First visit, craving an omelette after most breakfast places had closed, found Nature Forward on Yelp and decided to give it a try. Reviews here assert they have been open for a while, banner out front said "grand opening" so I'm unsure if there was a management/ownership change or that has been up for a while. Place was incredibly clean and staff were very friendly, I would definitely come back again. Some observations and constructive feedback: the menu (both physical on table and QR code for digital) has a lot of ambiguity that staff couldn't easily answer. For instance: "daily mimosa specials" (you had me at mimosa) but I asked my waitress who asked someone else what kind of mimosas (a lot of back-and-forth to see if we had regular OJ for that). I can't tell you how much I paid but it was delicious. I asked what fruit came in the "fruit bowl", the answer I got was helpful (banana, blueberry, strawberry, there was surprise melon) but here on yelp it claims to be a parfait, after I ordered the waitress told me it had yogurt and granola (sure why not), what arrived was fruit with granola on top (I would have skipped the granola). A fruit cup or a side of fruit would be a welcome addition to whatever is supposed to be in that, but it was tasty and I ate it. The grilled banana bread (sigh): something I've baked a million times and enjoy many different ways, had a lot of streusel mixed-in and on top - it was good but the streusel diminished it, too much of of a good think maybe. The honey butter on side was a little thick to spread but good, the strawberry jam was great but never something I'd spread on banana bread. I would have put it on my sourdough toast that came with the omelette, but that came without the toast. Let's discuss the omelette which tasted great, back to my menu confusion, it says "BYO omelette with 3 fillings" and lists no fillings, so I had to ask, and was told "just about anything you could imagine". A list would have been helpful. I went with cheedar, bacon, and peppers - my go-to is a greek (spinach, tomato, feta) I don't know if they had spinach or tomato but no feta so I didn't ask. The omelette comes with potatoes or slaw, I didn't want potatoes so I chose slaw, after ordering they were out of that so I chose spring mix, then was told that was not an option. A side of fruit (for less than the $12 I think I paid for that) would have hit the spot but I told them I had already ordered plenty and the omelette was fine solo, expecting it to come with the sourdough toast. Again: the food and service were good, I will definitely be back, but I think the menu could be clearer or the kitchen could either limit people's choices (eg we have these 4 kinds of omelets) or post ingredients/options on the wall (chalkboard like the one out front?) if they change frequently. read more

Nature Forward Socal Bistro - BYO Omelet, Roasted Banana Bread, Simply fruit parfait, mimosa - French Near Me - San Diego, California

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This was a wild ride. Food solid 1/5, Coffee 2/5, Ambiance 3/5, Service 2/5, only because she tried and I have had worse other places. We came here only because of the reviews, which in hindsight, I should have read more carefully. The front has a large Grand Opening sign, which I thought was odd with all the reviews. We were seated inside which was surprisingly hotter than outside. She said she would be back with water. The water took 10 mins, and when she dropped it we asked if we could order with her. She said, "Sure, I'll be right back" before disappearing for another 10 minutes. I had planned to order the chicken & waffles that were on the website, but the menu when we arrived was completely different. Since I don't eat eggs, I went with a side of potatoes, the sourdough bread plate with strawberry jam and bacon. My girl got a breakfast burrito no meat. 30 minutes later, they brought out my bacon and then 5 minutes after her burrito with my potatoes. No biggie, the waitress realized the misunderstanding and asked if I wanted my side of potatoes and I am so glad I said no just based on time. We both agreed those were the saddest potatoes we have ever had, just oily, stale, and unseasoned. Then she took a bite of the burrito; the tortilla was undercooked, and there was tons of bacon. Next, my "sourdough" was delivered, which was just two pieces of white bread. My girl laughed and said, "You are paying $12 for bread." We asked for the bill because we were late for volunteering, and it wasn't edible. The server could tell we were frustrated, and I explained I ordered sourdough and the burrito was supposed to be no bacon. The waitress repeated that's what she put in the computer and we could talk to the owner who was also the chef's wife. The lady comes out, I explain the situation, she looks at the menu, and it's clear she doesn't know what sourdough is and English is not her first language. It then becomes clear that they don't know what's listed on the menu. The most shocking was that she then took the fork and began picking the burrito to find the bacon, like we were not being honest. They took both items off the bill. We still paid for the coffee, bacon, and the bread that was on the menu for $12 only rang up as $5, and the jam was "on the house" since apparently it's extra. I have never spent +$20 and still been hungry like that; what a disappointment. Our water was never refilled. The entire hour we were at the restaurant, despite me asking multiple times. Do yourself a favor and don't go. read more

