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Genteel Coffee

4.6 (138 reviews)
Open • 7:00 am - 4:00 pm

Genteel Coffee Photos

Business Info

GENTEEL COFFEE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Quiet
Outdoor seating
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - Genteel Coffee

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Latte

Definitely worth a visit. Nice outdoor space, affordable coffee. Barista was nice and makes good coffee. Worth stopping in if you are in the area.

Latte
siri g.

This is one of my favorite coffee shops in the neighborhood. I actually discovered it by accident when I couldn't find a seat at Communal down the street, and I'm so glad I did, I've been back multiple times since. The staff is incredibly friendly and welcoming, and the café has such a cozy, inviting vibe. They have a bar-style seating area that's great for studying or working, along with some outdoor tables. It's become one of my go-to spots to get work done. Their latte is a solid 10/10 every time. I'd highly recommend this place!

Stickers and pin
Anna H.

I was excited to try this place because I love supporting local and I love the cool logo and aesthetic of it upon walking in. Disappointed in my experience here. I ordered and watched 6 people get their drinks before me, I went to the counter and reminded them what I ordered and the barista said she accidentally skipped mine. They were apologetic, but nobody acknowledged me waiting for my drink as the next 6 people behind me got theirs. I love their pins and stickers, and I bought those, but I don't think I'll be coming back for their coffee. I ordered the foxtrot iced latte, which tasted so watery with a hint of cinnamon and nothing like an iced latte. It also leaves a terrible taste in your mouth. The matcha looked good, but overall, just bummed out that my Saturday morning coffee I like to go out for was a near 8.00 loss.

Cortado with off-beat espresso

Hands down my favorite coffee shop in San Diego. The owner, Justin, roasts Genteel's ethically sourced, single-origin beans himself. The shop offers a lineup of unique house-made syrups alongside their menu of classic espresso drinks, matcha, tea options, and locally-sourced pastries. The atmosphere is warm and inviting and so is their team. The shop hosts semi-frequent pop-up events featuring local artists and vendors. Their mission is to provide a space for people to become known and community to form and they do just that. The first time I went to Genteel my thought was "wow this place is so peaceful" and that's been my experience ever since. The shop is full of natural light and has a great flow from the time you enter. The back corner of the shop acts as a canvas--featuring annually rotating mural designs by local artists and a grab-and-go market corner. Make it a point to come here, you won't be disappointed.

Rico M.

Genteel was a cool experience. The interior was nice, they had a ton of merch, cool stickers, and I became a huge fan of their logo, I love that little fox. The store has these steps or ramp upon entering which I though was cool lol The staff was somewhat "nice" as they were not very welcoming, no eye contact, no thank you or even a hi, I even greeted them and they ignored me. Maybe they were having a bad day or a rough start, I won't base my review off that tho, just the coffee. I ordered a latte and it was pretty good not great. I believe they don't use Califia Barista oat milk but maybe Oatly or something else because the milk had a nutty taste to it. it wasn't a bad taste just something different and a prominent taste to it. Overall it was still a good taste and a good experience, hopefully next time I won't feel unwelcomed upon entering. Come try this place out and overall thank you for the experience Genteel, I even bought a sticker to support.

Poached pear scone 1000/10
Halle J.

I ordered the seasonal rosemary cappuccino and it was delicious. It wasn't very sweet but -bc it was so light- I could tell the coffee is actually good (not disguised by syrup). Definitely going back to try one of their specialty lattes. Also got the poached pear scone and omg. Scones are hard to get right but the texture of these were perfect. And for the "not too sweet" crowd, the poached pear was perfect and still full of flavor

Menu
Jane L.

Who doesn't love a cute neighborhood caffeine dealer?! Well my new entrepreneur friend researched this spot, which was also new to me. Bonus, it was only a 20 minute walk from me so exercise and reducing my carbon footprint. There is a cute narrow patio seat area but the flies were flying and I didn't want to compete with them for sunshine so we stayed inside and grabbed a stool at the window to people watch. While waiting for Brandon, I chatted up the fellas. They humored me. I'm typically a ceremonial matcha girl but the Blue "Matcha" caught my eye and the barista convinced me to get it iced. There is zero caffeine so, it's aesthetically pleasing and delicious. Brandon's lavender latte was good but had and edible finish. We're there for almost 4 hours and basically shut it down. Short lulls, but when they were busy they were B U S Y!!! Love this neighborhood gem, will be back again soon!

