Overall great coffee shop. The foxtrot is definitely my favorite drink here. Very friendly staff. Street parking. Some indoor seating and cute little alleyway of outdoor seating. read more

Genteel Coffee - Foxtrot latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

North Park has so many coffee shops, but this one is easily in my top three. They serve great coffee, matcha, pastries, and even have some fun merch. The narrow outdoor patio is super cute and perfect for hanging out. They offer lots of specialty drinks, which keeps things interesting. They're dog‑friendly, and the logo is honestly the cutest. A solid stop if you're exploring North Park and want something reliably good. read more

Genteel Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Cute spot with lots of drink options but a bit tight with a stroller. Great for a solo person working at the bar or hanging on their skinny side patio with stairs. Coffee was delicious and the carrot cake was moist. Service was friendly! They didn't have the seasonal drink I wanted to try so will have to come back next time. read more

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! read more

Genteel Coffee - Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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. read more

Genteel Coffee - Stickers and pin - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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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. read more

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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. read more

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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 read more

Genteel Coffee - Poached pear scone 1000/10 - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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! read more

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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! read more

Genteel Coffee - Iced Matcha Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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! read more

Genteel Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

This is another inspired coffee roaster and shop in San Diego. Several former baristas in other shops i frequent in San Diego have migrated over here. They pull interesting roasts with a little acidity,which is to my liking. They also have savory scones (bacon cheddar) on Thursday and Friday. Parking can be challenging, but you generally can find some on neighboring streets. They have limited inside seating, but plenty of outside up along the alley and in front. Wifi works in all these locations. I definitely encourage a visit. Shop local and try new stuff. read more

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! read more

Genteel Coffee - Cappuccino with their special "secondary" roast & beautiful artwork. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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." read more

Genteel Coffee - Den Mother latte with almond milk. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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 read more

Genteel Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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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. read more

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Solid coffee spot in North Park! Tried out this spot recently with a friend, and we enjoyed our visit. Loved the minimalistic design and layout of the cafe. Some seating inside the cafe, as well as a couple tables along the side of the building. The baristas were friendly and gave us the run down of the menu offerings and made sure we were satisfied with our drinks (which they prepared quickly, despite there being a steady flow of customers). Definitely check out this spot! Will be back to try out some more drinks, and snag some coffee beans. read more

Such a gem in San Diego. If you're wanting a perfectly crafted cup of coffee this is the place to go. One of the best espressos I experienced while in town. read more

AMBIANCE Charming, comfortable, lots of light, lots of tables outside, something about the space makes me want to stay for a while. SERVICE Friendly, knowledgeable. Customers order at the counter and my name was called when my dine-in order was ready for pickup. DRINK 5/5 Foxtrot Latte: hot is served at the perfect drinking temperature. It's flavored with cardamom, orange, and cinnamon and is just the right amount of sweetness (not too sweet) for me. read more

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I'm a sucker for cold foam and I refuse to give my money to the big chain coffee shops, so I was genuinely excited to try Genteel Coffee. I love finding small, independent spots that feel intentional and special. I went in and ordered their seasonal drink, the Maple Fog with cold foam. It sounded perfect in theory. I asked for it 1/4 sweet because I don't enjoy overly sugary coffee drinks... and unfortunately, it was still far too sweet to drink. Not just "a little sweet." Fully dessert-level sweet. I took two sips and had to toss it. That was disappointing, especially at specialty coffee prices. I really wanted to love it. I might go back and try something simpler, but this particular drink was a miss for me. read more

Stopped by on a walk one day. It was a a Friday at around 2 but it was still super packed. We got their seasonal drinks. One was a maple brown butter latte and the rosemary cappuccino. Both were very tasty! We also got their scone. Apparently twice a week (Friday being one of those days) they have fresh scones. Honestly one of the best scones I've ever had. 15/10 would eat like ten of them. There are a few spots inside but mostly outside seating. We walked but I could foresee parking being a pain but there are also side streets. Wish this place was closer to my own place so it could be my neighborhood spot! read more

