I've come here a few times now, and the employees are never ready to open on time. We all have jobs and schedules too, so it's really frustrating having to wait around when the posted hours say otherwise. On top of that, the customer service feels rude and dismissive. Respecting customers' time and treating people with courtesy goes a long way, and unfortunately this place falls short in both areas. Ended up going next door to Swamis where the customer service and coffee are better. read more

Pandan Latte is delicious!!! Going to try the scones next! Service could have been better, I didn't know they had a rewards program until I asked if they did, so I lost points on the first purchase. Ambiance is nice and esthetic is cute! Inside and outside seating. read more

Public Square - I loved this card, I needed this today. Pandan Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

Unexpectedly stopped in on a little walk in La Mesa. Love this area and there are so many great shops around. Public Square is a perfect place to stop in for a quick bite or a coffee. They have a very creative menu that has many great choices. The dish had great flavor. The mocha latte was top tier. I love drinking my coffee out of a real cup versus a disposable to go cup. Really takes it up a notch. Also bonus points for the little heart in my coffee. I love all the details of the space. Great place to sit with unique parts. read more

Public Square - Shakshuka Baked Egg & Tomato Dish - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

Came back and tried some food this time as well. We came on a Sat around 7:30 expecting it not to be too busy but it was bustling! We were still able to find seating pretty easily since they have a bunch of indoor and outdoor seating. Also note that you get 3% off your bill if you pay in cash. We got the infamous scone with peanut ube butter and a breakfast sandwich. Honestly both were a bit of a let down. The scone wasn't that flaky or flavorful. The only saving grace was the peanut ube flavored butter which was much lighter than I thought it'd be and a nice flavor. My partner said the breakfast sandwich was decent. I also got a cappuccino that was well made. Only street parking. read more

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Stopped by Public Square in La Mesa for lunch on a semi-rainy day with a friend. It was super crowded, so we ended up sitting at the bar in the corner. The vibe leans more industrial and rustic rather than cozy. It's got character, but not the kind of warm, inviting feel you might want on a gloomy day. We both ordered the tomato soup and grilled cheese, a classic comfort combo. The grilled cheese was packed with flavor and on super thick bread. The tomato soup was rich and creamy but leaned a little on the sweeter side--good, but I personally prefer a more savory tomato soup. I originally wanted to try their pizza, but unfortunately, they don't start serving it until 5 PM, which was a bit of a letdown. To round out the meal, I got a chocolate chip cookie. It was solid--warm and enjoyable--but not particularly memorable. Overall, a great spot with good food and a lively atmosphere and study spot. I'll definitely be back to try the pizza! read more

Public Square - Grilled Cheese Sandwich and tomato soup - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

Had a yummy gluten free breakfast yesterday! I had the gluten-free breakfast sandwich and it was delicious and had to kick because of the spicy chipotle aïoli. Also, I was feeling adventurous and tried the panadan latte. Panadan is an Ayurvedic plant from south east Asia with great health benefits. I had it with whole milk and it was very rich and creamy And sweet . I usually drink black coffee, but I had never heard of panadan and so I went for it . aside from the sweetness I really enjoyed it. It's great to see that public Square was hopping around 10 AM on a Thursday. I hope you try this drink and let me know what you think of it. read more

Public Square - GF breakfast sandwich and panadan latte and Gf breakfast sandwich. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

Pandan Latte 10/10 ... the end No but really it was delicious, someone told me I had to go back for the scones soooo. I'll see you soon. Also, can someone tell me if this has coffee in it? read more

Public Square - Pandan Latte with Oatmilk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

OFFERS DISCOUNT FUR CASH PAYMENTS New favorite coffee shop! A friend and I just started to homeschool our girls together and thought as a treat for ourselves, let's explore different coffee shops in the process. We stopped in yesterday: point number one, they had cute affirmation cards to give to our kids. Love a kid friendly environment! I usually order matcha everywhere I go but I was feeling adventurous and asked the cashier for her recommendation. She said to try the pandan latte. It's green like matcha and still sweet and smooth, just a little nutty. Then she suggested the brown sugar latte - said it was a top seller and was sweet with a familiar taste that agrees with almost everyone. I went with the pandan and was not at all disappointed. I plan to try other drinks here, but I've got to order the pandan a few more times! I also ordered the scone & butter flight...DELICIOUS! I could eat the butter alone they were so good! We talked about going back yesterday for happy hour lol. I've already made a coffee date with another mom to share this place with her. read more

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Love this place! You MUST try the scones with butter flights! Instead of 85 cents for one butter, just the flight (they are all delicious!)

