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Public Square

4.5 (1.2k reviews)
Open 7:00 am - 2:00 pm
Updated 2 months ago

Public Square Photos

Business Info

PUBLIC SQUARE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Hipster
Trendy
Classy

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Recommended Reviews - Public Square

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Reviews With Photos

Not-So Old Fashioned Biscuits & Gravy
Jemiah J.

Portions here are huge, so definitely come hungry. I had the chia pudding, and my sisters and husband enjoyed their meals. I did find the Not-So-Old-Fashioned Biscuits and Gravy to have an overpowering rosemary flavor. If you like rosemary, you might enjoy them. The breakfast sandwich was tasty, and I loved the Black Sesame Latte. They provide non-dairy milk, which I appreciate. Service was great, and the restaurant setting was warm and inviting.

Latte
siri g.

This is one of my favorite spots in the La Mesa area. The staff is always warm and welcoming, and the entire café has such a cozy, inviting vibe. It's also very kid-friendly and a great place to read or study, with dedicated stools and seating designed for that purpose. I really appreciate their no-WiFi table concept, which encourages community, conversation, and being present rather than glued to a screen. One thing to keep in mind is parking, it's mostly paid street parking and can fill up quickly, especially on weekends. That said, it's still worth the effort. Their scones always look incredible, though this time I kept it simple with a latte, and it was absolutely delicious. I love the cute little "thank you" card they give out!

Cesar P.

Hands down the best coffee in town. Consistently excellent, thoughtfully made, and never misses. The food is just as good--fresh, well-executed, and clearly made with care. Great vibe, friendly staff, and the kind of place that reminds you why supporting small businesses matters. Support local--especially when it's this good..

Scone with guava butter
Jessica S.

First time visiting and it certainly will not be the last. I got the fresh scone with the honey and fig butter and my friend got the guava butter. They were but so good! I love that you can buy jars of the butter and they discount to refill the jars. I got a vanilla bean iced latte and she got the brow suga latte. Bother we're definitely delicious. The instead is so cute and I love the you matter mural. They are very inclusive of everyone. The baristas were very friendly and welcoming to call. Can't wait to go back and try other items

Tracy M.

It's our first time here at public Square. We are each having a sandwich and tea and it is really very good. They serve breakfast all day

Inside coffee bar
Hannah N.

I have been making my own coffee at home lately so I have not been discovering new coffee shops but wow I will be back at this one again soon. I have really loved exploring the La Mesa area and it really has some great spots so it has turned into one of our favorites areas to walk around and discover something new. I was not super hungry when I was here but I could not say no to a scone with a flight of butter. You got to pick which flavors you wanted on the flight and the scone was perfection. I got a classic vanilla latte with oat milk and would definitely order it again. The staff here are truly awesome, so friendly and helpful which really sells it on the fact that I want to come back here again soon!

Audrey L.

What a cute coffee shop! You can tell it's a spot people love to work or study. The menu includes great coffee and non-caffeinated drinks, but also a breakfast and lunch menu. This time I went, I was super tempted for the grilled cheese and tomato soup, but wasn't super hungry. I decided to order a scone with three different types of butter. I'm obsessed with the butters! The scone was delicious but the butters were the real stars. We got the maple cayenne, fig and honey, and cranberry orange. I liked them all, but the fig and honey was hands down my favorite. My iced brown sugar latte was perfection. Definitely a place I'll continue to come back to whenever I happen to be in the area!

Sesame Lattes, iced and hot
Annabel H.

4.5/5! Lively, homey coffee shop in the center of La Mesa. Coffee: 5/5 The sesame latte was wonderfully umami. 1/2 sweet was the perfect sweetness for me so I'd imagine 100% sweet would err on the sweeter side. Both the hot and iced versions were smooth and delicious. The baristas are clearly talented. Food: 4.5/5 The breakfast sandwich was solid, the focaccia bread tasted fresh and was certainly the highlight of the dish. Service: 4/5 Service was decent! I got the impression that the service lady taking orders was a bit overwhelmed. Ambiance: - Very lively - definitely on the louder end of coffee shops. The interior is nicely decorated and they have various merch/bottled drinks for sale. Parking: - Metered La Mesa downtown parking. Can be difficult on the weekends but you can dally snag a spot along the street.

latte
Regis K.

I've been hitting up all the trendy spots lately with my son, and Public Square in La Mesa is definitely a winner. This place is super hip and attracts a young, lively crowd. We went on a Saturday morning and it was packed, it seems like everyone had the same idea to grab coffee and scones here! Here is what we ordered: * The Scone: This was amazing. It has that perfect texture, crusty on the outside but incredibly soft and moist on the inside. Pro tip: You have to try it with their honey butter. It is so good. * Avocado Toast: Another hit. It comes on crunchy toasted sourdough with fresh arugula on top. Simple and delicious. * Hot Chocolate: Heavenly! It was creamy and rich, exactly the way we like it. * Matcha: This was on another level. Very cool and rich in flavor. Even though it was busy, the service was super efficient. You just order at the counter first and they deliver the food right to your table. Highly recommend if you are looking for a great brunch spot in the area!

