My husband and I visited the San Diego Safari Park for "February Free Seniors Month". We noticed several park eateries were closed for lunch; and the ones open mainly served hot dogs and hamburgers (not what we wanted). So we checked Yelp for the next best thing nearby and found the "Sunny Side Kitchen". I'm not a vegetarian, but my Vegan Panini (with a pickle slice and fresh fruit cup on the side) was wonderful. That freshly baked sourdough bread sandwich was so juicy some avocado squirted out of an air hole in the bread onto my shirt. Luckily water was nearby to quickly wipe away any future stain. Recommendation: Wear a napkin on your shirt. ; ) p.s. It wasn't crowded for a Tuesday lunch; and owner Kate added great conversation and promoted neighboring "Esco Gelatto" as a good place for dessert, but we were too full. We'll save room next time. read more

If I could give half stars, my overall rating would be 3.5 stars. Based on the high reviews, I guess I expected more. It's a cute, casual mom and pop breakfast/lunch joint that specializes in paninis and salads. The restaurant is tiny inside. They have a few tables for dining in but they are really close together. I would say it would be best to pick up and to go. You can order at the counter but it seems most people use the QR code on the table to order online. Our paninis were good and I enjoyed the seasoned cheese herb crunch on the sourdough but the food is overpriced. A full panini is $18-23 and comes only with a tiny sample sized cup of fruit. The drinks are $6. The panini also had minimal chicken and filling so most of my bites were of bread. For those prices, I would expect at least a decent side such as a salad or chips. Also the service is minimal where you order online, you bus your own plates, and when asked for water I get a tiny cup for dining in- so asking for tip on top of these prices (over $25 per person) is hard to justify especially in Escondido. read more

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A sweet little cafe/ restaurant that is clearly a very beloved neighborhood spot. I adore that they offer half and full size portions for their sandwiches. I got The Works and an iced chai latte. The chai could have been a little more spiced but that sandwich was perfection, especially the crusty Parmesan top. I'll daydream about this place going forward. I recommend asking for their chopped banana peppers for a bright additional bite. Also the people there were insanely friendly and so kind. read more

Sunny Side Kitchen - Sandwiches Near Me - Escondido, California

This place is quite small and at first seems too simplistic. We ate out in the back picnic tables, but we had to pass by the cooks and dishwasher to get there. Kinda different. They had only 2 tables out back and it was like eating out in the parking lot. However, what they lack in atmosphere is made up of for by the food. I got the Panini with the works and my wife got quiche. They were excellent. They both were clean and vibrant. From the fresh squeezed orange juice and the watermelon lemonade to the fresh coffee and cream, real cream. Top notch scratch kitchen. Amazing! Totally amazing. I even went back and told the proprietor how good it was. The waiting staff was also on point and attentive. read more

Definitely some good sandwiches with perhaps a too high of a price tag for what you get. This place is located in the middle of Escondido as a little family owned restaurant. They serve a fair variety of sandwiches and other little items to buy such as coffee and cookies. The location is small with about a total of 5 seating areas including both inside, and out. For service they're all very friendly since it's primarily the family owners who serve you. You go up to the front and place your order and they'll bring the food you order to your table, they do close early since this is a breakfast spot first and foremost, so expect to arrive early if you want to eat here. I usually order The Works in a half since a full size sandwich is well over $20, excluding any additions or substitutions you may make. The sandwich does taste really good, but it does come at a steep price. They've grown in popularity over the years, which may have influenced their pricing (by a lot) which in my opinion does outweigh it's value. While I do enjoy my infrequent visits, I can say this location is more of an occasional treat, as opposed to a constant meal to be had often. read more

Amazing food experience here! Referred from a dear friend of ours and coming here was a delight. I'm not a big tomato guy but this was so delicious and highly recommend! Excellent service and cute shop read more

Sunny Side Kitchen - Chicken Bacon Ranch Panini - Sandwiches Near Me - Escondido, California

Food was delicious! I had a the green chile quiche and my son ordered The Works. It came with a little seasonal fruit cup that was perfect size. Wish we lived closer so we could come here more often. read more

Sunny Side Kitchen - THE WORKS - Sandwiches Near Me - Escondido, California

For the $16 Works breakfast sandwich, the sum was more than its parts. A crispy herb Parmesan crust on crusty sourdough with molded soft-cooked eggs, average slice bacon, avocado mash, and a monster (Havarti and Muenster) cheese melt. It doesn't get much more California than that! The textures are harmonious. I visited from NYC and dined at an outside table (huzzah, socal) enjoying nice full service. I think this sandwich was on a top list for country-wide sandwiches on Yelp, but to me it was good but not phenomenal. read more

I LOVE this place. So tasty and the staff is so friendly - you can tell they are all family.

