Soups, salads, coffee and, of course, paninis, served up with expertise at this hole-in-the-wall-ish cafe. Yours truly is a big fan of sandwiches and Sunny Side doesn't disappoint. Their paninis are sizable, grilled to perfection and come loaded with a freshest ingredients your undeserving mouth could ask for. I'm a big fan of the pesto chicken and avocado bacon paninis but I highly doubt there's a bad choice to be made here. They serve breakfast and lunch (sandwiches all day), and although I haven't tried soups and salads yet, both look tasty when I find my gaze wandering to other patron's plates. Bonus points for the homemade mini cookies they sell by the register too (the lemon cookies are great). Friendly service and your food comes out relatively fast considering everything is made fresh. The place itself is a wee bit small but they have about 5 tables inside, 3 out front and a few picnic tables out back. read more

Sunny Side Kitchen - Bacon and Avocado Panini - Sandwiches Near Me - Escondido, California

This place doesn't do it for me as much as it does it for others and I'm sad about it. Salads, drinks, and soups are really nice but those aren't the kind of offerings I'd go out of my way for personally. It's the cutest spot with the absolute nicest people, both owners and staff. It's totally got a family vibe and I just want to want to be there. It seems they're really involved in the community and do a lot of good locally. Sandwiches, which are the real bread and butter (see what I did there?) of the place, totally underwhelm for me. Experience with the lauded breakfast sando is it's got 2 eggs cooked in round molds so the shape of the egg and the shape of the sandwich mean the egg-to-bread ratio is always way out of balance on a per-bite basis (either too much egg or none), small portion of super thin bacon that comes off like the La Croix of bacon on this massive sando, avocado-a-plenty but brown and mushy, fruit side not featuring in-season fruit so it's kind of underripe and flavorless. I gotta side with folks who find this an underwhelming sando with a too-hefty price given everything. The bread is exceptional but really gets overshadowed by the cheese and seasoning (pesto?) it's layered with, and it makes all the paninis dominated by the taste and texture of Italian seasoning and grease. I really gotta give them their due, because they clearly have a good thing here, but acknowledge that it's not for me and be honest for anyone who has strong sandwich opinions like mine. read more

Pricey but worth every penny. Genuinely sweet family business and the works sandwich is absolutely fantastic. Cannot recommend enough

This place is a gem. Home style cooking at its best. The no crust quiche was phenomenal...baked to perfection. Meatloaf sandwich was unreal too. Great little cafe with a nice chef like touch. read more

I had to kill some time, while my car's tire is getting repaired. I yelped a good place to eat nearby. Found Sunny Side Kitchen! It is a very cozy place. Super friendly staff! I asked for a vanilla creamer and they didn't have any, but Kinsey enthusiastically created a very tasty, perfect vanilla creamer!!! So awesome! Sometimes killing time is a nice experience to discover awesome places like the Sunny Side Kitchen!! read more

Slow slow slow service it does not matter if food is good if you can't deliver Coffee took 45 min to be served samdwhich took 6 54 minutes from the time we paid to time it was served Yes we timed it I hope they improve their service. read more

Sunny Side Kitchen - Too slow - Sandwiches Near Me - Escondido, California

Very nice friendly staff. Always parking. Quick service. I always get the same thing because it's sooo fire. The "wake up Escondido" with a vanilla little ice with oat milk. Never disappoints. Sandwich was so good I came back the next day and got it twice in a row lol will return whenever I need a bite to eat and I'm local to Escondido. read more

See all

This place is always so so consistent. I get the chicken pesto Panini and it's the same every single time. I know they have insane yelp reviews, but I just have to agree with everyone. It's really so good. read more

Went here last week and was pleasantly surprised by their meatloaf sandwich! It was sooooo good! The staff was super helpful and nice, and they've perfected the art of perfectly toasted sandwiches! Their soup of the day was a tomato bisque, which was a little thinner than I like but still delicious! I'll be. I'll definitely be back! read more