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Great matcha latte at a cute coffee spot! There's not much sitting inside but I saw that there was seating outside. It wasn't too busy when I came on a Saturday afternoon, so I was able to order right away and got my drink within 5 minutes. I got it to-go, but the overall experience was great. The staff was friendly, the wait was short, and I was able to get a great cup of matcha on my drive over to the zoo. Note that there's street parking for this place, so it may be difficult to find if it's a busy day. I heard that this place gets really packed at times, but I guess I just came at an off hour so it wasn't bad for me. I'd definitely come back here! read more

Genteel Coffee - Matcha latte iced with oat milk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

I discovered Genteel Coffee at a Coffee Fest event hosted in Broadway Pier at the SD Harbor. That event had so many coffee shops tabling and Genteel stood out to us! I had a taster of their Foxtrot drink and was instantly hooked. I had to stop by the shop to try their other drinks! The shop is small but bright inside, with lots of natural lighting. There's minimal seating inside, but more outside in the adjacent alley. It's a really nice shop to sit and chat at. Staff was super friendly. We also wanted to buy some beans to try and they had great recommendations! We had a really great convo with them about our respective at-home espresso setups :) I got my usual iced americano and really enjoyed it! Great quality coffee! I will return to try their other specialty drinks read more

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I ordered their seasonal rosemary cap. The rosemary and cinnamon was great in the drink. Theres some bar seating as well as other seating outside. The barista was also helpful in helping me pick which drink to get since I was a bit unsure on what to get. I would definitely come back to try their other house-made specialties. read more

The iced foxtrot was fantastic, and their cold brew was perfectly balanced and delicious. Loved the shaded alleyway seating. What a wonderful place! read more

Probably my favorite coffee shop in SD or up there ! The coffee quality is very high. I had a delicious honey cinnamon latte. And I'm in love with the amount of outdoor seating and cute back patio area. The service is quick and friendly , definitely recommend. Only thing that sucks is parking but such is north park. read more

There is an art to the morning ritual, and Foxtrot has mastered it entirely. The exceptional quality of their coffee is rivaled only by the hospitality of their staff, who manage to be entirely proficient yet wonderfully disarming. Architecturally, the café is a brilliant study in juxtaposition: a stark, minimalist interior that gives way to an outdoor garden patio. Enclosed by verdant flora and polished wood, it offers an idyllic window onto North Park. It remains my absolute favorite haunt. read more

Today was packed from the outside and within. I think there was an event happening! Despite them being so full, the workers were full of energy and smiles. They greeted us and presented the different menus. Looking at the wall on the right as we walked in they had the basic menu (in black and white) and then in small colored posters (yellow, orange, white)-- the specialty drinks. I went with an Iced Foxtrot ($6.00)--it's a latte with house made syrup of cinnamon, cardamom, and orange extract. I think it was good, the orange extract really came through and the spices were quite subtle. I wish there was more oomph of cardamom. There's two shots of espresso in it but it doesn't taste very strong (mainly taste the orange extract). I liked the choice of ice a lot. It's a fun mix, I think an addition of rosemary would make a killer latte combo though. 7.5/10 My brother ordered an Iced Vixen with oat milk ($7.00), this is activated charcoal latte that's sweetened with agave. He said it tasted average and the charcoal didn't add much to it. Just the difference in color which makes sense for the name "Vixen." Oat milk is $1 extra. The space is pretty small, but the way they designed the seating was smart! Outside on the side of the place it feels narrow. We sat opposite from the ordering area (by the window) and I absolutely adored this spot!! A great "people watching" spot. And would be a cool place to take some car pics (motion photography!). The drinks came out with little wait time, the bar was very organized, great lively environment, and quality was good. Come by and try out Genteel Coffee in North Park! read more

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Friendly people and fantastic coffee bundled up into an industrial-style cafe. Things you should know: I. PARKING You'll have to rely on good ol' street parking for this place. Can be difficult depending on the time of day. II. SERVICE Sociable and masters at their craft. Shout out to Eric for getting to know my name ~ it wasn't even needed for my order and just simply personalized the experience. On a side note, I noticed they also have merchandise here and a self-serve water station. III. QUALITY Their cortado is pretty spot on ~ you should give it a try..! IV. CAPACITY Fair amount of available indoor and outdoor seating for the late afternoon on a weekend. read more