I've been here a couple of times already. I don't think it matters which day of the week you go, it's always filled with people studying or catching up with friends. The signature bfast sandwich is always a good go to. I recently tried the grilled cheese sando with the tomato soup. The sando was good but small and didn't have enough cheese for the amount you're paying. I didn't think it was worth it, but the tomato bisque soup was really good and I liked the texture of it. My husband got the carnitas sandwich and it was good but not amazing. For the drinks, I've gotten the black sesame and the pandan latte on different occasions. Both good and nutty, but I prefer the black sesame. I enjoy coming here bc it has good drinks and food that's not too much. Good amount of seating and service is standard. read more

Public Square - Tomato bisque soup & Grilled Cheese Sando + Carnitas Sandwich. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Public Square Coffee was rated as a favorite among locals in La Mesa and I can definitely vouch for that. I've always walked past them every year during the La Mesa Oktoberfest and have wanted to try their coffees and their popular scone and butter flight. I came on Sunday for a little pick me up coffee and their scone flight. I immediately fell in love with their scone. It had a crunchy shell and broke apart softly. Dusted with some powdered sugar and warmed up from the oven made it so delish. In order, my favorite butters were the Maple Cayenne, Cranberry Orange, and Guava. I already love anything butter so these were a hit for me. Definitely would order another scone as it was not enough for the trio of butters. For drinks, The Pandan Latte I had stood out to me as I love this unique Asian flavor. If you never had Pandan, it is similar to coconut and vanilla. I could taste the espresso and pandan flavors in the entire drink. I'd love to come back to try some more goodies from the menu. They mix it up and offer pizza + beer on Fridays-Sunday after 5pm in collaboration with Pierre's Pizza Place. There's a lot they offer at Public Square and it was a great experience for some morning goodies! read more

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Ambiance and service were 5 stars right away. Our cashier/server gal was super bubbly and helpful. Like she had more energy than me on my most energetic day, haha. My brown sugar latte was so delicious and great price, not sure if it was a 2pm happy hour or something? I'm happy though! Finally, the food was delicious! The avocado hummus toast (no egg) was perfect. Delicious bread! We will probably come back when we're back in town. Oh good kefir soda too! read more

Public Square - Avocado & Beet-Hummus Toast no egg - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

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5oz latta $6. Following trend to minimize expensive coffee. Starbucks prices at least provide adequate quantity. Good location, friendly service. read more

Public Square - 5oz 6$ - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

Absolutely love this place but it definitely fills up. Order inside and grab a table either indoors or outside. They've also got mobile order for pick-up at the window which seems to be the way to go since the line does back up. Loved their Pandan latte over the Black Sesame. It had a delightfully light coconut and floral flavor. Their breakfast sandwich was also pretty good. We opted to add arugula and chili oil for a little freshness and spice. They're well-known for their scones. There's a 2 scone/6 butter deal that allows you to sample all their butters and their crisp but moist scones. Faves were peanut butter ube and maple cayenne butters. Super walkable area with lots of spots to eat and shop. Another fun brunch spot for the rolodex and in a really charming part of La Mesa. read more

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- spacious shop along a line of cute local shops, it's in a great area to walk around! - there's a plaza down the street for parking - came to grab a quick coffee but seems like a great place to study! plenty of seating and outlets too - there was a line on a sat morning but it moved quick and service was prompt and nice - the dark chocolate mocha was delicious! such a rich chocolatey flavor (they use 85% chocolate) but the espresso was still strong and flavorful read more

Public Square - dark chocolate mocha latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

This place has great food, vibes, and service. It's very popular for good reason. The black sesame latte and scones are to die for. They also have cool events! read more

So upset at myself for not coming back sooner but second experience just as great as the first! A friend and I met up on a Sunday morning for some breakfast. It was pretty busy and both the outdoor seating and the indoor seating appear unassuming but there were plenty of seats to go around with people coming in and out! I just love the vibe in there, it's very much a community spot and baristas are all very welcoming. For drinks this time I got the Iced Brown Suga Latte and my friend got an Iced Dark Chocolate Mocha, both were really good. For food we split the Scones with the Housemade Butter Flight.... SO good I see why they sell the butters in jars they're so dangerous lol, I got the Signature Breakfast Sandwich and added Chili Oil with Arugula, it was so yummy and extremely filling. My friend got the Not-so Old Fashioned Biscuits & Gravy and also said their dish was really yummy. We loved that it was dog friendly!! Love Public Square read more

