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    The Picnic Cafe

    4.2 (56 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order The Picnic Cafe Takeout or Delivery

    The Picnic Cafe Photos

    THE PICNIC CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - The Picnic Cafe

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    Morgan W.

    The cutest shop with the sweetest staff! The drinks i ordered were so visually stunning but the matcha flavor was a bit more grassy than i prefer (but im picky). Other than that the drinks had a delicious vanilla flavor and were not too sweet. You can feel and see the attention to detail in every aspect of this shop!

    Salted Honey Latte 12 oz
    Linda L.

    I absolutely love this coffee shop. I tried the salted honey latte it was made with perfection!

    Two turkey and cheese sandwiches and a diet lemonade.
    Bob S.

    First time here! The sandwiches were very fresh, savory, crunchy, crispy, flavorful, and delicious. Also, the lemonade was super sweet, refreshing, and extremely tasty. There is a good variety of scrumptious sweets, and different flavors of gelato to choose from, good service, nice atmosphere with upbeat music, and I had an excellent experience today.

    The Picnic Sandwich is so good! Solid meat in there for some good protein.
    Amanda C.

    This place is charming and fun to grab food from during lunch and bring down to the beach

    Kids pb and j cut in a star
    Brynn L.

    The cutest cafe nestled right on Del Mar!!! We stopped here this weekend after noticing how cute the aesthetic was. It's small inside but easy to walk up and order. There are 4 or 5 small tables outside so we found a seat pretty easily. The menu isn't huge but they have yummy sandwich, salad and charcuterie options. We got a latte too. The best was the kids menu. They have a pb & j (cut into a star), a turkey sandwich, banana Nutella toast and a kids charcuterie board. My kids loved the options!! We ordered 3 to share and they thought it was so fun. They came packaged in a cute box with a juice, fruit and a little bubble stick. The kids said it was their best lunch ever. The person taking our order was really nice and made a point to ask how everything tasted. He even gave the kids a cookie to try. Really fun experience and good food. We will definitely be back!!

    Stacey M.

    This place is so cute and has a very trendy vibe. Decent sandwiches and fun themed drinks. Lots of flowers and stunning presentation. BUT they are so slow and need more help, the counter help is hit or miss on service. Sandwiches are good but light. GO if you have time, if you're short on time don't risk it!!

    Jonathan H.

    The real star of this restaurant is its location, right on Avenida Del Mar, and its ambiance, with tables and chairs right on Avenida Del Mar. It's a beautiful spot to sit, eat and people watch. The inside of the restaurant is charming looking and has a light, breezy feel to it. The woman who served us at the counter was very nice and the friendly owner came out to check on how we're doing, which I appreciated. My wife and I split a Turkey Apple Brie sandwich. It was very good --- but I think it could have been better. The ingredients were high quality and fresh, and the sandwich was put together nicely, but the quantity of food was a bit lacking. Still, I would be happy to return again to give it another try.

    Strawberry Matcha Latte 16 oz

    I have mixed feelings about this place ! I don't like to bash newer local businesses because I know it's not easy to have a successful business , so I just want to give a few suggestions! I will start with what I liked- The guy working the counter was friendly and nice. I love that they offered half sizes of things (not many places do this ) Here are my suggestions : -For the kids charcuterie box, please cut the grapes ! Since this box is for kids and grapes are one of the biggest choking hazards, please cut these. The strawberries were cut in half already so it would be one extra step so parents don't have to cut them all themselves (like I had to do). The box was also missing the salami that is listed on the menu for this box. -for the bagels, the toppings are delicious but the actual bagel tastes old/taste like a bagel from a shelf at the grocery store. Having fresh bagels would really elevate it! -for the strawberry matcha-it needs more strawberry flavor . Beautiful presentation but flavor is lacking. I think adding a muddled strawberry syrup or jam to the drink would make it delicious. The store itself is very aesthetic! I think with a few tweaks this place could be a new favorite of mine (and other locals) !

    Strawberry Matcha Latte
    Chelsea H.

    Parking: since it's in downtown San Clemente, it's mostly street parking. There are some public parking lots nearby, but it can be a short walk. It's definitely a nice area to walk and browse. Service: my visit was alright, the cashier was neither friendly nor unfriendly. I ordered my drink and it was quickly made. Ambiance: the cafe itself was very decorative and beautiful. Loved the pink + green aesthetic. No table seating, but there was a bench inside to wait for drinks/food. There were a couple 2-seater coffee tables outside for use. Drink: strawberry matcha latte 6/10- it was alright, not bad. Matcha was definitely on the more grassy side (for those who enjoy that flavor). Strawberry flavor was decent, but probably not my favorite. It was also $7.95 with milk sub, which was definitely on the pricier side.

    Chloe K.

    Cute cafe with delicious food and drinks! We loved trying the Valentines Drink Specials last month

    Ashley F.

    So cute inside with a fun and original menu, yummy drinks, and the sweetest staff! Very friendly and helpful. Lots of cute gifts you could get there, too! Kid-friendly.

    Blue Coconut Cloud
    Madeline C.

    Really great spot for a yummy breakfast! My husband and I loved the blue coconut smoothie and enjoyed a lox bagel and sandwich. The cafe is super cute and has nice outdoor sitting. I did notice that they had charcuterie boards on their menu which seemed enticing, so maybe next time we'll try that. I think this a nice cafe to get a quick bite while you walk through downtown :)

    Blue Coconut Cloud Summer Tart Cherry Smoothie

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    1 month ago

    The cutest little spot! The sunshine salad and the picnic sandwich were delicious! Total beach dream!