Iced Matcha Latte
Meghan W.

Genteel Coffee is a cool little cafe in the North Park neighborhood of San Diego. I was in the mood for a matcha and happened upon this coffee shop while in the area. I'm so glad I did. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable, and the menu offered specialty items not usually found at your standard coffee shop. My iced matcha was delicious and exactly what I wanted. There is seating inside the shop and outdoor seating on the side of the building. I had a wonderful experience soaking in sunshine and enjoying my drink on the patio. Highly recommended!

Ali B.

I love almost any kind of fun coffee or tea drink and this spot has some really cool unique options. I came with my family and there was something for us all! It's super small in here but there's a little patio which is nice! I got the vixen with oat milk. It had activated charcoal and agave. Yum! They make their own syrups in house which is a huge plus. My sister had a tea spritz and loved it! Everyone else enjoyed their drinks as well. They also sell their own beans which is cool. Would recommend if you're in the area!

Cappuccino with their special "secondary" roast & beautiful artwork.
Chris H.

I've had many fantastic coffee experiences here at Genteel. They have some fantastic roasts and the people behind bar are obviously talented, friendly and knowledgeable. Have one of their espresso drinks or their pour over and take it to the outside patio for a nice little getaway. It's great to see this relatively small space impact the community in such a big way! Thanks guys!

Den Mother latte with almond milk.
Joe C.

The "Den Mother" latte was amazing. Subtly sweet and full of flavor. It had the perfect balance for my style of coffee. The service was good. The barista said, "Foxtrot or Den Mother" were the crowd favorites. My co-worker got the "Foxtrot" it was good, but I'm not a huge fan of cardamom so I went with the "Den Mother."

Heather C.

Good coffee and nice seating outside! Not much seating inside, but there are some really unique flavors and I love the idea behind this place! They were very friendly. Their drinks are a bit costly but they have all house made syrups and creative drinks

Pastry case
Casey D.

Popped on over around lunch time and had no trouble finding street parking and snagging a table. Loooved the ambiance/aesthetic of this place! I ordered a capp & cafe de olla concha. The concha was delicciousss and the capp was good but nothing to really write home about. As for studying, there's outlets by the window seats. I'd advice to come before/around lunch time in order to grab a seat, as tables start to fill up around 1-2pm.

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Ask the Community - Genteel Coffee

Are there a few tables with outlets to get some work done here?

Yes! There are some outlets at least near the bar stools at the window. Not sure about outside though

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Izola - Our Brown Butter Caramel Knot is one you won't want to share...House made caramel, with a light sprinkle of sea salt. Hot from the oven!

Izola

4.7(2.3k reviews)
2.8 mi•East Village
•$$$
Family-owned & operated
LGBTQ friendly

This was my first time coming here, and it was a wonderful experience. I ordered the Kimchi Gruyere…read moreBun and the Coconut Cream Iced Latte. The Kimchi Gruyere Bun was delicious and flavorful. As someone who is not big on coffee, this latte was actually so so good, and I would definitely recommend. I also tried a bite of the Bibimbap Croissant which was yummy too. Service was amazing! The staff were welcoming, friendly, and quick. They checked on us frequently and made sure if we needed anything else / if we enjoyed our food. They also offered us samples of a new item, the Coconut Pumpkin Bun, coming out around October. It was warm and not too sweet - a perfect balance in my opinion. The atmosphere and ambience was clean and cozy. It was a nice place for our group to enjoy some drinks and a quick bite. Everyone enjoyed themselves! Overall, I highly recommend checking this place out! I will definitely be back :)

The Tahitian Vanilla Knot and the Bibimbap Croissant were delicious I recommend them . The cashier…read moreDaisy was very humble . The service as well was amazing

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Izola - Iced Coconut Cream Latte: espresso with condensed coconut milk and topped with the most luxurious version of coconut cold foam. Luxurious!

