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    Cafe 86

    4.4 (348 reviews)
    Closed • 12:00 pm - 7:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Cafe 86 Photos

    Business Info

    CAFE 86 ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Cafe 86

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    Reviews With Photos

    Thoa N.

    I visited Cafe 86 again after many years. I had previously been to their Irvine location, so I was a little surprised by how much things have changed. I ordered the Halo-Halo, but personally, I don't think it's very close to the traditional version. For me, Halo-Halo should include beans and a variety of classic Filipino ingredients, not be blended like a smoothie. There's another place in Mira Mesa that serves a Halo-Halo I enjoy much more (although they're closed every Monday). The menu mentioned jackfruit, but I couldn't really find any in my dessert. To me, this tasted more like a brown sugar smoothie than an authentic Halo-Halo. That said, the staff were very friendly and welcoming, which made the visit enjoyable. The shop itself is small and fairly simple, without anything particularly memorable in terms of the atmosphere. They do have a nice selection of ube-flavored pastries that looked beautiful and very tempting. I may come back to try those next time.

    Alan S.

    What a nice discovery in the already popular food court near Sorrento Mesa what I will say is that you have all these good diverse food places and you have this Filipino café that offers a variety of Ube and cheesecake and sweets what I love is that they had a daily special of $3.50 for any of the drinks that they offer and you can do adjustments I will say the stars go for the service and just the kindness I would say overall this is another spot worth visiting. Don't sleep on the variety of pastries because they are all delicious

    Upside down halo halo
    Melodee Marie G.

    I always try to come here to grab halo halo whenever I am craving a dessert! I do enjoy this spin on it where you can choose the base. All of the ube desserts flavor is legit strong in ube, so it is nice and the girl math makes sense. This place is great for gifts or for a small treat yourself! The restaurant is a little tucked away, but the parking is plentiful. The shop is small and casual with only a few couches and tables to sit at. The employees are nice and honor military discount. They do deals during holidays, so definitely ask!

    Halo Halo and Milo milk tea
    Denisse R.

    I recently went to Cafe 86's new location and tried their regular Halo Halo. I can say I still a fan! I also ordered the Milo milk tea and really liked it. Their new location is smaller than their previous one but they still serve all the great drinks and desserts they previously did. Their is also plenty of parking which is a plus! The staff is friendly and service was quick!

    Michelle M.

    Delicious Filipino dessert/boba spot in Mira Mesa. Tiny shop in the plaza. My favorite things to get here is: Ube flan cheesecake Upside down halo halo Definitely worth the trip for something sweet and delicious. And a taste of Filipino sweetness. If you have questions, ask the staff for their best and favorites.

    #5 is my favorite combo
    Grace L.

    This place is tucked away in a Mira Mesa marketplace. I brought the ube sampler pack to a Galentine's, and everyone loved all of the ube desserts. This pack came with the ube crack cheesecake (my personal favorite), ube truffle (so decadent), ube leche flan cupcake (love flan), and ube butter bar (liked how the crust balances out the ube butter). It also came with a hibiscus calamansi which was refreshing but the desserts were what blew me away! I also ordered the regular upside down halo halo with ube ice cream. Although this drink was $10.95, it was loaded with so many toppings. I shared it with my husband and we were beyond satisfied. The next time you're craving anything ube, you should stop by this place!

    Halo halo
    Imee C.

    Came here to order to go. Order original halo-halo, upside down halo-halo and some pastries. Everything was yummy and will definitely come here again. The ube flan cupcake was the best but everything was good.

    Sitting area

    Love this place! They are always so nice and their drink are so well made. My favorite is the cookie butter latte and the mocha.

    Turkey Pesto Sandwich (this is only half...I ate the other half too quickly! )
    Olivia

    At first, I had a bit of trouble finding the location, I ended up walking around the entire building to find the entrance. That said, once I found it, I was delighted! It's a bit small on the inside, so if you have a big party, the suggestion would be to eat outside (there are a bunch of tables!). I got a sandwich, a pastry, and a drink, spent $25. Sandwich was great and came with chips. I couldn't decide which pop tart I wanted and the turon was delicious! I simply need to go back for the ube one. I got an iced tea and it was good, but the tea was mildly over brewed. It was a great place for me to just chill out and read my book. I shall be returning, can't wait to try out more things!

    menu as of 01/2026
    Emily D.

    I came to Cafe 86 on a Friday night. The cafe has a nice cozy feel to it, with a huge menu on display as soon as you walk in. They also have a bunch of pastries on display including their flan ube cupcake, cheesecake, and butter bars. The three items I tried were: -Ube Cheesecake: Had a good ube flavor, but I wish there was a more tart flavor like an original cheesecake. The portion was also very small for $5.50. (3.5/5) -Ube Butter Bar: Very nostalgic for me! I grew up with a Cafe 86 in OC, and this was my go to. The texture of the ube was dense and fibrous, almost like a baked sweet potato. The bar was not too sweet, and the graham cracker crust added a nice hint of salt for balance (5/5!) -The Mermaid: The star of the night. This was soo good!! The jasmine tea was super fragrant, and the sea salt foam complimented the tea well. I got it with boba. It was a perfect texture, not too soggy or too hard. Also great value considering how large the cup was. (5/5!!)

