I stopped in here for brunch with my friend. Both of us - first timers, annnndddd it will definitely not be the last! She got black sesame drink that was really good and I got a mocha. I also asked the girly pop at the register to surprise me with food and she gave me the sandwich on ciabatta. I forgot what it's called but my godddddd it was so flavorful! I will definitely be back!! read more

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My favorite coffee place in the SD area! I always order the Pandan Latte (good both hot or iced), but the Black Sesame, Vanilla, and Brown Sugar Cinnamon Lattes are all very delicious too. I also enjoy getting the scone with guava butter, but I have also enjoyed their Avocado Toast and Breakfast Sandwich. Never disappointed here! read more

Love the brown sugar latte and their biscuits and gravy. The service is great. Depending on time of day you may wait a while for your food or coffee but it's definitely worth it. I enjoy sitting inside but I feel like I always end up smelling like I worked in the kitchen lol. Nothing bad though great place ! read more

If you're thinking about getting the breakfast sandwich, do it! I added the chili oil and it was hands down one of the best combination I didn't know that I needed in my life. Also tried all the different butters. There was none I didn't like. I'll be back for another jar of butter soon. read more

Public Square - Signature Breakfast Sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

The best avocado toast ive had hands down. Location is in such a cute place, sooo worth the little wait. read more

Public Square - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

Pandan iced latte on the left and Chaga iced latte to the right, both were so good but the Pandan was amazing would def come again! Got the breakfast sandwich, it was ok 6/10 and ambiance was 7/10 read more

Public Square - Chaga iced latte & Pandan iced latte, loved both but the pandan was my favorite ! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

I tried to give Public Square a chance to make things right privately, but they made it clear they super did not care so here we go. Last month, I went there to grab food to go before work. I ordered the eggs, bacon, and toast with a black sesame latte. Not only were the food items surprisingly expensive, but they were nearly inedible. The bacon was charred and unpalatable. The eggs were full of...potato? Or something? No idea what exactly was in there, but it impacted the texture and taste. The toast was fine. The drink was fine. So I sent them the message below on instagram, because I didn't want to be hasty and mess up their reviews if they were willing to rectify it. No reply. A few days later I commented on a post saying "hey please check your DMs". Whoever runs the social account liked my comment. Still, no one ever replied. I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt and chalk it up to an off day, but they just completely do. not. care. Go to breakfast somewhere that gives a shit about their customers and actually knows how to cook simple bacon and eggs. read more

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Everything was so good here! We dropped by at 1pm on a Saturday for a late brunch, and there was a bit of a line, but it moved quickly. The dining area was filled. We ordered the pandan latte, dark chocolate mocha latte, 6 scones accompanied by a flight of 6 types of flavored butters, the not-so old-fashioned biscuits and gravy, and coffee carnitas sandwich. The food took about 15 min to arrive, but the drinks were ready about 6 min after we ordered. The pandan latte was perfectly balanced in flavor and was just sweet enough. The pandan was present but not overpowering. Would definitely come back just to try the iced version! The butter flight accompanying the scones was such a fun touch, but we made the mistake of eating outside in the blazing heat. Though melted, the butters were flavorful all paired well with the scones. The cinnamon and blueberry butters were my favorite! The biscuits and gravy were my favorite part of the meal. The gravy was thick and savory with small bits of sausage and a hint of rosemary. It paired well with the biscuit and egg. Most definitely coming back for this classic dish. Presentation was great. Friendly staff. Parking was surprisingly easy. Look forward to coming back. read more

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Found Public Square on yelp! I ordered: -signature breakfast sandwich $9.95, a bit on the smaller side -pandan latte with oat milk, half sweet $6.50 including $1 oat milk surcharge, interest drink! It took some time to wait in line to order. When I checked the receipt, there is a weird 4% delivery fee when I ordered to eat in person.. There is quite a bit of seating inside, but it can definitely get packed. Outdoor seating as well. Metered parking right out front...but if you park a few blocks out, you can find free parking! read more

I got a black sesame latte and my husband got the pandan latte (iced). I really appreciated that the drinks come in a glass cup/mug. It looks so nice, especially with the latte art. I did find myself wishing that the black sesame flavor was more pronounced in my latte. I think I preferred the pandan latte. We also got 2 scone flight with all 6 butters. The flavored butters were good. This was a unique offering and very pleasant. I do think it's a little weird that the "cash discount" is just removing a charge for using a card. That's not exactly a discount, right? It's just not getting charged a fee for something that wouldn't apply anyway if you were paying cash. I also think it's pretty hectic and loud in there because it is such a popular spot even on a Wednesday morning. That's not the cafe's fault at all, but I'm just noting that it's not a very relaxing atmosphere. read more