Brown sugar latte
Joanna C.

Cute little thoughtful cards that come with your order. Our go-to is the brown sugar latte and pandan latte. The tomato bisque is also a must try. Nice cafe to come chill or study.

Meghan W.

Public Square is a cool coffee shop in the heart of La Mesa. They have quite an extensive menu of drink and food items, and I appreciated seeing their more interesting and unique options. All of the staff were super friendly and willing to answer any questions you may have. There was also a good amount of seating. I visited on a very busy Saturday morning, so the service was pretty slow, unfortunately. However, don't let that deter you from trying this place out. I think you'll be impressed with the menu offerings, and will most likely find something you've never tried before.

Eric S.

I Stopped by Public Square Coffee on a Friday afternoon while checking out the farmers market. I ordered an agua fresca for my son and treated myself to a Buko Pandan both were delicious! It did take a bit of time for them to prepare, but honestly, totally worth the wait. You can tell this place has its community lots of regulars hanging out, folks working remotely and using the café as their unofficial office. While I was sipping my drink, one guy was trying to speak Tagalog to the barista (props for the effort!) and then launched into a full-on history and political convo only at a neighborhood coffee spot like this, lol. I'll be back for sure

Pandan Latte
Danny W.

The Pandan Latte is 5 stars and worth a try if you're in the La Mesa area. This latte was balanced perfectly with sweetness and served at the right temperature. The barista made this latte photo worthy and she had great customer service. The atmosphere had an incredible vibe and I'm definitely returning.

Drench toast

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2 years ago

Great cafe with nice vibes. It's my go-to for a perfect hot chocolate. The service is good and the staff are friendly.

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8 years ago

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Aaron H.

Too many kind words- haha! Thanks for the pics and reviews. : )

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6 years ago

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4 years ago

Super cute and tasty! Was very busy with a long line on a Saturday morning around 10am but still easy to grab a table. Will be back!

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2 years ago

My vanilla latte was really good. Price is on the higher side but the taste was worth the cost.

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2 years ago

The perfect spot to grab coffee and breakfast with a friend!! So delicious and such an amazing ambiance!

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3 years ago

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8 years ago

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3 years ago

Incredible food, drinks, and atmosphere. My favorite spot in La Mesa. LOVE the biscuits and scones !

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4 years ago

Coffee is always on point and amazing! This is One of my favorite coffee shops in SD! I do miss their Cinnabon's.

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9 years ago

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2 years ago

Excellent coffee, fantastic espreso and very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Always great every time. If you love coffee go now

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Page 14 of 31

Public Square Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Public Square

Can I bring my dog?

There is outdoor seating and I saw a water dish for dogs

Is this a good location for a group meetup and discussion on a Sunday morning?

It could be if you get there before 9!

Do they have gift cards?

Yes

Do they accept cash?

Yes!

Can I go here to study?

Absolutely. It's a popular place for laptops. There are even charger/USB ports installed in the seating on the bench wall.

What are the hours right now? Yelp, website, and google have conflicting info

WED-FRI : 7am-NOON SAT-SUN : 8am-3pm

Is there wifi there?

Yes!! 🙌🏼

Do they have a direct e mail contact?

Hi Rocky! Yes, it’s: info@publicsquare.coffee

Are there outlets to charge a laptop?

There are outlets along the walls☺️

Do they serve a turmeric latte?

They served a turmeric latte as a seasonal drink. I don't think it is currently on their menu. Hopefully they bring it back though, it's delicious!

Is this place pretty dog friendly?

We are definitely dog friendly : ) We even put out water bowls and have dog snacks. There’s an outdoor patio and as long as the dogs aren’t interrupting our other customer’s experience, indoor is ok too.

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The La Mesa area has a lot of different coffee options, I'm glad I found this one. When I moved…read moreback to San Diego six years ago, I had a meeting with someone at this shop, but because I've moved to a completely different part of the area I had not gone back. Recently, I spent some time back in La Mesa and thought I would go back and try this spot out. So much space, friendly staff, reasonable prices, with a bunch of gluten-free and vegan options when it comes to food. Plenty of parking, outdoor seating as well, and even when they were busy, I think I did not wait more than five minutes for my drink. I chose to use their honey syrup instead of regular honey, and was not disappointed with my iced oatmilk latte also, I have to point out something you don't typically see at a lot of coffee shops. Both times I went, there was an incredible mix of generations in that shop. From younger to older, it was awesome to see generations coming together. Great job guys!

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Avocado toast

Public Square - coffee - Updated May 2026

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