Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Vinaka Cafe

    4.2 (667 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

    Vinaka Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    VINAKA CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for working
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Vinaka Cafe

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Cheese Danish and Carmel latte
    Justine R.

    Beautiful day, enjoying my latte as always it's delicious. Service was prompt. Love the outdoor seating.

    Ann V.

    I wanted this place to be my go-to spot since I'm nearby. But, my postive experiences have been up-n-down. It's very chill and cozy when you have somewhere to sit. On the several occasions I've been there, I can tell it's now very popular...especially to those working remotely. Sometimes, it can get crowded and staff are overwhelmed to the point clearing tables lag behind. They seem to maintain composure and still be friendly. At any rate, the food and coffee are okay but nothing to OMG about.

    Matcha latte
    Nikita B.

    My husband and I stopped by this café over Labor Day weekend. It was fairly busy, but the service was still prompt, which I appreciated. I ordered a matcha latte and he had a mocha frappuccino. Unfortunately, my matcha was clumpy and not fully dissolved in the milk, and my husband didn't enjoy his mocha either. We also noticed that many of the younger staff members were behind the counter preparing drinks and food, which is fine, but a few of them had their hair half up/half down. This raised some concerns for us about cleanliness and hygiene. Overall, while the café is conveniently located and fine for a quick stop, I wouldn't go out of my way to come back.

    Vanilla latte, chocolate chip cookies, bacon egg and cheese on sourdough.
    Jack B.

    I wandered in at 7am on a foggy Saturday morning. It was chilly outside, but cozy and warm inside. Great music playing, plenty of seating, and the smell of fresh cookies when I walked in. Great coffee, and good selection of breakfast items. Very friendly staff.

    Mocha + Cream cheese bagel
    Valeria G.

    I always get a white Mocha from this place and it's always amazing. The drinks don't take too long (3-6 min wait) and the staff is incredibly nice and helpful. I especially love this place for its seating, it has plenty and I never feel rushed.

    Andrew S.

    A chill coffee shop in Downtown Carlsbad by the beach! I did not get any pastries or food, but the enjoyed the drinks! They had a seasonal menu right by the cashier which I almost missed, but saw it while ordering and got a drink from the seasonal menu too! I ordered the Spring Cleaning from the seasonal menu which was a macadamia nut blended mocha. It's a powder with limited caffeine, so I added an espresso shot to my drink and got it iced/blended. They got my order wrong, but after bringing the drink back they were able to make me a new order which was correct. The taste of macadamia nut were very light and I was expecting a stronger nutty taste. This could possibly be because I added espresso to my drink. The matcha green tea and the chai tea latte (substituted whole milk for oat milk) were both delicious as well. Although there is plenty of seating indoors and outdoors, since it's in a outdoor mall, most seats may be full around the afternoon time.

    Blended Mocha
    Marissa M.

    Make it a point to come here everytime I visit my friends in Carlsbad because their blended dirty chai is one of the best I've ever had. I love chais that are creamy and sweet rather than spiced and watery, and they hit the mark here, at least for the blended one. This time my boyfriend tried just the blended chai and I got our usual blended dirty chai and I like it with the shot of espresso to cut the sweetness a little. It's a really sweet and creamy drink. Honestly more of a dessert than anything. The prices are also pretty high but it's quality and the cafe is adorable. The workers have always been so kind and efficient. Well worth the money! *Beware the parking lot is small and busy no matter what time of day so it's not often easy to get to the cafe!

    Bacon, Egg, and Cheese sandwich
    Dan ..

    Even though the total amount of breakfast items and lunch items is limited, what they do cook is delicious. I thoroughly enjoy the location and the vibes of this place. The staff works fast. You don't have to wait long to get your food or coffee. Vinaka Cafe has become on of my breakfast staples in Southern California.

    A stamp on the bag - love locally

    See all

    Photo of Mary R.
    136
    445
    1437

    25 days ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 2
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    23 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    27 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 9
    Thanks 1
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Anna C.
    951
    1131
    3974

    6 months ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 1

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Quick service with a lot of places to sit outside the cafe. The drinks are good. The location is great. Just a good, reliable coffee shop!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jack B.
    23
    17
    16

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Just great... food environment. my favorite part is the community of girls who work there such sweet hearted ones!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dan ..
    0
    77
    144

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Went in evening and the service was great, everyone was friendly and one of the baristas was very kind, young brown hair girl

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Haley S.
    350
    74
    52

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of L T.
    0
    96
    11

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 17

    Ask the Community - Vinaka Cafe

    Is there any couch seating for a group size of about 10?

    No there is not There are chairs and sofas many tables outside some resting areas inside

    Does anyone know if they are open?

    Yes, they are for to-go. Just dropped by the other weekend.

    Any non dairy ice creams? Thx!

    There is always a Sorbet but the icecream is dairy

    I heard people play chess here , when does this happen if it does?

    Anytime. The boards are available to anyone who wishes to play. I would say in the evenings is a good time to find someone to play with.