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Food was good- French toast and breakfast sandwiches. The coffee too was amazing. We had the black sesame latte, chaga latte and the pandan latte- all soo good. read more

Public Square - Black sesame latte, chaga latte, pandan latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

A big fan of Public Square! Wanted to share that my Black Sesame Latte today was absolutely fantastic. I've never seen such a perfectly artistic pour on a latte. The holiday inspiration card was a nice touch. read more

Public Square - Black sesame latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

Food was good . But I thought limited. Service was counter ordered and then brought to you at the table. Ambience is casual and comfortable. read more

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First time here! My boyfriend and I both got the signature breakfast sandwich which tasted great. I got the brown suga' latte and he got the cold brew (forgot to take pictures)! I enjoyed my latte and would get again. My boyfriend's cold brew tasted very light. It was pretty busy when we got here around 9:30am, but the line moved fairly quick. I did notice on the menu that a few of the items were sold out (drench toast, black sesame latte, pandan latte, and matcha latte), so If you're coming here specifically to try one of those items, it's best to get here closer to their opening time. There was plenty of seating inside and outside but when it's busy the seating gets taken pretty quick. We'll definitely be returning again for coffee/breakfast and for their happy hour! read more

Public Square - Signature Breakfast Sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

This is the place to go if you're craving warm and fluffy scones with diverse and seasonal butters. The scones are homemade, heavenly and dusted with powdered sugar. I loved the fig & honey, maple cayenne and ube peanut butter butters this time around. Perfect breakfast pick-me-up. I wish they had matcha here but the kombucha on tap was the next best thing. read more

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The music is very loud, no offense but it is not giving coffee shop vibes either, a coffee shop is a place to talk, to study, and enjoy a book, I don't get why they would need the music so loud I can hear it through my earphones, while I am playing music that is on full volume so I don't have to hear the aggressive music. The place is clean & people seem polite, but the music and volume really messes it up for me, as a student and local read more

Public Square is easily one of my favorite spots in town. The food, the coffee, the vibe, it all just works. You can tell everything's made with care, and the quality is always solid. I'm especially into the shakshuka. It is savory, flavorful, and super satisfying. The breakfast sandwiches are great too, and the scone + butter flight is such a fun treat (the variety of butters is legit). Coffee is always excellent. Whether hot or iced, it's smooth and never bitter and clearly made by people who care about what they're doing. That said, if you're coming during a weekend morning, expect a bit of a wait for food. Usually under 10 minutes, even when it's busy. Totally worth it, but good to know. One tip: La Mesa parking is kind of a pain. The meters are strict and kind of all over the place, so if you don't want to risk a ticket, just bring a couple coins. Saves the stress. Overall, it's a spot I'll keep coming back to. Reliable, creative, and just genuinely good. read more

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I realllly want to like this place. The ambience is cute, coffee is great... but in order to get to the actual coffee it's a minimum 30 minute wait just to order. And another 30 minutes to receive. There is no ordering on line or any other way to get ahold of trying to get in an out at a faster pace. Cute place but make sure you have an hour to kill for coffee read more

I know.... Everyone loves this place, so my review is gonna have haters.... But it's honest and my review. Being born and raised in San Diego, I've been to a lot of coffee shops. I lived in North Park for almost 10 years, which is coffee shop galore, and I've explored just about every corner of the county when it comes to finding good coffee and friendly vibes. There are some amazing spots out there with great drinks and genuinely kind staff, but unfortunately, Public Square was not one of them for me. Maybe it was an off day, but it definitely wasn't 5 star worthy today. I decided to finally give this place a try since it's so popular and have heard good things. Maybe the staff was just having an off day, but my experience wasn't great. I waited at the register for almost five minutes before anyone even acknowledged me. When the cashier finally did, she didn't seem happy to help. I get it, we all have bad days, but when you work in customer service, a simple smile or friendly tone can go a long way. Another small frustration: they only offer regular milk and oat milk. For people who can't have dairy or are diabetic (since oat milk can spike blood sugar), that's really limiting. Almond milk seems like a basic option these days, so I was surprised it wasn't available. Always a pet peeve of mine at coffee shops - but this is personal preference. I ordered the brown sugar latte, and right away I could tell by the color that it was going to be mostly milk, and I was right. It pretty much tasted like sweet milk with a splash of coffee. The breakfast sandwich, on the other hand, was actually pretty good. It was a nice portion and had good flavor. The egg was a little overcooked for my liking, so if I ever ordered it again, I'd probably ask for the eggs a bit softer, but that's just personal preference. The biscuits and gravy looked great, and a lot of people were ordering them, so maybe that's the move next time. What really sealed the experience, though, was the barista's attitude. When my drink was called, I said, "Thank you so much, I appreciate you. Have a great day," and was met with a blank stare and silence. Again, maybe it was just a bad day, but a simple "you're welcome" would've been nice. The shop itself is cute, and the location in the downtown La Mesa area is great, I always love this little part of La Mesa. I'm glad I tried it for myself, but I'll be sticking to other coffee spots around San Diego where the coffee's stronger, the staff's friendlier, and yes... they have almond milk. Also, I know the world is crazy expensive right now and I'm blessed to go to coffee shops when I want, but $22 for one latte and one breakfast sandwich feels criminal, especially when the latte tasted more like milk than coffee. read more