Sunny Side Kitchen - Meatloaf sandwich (pictures don't do it justice) - Sandwiches Near Me - Escondido, California

Went in for a post workout high protein meal and was quite disappointed. The pictures panini they on the wall looked thick and juicy so I figured I can't go wrong with that. The panini I order looked nothing like it. I got a few pieces of shredded chewy flavorless boiled chicken For a $20 panini at least grill the chicken and put some seasoning in it. What a rip off. I'll never again give this business my money. read more

Sunny Side Kitchen - Tuscan chicken sandwich - Sandwiches Near Me - Escondido, California

See all

panini restaurant that makes you feel like you're eating in a small town in the mountains. the owners are super sweet and the food and coffee are delicious. they even brought out fruit cups for our kids to snack on while we wait. read more

Sunny Side Kitchen - fruit cups for the kids - Sandwiches Near Me - Escondido, California

See all

This sweet restaurant is such a hidden gem in downtown Escondido! They've been here about 8 years and I'm so happy to have discovered this spot! It's cozy with a handful of tables inside. The people who work here are so kind and cheerful and make great recommendations on what to order! Seriously, everyone who works here is so nice! I had: - lemonade (very fresh, made in house, and not too sweet) - house salad (the cranberry dressing is to die for! I can't wait to eat this again.) - Tuscan Chicken Panini (this was incredibly delicious. The roasted tomato aioli made This sandwich taste incredible). I'll definitely be back to try one of their breakfast sandwiches and some of their desserts (which their cookies and gluten free brownies sound especially good). read more

See all

The service is amazing here. Staff is so friendly. I support this mom and pops. I ordered the avocado, egg and cheese breakfast panini. It lacked a little flavor but the ingredients were fresh. I also got a latte and it came super hot and a fresh squeezed orange juice. Bought the Tuscan chicken panini for my boyfriend and he said it was good. read more

Sunny Side Kitchen - Egg, cheese, avocado panini - Sandwiches Near Me - Escondido, California

Bob and Kate are super! Nice warm feeling when you go inside there. The food is great! My fav's are the Tuscan Chicken salad and the egg, bacon and avo on rustic bread. Kate will know who this is because I always order my sandwich with a side of jam : ) The place is small but very accommodating . . . they've expanded to have seating out back in the open air. Bright sunshiny colors inside. Complementary glass bottled fresh water is always available for you to serve yourself at your table. It feels like home here; I love it. read more

What a find!! Delicious breakfast sandwiches and pumpkin loaf!! Will definitely be back to try lunch!!

Put in order on qr and was just left sitting for 30 min , guys could at least check if customer is there. They made a duplicate order for someone else and just shrugged it off like it was no big deal. That's how businesses lose money when their employees are unorganized and flippant attitude. read more

Stopped in for breakfast. Was really looking for some eggs and potatoes kind of breakfast and if that's what you want this isn't the place for you. Oatmeal, quiche and breakfast sandwiches are what's on the menu here as well as a variety of coffees. Orange juice is freshly squeezed per order The place is tiny. Seats about 10 inside but there are tables outside, front and back, to accommodate larger groups. I ordered the mushroom quiche. It was served with a small side if fresh fruit. They quiche is heated in an actual oven so I was told upfront the wait would be about 20 minutes. I grabbed the local paper, played games in my iPhone and waited. It was well worth the wait. The quiche was delicious. I can't remember when, if ever, I've had better. The fruit was all ripe and strawberries were sweet. I brought my own coffee so I didn't have the opportunity to sample theirs. I'll be back, next time for lunch. Paninis are their specialty and I look forward to trying them. If they are half as good as my quiche, I'm in for a treat. read more

