Specialty Coffee in San Diego

San Diego Coffee Culture

In a place like San Diego with constant sunshine that is one of the top tourist destinations in the US, you would be forgiven if your mind doesn’t first think of it as a paradise for hot specialty coffee, but I assure you it is. With plenty of coffee shops in San Diego across neighborhoods that are as varied as can be, this city can serve you up a delicious cup of coffee just about anywhere you plan to visit. While the locals all have their favorites and neighborhoods like North Park and University Heights are certainly more dense with options, the stops on our tour are a bit more spread out to give you a diverse taste of SD’s coffee scene and culture. To learn more about the city and what to do after you’ve had your coffee in San Diego, visit the blog for a look behind the scenes.

Best Pour Over Coffee Shops in San Diego

Bird Rock Coffee Roasters

I was living in San Diego when I started home roasting coffee beans and discovered the endless possibility in the world of specialty coffee. Bird Rock Coffee Roasters was the first specialty coffee shop I ever visited and is always a must visit whenever I’m in SD. You really can’t go wrong here as they travel extensively to find the best beans. At their Morena location on select Fridays, if you’re lucky enough you can try a Panama Gesha cold brew made with a Kyoto that is to die for. It literally tastes like blueberries!

What to order: Pour Over or any of their unique espresso drink recipes

Address: 5627 La Jolla Blvd, La Jolla, CA 92037

Website
birdrockcoffeeroasters

Mostra Coffee

I am so happy to see all of Mostra’s success and expansion into many locations across various coffee shops in San Diego. Ever since I stepped into their original warehouse location off the beaten San Diego coffee path, I was excited by what they would do on the coffee scene. They are certainly now known for their Very creative espresso drink recipes and absolutely deserve that praise for things like the Creme Brûlée Latte, the Campfire Latte, and the Blueberry Pancake Latte, while I obviously visit for the pour over coffee in San Diego and love it every time.

What to order: Pour Over, Creme Brûlée Latte

Address: 2001 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

Website
mostracoffee

James Coffee Co.

James Coffee’s location inside a building with many other shops selling various products, as well as a tattoo parlor and barber shop, is a great place to spend an afternoon or take a break from a walk through SD’s well-known Little Italy neighborhood. The fact they serve tasty specialty coffee with plenty of seating means you can enjoy your drink at your own pace without anyone rushing to move you along. Take your time at this coffee shop in San Diego before reemerging into the sun.

What to order: v60

Address: 2355 India St, San Diego, CA 92101

Website
jamescoffeeco

Modern Times

While perhaps better known as a brewery than a coffee roastery, and an excellent brewery at that, their specialty coffee (especially their cold brew) is absolutely worth making a stop by Modern Times before happy hour. They actually started roasting their own coffee in San Diego to have total control of the production of their Black House coffee stout beer, and it was worth the effort as now we’re rewarded with a 1-2 punch of delicious drinks.

What to order: Cold brew (they have excellent canned single origin cold brew too)

Address: 3725 Greenwood St, San Diego, CA 92110

Website
moderntimescoffee