The grilled sandwiches here are good, but kinda pricey for what you get. I ordered the wake up Escondido full sandwich. It tasted great but it was lacking filling, not much chicken and more sauce than anything. It was almost $20 for this breakfast panini that came with a small side of fruit. I also tried their strawberry lemonade and strawberry salad. Very tasty as well. Service was okay, this place is tiny and it was starting to become packed with the lunch time crowd, so we asked for our order to go. I may give them another try if I am in the area. read more

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If you order a gluten free sandwich they give you two sandwiches because the gluten free bread is, you know, the size of gluten free bread. This is a huge plus!!! I ordered the vegan and it was surprisingly delicious. The people are very friendly and helpful. The place is a tight squeeze because it's so popular but the quality is top notch. The fresh squeezed juice will be next on my list to try. read more

In top of a relax environment you'll enjoy a fantastic food. All run for local family over many years. If you're in a rush just swing by and grab a cup of coffee. You'll miss the best panini though, but that's OK. Just start you day with a welcoming smile! read more

Sunny Side Kitchen - Inside - Sandwiches Near Me - Escondido, California

Stopped in for another amazing tasting sandwich! Everyone here is always so friendly and the food...well, the hubby and i keep coming back for more and more!! And plenty of places to park and sit. The backyard patio is pretty nice and cool!! read more

You can tell that the people there take pride in delivering good food and service. Cute place, but very small. Hot day, so luckily we found a seat inside! Enjoyable sandwiches. read more

I just started working in Escondido and finally tried Sunny Side Kitchen. Honestly, the food feels like a hug. the grilled cheese and tomato soup combo was delicious and made my day. It's a local family-owned spot and I got to meet the owner, Bob, who was so nice. The whole staff is sweet and you can really tell they put a lot of love into the place. I'll definitely be back! read more

Sunny Side Kitchen - Grilled cheese with tomato soup combo - Sandwiches Near Me - Escondido, California

Cute spot . You can sit inside or outside Great food & great customer service . This is like my 3rd time at this spot & if I lived in the area I would probably would come once a week . read more

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Worth the hype!!! Everything is so fresh, the bread is phenomenal, the eggs are perfectly cooked. Chefs kiss for "the works" breakfast panini. The staff is also so sweet and it's just a cute local vibe. 100% would go again! read more

Sunny Side Kitchen - AVOCADO, EGG, AND CHEESE on gluten free bread - Sandwiches Near Me - Escondido, California

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Looking for good coffee? Check. Looking for delicious paninis with gluten free options. Check. Looking for super friendly people? Check. There's a reason that Sunny Side Kitchen is consistently one of the best restaurants - they never disappoint! I highly suggest giving the Tuscan chicken panini on sourdough a try. That with the orzo salad on the side and you'll have no regrets. read more

Sunny Side Kitchen - Pesto Chicken Panini with Orzo Salad - Sandwiches Near Me - Escondido, California

staff and food were fantastic, loved the quiche Location was close to our hotel and the outside dinning was relaxing. read more

Their breakfast sandwich does indeed live up to the hype! That being said, I probably won't go back as long waits and service weren't that great. They were as busy as it gets, would be bettering during the week I assume. Ambiance is cute, not much room to eat inside. read more

This place made Yelp's best places list and in summation it's easy to see why: everything is simple but done well. We had two of their breakfast paninis. The works and the good day sunshine. The real star of both of these were the bread and the cheese they melted on top of it. Everything else alone was good but together it was done really well. This isn't a fancy place. It's your go-to for a tasty breakfast sandwich and a coffee. It's where you stop by with a coworker during lunch. It's where you swing by to grab your mom some food on your way to visit (and when you walk in everyone recognizes you and tells you to tell her 'hi'). This is a local joint - and for the record we aren't from around here we just stopped on our way during our travels. But the entire time the service was friendly and fast and everyone said hello to the locals. All in all solid. Wish there were more places like this. Ps we went during the middle of the day so there wasn't a big wait but there are 5 tables inside and probably three outside so I can foresee it getting busy during weekends. Plenty of street parking and a lot across the way. read more

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The food was very tasty Service very friendly However beware that the portion of the half panini is more like a kids meal size. We were still hungry after it. The full size would have been too much and too pricey . Just wish they had only one size sandwich at a regular size and price. read more

Sunny Side Kitchen - THE CALIFORNIA CLUB - Sandwiches Near Me - Escondido, California

This is cute café is my son's favorite restaurant in Escondido- and mine as well. The Original fully loaded breakfast sandwich is delicious and they make beautiful Italian sodas which makes my boys feel like they are celebrating. The salads are wonderful, specifically the strawberry salad, and the quiche was one of the best quiches I had ever eaten. The food tastes as homemade as it gets at a restaurant. The service is always so friendly and warm, there are tables outside and in the back, and a big parking lot across the street but I found street parking easily. Sunny Side Kitchen is a treasure! read more

Today was my first visit and it was a very nice and quaint place. The staff was very friendly and they had lovely decorations for the holidays. Heard good things about the gluten free quiche, but wanted to try the Pesto chicken sandwich which I definitely recommend the Parmesan that they bake into the bread. It comes with a nice fruit cup and a delicious pickle. I also tried a mocha while waiting for my friends and they had alternative milks (oat & almond) if you need them. The best thing I tried was this amazing brownie cookie with peppermint pieces on top. AH-mazing!!! Would definitely return and will try and take photos next time, read more