Nature Forward Socal Bistro - Soggy breakfast burrito that was supposed to be no meat and saddest potato's ever - French Near Me - San Diego, California

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Went in for brunch on a Sunday and was seated quickly. The place was very aesthetic and cute, but unfortunately the service was very poor. They seemed earnest but simply incompetent unfortunately. When ordering, the server got confused multiple times, and kept coming back multiple times to confirm our order. One of my friends had an allergy to avocado, and asked multiple times to remove the avocado from her chilaquiles, but when it came, there was an avocado right on top. The server apologized and said it was the kitchen's mistake, but just took the food and took it off instead of making a new one. Which I guess was preferred, since the service was also extremely slow--it took about 45 minutes to get our food. Luckily my friend is only mildly allergic so she just scrubbed the avocado off her food herself. Also for some reason, they kept bringing our food out one at a time, and very spaced apart to the point where one of us had finished their food and we still didn't have the rest of our food. AND they didn't bring silverware or napkins out once, and when the person who got their food asked, she said oh sorry and brought out a single fork. Then finally when we all got our food we had to wave them over and ask for silverware again. Now on to the food: I'd say it was a solid 3 stars. Nothing special. The presentation was nice but I was definitely disappointed. My triple club sandwich was supposed to be on sourdough bread but it kinda just tasted like white bread and ham that you could get in a plastic deli container from a grocery store. Everyone else at the table said their food was just fine too. I also ordered an horchata "latte" and it just came out as cinnamon milk. I guess I should have clarified if it came with coffee. Overall, I'm not sure if this was an off-day and I don't like writing bad reviews, but this was truly such a confusingly poor experience that I had to document it. read more

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First timer here and it was a lovely breakfast. I am always looking for new places to try so I stumbled across this Bistro. I ordered a breakfast burrito with rosemary potatoes. This was very yummy and surprisingly left me feeling light. I didn't feel heavy after eating the burrito and potatoes. It's a fresh and farm bistro so everything tasted amazingly fresh. I love the salsa that came with it too. It's $17.00 for this meal, but I think it's worth it. I was definitely fulfilled and energized for my day. I ordered to go so I didn't dine in and check out the Bistro, but from a glance, it looked really nice. Definitely photo op worthy. Also looked very clean. I'll have to dine in next time. The service was wonderful and felt inviting. My order was made quick which is always a major plus. read more

Nature Forward Socal Bistro - French Near Me - San Diego, California

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This is the most freshest meal I have had in a while from a dining location. Everything is made to order and everything inside it is fresh. I got it to go, on pick up the staff was super nice and accommodating. When I went to pick up the vibe was real clean and wonderful at glance. Next time I'll take the time to sit in and enjoy it the ambience rather than get to go. read more

Nature Forward Socal Bistro - Breakfast burrito with rosemary potatoes - French Near Me - San Diego, California

Small bistro but good eats. I enjoyed my bacon and egg croissant that came either rosemary potatoes. The interior design was cool. They have coffee roast bags on the ceiling. Some outdoor seating available. read more

Nature Forward Socal Bistro - Bacon and egg croissant - French Near Me - San Diego, California

