I originally wanted to stop for a matcha before a show we were attending in the area. We had planned to go to Hinar, but the line was really long, so we decided to walk over to this cafe instead. Unfortunately, it was pretty disappointing. The matcha didn't taste like good-quality matcha at all, and the drink mostly tasted like watered-down milk with just a hint of strawberry. The strawberry flavor came from an overly sweet red syrup that didn't taste very good. It was also more expensive than Hinar, which made it even harder to justify. The interior decor and seating areas were nice enough, so I can see why people might enjoy the atmosphere. But maybe it's just personal preference, I honestly don't understand the reviews for the drinks. Luckily, on our way back from the show, the line at Hinar had gone down, so I was able to grab a taster drink there, and the difference was pretty significant. I'd definitely choose Hinar over this place for matcha. read more

Tori Cafe occupies a corner suite in the East Village section of downtown SD. The interior decor was minimal with the original concrete walls and various tables and chairs of different heights for seating. That seems to be a trend with several of the newer cafes that have opened around town over the past year. I found the ambiance to be rather cold and uninviting to stay and hang out longer while doing laptop work. A one page menu sheet was posted at the service counter. Five specialty drinks, four teas, eight classics, and four food items made up the offerings. The Horchata Matcha was my choice as I hadn't seen this version of matcha at other local cafes before. A house made horchata was blended with matcha as an iced drink. The sweetness was less than what you get when ordering horchata as an agua fresca at taquerias. The matcha flavor was decent but not as potent as I have tasted elsewhere. The prices and service were acceptable. The vibe at Tori Cafe just wasn't for me, therefore a three star rating was the best I could give for my visit. read more

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I had a vanilla iced matcha and my son had an iced chai latte. Both were really good. The place is nice, clean and spacious. The barista was really nice. They have a cinnamon roll that looked amazing but we had just had dessert so skipped it, but we will have to come back for it. read more

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I decided to give this spot a try as its hidden and not advertised. It has a very simple and modern type of vibe in there. There is a couple of seats inside which is great. The parking can be a little tough if you don't get there early or if its during peak time for other businesses. The service was pretty quick, despite only one guy working there. The coffee was good, nothing crazy about it... my friend did try the matcha and she loved it! She got the horchata matcha and was surprised how good it was. read more

Tori Cafe - Vanilla caramel latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Came for a run club event with LSKD and really enjoyed the vibe and drinks at TORI Cafe. They have matcha, coffee and bites to eat. The service was very friendly and there was ample seating inside. I got a peach matcha and they had two special feature drinks in collaboration with Aussie brand LSKD. Street parking in East Village. read more

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Loved the industrial vibes of the space however $8 for a matcha is quite expensive. I got the peach special and thought it tasted good but a bit watered down. The drinks did take almost 10 minutes granted we went on a Sunday morning. read more

Came to this cute café, but was a little disappointed that there was only two Matcha options. I'm not sure if they use ceremonial Matcha because the Melrose matcha barely had any much of flavor. However, with the sweetener and oat milk ($1 up charge) it tasted like strawberry milk, which was good but I'd say if you're looking for a Matcha spot this is not it. The latte was alright. Also three stars. read more

Tori Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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Honestly one of the best matcha lattes in downtown that I've had that's worth the price!! I work near this cafe so my coworkers have gotten me drinks a couple times-- I've never actually gone to the cafe myself but I do hear it's really pretty and clean. I get their regular matcha latte with oat milk and agave and it's not too sweet! Very strong matcha, well balanced, and the perfect green. I know some other options in the area are a little too sweet for me or expensive for what you get, but I really like this place ! read more

Great little cafe in San Diego. We tried their horchata with banana foam. I honestly didn't taste much banana but the drink was good. Lots of people come here to work. Everyone is nice. read more

Tori Cafe - Horchata with banana foam - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

We came here in the morning and it wasn't too busy. It seems like this is one of the only places you can get matcha that doesn't have a line down the street. But that's not to say it isn't good, it's a really solid cafe. We ordered two melrose matchas and a snickerdoodle cookie. The matchas were pretty sweet (strawberry and rose flavor) but really good. The cookie was also to die for. I would definitely return and try their regular matcha latte. read more

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Not only is this matcha so beautiful, but it is delicious and surprisingly not sweet! A great new cafe in East village with lots of open space, a small but good menu, and quick service! read more

Tori Cafe - Strawberry matcha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Classic modern cafe located in downtown san diego with the best vibes. Music is good. Coffee is great. The concrete, wood, and live plants are such a vibe. Service was pretty quick and the cashier was friendly. read more

Tori Cafe - Iced Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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I didn't love my matcha, but my friends thought my drink was good! I got a regular matcha with vanilla syrup. My friends got the melrose strawberry matcha and the horchata matcha. Both were good! The matcha flavor wasn't really present tho in those drinks. They were still good tho! Drinks came out pretty quick. I'd give this place a 3.5 out of 5 if I could. read more

Tori Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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Absolutely love Tori's Cafe since the moment they opened here in downtown. The Melrose Matcha is literally my favorite sweet treat that gives me that extra boost on any afternoon. The Horchata Matcha is my creamy runner up, super tasty. Also The Pesto panini is Scrumptious. read more

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I'm so happy they are finally open! I've been visiting them at their soft openings. They are located next to Yoga Box which is perfect if you need a little sweet treat after class! I'm a big fan of their Melrose strawberry matcha drink. It tastes like a strawberry shortcake! I also love their interior decor and music. read more