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Izola - IZOLA Carnitas Croissant: 
A tribute to the flavors of Mexico and a warm thank-you to the flavors that inspire us from across the border.

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Wayfarer Bread & Pastry - My personal fave - fig and vanilla tile

Wayfarer Bread & Pastry

4.5(1.1k reviews)
8.9 mi•Bird Rock, La Jolla
•$$

Wayfarer is a great place for fresh bread and pastries. Our favorite was the peach and vanilla…read moretile, followed by the tomato and cheddar tile, both were soft, buttery, and delicious. The crossant is good not great, for me personally, little less flaky is prefered. The flavors aren't especially unique, but everything tastes fresh and not dry in your throat after taste. We waited about 15-20 minutes, which wasn't too bad. It's not a "wow" kind of place, but it's approachable, comforting, and perfect for visiting regularly. Overall, I really enjoy it!!

Amazing Pastries, Fantastic Sourdough & Delicious Sandwiches!…read more Wayfarer Bread & Pastry is one of my favorite bakeries in La Jolla! Their pastries are absolutely delicious, the sourdough bread is fantastic, and the sandwiches never disappoint. They usually offer two daily sandwich options, one meat and one vegetarian, and I've enjoyed both. My only complaint is that the vegetarian sandwich always seems to come on a baguette, which I find a little too hard and chewy for my liking. I wish they would switch up the bread occasionally because the fillings are wonderful! For that reason, I usually end up choosing the meat sandwich instead. As for the pizza, it's probably my least favorite item. While the crust is good, I find the toppings a bit too sparse. A little more generosity with the toppings would make a big difference. Also, keep in mind that the pizza needs to be pre-ordered through their website, so plan ahead if you're hoping to try it. There's almost always a long line, but don't let that discourage you! It moves surprisingly quickly, and the baked goods are well worth the wait. Overall, Wayfarer is a wonderful bakery with consistently delicious pastries, excellent sourdough, and creative sandwiches. A few small improvements would make it even better, but it remains one of my favorite places to stop for a treat or a quick lunch!

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Wayfarer Bread & Pastry - Inside

Inside

Wayfarer Bread & Pastry - Almond croissant and burnt honey fig tiles

Almond croissant and burnt honey fig tiles

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Extraordinary Desserts - Road trip with the girls. Gorgeous stuff here.

Extraordinary Desserts

4.0(9.3k reviews)
2.6 mi•Little Italy
•$$$

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.

Unfortunately, what was supposed to be a simple and enjoyable sweet treat turned into a really…read moreunpleasant experience because of the extremely poor service we received. This was not our first time visiting Extraordinary Desserts, which makes this experience even more disappointing. Sadly, every time we come back, the service seems to get worse. The waiter's attitude and level of attention were unacceptable, and the overall customer service was simply not there. For a place that is supposed to be about enjoying beautiful desserts and having a nice experience, the quality of the service completely ruined our visit. Service, attention, and hospitality were all a zero.

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Extraordinary Desserts - Spinach dip and chips and tomato and basil soup

Spinach dip and chips and tomato and basil soup

Extraordinary Desserts - One of our 'go to' dessert places in San Diego.

One of our 'go to' dessert places in San Diego.

Extraordinary Desserts - Chocolate lemon bon bon

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Flour Atelier - Calamansi Cream Pie

Flour Atelier

4.4(273 reviews)
5.0 mi•Kearny Mesa
•$$

This bakery is in between Ross and Mitsuwa. Parking is tight in this plaza where you'll need to…read morefold in your side mirrors and suck in to get in and out of your car. Super cutesy vibe and pretty delicate desserts. Almost reminds me of Nothing Bundt Cake interior with merch, candles, gifts, flowers. Things you can pick up last minute if you're on your way to a party. They offer cheesecake, cupcake, cookies, cakes and few others. Lattes, matcha, Hojicha, teas and lemonade. I got the earl gray lavender cupcake and black sesame matcha Hojicha drink and lychee hibiscus tea drink. The cupcake was moist, not too sweet, had some grittiness to it from the seeds. Tasted the earl gray and lavender combo. It was delicious, I could have ate the entire thing but had to share the other half. There were a few tables outside but none inside.