    View All 5 Questions

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Coffee & Tea 5,188 times last month within 5 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Fish Boon

    Fish Boon

    4.4
    (239 reviews)
    6.0 mi
    $$$

    LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! The food. The ambiance. The owner. The staff…read more We hadn't been to sushi in about three years because there just wasn't any place decent to eat it. NOW there is! And we go there a couple of times a month. I think you'd call us a 'regular!' And it's an honor. THANK YOU! Debby and Myles

    "Good food is the foundation of genuine happiness."…read more ~Auguste Escoffier Long overdue but very much deserved review for Fish Boon in Carlsbad. We've now dined here several times, and each visit somehow keeps getting better and better. The menu is extensive, innovative, and beautifully executed, while the sake selection is truly spectacular. Standouts absolutely include their salads, specials, sashimi, sushi, and especially their fresh uni, which is consistently some of the best in the area. Their uni and wagyu pairings are absolutely magnificent. Yum! The sake program here also deserves special recognition, with several excellent Daiginjos to choose from along with beautifully curated tasting flights. What truly elevates Fish Boon, however, is the staff and service. Everyone is warm, knowledgeable, welcoming, and genuinely passionate about the food they serve. You can immediately tell this place has built a loyal following of regulars for a reason. This has officially become our close-to-home sushi, sashimi, and sake spot. Fish Boon gets the boom boom boom stellar award from us!

    Photos
    Seating Area
    Seating Area
    Nijugo Sashimi
    Nijugo Sashimi
    Hibachi Steak

    See all

    Hibachi Steak
    GelatoLove

    GelatoLove

    4.7
    (685 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$
    5 years in business
    Women-owned & operated

    Gelato Love is a gourmet Italian gelato shop located in Carlsbad Village…read more It has a modern decor and inviting ambience. It is well lit, clean and organized. There are both indoor and outdoor seating. We enjoyed the relaxing and delightful atmosphere of the indoor seating. They have a nice selection of purses, jewelries and Stanley Tucci cookbooks. I also enjoyed other merchandise they have around the shop.They sell Italian pasta, tomato sauce and jam. The menu includes ; creamy gelati, dairy free sorbetti, gelato specialties, love shakes, coffe, cannoli, ice cream cakes, and desserts. There are many flavors to choose from. Everything looked tempting and delicious. Finally, we decided to get flight of four different flavors of gelato. We chose Carlsbad strawberry, Cookies and cream, Bacio, Tahitian vanilla bean. Their gelato was rich, creamy and silky. The amount was generous. The owner and the staff were very welcoming and genuinely warm. The service was fast. I really like Gelato Love. It's an authentic Italian Gelato shop to stop by and enjoy their unique flavors. .

    Delicious gelato after dinner. I had the vanilla bean and it was creamy and light…read more The service was helpful and they offered samples so you'd know if you were choosing a flavor you'd like. The ambiance is a bright and cute shop with a few tables inside and outside.

    Photos
    Red Velvet Cake Gelato Ice Cream.
    Red Velvet Cake Gelato Ice Cream.
    Organic Lemon Custard - Crema al Limone.
    Organic Lemon Custard - Crema al Limone.
    Strawberry & Vanilla Bean Gelato.

    See all

    Strawberry & Vanilla Bean Gelato.
    The Goods

    The Goods

    4.5
    (1.4k reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    So this little cute shop is located in Carlsbad Village. We came on a Saturday morning at around…read more11am and it was pretty easy to find parking . There was a large lot maybe 1 block away that we parked at and then walked in from there. Inside, there was a line but it moved pretty fast. The donuts on display look so gooddd, we had to try one even though I was originally there for coffee. Person behind the donut area was really nice with great customer service! Cashier was the same! They have a little water stand you can get some water from too which was nice after chowing down on the donut. The donut itself was so good. Right amount of fluffiness and taste and crispiness. I'm still thinking about the donut and how good it was. I will come again one day.

    The donuts are still beautiful and food good but their service has really gone downhill…read more Two girls at the counter chatting when I walked in. It took a moment to get their attention. I smiled and commented on the donuts and that broke their gossipy reverie. One immediately walked away like she couldn't be bothered to work, only a paid gossiper. There was no one in the store other than me. She rung me up with a flat attitude like she just got out of jail and was miserable. Her name is Bre. I ordered a dirty chai. With two other items. She wouldn't give a to go box like they usually do. It came off super cheap. She told me to just cover it with a lid even tho I told her I had a dog in the car that would eat it and it was chocolate sprinkle. Traditionally they stop and make the coffee and then move on to the next guest. She was in a really bad mood so she kept taking donut orders until about 5 guests deep. Then she got 2 other coffee orders so she stopped to make coffee. About 10 to 15 minutes after I paid for my other order she makes my dirty chai. A kid and a mom are right by the counter. The kid grabs my drink and spills it on the counter and on the floor. She sees this. It's right in front of her. She says oh no that's not yours. Then she wipes it off and tries to pass it off to me like I didn't see. I said no, you're not going to re make it? She goes no, it's not my fault he spilled it. I was like I want a refund. She goes why. I'm like the drink spilled and you didn't even offer or try to remake it. This place had really gone downhill. Service is awful. The donuts look nice but they've been sitting out and are stale. The same with crossaint I had. I would not go back here anymore. Awful experience. Drove out of my way to come here today. It's a shame. This place used to be really friendly and fresh and top of the line customer service, Management needs to rework things before they completely go downhill but it seems they are already there.

    Photos
    Croissants
    Croissants
    Strawberry shortcake
    Strawberry shortcake
    Chocolate sprinkled donut, white sprinkled donut.

    See all

    Chocolate sprinkled donut, white sprinkled donut.

    Vinaka Cafe - coffee - Updated June 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...