Tori Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Tori Cafe unfortunately didn't impress me. The menu is displayed on a single page at the main counter, so we didn't get much chance to browse through it before we were up to order. The staff unfortunately wasn't much help when it came to identifying any dairy free or vegan options, and suggested a drink with condensed milk. I ended up sticking with a basic matcha latte, for which I had to pay extra for oat milk (boo alternative milk upcharge) and extra for any kind of sweetener. I went with the sugar free vanilla syrup, but I honestly wish I just asked for some stevia packets. My drink was mediocre at best, I've had much better matchas in so cal at lower prices. My friend didn't like her drink too much either, the strawberry flavoring was overwhelming and artificial in her Melrose matcha. It was a nice place for my friend and I to hang out at for a bit, they have a cool couch and fashion/music magazines out. We also appreciated their clean private bathroom that didn't require a code or key. Overall, unless the aesthetic of Tori Cafe really speaks to you, I wouldn't really recommend this spot. read more

Tori Cafe - Matcha Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

we visited this place on valentine's day later in the day. the barista told us beforehand that they had a busy day and they ran out of matcha and mocha . we saw a few people leave after they were told they ran out of matcha so i'm assuming it is good, so I'll be back to try it! in terms of coffee, the cold brew was good and the vanilla latte was perfect! read more

Tori Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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The matcha was the perfect drink to start off our day! We ordered the horchata matcha and a cold brew. The matcha was a perfect deep green color and it had great flavor, as it paired perfectly with the horchata flavor. The cafe is super large, with lots of seating and a whole couch area in the back side of it. Also, they had a mirror in the front of the business, and it made a great selfie spot! The baristas were friendly, and they had great personalities. They gave us the best recommendations and their favorites. read more

Tori Cafe - horchata matcha & cold brew - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

This review is solely for their matcha since I haven't tried their coffee, but the matcha was pretty bad. We got the Melrose which is their rose strawberry matcha and Horchata Matcha. The Melrose tasted like strawberry milk and and the horchata matcha just tasted like horchata. It's not bad if you just want flavored milk but if you're hoping for a matcha taste, you can't taste matcha at all. I was sad that the drinks weren't good because the space is beautiful. It's bright, spacious, and welcoming and the staff were friendly too. I'm hoping their coffee is better, but I probably won't be back :/ read more

Love the vibes here! Great music and good amount of seating to do work. I got the maple sea cloud cold brew. 10/10 the cold foam wasn't overly sweet and the flavor was super yummy. read more

Tori Cafe - Maple Sea Cloud Cold Brew - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Tori Cafe is such a cool minimalist coffee spot with a really thoughtful interior design. The space has a modern, gallery-like feel with high ceilings, exposed concrete walls, large windows, and clean furniture that makes it feel calm and airy. The natural light and simple layout make it a great place to sit, work, or relax for a bit. I loved the little lounge area with the leather sofa, art books on the table, and the large wall photo. It almost feels like a small design studio or creative space rather than just a cafe. The mirror wall also makes the space feel even bigger and is a fun detail. The food and drinks were great too. I had a prosciutto toasty sandwich and an iced vanilla latte with salted maple cold foam, both sooo yummy and really well made. The service was friendly and the atmosphere makes it an easy place to stay for a while. read more

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The service was very fast, super spacious to work from home, loved the ambiance, will try more flavors next time. read more

Tori Cafe - Melrose - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Saw on IG this places opened and decided to come and support. I knew I would be limited with my choices as a serious lactose intolerant person, but I usually find something that they are able to make it workout. I asked is the horchata matcha by any chance was dairy free and was good yes as the horchata is made inhouse. I know I asked at least twice bc usually it's not dairy free and shocked when it is. Person confirm it was dairy free so I purchased it. It tastes amazing! BUT I had a feeling from the taste there was something about the drink that was too delicious for it to not be dairy free. Sure enough about 20 min later my stomach felt it. I don't know the actual ingredients, but the drink didn't sit well. Again tasted delicious so for those people who are not lactose intolerant please enjoy for me. I have 3 stars bc of the dairy issue, but taste and reps helpfulness were good. Just wish it was true that it was dairy free (sigh). read more

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I love the atmosphere and vibe. However, I do find the banana Machado drink disappointing. It was seriously lacking banana flavor, or really any flavor. I've had the mocha previously. That was pretty good! I had a classic latte once and the espresso was smooth. Again, lacking flavor. The cinnamon rolls are soft and Delicious!!!! 10/10 would recommend. The baristas are kind as well. read more

My friend and I got the maple sea cloud and we loved it! The space also has ample seating so it was nice to sit and chill for a litte bit, would visit again! read more

Tori Cafe - interior - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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Overall a good spot to check out, but getting there was a bit tricky since there isn't much parking nearby. Once inside, the drinks were solid. The matcha was decent, though the horchata made it taste a little thicker than I expected. My favorite by far was the cold brew -- smooth and definitely what I'd come back for. If you're in the area and don't mind the parking situation, it's worth a stop. read more

Tori Cafe - Horchata matcha and cold brew coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Great cafe chill vibes and decor with the quality drinks to back it up. Perfect for a date or a meet up place catch up with friends. I came here to get some work done and was able to take some calls with ease. Both the horchata matcha and east village mocha are tasty. This has become my local coffee spot! The owners are also so nice and hospitable too! read more

Tori Cafe - East Village Matcha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

This place is a VIBE. Amazing coffee and amazing hangout spot , amazing service, amazing music. 10/10 recommend read more

Tori Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Nice ambiance, setting, service and layout. They need to work on their matcha ratio, it tasted like straight up milk :( ...

love love looove their menu! owner is super nice and so is everybody that works here. I get the cold brew with banana cold foam. drinks are fabulous. read more