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    Pipes Cafe

    4.4 (716 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 2:00 pm

    Pipes Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    PIPES CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Pipes Cafe

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    Local legend..... cool spot
    Peter I.

    Sort of a Cardiff legend place known mostly for their breakfasts, so I think I shocked them when I read the burger was good so it was lunchtime. I want burger and thank you Yelp. It was a good burger. Basic but great bun and really good beef patty. Nice big deck pretty day. Great service can't wait to go and try breakfast cause it looked. Epic.

    Souvenirs
    Danielle B.

    Me, the hubby and our friends were visiting the San Diego area and on our way we were looking for a good breakfast spot and saw Pipes had great reviews on Yelp. We were able to find a parking spot right in front. The vibes of the restaurant are a good mix of surfer SoCal / Hawaiian laid back vibes. The hubby and I decided to share the Big breakfast with French toast ($15.75) and I ordered an orange and spice tea while the hubby had a coffee. Our breakfast was delicious and it was more than enough for both of us to share. The staff was very friendly. I wish this place was closer to where we live but we will definitely be back when we come to visit!

    Three Eggs Tacos
    Nell C.

    Long time North County residents, we have only come to Pipes once before many years ago. The long lines deter us from dining but today we took a chance. Parking is always a challenge but if you park further north along San Elijo you can get a short walk and by the time you got to Pipes, you have worked up an appetite! Many customers favorites marked by a hibiscus flower on the menu. We went with the 3 Egg Tacos and BLT&A! Great choices and very tasty. Indoor atmosphere and patio space is very relaxed and dog friendly. Host and service is very friendly. Skinny Latte was just enough of a pick me up for a Sunday morning! The Ice Tea was amazing, full of passion fruit taste. Love it!

    #2 Breakfast Burrito no cheese add avocado
    Anola S.

    This place is a staple. Huge portions for an epic price. Staff always so happy and are so FAST! Love sitting on the patio while enjoying my massive breakfast burritos. One of the best breakfast burritos in north county (although they are very potato-ey HOWEVER they are cooked and seasoned perfectly so I'm not mad.) Ordered the #2 breakfast burrito no cheese add avocado. Bacon is cooked perfectly. Tortilla is fresh and warm. Proper amounts of all ingredients (besides the avocado, I'd like a little more plz! ) also did they change their salsa?! It's not bland pico anymore and it has a nice chipotle spice! I'm in love! Let me move in so I can eat here for every meal

    The patio
    Jon K.

    Just as advertised. Laid back atmosphere, nice patio, great friendly staff and good food. We had breakfast tacos and a ham scramble. The three tacos were very good but too much food for my wife. The ham scramble with cheesy potatoes and English muffin was very tasty. Again lots of food, this is a must visit gain and again.

    Pancakes, scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon
    Brenda S.

    This is a Cardiff staple. Such a great spot for coffee and breakfast. Definitely a locals spot, everyone knows everyone and is so friendly. The food is good, not bad. But not the best thing I've ever had. Just a simple generic breakfast place. I'd say it's the location and vibes that get people to really keep coming back. Ocean front view, Southern California weather in the cutest town.

    #1 Burrito add potato
    Sydni S.

    I love Pipes Cafe, it's one of my favorite spots to get a breakfast burrito in San Diego! I love that they have different burrito options so you can mix up what you order each time. I also love their salsa, it's not super spicy but it has a nice peppery flavor that pairs well with breakfast foods. The food is always ready pretty fast, despite being busy. Even though there's almost always a crowd I can normally snag a seat on their patio which is the perfect spot to eat on a nice day.

    Coffee bar menu
    Sara B.

    Love this place. When I'm in this area I always come by. They have great food. I usually get a breakfast burrito. I've heard their cheeseburgers are amazing but I don't eat beef so I don't know. I ordered the tuna sandwich with lettuce added and it was tasty and filling. The service is friendly. It's a small surf shop vibe inside. There's an outdoor patio to catch some sunshine while you eat. They also have a coffee bar with a ton of choices. I definitely recommend you check it out. They also have cool merch. I may grab a hat for myself on the way out.

    Bacon egg and cheese burrito
    Cora S.

    Food was overwhelming. They give you a lot. Neither one of could finish our breakfast. Hubby had veggie scramble. I had bacon, egg, and cheese burrito. Service was quick and friendly for such a busy place. Had to wait a few minutes for a table on the patio to open. Pet and kid friendly. Definitely has a beach vibe.