Public Square - Housemade Sugar Scone with Maple Cayenne Butter & an Iced Chai! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

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I ordered the Brown Suga' Latte and my husband got a dirty chai. We decided to do them iced, a delicious choice. The ambiance is so fun! They're playing soft music, there's tables, chairs and sofas to get comfy in. There's a corner designated for board games and there's a wall for coffee and tea related retail items. The menu says they're known for their scones and flavored house butters. I may have to get back in line to try one! The line comes and goes quickly, but they definitely have a strong Sunday morning crowd! read more

Public Square - Grab and go options and food/drink menus by the counter - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

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The vibe is so chill, I love all the live plants plus they have them for sale! I had an iced pandan latte and it was absolutely delicious. Perfect amount of sweet and nutty. 10 out of 10 recommend. When I got my coffee, there was a nice little card with it that truly brightend my day. read more

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DRINK: latte milk options are only normal or oat, the drink was pretty good but not anything special and not very sweet. I think I'm bias with the sweet aspect because I like mine overly sweet FOOD: The food here is amazing, especially the breakfast sandwiches I definitely recommend trying! AMBIANCE: CUTE interior and exterior but limited seating so be prepared on the weekend if your going to do work! read more

Public Square - Menu - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Our experience at Public Square Coffeehouse was awesome! The coffee was really good. I ordered an iced vanilla latte, and it was rich and flavorful, not too sweet or bitter, just perfect. We also tried a scone with an off-menu fruit compote, which was also tasty. The avocado toast was fantastic with fresh avocados, arugula, radishes, and feta on sourdough.It was a bit messy to eat so get extra napkins. The breakfast sandwich on a ciabatta roll was good and was a little spicy, I guess from the smoky aioli. It too was also really good. The vibe is cozy and relaxed, and the line moves quickly. They even sell plants! Definitely worth checking out if you're in downtown La Mesa. read more

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my favorite coffee spot in san diego, aesthetic cafe with amazing scones, delicious breakfast sandwiches and quality coffee. the space is cozy and photo worthy-- great place to catch up with a friend. Be prepared for a wait; service can be slow & occasionally unfriendly. still, worth it for food and chill vibes if you're not in a rush. read more

Public Square - Housemade Sugar Scone - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

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I truly love the vibe and atmosphere here. It's open to any and all, the staff is amazing and friendly and awesome! read more

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My first time at public square coffee house was around noon on a Wednesday and it was busy! Parking was a bit difficult since everyone's shopping and enjoying the holiday season. The cafe itself is big and makes a great place to hang out and possibly study if you don't mind loud music. The customer service was great and the baristas make delicious drinks. Kate was very sweet and didn't mind giving me personalized recommendations for drinks and pastry pairings. I ordered an iced pandan latte with oat milk and an iced chaga latte with oat milk. Both drinks were yummy and not too sweet. The espresso flavor in both lattes were masked by the syrups but were still very good. I would definitely come back. read more

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Wow what poor service. We stopped by for a sandwich and a drink. The food came out fairly quickly, but you would expect the drinks to come out with your meal. The food came out in about 12 to 15 minutes. We waited and waited for our drinks. The drinks came out 20 minutes after we ate. This is not a perfect combination for a meal. the staff seemed more inclined to argue with us rather than to satisfy customers. I don't think I will go back. I do not think that the Public Square values good customer service. read more

Highly recommend the Chaga latte and it's sugar free! Cute coffee shop and great ambiance too read more

Public Square - Chaga latte and brown sugar cinnamon latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

I've been wanting to come to this location for a while now but parking definitely can be tricky. Most of is street parking or in the back there is a small area for parking. On a Friday at 11-12 o clock it was packed and had to park kind of far and walk to the shop. The brown sugar latte was perfectly and really enjoyed it. The espresso carnitas was also super delicious and I would definitely get it again. The space is great for homework, lots of plugs and variety of seating at tables or chairs or couches. They also have a table set aside that isn't allowed for laptop usage, and is mainly there for conversation and talking or eating which I think it's really really great. They also have an outdoor space as well that is shaded.for all my parents, they have a kids menu and some kid friendly options like apple juice or apple sauce pouches. Overall! Really great job! Would like to return again! read more