big portions, good scones, great coffee, super nice workers. nice spot to stop at. its a nice stop when in town

First time here and the girl behind the counter was super sweet and patient. We ordered the vanilla latte with oat milk, homemade scone, and drench toast. The coffee and homemade scone were really good. The scone was super fresh and loved that you're able to choose 3 kinds of butter to go with it. The drench toast was super fresh and delicious. If I was in the area I would come back and try something else on their menu. I would definitely get the homemade scone again. read more

I come here for the scones and butters, they are the best in town!! My favorite are guava and Ube , coffee is decent not my favorite but the food is always so fresh and delicious. Located in the heart of downtown La mesa parking can be a challenge they have meter parking only. read more

Public Square - Scone flight with 6 butters - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

Met up with another couple here for an afternoon double date. We sat in the front patio that was spacious and shaded which was great since it was a warm day. We ordered both food and coffee and thoroughly enjoyed both. Food was good quality and the coffee was excellent. I loved getting a man affirmation with my coffee! The team was so friendly especially the girl at the register. She provided some great recommendations that I enjoyed. read more

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What a beautiful and wonderful find in Downtown La Mesa! Service as exceptional.. a good tip.. as a customer greet your food server first.. they are working hard and providing an experience.. you bring a jerk or not being nice isn't going to make the server any more happier to serve you. Anywho.. yes the service was amazing. We ordered two of the pandan lattes and the scone flight! All the butters were delicious. Honey and fig and the guava were amazing!! The scones are next level. Crispy with a sweet coating on the outside and super moist on the inside. She ate and left no crumbs!! Literally no crumbs as they were so delicious and beyond moist!! I love how they believe in inclusivity! They don't care and we felt very comfortable! They welcome everyone and it's a safe place! Definitely LGBTQ friendly! read more

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Huge gem located in the heart of Downtown La Mesa. Plenty of street parking on the Main Street and behind it. I've been trying out coffee shops in La Mesa recently and this is by far my favorite. At first, I was surprised to see how busy they were on a Thursday at 11:30am but after my experience, it makes total sense. There was a small line that moved quickly. The woman who took my order was very attentive and sweet. We ordered a drip coffee, a cappuccino, the avocado toast and a side order buttermilk biscuit. You order at the counter, coffee is picked up on the other end and food is delivered to your table. They had everything perfectly managed. All the staff were very nice, attentive and did a great job keeping everything steady and flowing. The drip coffee was strong and rich in flavor. The cappuccino was rich and creamy. My mom absolutely LOVED her cappuccino! The avocado toast was AMAZING. It comes with two slices and an egg on top. They also added basil oil which was such a great addition. We loved the avocado toast and will absolutely order it again. The biscuit was small but very yummy and fresh. They have a lot of seating both inside and outside. Inside is a little noisy. We sat outside and really enjoyed everything so much. Based on the quality of each item and the great service, I think this place is very reasonably priced. We both decided that so far, this is an our favorite spot. They serve some alcohol, they have scones that I think are a main item for them, so I'll have to try next time. They have a food menu with a range of items and I noticed that they also serve pizza. They're open until 8pm which I think is great too since some coffee shops close early. I definitely recommend checking them out! read more