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This restaurant keeps changing ownership and rebranding under new names, yet the actual establishment stays exactly the same. Even with all the constant turnover, the menu itself barely changed. When i got my food order, it didn't fully reflect the description or the ingredients listed (or the picture). I visited recently for breakfast, and the avocado toast was served on plain white, Wonder Bread-style bread. That is really something a restaurant shouldn't be using at all for avocado toast. The place was also empty, which is never a good sign. Overall, the experience just didn't meet expectations. My two friends weren't happy with their dishes either. I probably won't return here read more

I was so excited to try this place. Farm to table high quality ingredients, Good prices, etc. As soon as I walked in, I was a little thrown off because it was VERY warm inside, so I requested a table outside. There was only one other customer at the restaurant. The entire patio is slanted but thankfully we were under some shade. Our server was very sweet but the service was lacking quite a bit. They forgot our drink order, and the eggs came out over easy when I ordered scrambled. The menu print was also very small and hard to read. I also ordered the Benedict trio which was very unclear which ones came with it, and I was very underwhelmed by the taste and quality. The potatoes were room temp, and the coffee was also just not good. read more

Great little spot with good quality ingredients. Have been here multiple times for brunch and always have enjoyed. read more

I was on the hunt for a new GF (gluten free) friendly breakfast spot after my usual place stopped serving their ricotta corn cakes. I love hosting friends or grabbing weekend brunch with my local crew, so I was excited to try Nature Forward for the first time especially after seeing their gorgeous outdoor patio online. Unfortunately... things went south before we even sat down. I checked their Yelp and website before coming both said they were open until 3 or 4pm. We arrived at 1pm, well within that window, but were immediately greeted by a waitress with a hasty demeanor who first told us they were closed, then switched to, "Only you two?" and instructed us to order right away. Not exactly a warm start, but fine we already had an idea of what we wanted. We ordered a breakfast burrito (mine, with a gluten-free tortilla) and a chicken Caesar wrap (my fiancé also opting for GF). Each GF tortilla was a $3-4 upcharge, so our meals came out to around $20-21 each. Pricey, but I'm willing to pay for quality. The food came quickly, but for that price, I was expecting something more memorable. My burrito was basically eggs, tomato, and bacon in a tortilla with salsa nothing special, and honestly, I've made better at home. My fiancé's Caesar wrap had grilled chicken stuffed in straight off the heat, which made the tortilla soggy and the salad inside wilted. The textures were off and it wasn't pleasant to eat. By 1:40pm while still finishing we were already being asked if they could take our card for the check. Between the inconsistent closing times (the door says 3pm, Yelp says 4pm) and the rushed service, it left me feeling anxious instead of relaxed on what should have been a beautiful Saturday morning. Giving 3 stars because the area is lovely, parking was easy, the patio is beautiful, and the space was clean. But for me, the food, service, and rushed vibe don't justify the price I won't be returning again. read more

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What a wonderful addition to the neighborhood! Nature Forward Bistro has a warm, relaxing atmosphere with fresh, delicious food and outstanding service. Everything was beautifully presented and made with high-quality ingredients. The staff was welcoming, attentive, and made us feel right at home. Whether you're stopping in for coffee, breakfast, lunch, or dinner, this is a place you'll want to visit again. Highly recommend the pesto pasta, fresh pastries, and great selection of wine. Looking forward to coming back soon! read more

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Food was awesome! Owner was super sweet and made our visit memorable! Will be back when we are in the area read more

Nature Forward Socal Bistro - Nutella Crepe - French Near Me - San Diego, California

Pros: decent parking, cute ambiance, no wait. Cons: Warm, no AC, the ice in our drinks melted fairly quick, online menu didn't match menu in the restaurant, food was so-so. We ordered chilaquiles, salmon platter and crepe madam. Not a lot of flavor. Chilaquiles was soggy. I hate to leave a negative review but I won't be back. read more