Hey Hey Yelp Friends! This little joint packs a flavor punch! I've got some kudos to give and we'll start chatting about the ordering system, because that's how you're gonna get the delicious food. If you're dining in at one of the little tables indoors or along the side walk you'll scan the code on the table and place your order and pay right inside an app like system. Drinks and all: This sends your order to the kitchen and is coded to your specific table: I'm guessing they developed this touchless method in the last few years and for us tech savvy folks it was a breeze. There is the ability to do so many modifications for menu items and that had me scrolling a bit but I prefer the option to make specific adjustments vs adding that kind of things into notes. If pressing buttons and scanning all the things has you bummed out, you can also saunter up to the counter and place your order. If you're ordering to go and there is a line, there is a barcode on the sandwich board on the sidewalk that you can order with and not wait in said line for counter orders. So many ways to get delicious food! And before speaking of that in a second, I'll note beforehand that you can get gluten free and other allergy requests easily accommodated here. Delicious it is indeed. Now: Sunny Side has gotten some major love from Yelpers over the years and has been named on top Yelp lists multiple times: Many of the votes were focused on the breakfast sammy and so, of course, had to order it. Lives up to the hype! I also ordered a super refreshing and tasty quinoa salad (see my pics) and it was loaded with fresh veggies and a stunning mustard based dressing. Also ordered an oat milk latte that was spot on. The reviews are accurate here peeps: Check this one off your bucket list and buy local. I'm headed back soon, anything else I should try ASAP? read more

See all

Ordered 2 sandwiches and 2 soups on October 15th 2025. Received a call from the restaurant saying that they were out of soup and they'd refund the cost. 2 days later no refund tried calling them but no answer. The sandwiches were absolutely delicious though just trying to figure out if I can get my refund to buy more! read more

This place is little so it can be easy to miss. The food is really good. I got the meatloaf panini and iced green tea with mango. The employees were all so nice and so welcoming. They have outside seating area that is really nice. It was perfect on a day like today. I got my order to go but next time I will stay eat there. read more

Sunny Side Kitchen - Sandwiches Near Me - Escondido, California

Went here for the 5 star rating but left with a three star experience. I ordered toast for my children and they dropped a piece on the ground, not a problem, mistakes happen. Said they would bring out another piece and brought out bread, not even slightly toasted. Super expensive as well. $19 for a sandwich and teeny tiny fruit cup. Overall the food was good but I wouldn't rate it 5 stars. read more

Cute little place with really nice staff. The food was thoughtfully prepared, nicely plated & delicious. Will definitely be back.

I've been here twice, both times for Yelp events. This time, I finally got to take my family here. My husband and I got the usual breakfast sandwiches and the spicy chicken sandwich and I will tell you that it's worth the stop. The watermelon lemonade was homemade and absolutely delicious. My kids got the regular lemonade and they loved that too. Everyone there is very kind and helpful and it feels good to know that you're supporting a small business when you come here. We need more businesses like this in the area. read more

The place is small but the paninis were really food! The orange juice was amazing - freshly squeezed! read more

Sunny Side Kitchen - Escondido panini - Sandwiches Near Me - Escondido, California

Really love this little place. They have great paninis and I love their tiny cookies. People are just super friendly and sweet. Definitely one of our favorite places for lunch. read more

The food, the service, and the ambiance were all delightful! I would come here every week to support this local business. The staff really cares about everyone who enters the building, and the joy is contagious! I highly recommend the avocado, egg, and cheese panini & the cappuccino. I'll be back! read more

We were in the neighborhood and decided to finally try SSK I must say it did NOT disappoint! It was not only delicious but the service was amazing. 10/10 recommended read more

See all

Found this place on Yelp and it was a great find. The restaurant is wonderful. We had quiche which was gluten free and the hot chicken sandwich with gluten free bread. Since my mom needs gluten free, worked out great. Everything was delicious with a nice atmosphere. Love their food! Definitely come back when traveling through the town. read more

Sunny Side Kitchen - Quiche and hot chicken sandwich - Sandwiches Near Me - Escondido, California

This place was Amazing! I went with my brother on a whim. So glad we did! We went on a Wednesday afternoon to avoid it being overly busy! Got two amazing sandwiches. They even panini cook them with parmigiana (drool) so content I will have to return at some point! read more

