Subterranean Coffee

Very good, but the coffee isn't very sweet just FYI :) They were super nice and our drinks came out…read morepretty fast, but there was a long line. It was a very chill vibe, super welcoming and easy!

I've been here twice now, and my second visit really stood out, probably because I came early in…read morethe morning right when they opened at 7am. I was surprised by how busy it gets even on a weekday morning, but arriving early helped me snag a cozy spot inside. There are only about 4-5 indoor tables, but plenty of outdoor seating to enjoy the beautiful San Diego weather. The staff was friendly and welcoming, even while managing the rush. The hardest part about this place is deciding what to order, everything looks so good. I don't remember what I got on my first visit, but this time I went with a Nutella-stuffed croissant, and it was absolutely delicious. I also ordered a latte, which was solid. I can't really speak to how "authentic" it is, but I can say it's definitely worth visiting at least once, especially if you're a local.

Pistachio croissant

Lavender latte

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Interior

The Flower Pot Cafe & Bakery

4.0(169 reviews)

0.6 mi•La Jolla

Lovely coffee shop. Very large with lots of indoor and outdoor seating…read more Full food menu available. Love that they source things locally. Also huge plus they have reverse osmosis water for guests. Coffee I had here was decent. Definitely will like to return to try some food. Love their mug cup systems here. The mug drive and take and leave stand (see photos).

The Flower Pot Cafe & Bakery is such a cool, eclectic spot. I love coffee shops that have character…read morerather than the newer modern minimalist ones, and Flower Pot really keeps that old-fashioned, cozy coffee shop feel. It's cozy and unique that makes it the perfect study spot! There's plenty of seating, and it's conveniently located near a bus stop, which makes it easy to get to. I'm not totally sure about outlet availability, but it's still a great place to settle in and get some work done. To note, the coffee itself is just okay, and unfortunately the almond croissant wasn't very good when I tried it. That said, the atmosphere is really what makes this place worth visiting. The staff is also pretty nice and welcoming. Overall, come for the great study spot more than the food or coffee.

Blast from the past, I remember the original panic again

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Such a cute coffee shop!

Better Buzz Coffee

4.2(664 reviews)

•$

Great experience visiting from ATL! Super friendly service and very very helpful in explaining the…read moremenu and very patient, wished we lived here :)

Great ambience, super quick service, great tasting drinks. Sweet darling boy Robert brought my…read morefriend and I chairs to sit inside to warm up from the rain. Amazing staff. Love you Robert

Coffee bar area

Fruit and Ricotta Toast The best drink (vanilla americano)

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Better Buzz

Parakeet Cafe - La Jolla

4.2(596 reviews)

Aloha Yelpers,…read more Reviews can be subjective and often just reflect how we felt in the moment--sometimes good, sometimes bad. As a business owner and someone who frequents a lot of establishments around the world, I'm always paying extra attention to how different brands and teams operate. After being a regular at Parakeet for the last 6 years, I felt inclined to finally write a review, based purely on appreciation for the all-star team at this location (Kayla, Janelle, Neda, Hailey, Regina, Michelle, Calvin, and all the cooks crushing it in the kitchen daily) and everything they bring to the community. BIG VIBES & Customer Experience Biggest one on the checklist. The energy is always on point from the second I walk in to the second I leave. The entire staff is friendly, welcoming, authentic, and genuinely cares about making the experience top-tier. Also worth noting, they're up at 5 AM to open at 7 AM... which is already heroic. On top of that, this location gets its fair share of entitled, unfriendly, and straight-up rude customers (I've seen it firsthand on the daily). Even then, the ladies and Calvin handle it with patience, professionalism, and still keep the good energy going. That shit is not easy. Attention to Detail Regina and Hailey run a tight operation day to day. Their attention to detail and consistency is honestly unmatched. I've been to plenty of spots around the neighborhood, and no one has it as dialed in as they do. They are also better dressed than other managers in the biz. BIG STYLE POINTS Problem Solving I've watched this team navigate everything--broken equipment, unhappy customers, clogged toilets (lol), bad weather, and difficult delivery drivers yelling at them through Google Translate. And they handle it all without missing a beat and staying composed. Meanwhile, I've seen other places completely implode in similar situations--blaming each other or arguing instead of solving the problem. Not the case here. Always solution-oriented. Extra props to Janelle for unclogging the toilet and Kayla for chasing a grasshopper out the door when it jumped on a table. Yessahhh Consistency Food and drinks are always consistent--fresh, well-seasoned, proper temp, and clean presentation. The cooks are back there working hard but still somehow having a good time while pushing out orders for both dine-in and delivery. The girls and Calvin on bar are always crushing it. Espresso is never burnt, matcha is smooth (no clumpy, low-tier stuff), and the latte art is always on point. Shoutout to Neda, Hailey, Regina, and Calvin for keeping things fast and high quality. Cleanliness Everything is always clean, smells good, and actually put away where it belongs. No shakshuka stains on tables, no scone crumbs everywhere, no sticky coffee floors, no overflowing trash cans--things that, somehow, have become the norm at other nearby spots. All in all, I never leave reviews, so the fact that I'm writing this says something lol. Hopefully whoever reads this--regulars, upper management, or owners--recognizes that this all-star team is what makes this Parakeet location special, and a big reason it continues to bring GREAT VIBES to LJ LET'S GET THEM A PAY RAISE!! Mahalo, Brady

LVE Parakeet La Jolla. Everyone is so sweet. Kayla and Calvin serve the best care and cappuccinoread more

Order and pickup

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Green Goddess Smoothie

PARU

4.3(49 reviews)

0.6 mi•La Jolla

I would like to give a shoutout to the employee named Stephanie. From the moment I walked into PARU…read more(this was my first time here) she did an amazing job educating me about all things matcha. She is so knowledgeable about tea and had an answer for every question I threw at her. She even gave me a tour of the gallery of tea farmers and demonstrated how to properly whisk up a bowl of matcha. I left with a new bag of matcha to try and newfound knowledge of the world of tea. Thank you Stephanie and team!