    Gary H.

    This is our first time as locals coming here and we were pleasantly surprised. It was packed with people but seemed that by the time we booked our order, tables opened up. The food was delicious and ample! We both orders scramblers and this is probably the first time I could not finish my meal. Overall clean place, great food, fair price, and fast service! My daughter wants me to post that the "bacon is great!"

    Egg scramble

    We come here almost every weekend - maybe every other. Everyone that works here is beyond kind, the food is homey and quick. Don't be deterred by the line or waiting for a table, trust me the turn over is quicker than you think! Make sure to get a fun latte from the coffee bar she is the best!

    a table with a basket of food on it

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    6 months ago

    Great scramble. Great people. Great patio. I've never had anything but great experiences here. Love it!

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    7 months ago

    A classic much try breakfast spot, they have been here for so long and built a great reputation. Love the staff here

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    4 months ago

    Bad food. Bad parking. Service is fine. Can't figure out for the life of me why it's highly rated outside of nostalgia

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    1 year ago

    Super service, delicious burritos, amazing view! This is a must in Cardiff. Parking was tough but totally worth it.

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    1 year ago

    Cool little spot we dropped into for breakfast. The service was great, and we loved our breakfast burrito. Check them out!!

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    101 Diner - Garden Benedict

    101 Diner

    (873 reviews)

    $$

    Who doesn't love a good diner? Peek inside and the place looks like it stepped out of the distant…read morepast, maybe the 1950s or the 1960s. Surely they are masters at greasy bacon and eggs, day old coffee, and probably little else. Wrong. Very wrong. This place may look a little ordinary from the outside but there is nothing ordinary about it. It may look like a classic diner inside but it does not sling food like an old diner. The menu is well-written and the food is high quality, excellent, and borderline gourmet. Do not order eggs, bacon, and toast here. Swing for the cheap seats. We tried the Ham, Avocado and Tomato Eggs Benedict. The hollandaise sauce was fantastic. If I didn't care about remaining somewhere under 350 pounds, I would return every Saturday and eat my way through every single eggs benedict concoction on the menu and there are many such benedict creations from which to choose. The Banana Nutella crepe, with "whip" cream (not "whipped," apparently, we're gentle with our cream here, folks), was decadent. If you like your breakfasts on the sweet side, you will enjoy this one. The Tres Porkitos omelet (made with ham, bacon, sausage, and cheese) was hearty and just as good as it sounds. The breakfast potatoes were very nicely done but could have used a little more seasoning. There is a salt shaker (and numerous hot sauces) on the table for just these types of emergencies. Do NOT leave here without getting a freshly-made biscuit with butter and honey on the side. You have made a serious error in judgment if you leave without getting one of these. Even the freshly-squeezed orange juice was delicious. Our server was wonderful. No complaints. They have dining inside or on the patio. Encinitas is a delightful community. While I loved the old school diner feel inside, you cannot go wrong with the people watching outside on one of our almost always sunny days in So Cal. If you live here, you already pay the Sunshine Tax so get your money's worth and sit outside, if you can. 10 stars.

    Best eggs Benedict in town by far choose anyone of several varieties of these Benedict and you will…read moreget a taste treat you'll remember for a long time, looks like an old-time diner for sure, the service is always great.

    Pacific Coast Grill - Salad with beets and pears This was SOOOOO GOOOOOOD!!!!

    Pacific Coast Grill

    (2.2k reviews)

    $$$

    It's been a few years since I have been here but it is always worth a visit for the spectacular…read moreocean view! We had a fantastic service and though I don't really care for margaritas, I had to get the charred pineapple and Serrano margarita as it is fantastic!! We were a larger group so went with a bunch of appetizers! Delicious truffle fries, ahi poke stack, Cardiff Reef Role, the hot rock with sashimi ahi which was spectacular and the Dungeness crab guacamole! Every dish was fresh and delicious ! Great food, drink and service with spectacular views make this a great choice for dinner any time !!