Went to find a cute, GF friendly brunch place to catch up with a friend around UTC and we hit the spot! The waiter was hilarious with his deadpan delivery and the interior of this place is absolutely gorgeous. I ordered the OZ Shakshuka-- super yum, I added the potatoes into my dish to give it a perfect combination of texture and balance to the savory flavors. Unfortunately they were out of bananas for the Fraise Crepe that we ordered (GF), so the chef added extra strawberries instead. The filling was strawberry jam instead of dulce de leche, but for a gluten free crepe my roommate said it was adequate! The fries that came with the Crepe Madam were delicious-- be sure to ask the waiter for a side of ketchup to go with it. Overall we spent around $70 including tip for 3 people. I'd definitely come again for the ambiance and to try out their drinks next time! read more

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The first time we attempted to visit here we couldn't find it. Called and they were renovating with an opening date in a couple of weeks. We were in the area again and decided to come back for a visit. Small little tiny bistro, absolutely love the theme and decor, nature leaves (my fav!) The menu is a bit overwhelming, but that leaves plenty of options for everyone. Our first time dining here we wanted a quick bite and ordered the Classic Benedict to share with oven baked house potatoes with a side of bacon. I ordered a fresh squeezed orange juice and hubs got a lemonade. Our second visit for drinks we ordered fresh squeezed orange juice and a strawberry lemonade. For brunch I ordered a half sandwich and soup combo - Croque Monsieur with French onion soup and a side of fries. Hubs got the Short rib Benedict. We have loved everything we have ordered each time we visited. I can drink endless fresh squeezed orange juice! The Benedict's are always a good choice. The half sandwich and soup was perfect! The Croque Monsieur was delish and perfectly paired with a cup of French onion soup with a side of salty shoestring fries. Tried the hubs short rib Benedict and it was rich and hearty. He loved it with his extra avocado and bacon. They use fresh ingredients. The restaurant is clean. Staff are friendly. It can get warm inside with the warmer months with that you can sometimes be dining with pesky flies. Very annoying. It can get busy and the tiny two tops are very small to be able to order multiple items. I do like that they have pastries right up front and also hand made pops! I will have to try a pop on my next visit. Enjoy! 2025: 17 read more

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I ordered a crepe. It doesn't worth the price. Taste was OK. The waitress/waiter was doing all the work by him/herself and was super busy.

La Jolla has been needing a place like this. Nature Forward SoCal Bistro brings together incredible food, a welcoming atmosphere, and outstanding service in a way that's hard to find. Every dish we ordered was fresh, beautifully presented, and absolutely delicious. You can tell a lot of care goes into both the ingredients and the execution. A special shoutout to the owner Daniel for creating such a fantastic dining experience, and to the entire staff for being friendly, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. This has quickly become one of my favorite spots in La Jolla. Highly recommend! read more

Their website shows that they serve chicken schnitzel with quinoa tabbouleh, which we thought sounded interesting. When we arrived, their menu did not have this dish. The server explained that they were going to change their menu at some point. We left very disappointed. read more

This place is wonderful! I was looking for something European to take my mother out for brunch. When we searched, I found this place which seems like its tucked away in La Jolla. When we arrived, this plaza has a small town feel. Upon walking in, we were greated by the friendly staff. While we waited for our table, we reviewed the menu and saw some eye catching items. You can view the picture and description on what was ordered. Food here is delicious. Simply put. We shared several dishes, two entree and a dessert, which was more than enough. Upon finishing our meal, all three of us were in agreement that this is a place we need to revisit and try other items on the menu. Love the friendly staff btw. Made the expirience so much more enjoyable. I would love to visit here next time for a cup of their delicious coffee and pastry sometimes. Great job team! You have something special here. :) read more

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We wanted to try a brunch place with healthy options and dog friendly. It wasn't too crowded for a Sunday when we arrive but they were short handed that day so the service was extremely slow. They apologized for the wait and even gave us a 20% discount. The food is actually very good but portions are on the smaller size especially for the price point. read more