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Had the Avocado Herb Hummus Toast w/ Egg on Sourdough w/Spicy Oil and it was so tasty! The hot chocolate was one of the Best flavored hot Chocolates I have ever tasted...Dark chocolate read more

Public Square - Hot Chocolate - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

Hot damn! The scone and the tasty little butters. Im not really a sweets or a scone person but it sounded fun. The scone itself is nice but the butters....the flavors. Cinnamon was my fav! Second best peanut butter ube, and the blueberry was ok but didn't stand a chance next to the others. I also got the pandan latte since it seemed to be all the rage and it was good. Also got the biscuits and gravy, didn't take a pic because I got it to go. The gravy was flavorful and surprisingly the egg on top was really good...not sure why this egg in particular but it was so. Biscuit also pretty good but probably wouldn't eat it in its own. Definitely a line but didn't take too long! Food is quicker than the coffees but the coffees are pretty. Was there around 8:30 am on a Friday. Everyone was friendly. Inside area with many working on laptops and outside area for lounging and people watching. Trendy little spot it seems like and worth the wait! I'll have to go back. read more

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Recently I've been on a sort of coffee tour around la mesa on the hunt for something to replace my starbucks addiction. Most places have been ok but I was blown away by my visit to public square. The line was pretty long for a weekday morning and the whole place was full of people inside and out. I wasnt sure about the black sesame latte but the cashier was very friendly and assured me they'd make me something else if I didnt like it. So glad I tried it, not too sweet, smooth espresso and delicious unique flavor. I also got a scone with guava butter, OMG it was the best! It was warm, slightly crispy, moist and had the perfect crumbs. The guava butter was fruity, tropical, slightly sweet and delicious! Will definitely be back to try more fun flavored lattes and to get the scone butter flight! read more

Packed Saturday morning for brunch! Tables are first come, first serve after ordering. We ordered-- -Americano ($3.95) & Green Tea ($4.25): classics but everso satisfying -Scone & Butter Flight ($10.75): soft, dense crumbly cake-like pastry enclosed by crispy biscuit-like shell. comes with 6 uniquely flavored butters (cinnamon, maple cayenne, peanut butter ube, pandan-colada, cranberry orange, and guava). this is a great sharing appetizer! thought the butters had subdued flavors & texture not as thick/ creamy. -Avocado & Hummus Toast ($12.95): tasted fresh w/ addition of creamy hummus & fried egg resting on thick sourdough bread -Coffee Carnitas Sandwich ($12.95): carnitas was a bit dry and couldn't taste much of the espresso rub, but was enjoyable combined with the chipotle aioli & pickled onions nestled between fluffy, chewy focaccia bread! I've been here a few times previously to do work and would sometimes have a hard time finding an indoor table due to its popularity. Always bustling, positive vibes (they give small cards with inspiring msgs!) & welcoming community! Overall a solid local brunch & coffee spot, would return! (minus 1 star due to additional wait for beverages at counter after ordering, as staff do not bring to table. not a big deal, but inconvenient after waiting in long line & our table being outdoors. also bc lattes from previous visits & foods, though enjoyable, could use minor improvements/ not memorable) read more

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I ordered the breakfast sandwich and it was tasty. I could taste the bacon and the fluffy eggs. But the number of flies buzzing around really ruins the experience. The seating felt a bit limited. Seems like people prefer to sit at a table and the lounge in the center of the room takes up a lot of space. Unfortunately that means people will sit next to the window and have loud conversations behind you. And you have to deal with metered parking on the street. read more

Love the coffee house interior design, very organic. Customer service is awesome. They are all pleasant. Why do I always go here? Organic COFFEE!!! This is what you call real coffee. Love their hot dark chocolate mocha, chaga mushroom latte sugar-free and the pandan latte! My all time favorite is the dark chocolate mocha latte. It's a perfect blend of bitter-sweet latte. Don't forget to try their scones with their different flavors of their homemade butter. My favorite is the ube and the original flavor. Of course, their original drench toast. You're trip here is not complete without trying these two! Everytime I am around La Mesa, I make sure I pass by to grab my coffee! Highly highly recommended! read more

Public Square - Their coffee with the inspirational note. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