Food 10k Matcha -…read moreSolid matcha. 4.5/5 Lemon Lychee tea - 4.9/5. This is the best tea I've ever had. The aroma is incredible. Hojicha milk chocolate - An elevated, balanced chocolate that is essentially a crunch bar for people who make at least six figs. The Hojicha notes cut through but did not overpower it. 4.7/5 Raspberry Almond Matcha Chocolate - This is the best chocolate I've had. Smooth, balanced and dopamine boosting. 4.9/5 Service The two workers were chatty and relaxed. 5/5 Ambiance 5/5

Interior

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Interior

Brick & Bell Cafe

4.1(724 reviews)

•$

Tiny coffee and pastry shop with outdoor seating. I got a pistachio latte after the La Jolla run…read moreand it was delicious. Not sure if it had much caffeine but really loved the pistachio taste. Really great and sweet baristas. They were hustling to get everyone's orders.

Stopped in to B&B for a mixed berry smoothie at 9am. It took about ten minutes to be ready. I…read morereally enjoyed it as it was fresh & not too sweet. Service was fast & friendly and the price for the medium smoothie was very reasonable! A few of the kids who were with me were disappointed because they ran out of cinnamon rolls, but otherwise, they were happy with our little snacky stop. Plenty of outdoor seating as always. Street parking. Peace.

Counter

Pic and bagel March 2025

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Front entrance

Fruittitude

4.5(841 reviews)

This is close to work so I walked down to grab a smoothie. I chose a mango one made with mango…read morejuice added a little non whey protein. The service was nice, my smoothie was just ok. I cant put my finger on it, it just wasn't super flavorful.

I came here craving a nice, refreshing smoothie on a hot summer day. The cafe is cute and the…read moreflavors, but only one of our drinks was cold, which was super odd since both drinks were under the same section of the menu! The Green Mango power smoothie tasted really fresh, but came out room temperature. I totally get that the fruit and greens might be fresh, never frozen (great in theory). However, I would at least expect the homemade mango juice to be chilled and/or ice to be added to make the drink a little cool at $10. We still LOVED the energy booster. It leans heavier on peanut butter flavor than chocolate or espresso, but it's fantastic, filling, and, of course, refreshing thanks to the ~chilled~ almond milk. Love the quality overall, even though it might not be my go-to when the heat is killer!

Greenspiration

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Indoor seating

Blue Whale

3.8(440 reviews)

0.4 mi•La Jolla

Locally owned & operated

Gluten-free friendly

Blue whale is a super popular cafe near La Jolla shores! Because of social media it blew up so a…read morelot of people come here to try their unique dishes. I specifically wanted to try their Ube pancakes. The pancake was good! However the Ube flavor is not strong but if you just love a good pancake then you'll like it for sure. The downside is because there's so many people there is not enough seats. So I asked for my food Togo in case a seat didn't open up. In summary, it's a cute little cafe, try to come here during off peak hours for a more calm vibe but even if you come the wait isn't super long.

Your social media presence was influential. It's what I wanted for Mother's Day. To avoid the long…read morewait I asked for pick up. Had I'd know it would ruin my morning with my daughter I would have never suggested it. Customer service was atrocious. The pick up was not to anyone's standards. My daughter picked up the food me drinks she ordered for us and the girl at the counter was clearly annoyed she worked there. Ignored her. She should be retrained or put in the back. Nevermind ignoring the customer but didn't even finish giving the order. No drinks. My daughter had to ask a manager for the drinks. Comes to the car as we drive off I open the bag and items are missing. I guess no one checks orders. Had to double park. I called and warned the cafe she was upset. They gave her the one missing item and they ran out of croissants. Mind you it's what I wanted. They gave her an extra Oreo cronut. This was the worst experience. I do not recommend this establishment

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Bird Rock Coffee Roasters - La Jolla

Locally owned & operated

Their pizza is amazing!!!…read more Got the GOAT! Fresh, great quality ingredients, and simply Devine!

I enjoyed my vanilla latte and it came out quickly. The cashier was friendly and there was 2 hour…read morefree street parking. If you're just coming here for coffee, this seems like a solid place. However, for a place that lists free Wi-Fi, the Wi-Fi did not work. Also, I couldn't even get my data to work so I couldn't open up a hotspot. The same thing happened to my friend, so it wasn't just me.

Outside of Bird Rock Coffee Roasters La Jolla

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Bird Rock Coffee Roasters La Jolla

Freshería

4.2(357 reviews)

0.7 mi•La Jolla

•$

The service is good. The salmon salad is very good. The food came out fast and it was fresh.read more

Only one person working at the time. Expect longer wait times. I grabbed an ice mocha. Was more…read moresweet than I expected. Price was above average but expected since you are close to the beach. Tables need to be bussed and was not as clean.