I hardly ever write reviews but I just ate the most amazing and gluten free (yay!) vegetarian panini from here! Delicious avocado, grilled tomato, spinach and havarti cheese in a Parmesan crusted, gluten free bread. Celiacs know how hard it is to find a mouth watering sandwich and this hit every mark! read more

What a unique and delightful place!!! Not to mention the employees are so kind and helpful. The food is so delicious and combines so many flavors. I've tried most of their sandwiches and have been pleasantly surprised each time! A must stop if you're in north county San Diego. read more

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Good: The menu is interesting. The bread is solid. The vegetarian sandwich was a hit. The pickles are good. The Americano was solid. And the berry muffin was a nice complement to the coffee. Ok: The Warm Up sandwich was ok. The chicken was dry. The egg was perfect and the sauce was good but overall I had to push myself to finish it. I did eat it at home so maybe this one is better fresh at the store vs a takeaway. Ambiance is fine but nothing special. Meh: Prices are high. The service was not warm. It wasn't negative but very unbothered. Wouldn't avoid this place, but will not seek it out. read more

Sandwiches were pricey, $20 for whole, $10 for half (a slice of bread). Meatloaf was crumbled pieces & sparcely dispersed in sandwich instead of a slice of meatloaf. Pesto chicken panini was shredded, tough & not alot of it, little on the greasy side. A small sauce cup size fruit salad & deli pickle slice also included. Cute place, small inside, few tables outside, maybe breakfast options better? 2 whole sandwiches, no drinks, $40 read more

Sunny Side Kitchen - PESTO CHICKEN PANINI, chicken was shredded & a little tough to chew - Sandwiches Near Me - Escondido, California

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Came here with my daughter and my gigantic catahoula leopard dog. I got The Works and daughter got artichoke, sundried tomato and feta quiche. She got yea and I got a vanilla latte, iced. Everything was superb! The food was fresh, the place was clean and cheery looking and the employees were friendly and personable. If I lived closer, I'd be in a lot of trouble as I would want to come here often. Prices are reasonable and they do have some seating on a back patio, as well as in the front of the cafe if you have a dog. Very nice clean bathroom, too, if you care about that! read more

I just had to go for a drive. Ended up in Escondido. Had breakfast at Sunny Side Kitchen. Great food, down home ambiance, real people equals full belly and full spirit. I don't know why this place has a 4.8 rating-it should be a 10!! The paninis are great-sourdough bread, egg, cheese, avocado...as close to heaven as you can get. Stop in there when going through the area-you will want to go back!! I know I do.... read more

Great little spot, food wash fantastic. Escondido panini and quiche. Well worth the stop by and eat.

Food 4/5 Service 4/5 Ambiance 3/5 A small road side cafe with big flavors. We ordered sourdough sandwiches tasted amazing, burrito bowls, strawberry lemonade and enjoyed it. read more

Cozy restaurant! Friendly & quick service! They serve delicious breakfast & lunch sandwiches, salads, soups & desserts. You cannot go wrong with any dish here. I will definitely try out their Lunch Special which is 1/2 Grilled Cheese & a cup of soup or salad They also have seating outside. read more

Best breakfast place, def a must try. Prices are a little high but worth every penny. Wonderful spot and the owners are so kind. The Tuscan chicken salad and the quiche are my fav. read more

Every time I come to this place and try something different it never disappoints! This place is a great spot for breakfast or lunch. Everything is fresh and tasty! read more

This place has Great reviews and is on the top 100 Yelp for a reason. Fantastic food- plenty of choices on the menu. Sandwiches, quiche, brownies, mocha, lemonade, etc. Friendly and nice service. The cashier taking our order even sang a little when we ordered the good day sunshine sandwich. All The workers were smiling and happy and working as a team. Easy to find and located in Escondido off of Orange street. Some free street parking right out front. We ordered and waited a bit. When I noticed the people after us getting their orders and we hadn't yet, I checked and there was a little mix up. We got our food shortly afterwards. It was no big deal or delay at all. One of the workers checked on us and felt bad about the mix up, so she gave us a free brownie and a gift card for a future visit. That was super nice of her and just shows you how much they care about their customers and customer service. read more

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Love all the food at Sunny Side kitchen! The best people also! I especially enjoy the tuna melt and salads are divine! Great lemonade too! read more

Very yummy and very friendly. We had the breakfast panini and will go back. Highly recommend.

The Works is next on my list! As always, great service to go with the yummy food. Til next time! read more

Sunny Side Kitchen - Wake Up Escondido half sandwich - Sandwiches Near Me - Escondido, California

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I love this place. My go to for breakfast (and lunch) because they have the best paninis. It is so quaint, people there are lovely and always so busy. Excellent coffee and tea too. Gotta go to this place! read more