    Inside
    Corinna W.

    This place moved to another location in Mira Mesa. I ordered the 16oz upside down halo halo and it was amazing! It's a filling dessert drink with so many textures. It's ube cream milkshake with ice cream, jelly, jack fruit, corn flakes and flan. I should have shared it but instead I devoured the entire thing myself. They' offer other drinks and snacks like sandwiches and desserts. This place is tucked away inside the food court plaza. Check it out if you haven't tried before!

    Calamansi Jasmine Tea with Aloe
    Lili T.

    This is a cute little shop with unique offerings. I've actually been here twice within two weeks for the Calamansi Tea with Aloe (second time aloe was out .. sad ): ) but each time the service is kind and friendly. The sweetness level of the drink cannot really be altered but it actually was not too sweet for my liking and had a great tea forward taste. Definitely swing by if you're in the area!

    Gamini G.

    My friend and I wanted to have a nice mocha coffee and found this place after a quick Yelp search. As soon as we reached, parking was easy to find. The cafe was a bit small but fortunately we didn't have to wait and were able to get a table! We got the mocha iced latte. They had a whole bunch of interesting options like ube latte and nutella latte. Everything sounded so good. The beverage was ready in no time. The size of the beverage was good. The presentation was also great. The flavor of the latte was spot on. It had the right blend of chocolate cocoa and coffee. It was not overly sweet and it was not overly iced. Everything about it was perfect! If you are in the area, I recommend checking out this cafe! They also have interesting baked goods!

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    25 days ago

    Food was really good, service was great, and the overall vibe and ambiance were amazing. I'd definitely come back again!

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    25 days ago

    Cookie butter latte has flavor and not too sweet! Desserts are moist and decadent. Space is cute and artsy. Service was quick and friendly.

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    2 months ago

    This is my favorite halo halo place and the atmosphere is really nice and so is the staff.

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    1 year ago

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    22 days ago

    The upside down halo halo is amazing! my family loved it! They served us fairly quick for the big order we placed.

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    Page 1 of 9

    Ask the Community - Cafe 86

    Are there any non dairy options?

    Seems to be under construction...still, but when or if they are still planning to open in this location during these Covid-19 times?

    Any gluten/dairy/soy free options?

    Are they open during covid?

    According to the website, it's temporarily closed. http://www.cafe-86.com/#

    Are they open and what are the store hours?

    They're open for takeout only from 12:30-7PM

    View All 7 Questions

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    Extraordinary Desserts

    4.0(9.3k reviews)
    12.9 mi•Little Italy
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    This place is properly named extraordinary dessert for a reason. They are known for their desserts…read moreboth in taste and in aesthetics. Desserts: 5/5 We got a blood orange scone and a strawberry danish. The scone was warm and delicious. The orange essence was well infused. The danish was crispy and creamy. Everything was so picturesque. Food: 3/5 Unfortunately, the food was not the best. We got the smoked salmon sandwich which was not very flavorful. The salmon was also slimy. The pesto spread was good though. It was creamy and the artisan bread it was served had great variety. Ambiance: 5/5 This place is such super cute. When you walk in, the desserts all look super appetizing. The seating areas are super cute and the floral decor are stunning. Service: 5/5 It is an order then sit down establishment. There is great attention to their dessert. I saw them heat up a knife just to cleanly cut the cake. The food service however did take some time to come out.

    One of the absolute best Cake / Dessert cafe in San Diego hands down. Over the last couple of years…read moreI've always enjoyed the same cake The Ivoiry Royal with Raspberry and Vanilla Bean sauce that are a perfect complement to this cake ... Ok I can't stop praising this cake . My disappointment was : On this Sunday we made the trip Downtown from Eastlake and they had the cake in the display I was a happy camper TILL THEY SAID ONLY THE WHOLE CAKE IS FOR SALE WHEN I ASKED FOR A SLICE !!! Extremely Disappointed Settled for a Shangri-La slice only to regret it. It was good but it's no Ivoire Royal .

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    Pappalecco

    Pappalecco

    4.3(3.1k reviews)
    12.7 mi•Little Italy
    •$

    Absolutely amazing! That was the first thought that came to mind after my first bite of the…read morecroissant and my first spoonful of gelato. Alex helped me choose my gelato flavors, and she was so patient, friendly, and kind. There were so many different gelato and sorbet flavors to choose from that it was honestly hard to pick! The moment I tasted them, I felt like I was back in Italy. The flavors were rich, layered, and complex--you could actually taste the different ingredients, rather than just tasting sugar like you sometimes do at other places. Everything was so delicious and thoughtfully made. Definitely a place I'd love to come back to!