I normally enjoy my experience here but recently I brought my two year old here for her birthday since I work from home and she loves "coffee." Sadly, they didn't have whipped cream or sprinkles, most coffee shops give this for free. Instead it was suggested I go for warm milk with cold foam- the drink ended up being way too sweet for my daughter's liking so I went to grab some water at her request. The water cups were also next to the hot coffee cups that the baristas use and I was on autopilot and grabbed the cup with a lid- the barista kinda snapped at me and said 'next time ask.' When I brought the too sweet drinks (mind ended up being too sweet as well) up to the barista bar I mentioned that we couldn't drink them but wanted to know how we should have ordered them- we were told to order them 'half sweet.' No one offered to remake it. I left kinda sad. The end. read more

My favorite place to go for food in La Mesa! I was greeted by Zayda the cashier. She was so sweet and let me take my time ordering. She actually encouraged me to treat myself (which I definitely did). I was in a brunchie mood so I ordered the breakfast sandwich and the tomato bisque soup. They were both so good and tasty together (I dipped the sandwich into the soup). I tried their new seasonal matcha drink and I think it was the best matcha I've ever had! So yummy! The drink was made by Gabe so was so nice! I was able to substitute with oat milk but be aware that the foam on top contains milk which I felt was worth the future stomach pain personally. The staff was great and actually let me know multiple times that the foam contained milk so that was very caring of them. The staff was overall so great. Another staff member named Daniel brought out our food and helped us get silverware. They really have awesome customer service here! I loved the ambiance as well. There is inside and outside seating areas. Both cute and very comfortable! Also dog friendly! Everyone stopped to say hi to my dog and there were treats in the front too! read more

Public Square - Speciality matcha (razzie) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Such a great go to coffee and food vibe if you want a quick bit to eat ! This place definitely gets busy and most times there is a line but it goes pretty fast. Today was the first time I tried the scones and OH MY GOD soo good!! I always think of a scone as being stiff and hard but this is perfectly cooked. We got the scone with the 6 butter flight. I think some of the butters are better than others but always good to try all of them! There coffee is next level as they have great signature drinks and then also just regular coffee. You can't go wrong with this coffee and food place! read more

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This La Mesa gem seems to be a local and visitor favorite. There's always a lot of buzz at this spot and all within good reason. The environment is perfect for catching up with a friend or reading a book. As I've mentioned, it can get quite busy so the inside might be too loud for working/studying. I tried the pandan latte and I haven't tried any other drink since having that latte! I always come back to that. I've also tried the coffee rubbed carnitas sandwich. It's absolutely delicious but a little small. read more

Public Square - Pandan latte- iced and hot - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

Had a lovely brunch here with my husband. The whole atmosphere is really cool and fun. The outdoor seating, while adjacent to the road, is separated and feels cozy. The servers are friendly although I quite didn't understand why they expected me to walk inside and pick up my coffee in heavy, breakable cups and walk back to the table when they bring the food to the table. Talking of food- both the breakfast sandwich and the scones with flight of butter were really nice. The dark chocolate mocha was good too. Overall had a lovely time and won't mind coming back if we are in the area,. read more

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It's been a few years since I've been here for breakfast. The inside is nice and cozy. You line up to order at the counter. If you order food they give you a number, otherwise they call your name for drink orders. The place was fairly busy for a smallish cafe and unfortunately they didn't have a lot of staff to handle the amount of customers. The barista was 5-6 orders behind so it took a while to get our drinks. They also weren't hot when we did get them. They were ok lattes, but honestly not that different from standard coffees you could get anywhere. The food came out slightly after the drinks. The "Biscuit" and gravy was good however it was very petite. I've always thought biscuits and gravy were supposed to be a hearty filling meal, and this was a single small biscuit and a fried egg. The breakfast sandwich was even less satisfying. It was cold and pretty boring except for the chipotle aioli. The place could be better if they had more staff to accommodate the demand. Everyone seemed so rushed and spread thin, they were missing the details about what makes a good breakfast cafe experience. Overall, it was just an ok breakfast. For the time it took and the price, I think there are other places with better value. read more

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My first time going here, arrived to find no one at register. Stood there for 5 minutes. Two guys making coffee glanced at me but didn't say a word. Before I was to turn and leave, the cashier rushes in from main entrance with a huge bag. She bumps me with bag, with no "excuse me" or "my apologies." She rushes to back, then gets on register. She looked angry, disheveled (untidy), and rushed. She begins to take orders. I turn to leave. Yikes! read more