COFFEE BEANS & BEINGS / CAFÉ TRENDS IN SAN DIEGO

LOCAL FAVS: Zumbar in Sorrento Valley (above) and Dark Horse Coffee (below):  The latter now has a coffee nook next to the Waypoint Restaurant (30th & North Park Way. 

WHAT'S BREWING IN THE MEDIA--Like most places San Diego has its share of hip coffee emporiums.   And, the media can’t resist covering a good coffee story. Within days of each other recently San Diego’s daily newspaper and its nearly 70 year old city magazine published versions of Best Coffee in Town.  Also, offering picks are a national restaurant survey media, plus the Reader’s big list online.

Here are their picks:

ZAGAT’S RESTAURANT GUIDES: “10 Perfect Cups of Coffee in San Diego,” by Darlene Horn.

--Dark Horse Coffee Roasters, 3260 Adams Ave, San Diego (Normal Heights): $2 French press coffee.

--Café Bassam, 3088 Fifth Ave., San Diego (Park West): white chocolate mocha, $4.50.

--Zumbar Coffee & Tea, 10920 Roselle St., San Diego (Sorrento Valley): Cappuccino, $3.25.

--Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, 5627 La Jolla Blvd., (Bird Rock): Monkey Bite espresso shot, $1.85.

--Caffe Calabria, 3933 30^th St., San Diego (North Park): Caffe Latte, $2.95.

--Café Virtuoso, 1616 National Ave., San Diego (Barrio Logan): Iced Mocha, $4.

--Broke Girl’s Coffee Bar, 3562 Adams Ave., San Diego (Normal Heights): Iced Vietnamese coffee, $4.50.

--Café Moto, 2619 National Ave., San Diego (Barrio Logan): Cold extractd, $3.50.

--Coffee & Tea Collective, 2911 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego (North Park): Pour over, $3.

--Better Buzz Coffee, 3745 Mission Blvd., San Diego (Mission Beach): Drink is called “the best drink ever,” $3.50 (espresso, water and vanilla powder).

UT SAN DIEGO: “Coffee Day Brew for You” by Karla Peterson.

--Dark Horse Coffee Roasters, 3260 Adams Ave., San Diego (Normal Heights neighborhood): Small batch hot roaster featuring French press and pour over coffee

Lofty Coffee, Encinitas

--Lofty Coffee, 90 North Coast Highway 101, Encinitas CA: Salted Caramel Latte.

--Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, 5627 La Jolla Blvd, San Diego (Bird Rock neighborhood): The Trophy Wife (macadamia-nut latte).

--Cosmos Coffee Café, 8278 La Mesa Blvd, La Mesa CA: Café Au Lait.

--The Living Room, 5900 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego (College neighborhood): Iced Café Mazatlan (espresso with condensed milk & Pellegrino water).

--Lazy Hummingbird, 4876 Santa Monica Ave, San Diego (Ocean Beach neighborhood): The Dirty Bird is most popular.

--Pappalecco, 3650 Fifth Ave., San Diego (Hillcrest neighborhood): Iced Americano.

--Café Virtuoso, 1616 National Ave., San Diego (Barrio neighborhood):

French roast pour over

--Caffe Calabria, 3933 30^th St., San Diego (Hip and Historic North Park neighborhood): The Bicerin (house roasted espresso with steamed milk, spoon of Nutella)

SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE:  “Wake up and smell the coffee” by Nate Martins.  Mostly a photo essay with little drink details.

--Coffee and Tea Collective, 2911 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego (North Park).

--Caffe Calabria, 3933 30^th St., San Diego (North Park).

--James Coffee Co., 2355 India St., San Diego (Little Italy):

--Café Moto, 2619 National Ave., San Diego (Barrio Logan).

--Ryan Brothers, 1894 Main St., San Diego (Barrio Logan).

--Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, 5627 La Jolla Blvd., (Bird Rock).

--WestBean Coffee Roasters, 5839 Mission Gorge Rd., San Diego (Grantville). Wholesalers with a pending coffee house check their webside for details/news: http://www.thewestbean.com/

--Lofty Coffee, 97 North Coast Highway 101, Encinitas, CA.  Associated with Encinitas Roasting Works.

--Revolutionary Roasters, 970 North Coast Highway, 101, Encinitas. Located inside Cafe Ipe.

--Mostra Coffee, 12225 World Trade Dr., San Diego (Rancho Bernardo). Coffee roaster with inhouse tasting: http://www.mostracoffee.com/

--Cura Coffee, Little Italy, importer/dealer direct: www.curacoffee.com

SAN DIEGO READER MEGA LIST:

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/places/coffee-houses/all/

For the most part this is a handy alphabetical list of area coffee houses is perfect for coffee lovers, who love to try different places.  They listed Blissful Bean in North Park, which hasn’t been in business in years.  Other than that one it’s a very useful list.