Public Square - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

Ordered the Pandan Latte, Cold Brew, Breakfast Sandwich and a Salad through their app. For a first time customer, the pickup process for an online order was a confusing for me because I downloaded the app while in line (inside). The app said the order was completed so I went to the pickup counter. My pandan latte was behind the counter but my cold brew and food were in a little area in the front. There is a window in that section that seems to be used for online orders The pandan latte was my favorite item. It was a green color reminiscent of matcha but with a slight latte/coffee flavor. Pandan is a bit nutty and slightly sweet and made this latte one of my highlights in terms of coffee during my time in San Diego. My partner enjoyed the breakfast sandwich. He's a huge fan and appreciated the fresh tomatoes inside and the scrambled eggs. For breakfast sandwiches sometimes the yolk is runny, but things can get a bit messy in a sandwich so a scrambled egg was a fantastic mess free version while we were on the go. In the app, they also had the option to make this Gluten Friendly. For my salad I opted for the Garden Party Salad. It was small but filling enough for me to continue our adventures in San Diego. I was able to remove the feta to make this item dairy free. You can also add an egg or chili oil to the salad too for an extra charge. read more

Public Square only has a 4.5 star rating?!?! THEY SHOULD HAVE 5 STARS!!! I'm always on the lookout for cafes I can work out of, enjoy beverages/food, and have an overall pleasant experience. Public Square is the SPOT! It is so dreamy.. something most of us cafe lovers hope to find someday. I'm not over-exaggerating, but rather, expressing my joy for having found a space whose aesthetic I adore, drinks I love, and a layout that suits my remote-work setup. Where to even begin with this review? The ambience and aesthetic. I love that there are designated "laptop free zones", where folks are encouraged to go unplugged and connect in a non-digital manner; whether that be having conversations, reading a book, or simply sitting in the deliciousness of the community-oriented and plant-ful environment. There are also plenty of spaces to setup your laptop and ample receptacles to plug-in if your gadgets and gizmos need a charge. The aesthetic and decor is what I dream of incorporating into my living space; an open and well-lit space with simple, yet beautiful wooden tables, chairs, and furniture, plants GALORE, a workflow supporting playlist gently bopping in the background, and thoughtfully placed/beautifully unique light fixtures. Can I just package this place up and put it in my home!?!? I'm only 20 minutes into my Public Square experience and I am giddy with JOY. Now onto the menu items I INDULGED in. 'twas only a handful, but these two simple items I ordered had my tastebuds doing backflip. I ordered an iced pandan latte with oat milk and it was SO delicious! The beverage was beautifully handcrafted and had a light dusting of (what I assume is) activated charcoal. Nutty, smooth, sweet, and refreshing. This is definitely a latte I want to learn how to perfect and replicate at home! I'm about to order some scones with a flight of butter and will be updating this review to reflect my sensory and tasteful experience as soon as I've had it! I don't live in La Mesa - but I absolutely would make the drive to work here, even if it means going out of my way. Exceptional. Cozy. Overall? I HIGHLY recommend this spot to folks who love cafes, plan to work remote, or simply want to sit in a serene and community-centric space that is full of coziness and good vibes. read more

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Loved this place! Amazing food, coffee, and vibes! The staff is really sweet and just create such a welcoming atmosphere. I got the pandan latte and it was incredible!! The scone and butter flight is so fun and unique. Will definitely be coming back! read more

Public Square - Pandan latte and dark chocolate mocha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

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TL;DR: super friendly service, excellent scones, decent coffee, skip the entrees Ordered: - Scone with ube, guava, and fig butters (5/5): The scone was delicious! So light, airy, and flaky. Of all the butters, the guava was honestly the dark horse winner! We loved the ube one as well, but skipping the fig one since the flavor was less pronounced and just came off one-note sweet. - Shakshuka (2/5): skip. Not a traditional shakshuka in both preparation and in flavor profile. Honestly regret ordering this since it felt like I overpaid for some eggs/tomatoes thrown into a ramekin and into an oven. Even the bread that came with it was difficult to eat. Coffee: - Dirty chai (3.5/5): felt like I was drinking chai flavored water. Really missed the coffee punch and flavor - Latte (4/5): definitely better option Love the little positivity cards the staff serve with the drinks. Really brightens the day :) Dog-friendly, both indoor and outdoor seating, chill ambience Will be back for the scones and butter - cheers, Public Square! read more

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Public square is a solid coffee joint in the heart of La Mesa. I had never been on this strip, but the shops are adorable! Such a cute area to walk around in. The cafe itself is not massive, however it was comfortably busy around 1pm on a Saturday. You could probably find a spot to sit with friends! I got an iced vanilla latte to go. It was good, but nothing I would go out of my way for especially for $9 after tip. I'd love to try the other drinks or food items next time! read more

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I stumbled upon this place while looking for a spot to grab my morning coffee. Oh man, am I glad I did! I was very impressed with the service, coffee, and overall theme of this place. They believe in cultivating deeper connections and encourage social interactions. There are a few laptop-free tables reserved for people who not plan to work or study. Their coffee was great! Ordered an iced vanilla latte and an iced black sesame latte. The coconut cream in the black sesame latte was delicious. They both had the perfect balance of espresso, milk, and sweetness. Wish I lived closer to this place but I'll definitely be back! read more