    We went here for a celebration dinner recently and had a nice experience. It's right on the beach,…read moreso self parking is available but limited. They do have valet for $10 which was worth it to us to not have to look for parking. Our table wasn't quite ready so they told us we could sit at the bar, as they were waiting for people to leave. The bar was full so we had to wait for someone to leave, thankfully it wasn't long. Unfortunately there is no seating or anywhereto really go (except to stand outside) if your table isn't ready and the bar is full. I ordered an espresso martini, which i will say was one of the better ones I've had. It was so good i got 2. When our table was ready, we were seated outside facing the water, and it was beautiful, and so peaceful. This is what made the restaurant experience for me. I'd go back just for the view. We ordered the sushi to start, and since i love coconut shrimp, I went for the sunshine roll. It was very good and not too sweet, even though it had mango, macadamia and sweet chilli. This was my favorite part of the meal, although the price was steep at $27 for the one roll! We also ordered a half order of the sourdough bread, but the gave us a whole one since they were busy and we had to wait a bit. The bread was very good and chewy, but the outside edges were a bit tougher. I had leftovers and it toasted very well the next day. Fur my entree I decided on the plum ginger braised shortrib. It was very tender and had a nice mild flavor. Not the best I've had but still good. It came with shredded Brussels which were fine. The potatoes kind of the me for a loop and the were supposed to be augratin with jalapeno and cheddar, but i didn't taste any of that. I probably wouldn't order this again. I was pretty full from my other items, so ended up wrapping it up to go. I will definitely go back for the sushi and the view, and next time I'd probably try the lobster tacos or chowder.

    Breakers - Chicken was ono.

    Breakers

    (139 reviews)

    $$

    First time at Breakers in Encinitas. Great ambiance, great service, and good food. The Island decor…read moreall throughout the inside and different outdoor areas makes you forget you in the city for a moment and transport you right into a Hawaiian state of mind. We were on the area early so we can to take advantage of happy hour specials. We tried the Kalua pork sliders, Teriyaki chicken plate with pineapple coleslaw and Mac salad, coconut shrimp, and musubi. All food was ready before we even finished getting our drinks, which was good sine we were hungry. We also opt to get a couple of nice souvenir shirts. Very impressed by the setting Breakers restaurant offers and we're sure to come back

    My wish for improvement on the food and service for Breakers is my hope to give a better review…read morenext time. First time walking in, no host and confused. Seems dingy and unkept. Not many diners had me worried. Indoor and outdoor patios available for small and large parties. Menu had a variety of Hawaiian local eats and specialties. Very expensive for the portion sizes. The taste and how it was prepared was the second downfall. Ahi fish previously frozen, thawed and then seared had a weird texture. The rice was one of the mushiest and flavor lackluster. Need someone who knows how to cook rice properly. Spam musubi was heavy on the rice ratio. Plate lunch mac salad was not terrible but weird texture and taste. Did not like the seasoning on the seared fish. Table service food delivery was not good or bad. Additional star for dog friendly restaurant.

    Ki's Restaurant - Power bowl

    Ki's Restaurant

    (888 reviews)

    $$

    Great place to grab brunch on a weekend without having to make reservations. Took a walk around the…read morerail trail and then brunch with a friend here. This was my first time after living in the area for 30 years. What I wasn't thrilled with: The tip. The lowest tip they recommend was 18%. I clicked 18% because we waited in line order. We had to get our own water, forks, knives and napkins. They gave us our food, then we asked if they could bring us a fork and napkins. The waiter just told us where we could get it. It's fine, now that we know. But it's not an 18% tip for just handing us our food. Thrilled with: the view and the many options. The poke bowl I ordered was good. Will I come back?: Yes! Would be fun to try the happy hour and the other options on the menu.

    We had such an amazing experience at Ki's Restaurant. We went for breakfast/lunch and loved it so…read moremuch that we came back later for sunset and happy hour. It was absolutely worth it. For Breakfast/lunch, I had the California Grill and it was delicious. Our friends ordered the French toast and the carnitas scramble, and both were fantastic. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. We returned in the evening for happy hour and to catch the sunset, and the view was perfect. Truly breathtaking. During happy hour, we ordered the seared ahi and crispy cauliflower, and both were incredible. Great flavors and perfect for sharing. Melody made us Expresso martinis and they were yummy! A special shoutout to Melody, the manager. She is amazing. She told us the story of the owners and made sure we were having a great time. You can tell she genuinely cares about the guest experience. All of the servers were fun and sweet, creating such a warm and welcoming atmosphere that makes you want to come back again. Between the delicious food, great happy hour, perfect sunset views, and outstanding service, Ki's is truly a gem. We will definitely be back.

    Pipes Cafe - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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