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Genteel is the so good! The drip coffee is one of the best I've had around. It had so much flavor and was extracted perfectly. I had a bag of the Costa Rican beans at home that I made as a pour over and they were roasted perfectly as well. My bf got a cappuccino & the milk texture was 10/10! Highly recommend this spot. read more

Genteel Coffee - Cappuccino & Drip coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

my favorite espresso of our san diego trip! employee was super friendly, we just ordered a simple almond milk latte and an oat milk cappuccino. both were just perfect. enjoyed it on the nice patio on the alley. would come here a bunch if i lived here! read more

Got the Foxtrot coffee :Homemade syrup infused with cardamom, cinnamon, and orange extract. Very good! Real coffee, not a whole lot sugar. Happy with the choice. The barista-Eric was very kind and friendly. Felt like a mom and pop shop. Thank you for the good customer service. Hard to experience that now in days. The shop is clean, simple, and I felt it relaxing. 2nd time here. I will def be coming back for a third time. read more

Genteel Coffee - House specialties - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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WARM CUP OF GENTEEL (5 stars) I love me a local coffee shop serving good roasted coffee beans. This place is relatively new to the area, cute shop off of University that can easily be overlooked. A small intimate and cozy indoor space with a side walkway leading to more outdoor space in the back. - COFFEE: quality - PRICE: average - SERVICE: good - AMBIANCE: small DECAF VANILLA LATTE - i am all about #teamdecaf. I asked if their decaf were SWP (Swiss water processed) and at the time the barista wasn't sure or have not heard of that. It's a way of decaffeinating the beans without chemicals. Later, I went onsite to check the description of their decaf beans... "washed and roasted" basically clued me in that they went through a SWP to decaf the beans! The latte was light (not too much vanilla and mixed in well - I like it like that) and smooth (didn't get any acidic aftertaste) and can taste the faint chocolaty notes of the bean. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. JABA APPROVED. Will def be back! read more

Genteel Coffee - To go cup, cute logo - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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Super yummy lil cap, will be back! Looking forward to trying some syrups as well. The barista was also super nice even tho I came in 20 min before close :) read more

Cute coffee shop with good coffee, you can tell they have a lot of regulars. Will be back ! read more

Genteel Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

The coffee beans taste amazing, especially with their specialty lattes. I have had the foxtrot and the apple cinnamon cold foam cold brew. I would love to be able to sit one of these days and get some work down there since they have a cozy set up inside. read more

Genteel Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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Great coffee spot that roasts their own beans and a cool space here in North Park. They have great sourdough scones as well. Highly recommend visiting! read more

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I stopped in for the first time today and had such a lovely experience! I ordered a matcha latte with their seasonal rosemary syrup and it was delicious! I sat with a friend in their outdoor space and we really enjoyed our time. I purchased a bag of their Peru coffee beans to try for my lattes at home and I cannot wait to taste it! I also wanted to shoutout Edwin for his fantastic customer service. He truly went above and beyond to make sure I was happy and was so kind. Will definitely be returning! read more

I am a lavender latte aficionado. I seek them here locally in SD, and when I travel. Something about that lavender syrup brings me back into a cozy, cuddly and special place. I visited Genteel's per one of my favorite baristas at another coffee shop. She was right; this place is special. I walked in and immediately felt the lightness and airiness of the place. I was greeted with a smile from behind the counter. I decided to order the Lavender Latte hot. It was delicious. I took my latte and sat outside on the "alley patio" long patio. The sun was hitting just right, I took a couple sips and savored my latte until it was gone. Great place, great latte. What else do you need? read more

Genteel Coffee - hot lavender latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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Great coffee, fantastic staff, and a super cute, trendy space. We came here after a friend recommended it as his almost-daily coffee stop. We tried the cold brew and the foxtrot iced Latté, both were delicious. I really love that they have house made syrups and ethically source their beans. The branding here is also beautiful, and really makes them stand out among other local spots. Will recommend this place to friends and make this a frequent stop when we're in town! 10/10 read more

Genteel Coffee - Menu (August 2024) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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