Sunny Side Kitchen - Sandwiches Near Me - Escondido, California

See all

Honestly, really good. My boyfriend and I stopped by here on our way to the San Diego Safari Park. Sunny Side Kitchen is a restaurant with their specialty being sandwiches, or paninis. Their best seller is The Works Breakfast Sandwich, which my boyfriend ordered. I ordered the California Club. All their Breakfast sandwiches come with a tiny side of fruit. We called ahead by about 20 minutes, and the expected wait time was 20 minutes. By the time we got there, we had to wait another extra 10 minutes for the food and for the complimentary Yelp Check In Lemonade. The food completely exceed our expectations. I really loved the extra spices and cheese on top of the panini, and the soft lovely texture of the avocado. I also really enjoyed the lemonade. It wasn't too sweet, and was so good, would totally order another one. Would come back if I'm ever in area, but do expect a bit of a wait. read more

This place is a little gem! The people who run it are pleasant and helpful! The food is great, I was not sure what sauce to use so they gave me all of them! I enjoyed sitting on the sidewalk tables, they bring you everything! Ohhhh and the coffee was great!!! read more

CONGRATULATIONS for being #3 in the Yelp's list of top 100 best places to eat in the U.S. !

I'll just come right out of the gate and say it: either the owner is paying people for positive online reviews or the folks of Escondido have never had a decent breakfast. Eater beware. Don't be fooled by the flood of 5-star ratings and "Best Breakfast" awards adorning their cramped walls. I make a better breakfast sandwich in the 2 minutes I have before work weekday mornings. The oatmeal was somehow both "hot and fresh" and watery and cold at the same time. Don't get me wrong- it wasn't the worst breakfast I've ever had. It was average, middle of the road, actually honest food. But it's in no way the shining near-perfect food experience that Yelp leads you to believe. The angsty teen/power hungry/Lord of The Flies/toxic kitchen staff dynamic paired with the owner's mean replies to online reviews should've made me turn around before I even ordered. My mistake. read more

Really great gluten free options. The chicken pesto panini and tomato soup was perfect for a rainy day. Small but cozy atmosphere. Would definitely go again. read more

Service! We waited 40 minutes for a salad and sandwich. Small portions for the price. Chicken was terribly try and it was in a Cobb salad and in a panini. Eggs seemed old in Cobb salad. The restaurant seemed very unorganized. First time there and I won't return. read more

Such a cute little shop with the best vibes. Everyone was so friendly! Bonus about this place is there are tons of gluten free options! We split "the works" breakfast sammie and thank goodness we did! It was huge and tasty. The sourdough with the seasoning/cheese on the bread was toasted to perfection and mouthwatering. The tropical herbal iced tea was so flavorful and well brewed. The gluten free white chocolate raspberry muffin was such a nice treat too! All around solid little joint. read more

See all

Tiny gem in Escondido for fabulous breakfast and lunch! The meatloaf panini is to die for! So savory! The Tuscan chicken panini is pretty good too! We had breakfast sandwiches last time and they were equally as delicious! Could get crowded since they have limited seating but so worth the wait! Check it out! read more

Sunny Side Kitchen - Tuscan chicken panini - Sandwiches Near Me - Escondido, California

See all

Cute place with great staff. Looking more for a traditional menu but my breakfast panini was good anyway

Exceptional service and delicious simple wholesome breakfast and lunch. The pride of Escondido! read more

Sunny Side Kitchen - Restaurant entrance - Sandwiches Near Me - Escondido, California

My family and I have been going to sunny side kitchen ever since they opened. Today, i tried their new ceprese sandwich (they have seasonal items on regular basis) LOVED IT! If you thought their good day sunshine sandwich was delicious just wait until you try caprese sandwich. Staff is always amazing, friendly, very reasonable wait time. Clean ingredients at great prices. If you haven't been here yet, give them a try read more