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Quaint modern coffee shop with some fun items to try. Stopped by on a weekday around 8am and there were plenty of places to sit and no line. Scone flight is delish and highly recommend! Pandan latte was different yet tasty. Didn't love the dirty chai and would've preferred more milk and sweetener. It's usually my go to drink for new coffee ships since I find it fairly consistent. I would return to try more items and definitely get another scone flight. read more

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Haven't been here in years... on their menu was Shashuka and it was good!!! So I had to try that again. From their photo, you cannot tell how it looks like since the scrabble egg was on top. Btw.. its NOT supposed to scrabbled. But hey I'll give it a try once. I ordered 1. Shashuka and 2. Agua Fresca- looked more like Jamica drink. The cashier was lovely and provided my drink 1st. It was tasty; you can taste the cinnamon & cardamom. The Shashuka followed a few minutes later in a to-go box served with toasted bread. Once I cut into the top egg layer, I was very disappointed . I believe there was cheese on top but I cannot recall. Upon visual inspection--Chopped tomatoes and onions is what I received. Definitely NOT SHASHUKA. Where was the tomato paste? Bell peppers? The parsley? The cumin and spices? The taste? There was heat; probably from black pepper but nothing savory the way a proper Shashuka should taste like. Very disappointed.. they changed their recipe I'll stick to their Avocado Toast. read more

My favorite coffee shop in San Diego! I come here almost everyday it's THAT good. The people and the environment are the best read more

Public Square - My favorite coffee shop in San Diego - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

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I love this place. Always a great vibe. Always great food. When I'm in the area, this is where I hang.

Second time coming , and maybe it's the food itself I got I didn't like but I'd like to give them another chance to try their different butters and scones ! Cute little cafe , although it does it crowded n packed + the seating outside is kind of weird imo . Both times I've gotten the signature sandwich and it doesn't wow me so I'm not sure why I got it again ... it's missing something + for the size I don't think it's worth the $11.95 . My friend got the drench toast and I'd say it was a 3.5/5 , nothing really wow to it either . Workers were really nice and friendly ! I was debating on getting the peach black tea and she offered me a sample which was thoughtful , although I didn't end of getting it because it wasn't sweet enough for my liking . Both times I've gone the service was kind of slow . Took awhile for our food to come out + my friends latte came out like 20 minutes after our food ... I'll give this place one more shot just to try their scone flight read more

Public Square - Drench toast + Signature Breakfast Sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

Cute ambience with plants hanging everywhere. coffee is good! Not too strong and have fun flavors. I tried the mushroom coffee and I loved it!!! Service is pretty quick and friendly, although they charge a 1$ delivery fee for dining in. THE SCONE AND BUTTERS ARE BANGING. This is a must try if you go into this shop. So many different flavors and the scone is crunchy and soft at the same time. A must try Would come back! read more

Public Square - Housemade Sugar Scone - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

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I love coming here and ordering the tomato soup and grilled cheese combo. Food is very fresh and the drinks are good too. They aren't overly sweet and don't use heavily sweetened artificial syrups. They have happy hour too! Service good and chill casual ambiance. read more

Public Square - Tomato soup - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

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I love their scones, and butters! it's unique and since scones are made in house they're always fresh!! but the sandwich it's really what impacted me! the bread????? it's SO SOFT, and delicious I couldn't believe it! bacon it's thick bacon??? excuse me? amazing!!! the best breakfast sandwich I've had in my life, I'd buy just the bread by itself haha I'm used in the US not everything is fresh, a lot of things are frozen, even bread it's frozen and then they bake it; so it just reminded me in my childhood when I would get fresh bread hahaha such an amazing experience for me to eat this sandwich, thank you for making this in this great way God bless the hands who made it read more

Public Square - Housemade Sugar Scone with cinnamon butter - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Came back and tried some food this time as well. We came on a Sat around 7:30 expecting it not to be too busy but it was bustling! We were still able to find seating pretty easily since they have a bunch of indoor and outdoor seating. Also note that you get 3% off your bill if you pay in cash. We got the infamous scone with peanut ube butter and a breakfast sandwich. Honestly both were a bit of a let down. The scone wasn't that flaky or flavorful. The only saving grace was the peanut ube flavored butter which was much lighter than I thought it'd be and a nice flavor. My partner said the breakfast sandwich was decent. I also got a cappuccino that was well made. Only street parking. read more

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