    A cute authentic Italian neighborhood cafe in Little Italy serving coffee, treats, gelato, and…read morepaninis. My friends and I were just looking to get a coffee in Little Italy, but when we walked in and saw all the delicious treats we had to try something else as well. I ordered a latte and neglected to tell them it was for here so I was given a paper cup, but they give real cups if you ask. The latte was good, and my friend bought a kitchen sink type cookie with chocolate, coconut, and macadamia nuts. It was warm and gooey good! Another friend tried the gelato and said it was very good. There are a few tables inside and tables out in front outside. We sat outside and enjoyed the beautiful San Diego weather. The decor and tables definitely gives you an old school Italian neighborhood vibe with Italian markets right next door. If I am in the neighborhood again, I would definitely come back here to try the gelato and/or a piece of an excellent looking lemon pie bar I spotted.

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    Pappalecco - Inside

    Inside

    Pappalecco - Soup Tomato.

    Soup Tomato.

    Pappalecco - Gelato alla menta con gocce di cioccolato, Gelato al cocco con gocce di cioccolato

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    Solunto Ristorante & Bakery

    Solunto Ristorante & Bakery

    4.0(1.2k reviews)
    12.7 mi•Little Italy
    •$$

    This review is for their Bakery part. After dining nearby my wife and I decided to make a quick…read morevisit here in Solunto Bakery. My wife chose a Carrot cake and I had the Canoli. The Canoli was pretty good but my wife didn't like the Carrot cake , i tasted it and all I could taste was the icing and the Carrot part I could barely taste it. They have Plenty of selection for pastries and dessert, but a very small seating area for their Bakery, so this is mostly like good for a grab-and-go. The other half of this place is their actual Italian restaurant, with half indoor seating and outdoor seating . This spot is always a good spot to get Pastries, Ice cream and more desserts.

    Positive: food was great. For me, portions of the protein are small so that sucks but can't argue…read morewith the quality. We both liked our dishes a lot. The outdoor seating was nice. It was a warm day but we got there at 5:15pm and the sun was starting to go behind the downtown buildings. Negative: service. It seems if you are a regular, like the two tables near us, they chat it up and talk about how things are. If you aren't a regular, they just quickly come by and say "anything else?" the two times they came by. Im a huge water drinker so the carafe they brought only refilled our cups once. Never got another one until we were done and they came by asking about dessert. They weren't busy by any stretch on a Tuesday evening but apparently the frequent customers either tip really well or they prefer familiar faces. I assume the latter. So, I mean the food itself was great but service was not good. I mean we went when it was slow too and the host was talking it up with a frequent customer also asking about the changes recently to parking in their area nearby.... So, it puts this review as a 3/5.

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    Solunto Ristorante & Bakery - Cute restaurant in little Italy

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    Solunto Ristorante & Bakery - Fusilli Genovese

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    Nonna + Zucchero - Fusilli Boscaiola

    Nonna + Zucchero

    4.1(581 reviews)
    12.6 mi•Little Italy
    •$$

    Our family dinner at Nonna's was great! Was trying to decide which place to go in Little Italy on a…read moreSaturday night with kids and no reservations without feeling under dressed. So we decided on Nonna's for their variety of pastas and pizza. The evening was packed with people up and down the streets. However, when we arrived at Nonna's we only had to wait no more than a couple of minutes before being seated. We thought most italian places would provide some sort of complimentary bread, but this place did not. We ended up ordering the Carbonara, Fusilli Alla Vodka, Pappardelle, and Salsiccia pizza. Each were fantastic, but the family really enjoyed the Fusilli and the Pappardelle the most! The short rib meat was extremely tender and flavorful. Portions were a little smaller than expected, but it was enough to feed each of us with a couple slices of pizza to spare. Ambiance was nice and the staff was great. A drink we ordered was forgotten, but it's understandable since it was quite busy. Overall, great experience and glad we ended up at Nonna's even though it wasn't part of the batch of recommendations provided online. (Sorry forgot to take photos as we were so hungry and didn't realize it until after we ate!)

    Food: - fungi pasta: 7.5/10, strong mushroom flavor…read more - carbonara: 5.7/10, too much sauce and noodles were overcooked - lemon meringue cheesecake + Sicilian cannoli: super authentic cannoli, cheesecake was good but nothing special Service: - hostess was not friendly - they ran out of white peach Italian soda but instead of asking what other flavor we would prefer, they just brought out a vanilla Italian soda - ordering took forever but once our food was in, it came out in less than 10 min Ambiance: - outdoor seating Skip Barbusa (sister restaurant) and come here instead, at least there is better dessert

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    Beef carpaccio

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    Cafe 86 - desserts - Updated September 2026

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