamon, and a touch of cardamon. It had a bit of a chewy texture because of the cranberries. It was tasty. The cortado was well made. It had a very slight bitterness towards the end, but not much. It was very nice up front and into a smooth rich flavor. Good cortado. The young ladies working here were very upbeat and friendly. The hospitality was very welcoming and service went without a hitch. I liked that they took the time to engage in conversation. There's plenty of inside seating and a variety of games to play.

    Jasmine S.

    I decided to step into Playground this morning, and I had such a great time. I think I just found my next favorite spot. Ferris, the manager, was soo friendly and it was great to get to know them! They let me know about all the events that they hold (craft night and switch/animal crossing nights). They also made this amazing Uber tonic latte drink, which is something I didn't expect to love as much as I did!

    Ube matcha latte
    Lauren V.

    Went on a coffee crawl with my husband and we decided to stop in at Playground coffee, as we were in the area and it's right in the best spot of North Park. The moment you step in the calming pastel color scheme, unique fluffy furniture, and fun atmosphere is super relaxing and inviting! We were greeted kindly upon entry and the staff was really friendly and answered all our questions. We ended up getting the Ube strawberry Matcha latte, it was absolutely delicious and just what we needed for an afternoon pick me up. We also sat and played with some of their toys in the café area. It's super spacious and there's table seating if you need to focus and work, and couches and chairs if you're trying to hang out. just a really great coffee and really great atmosphere, we're definitely coming back soon.

    Strawberry cold foam latte
    Kevin Z.

    Never had a strawberry cold foam on latte before but it works! It's a really cozy space with really comfortable chairs.

    Matcha pandan and Hazelnut Sesame Latte with oat milk
    Chris M.

    Wonderful experience stumbling upon this coffee/matcha shop! The owner was very kind and offering suggestions/modifications for my wife who doesn't drink coffee but wanted to enjoy the pandan drink. The music was also great (a lot of kpop and BTS) which was an added plus!

    Roger S.

    I found this coffee shop through a friend who recommended it as a good coworking spot to grab a drink and get some work done. First impression--the place is huge. There's plenty of seating, including a long communal table that's perfect for working or meeting up with friends. The space itself is definitely the highlight. While waiting for my friends, I checked out the menu and the matcha caught my eye. I decided to go with a strawberry matcha since I'd been craving one. When the barista rang me up, I was honestly surprised--it was $12 for a small. I hesitated, but went ahead with it and tipped, bringing the total to $13. The drink came out pretty quickly, but right away I noticed it didn't look quite right. There wasn't much visible strawberry, and the matcha had a very dark, grassy color. After the first sip, I knew it wasn't for me. The matcha tasted dull and lacked the flavor I was expecting, especially for the price. It was pretty disappointing. On top of that, two of my friends had their orders messed up, which didn't help the experience. Overall, I wouldn't come back for the drinks--they just weren't worth the price. That said, the space itself is great, and I could see myself returning just to work or hang out but not the drinks.

    Iced matcha latte with strawberry syrup and oat milk (don't recommend)

    I came here on a Friday afternoon for the first time. I love strawberry matcha lattes so I was very excited when I saw that was available. I ordered a 16 ounce matcha latte with strawberry syrup and the price was pretty steep, $13 including tip. Unfortunately, the drink was excessively sweet and the matcha tasted chalky. Not sure if it was the matcha itself or the oat milk, but it was not pleasant tasting at all. Couldn't taste the matcha- just straight sugar and chalkiness :( I unfortunately couldn't finish my drink after a few sips. Maybe I'll come back and try a cold brew but sad I spent that much on a drink I couldn't enjoy or finish

    My friend and I in front of the wall of chocolate!

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    Ask the Community - Playground Art + Coffee

    Review Highlights - Playground Art + Coffee

    I'm glad it's as fun and welcoming as it looked from the outside.

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