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    3 months ago

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    2 months ago

    The arugula chicken salad was delicious. They also have some delicious and creative iced matcha options.

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    2 months ago

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    10 months ago

    Love this place ! Amazing food and drinks. Love their menu and the ambiance of their store. So happy they are here on Del Mar !

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - The Picnic Cafe

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    Was in town for a wedding and decided to give this place a try…read more If I could give more stars I would. Delicious! I've never had a Spam tempura and now that's all I want from now on! The bar area was cute and TV's playing sports games. We were seated quick, our food came just as quick and left with full happy bellies. Will comeback when craving a Spam Musubi and in the area!

    Went here for date night last week- it has a lot more seating inside than I had expected!…read more Good service- 5/5 The ambience - 3.5/5 - the ambience wasn't my favorite, maybe it's a little better in their main restaurant area but we were seated to the left when you walk in and while there are a few booths in that area it was mostly outdoor chairs and tables and sort of odd lighting. Just very very casual and not totally comfortable. Food- 3.4/4 out of 5 - I got the Luau plate and LOVED the chicken!! Everyone else was right- that chicken thigh deserves its own plate. I also really enjoyed the coconut pudding/jello thing that came with it and the sausage link. The pulled pork was just okay, not very well seasoned but not bad. The side of "dressed greens" was just some lettuce without dressing on it, and I thought the macaroni salad was fine. The last thing that really disappointed me were the sautéed veggies :/ they were just soo oily and had no seasoning to them at all. I didn't eat any of them or the un-dressed 'salad'. My husband got the chicken katsu plate, he said the chicken katsu was fine but the fries on the side were cold and not crispy, they were kind of chalky in the mouth and didn't taste fresh. Some parts were definitely a 3/5 but my chicken thigh was so good and the portions are *huge* so I feel like they deserve a 4/5? All in all, I think I'd come back if I wanted to go out with someone but save some money and we'd split one of the plates (the portions really are huge).

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    4.5(649 reviews)
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    The Boulder and I rolled in on a suspiciously perfect Monday afternoon--clear skies, good vibes,…read moreand my dog in tow (a true critic.. of me). My tall Sequoia of a date did the classic awkward shuffle at the front like, "hi, can the dog come through to the patio without causing a federal incident?" The guy we asked looked like we had just asked him to solve climate change (bc he was a customer...), but he very politely redirected us to the cashier, who was lovely. So: Kindness: 10/10. Confusion: also 10/10. ~Balance~ Now the food. The Boulder orders a fish burrito. I go for the chimichurri salmon bowl with quinoa because I, too, enjoy pretending I have my life together. BUT. The boulder also then orders clam chowder--a surprise, a moment of elation, but at the same time... skeptical? Sir? I have lamented over my favorite chowder like a woman waiting for her husband to come back from battle. Were your ears too high in elevation for my voice to reach? ANYWAYS. Let's talk about the clam chowder, because this is where things get serious. I have grown up eating clam chowder in Santa Cruz (my hometown, my birthplace, my origins). I have known greatness (shoutout to Stagnaro Bros., the downstairs fish market). So when I tell you I approached this chowder with standards, I need you to understand the weight of that statement. I put my spoon in. It did not sink. At that moment, I knew. This was not soup. This was a lifestyle. A structural entity. And it was GOOD. Creamy, thick, unapologetically clam-forward. Not quite Santa Cruz enlightenment, clouds-parting-angels-singing, but honestly? Strong contender. We're talking solid top 4-5 chowders of my life, and I do not say that lightly. Now, my salmon bowl? Good. Respectable. Salmon = crispy, quinoa = doing quinoa things (why is it always slightly annoying to eat??). Chimichurri good. The fish burrito (from my observational research + dog validation panel): packed, flaky, generous. My dog approved, which frankly is the highest honor available. Overall: Great food, great vibes, excellent chowder, and quality time with the Tall Sequoia Boulder Man™ on a random Monday. Plus points--chips looked fried on site :D

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    These are the best burgers I've ever had. Everything I could ask for in a burger, and they do it…read moreright, every time. The variety of toppings is also plentiful and perfect to build the burger of your dreams. The best thing though, hands down, their waffle cut sweet potato fries paired with their house ranch. I can't recommend them enough. I love that they both always taste fresh and delicious. I would include a photo, but every time I order them, they are gone in a flash. Service is done with a smile and a friendly energy. As far as ambiance, I'd say it's like a casual beachside kinda joint. (in my opinion anyway, ofc) I've been a loyal diner here for the last 10 years, and I'll keep coming back.

    The Riders Club Cafe is a convenient spot to refuel without feeling rushed. It's much more casual…read morethan a dining restaurant. We were not particularly hungry so we all had our chili hot dog and one kid's meal. My husband had the single cheeseburger. Seriously, the chili hot dog is amazing! It is a must-try item on the menu. The chili was delicious with a perfectly cooked beef hot dog. The sized portion was great too. I also recommend the Rice Crispy Treat and homemade chocolate pudding. They were super good. They've got indoor and also great outdoor seating depending on what is available or your preference. There is also a heater installed on the patio to make the outdoor dining comfortable. However, coastal evenings can turn chilly even in summer so bring a warm jacket or sweater. This will be very helpful to make a significant difference in your comfort.

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    Gibroni's Pizza - The Hot! Hot! Hot! Pizza

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    The Picnic Cafe - coffee - Updated May 2026

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