I'd been seeing Atelier Flour all over Instagram, so I decided to stop by and see what the hype was…read moreabout. I ordered the Island Girl Coffee, a macadamia latte, and asked for it less sweet. To me, it tasted very similar to a flavored hazelnut latte from Starbucks. Even with reduced sweetness, it was still sweeter than I prefer and had a slightly artificial flavor. If you enjoy flavored Starbucks-style coffee, you'll probably like it, but it's just not my personal preference. I actually didn't finish my drink because the flavor wasn't for me. That said, the cashier was very sweet, and the dessert display looked beautiful and tempting. While the coffee didn't win me over, I'd still come back to give their desserts a try since they looked much more appealing than the drink I ordered. Overall, a nice spot with friendly service, but next time I'll be skipping the flavored coffee and trying one of the desserts instead.

Photos
Flour Atelier - Cupcakes (Halo-Halo, Ube & Flan, Turon)

Cupcakes (Halo-Halo, Ube & Flan, Turon)

Flour Atelier - Bite of strawberry cheesecake matcha bar.

Bite of strawberry cheesecake matcha bar.

Flour Atelier - Work of art. Monogram puff pastry cake.

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Parisien Gourmandises - Peach danish

Parisien Gourmandises

4.5(372 reviews)
10.3 mi•La Jolla
•$$

At first I walked into the store and thought I was lost. I double checked the address and realized…read moreit was inside! Pretty neat how the store shares a space with the bakery. It's a small little place with a few tables outside its doors - still within the store. We came on a random weekday afternoon and it looked like most things were in stock. There were still quite a few people who were in and out. I brought home some pastries and my whole family loved everything! They said everything wasn't so sweet, which is a very good thing for when coming from Asian adults. I concur, the pastries weren't too sweet and the fillings/cremes were generous. I love pastries with filling and all of the ones I got did. I really enjoyed my selection. My favorite from most to least was: crème brûlée, pistachio, mango, almond, and fig. They were very close in ranking though. None of them were disappointing! Only thing was it was a bit pricey, but what isn't anymore... I would highly recommend.

When people talk about the magic of La Jolla Village, this is exactly what they mean. Nestled among…read morethe walkable, sun-drenched streets lined with palm trees and ocean breezes, this boutique café captures that rare blend of upscale SoCal charm and effortless European sophistication. It's an absolute staple of what makes exploring the Village so special. Walking through the front entrance, you're greeted by a curated retail space that feels like Crate & Barrel met a boutique shop in the heart of Paris. It's packed with unique home goods, chic trinkets, and aesthetic lifestyle items. Be sure to wander all the way to the back shelves--there are so many hidden gems worth taking home! The staff upfront and on the floor were incredibly warm, welcoming, and happy to chat while you browse. As you head toward the back, the space opens up into a dream of a café. One of the cutest touches is being able to actually watch the bakers rolling out fresh dough and crafting pastries right before your eyes. The smell of rich espresso and buttery pastry crust filling the air is irresistible. I grabbed a coffee and a fresh pastry, waited a short bit for a table on the patio, and pulled out my journal. Listening to the ambient music and ocean breeze in the courtyard while writing was pure heaven. Whether you're stopping in to shop for home decor, grab a top-tier espresso, or just soak in the slow, luxurious rhythm of La Jolla, this place is perfection.

Photos
Parisien Gourmandises - Towards the back June 25, 2025

Towards the back June 25, 2025

Parisien Gourmandises - Awesome coffees and a $10 tiny stick eclair.

Awesome coffees and a $10 tiny stick eclair.

Parisien Gourmandises - Outside

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Outside

Genteel Coffee - coffee - Updated October 2026

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