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In town to visit our son and he brought us here for breakfast Early on labor day. The food was good and the service was fine. Only giving 4 stars as they were out of cream and ketchup which I found crazy for a breakfast and coffee spot. Our orders all came with fries and they had no ketchup. Seems weird to me! read more

Great food amazing atmosphere, new ownership! Our local spot where we go every Friday! read more

Nature Forward Socal Bistro - Yogurt desert - French Near Me - San Diego, California

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Sad this place relented to new management/owner. I used to really enjoy it! I was only one of two customers (the other one only had a drink). The lone waitress did not know what kind of wine they had. Neither did she know the Seafood of the Day. I wound up w/an anonymous red & ordered off the menu. The party of 10, who came 10 minutes later, jostled my table as if I wasn't even there. No one came to provide me an out of the way table, just a glass of their putrid $5 wine (which I refused). Half hour later, no dinner, no checking on me. Everyone made me feel invisible as The Lone Diner. Never again!!! read more

Nature Forward Socal Bistro - Linguini alla Diavolvo - French Near Me - San Diego, California

What a great bistro ! The owners Dan and Myrna welcomed us in. Received great service . Their espresso, banana bread and almond croissant was delicious! read more

Nature Forward Socal Bistro - Almond croissant and espresso. - French Near Me - San Diego, California

Even when busy short staffed and overwhelmed the staff here is still smiling, on point and still delivering good service. read more

Nature Forward Socal Bistro - The Sandy Beach and the Chardonnay are amazing - French Near Me - San Diego, California

This is a place of many mixed messages. The menu is quite large for breakfast and lunch and very well documented where an item is vegetarian or gluten free. It even tells you is there is an up charge for something out of the ordinary. The food was tasty . The omelet was fluffy and good, but the rosemary potatoes were cold. The ratatouille was very good and the salad had a nice light dressing. The coffee was good, but no one offered a second cup. Half and half was requested, but we received milk instead. When questioned about it, the waitress said she would check with the kitchen, but never came back with an answer. The menu stated that the London Fog tea had steamed milk and honey. When I received it, there was plenty of foam, but no honey. The server needed to take it back to have the honey put in. It was better, but different than any other that I have tried. A typical London fog has earl grey tea, vanilla syrup and steamed milk. This was a bit disappointing. The service was a big challenge. The server who took our order was good and helpful. He knew what he was doing. The other server (her first day) was not doing a good job at all. She was nice and kind, but unprepared for this kind of service. She definitely needs to be trained. The last item is the price. There are many, many breakfast and lunch places in SD. Paying over $50 for two people is outrageous. There are excellent places in the area where the cost with tax and tip is less than $40. Many of them have loyalty clubs which give you discounts in their reward program. They need to look at the competition and get more in line with them in their pricing. read more

Nature Forward Socal Bistro - BYO Omelet - French Near Me - San Diego, California

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Tips: New business started here Jun 2024 but photos from previous one are still listed for this listing, disregard them. New decor with relaxing ambience. We were here for Sun lunch and the place was packed. Service is great and food was delicious. We ordered crepes and fritta. Will go back to try other items on their menu. read more

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A very cute place to grab a bite! Tried the Lorraine Quiche and the SD Summer Smoothie. I liked the quiche but the fries were surprisingly really good. Smoothie was fine, didn't really stand out to me for how much it cost. No one was at the front when I came in so I guess you just go in and take a seat wherever. It's very clean and quaint. Parking is very easy. I'd definitely come back again! read more

Nature Forward Socal Bistro - Quiche Lorraine - French Near Me - San Diego, California

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The inside is beautiful, very aesthetically pleasing!! The menu is vast which made it hard to choose what to eat with soooo many different options. I will say the service is a bit slow, it's a small place so it's understandable, but I loved the blended horchata, and we added espresso to it and it was delicious!! I did not like the matcha at all, I don't recommend ordering it. We also tried the chilaquiles, they were okay... but our server was the sweetest and I love the vibe!! I would definitely come back just to hang out and get the horchata drink again read more

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I have been coming to this location for many years and I've seen owners come in and out, and yet I always find myself coming back. The food has always been good, the chef from the previous owner works here as well so the quality is amazing. Soft jazz/lofi music along with a warm cup of Mexican mocha is a great way to start the morning. read more

Nature Forward Socal Bistro - French Near Me - San Diego, California

The food and drinks are absolutely amazing, but the service is outstanding! All the servers are very kind and attentive. This is my favorite spot for brunch by far! That ambiance is also so cute! read more

Nature Forward Socal Bistro - French Near Me - San Diego, California

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I was looking forward to trying this new place on Saturday morning when they opened at eight. I arrived with my friend and the place was dark. They did not keep their hours which then forced us to find an alternative. Even one of their wait staff was left waiting to even be let in the door and seemed as perplexed, seems like they're not serious about being in business. read more

We loved it! The owner is super kind and interactive with guest! I ordered an omelet, 10/10! He even made a custom tea for my friend who lost her voice. If ever in the area , we definitely will be stopping again. read more

Nature Forward Socal Bistro - Menu - French Near Me - San Diego, California

Great place excellent place!!! Excellent owner and bartender and great service hope you all come and have fun read more

Nature Forward Socal Bistro - Great and delicious treat - French Near Me - San Diego, California

Wow talk about the slowest service EVER! It's a Tuesday morning at 9 am so not a busy time at all. Barely any people here. We got sat right away then given water 5 min later and that's it. The waitress never came back! The place is practically empty and the service still sucks! Really unfortunate since the menu looks good. They need to train their staff how to make customers happy and actually do their jobs right. Can't imagine how it is on a busy day. I would rate zero stars just on the customer service. Horrible! Don't come if you are hungry cause you will never get fed. read more

Overpriced and under seasoned. We waited a long time to receive food, and only 2 other tables had people. One table decided to leave before food arrived because they didn't want to wait any longer. Another table got upset because of the wait. It shouldn't take that long to make an omelette and French toast. Definitely don't go here if you're in a hurry. The only thing that was really good was the bakery section. Drinks are mid. read more

Fantastic food, coffee, and service with indoor and outdoor seating available. Grab a quick pastry and coffee to go or have a leisurely nosh - this bistro is perfectly equipped for both. The service is attentive and the menu is creatively extensive with breakfast and lunch items for wide-ranging preferences. Known for conscientious, organic, sustainable, & locally sourced products; Nature Forward does not disappoint. @sturdygirlstyle #sturdygirlstyle read more

Nature Forward Socal Bistro - French Vanilla Lavender Latte - French Near Me - San Diego, California

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We walked in and they weren't busy. The staff is super nice but the food is not San Diego degree food. Good music. Waited too long. Now I come to yelp and see yelp marked this as permanently closed! This is concerning. read more

Beautiful nearly opened with very nice decor and a French style environment. They are popsicles at the end and lots of lighting and green plants throughout the whole place. Came in early with a friend at around 10:40 AM, but the place is packed within the next hour. One thing I would say is that the service took a long time they were all lead to servers and overall it was a much slower service than expected. The food is good nothing to really rave about overall I would say that the quality seemed good and açai bowl that I got with banana bread was pretty good, but it did take some time to come. See pics, if I came again I would definitely prepare myself for the pace of the meal. read more

Nature Forward Socal Bistro - French Near Me - San Diego, California

Food is good when it's correct and doesn't take over an hour to come out. The menu is all over the place and they get rid of great dishes and change it. They had all the ingredients to make pancakes they used to have on menu but said they couldn't just top regular pancakes with jam for us ‍ Coffees came out wrong and they are constantly short staffed so service takes a very long time. read more