There’s never a bad time of the year to visit La Jolla. With its incredible beaches and resorts to enjoy in the summer and a great selection of fascinating museums and art galleries to browse in the colder months, it’s an incredibly vibrant city bursting with personality that is always a treat to explore.
This also applies to La Jolla’s coffee shops, which are largely underrated compared to the city’s attractions despite offering incredible-tasting coffee—some have even claimed it is the best in all of California.
Don’t just take our word for it; try out a few of these fantastic La Jolla coffee shops next time you’re in the vibrant city of La Jolla.
1. Brick & Bell
Brick & Bell is well known around La Jolla for serving delicious coffee and tea, along with a great selection of quick bites. You can snack on these while relaxing on the outdoor patio in some deck chairs or take them on the go if you have a busy day ahead.
Brick & Bell’s scones are especially popular. They have an incredibly deep and rich flavor, and 100,000 are sold every year, so it’s always worth a visit just to try out this tasteful appetizer.
Address: 928 Silverado St, La Jolla (click for map)
2. Better Buzz Coffee
With its bright blue covered floor tiles, crystal clear white countertop and bright pink chairs and tables, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more vibrant and artistic cafe than Better Buzz, which is the perfect spot for taking an Instagram-worthy snap of you and your favorite beverage.
Speaking of beverages, from their Mocha de Mexico to their smooth and creamy Rose Water Latte, Better Buzz pairs an aesthetic and stylish atmosphere with a fantastic drinks menu.
Address: 909 Prospect St, La Jolla (click for map)
3. Rancho Roasters
Just down the road from Better Buzz is what many consider a must-try coffee store for all visitors to La Jolla: Rancho Roasters. This small coffee spot is run by incredibly friendly staff who serve some of the best coffee in La Jolla. They also have a good variety of teas and smoothies to choose from.
It’s always a magical experience picking up a warm Sweet Bee Latte and taking a few sips while overlooking the ocean.
Address: 1258 Prospect St, La Jolla (click for map)
4. Bird Rock Coffee Roasters
Perfect for when you need a quick cup on the go, Bird Rock prides itself on selling some of the best quality coffee out there. Its incredible mixture of flavors and spices combined with freshly brewed beans makes each cup incredible on the tastebuds.
With its vibrant atmosphere and a selection of unique and classic beverages, it’s no wonder Bird Rock cafes score such high reviews from local review sites.
Address: 5627 La Jolla Blvd, La Jolla (click for map)
5. Michele Coulon Dessertier
This family-run dessert shop offers its customers some of the most delicious cakes, muffins, cookies, and any desserts in La Jolla, perfect for having a little bit of a sweet tooth.
However, it isn’t just the desserts that make this cafe so great. Their fantastic coffee menu serves an appetizing selection of cappuccinos, lattes, and Americanos that you can’t help but fall in love with after a single sip.
Address: 7556 Fay Ave, La Jolla (click for map)
6. Parakeet Cafe
While the name can seem a little confusing when you first see it, it all starts to make sense as soon as you glance at a Parakeet Cafe with its feather-based design and cute quotes dotted around the store such as ‘Birds of a feather’ and ‘A little bird told me’.
Paired with this colorful and vibrant aesthetic is an exotic menu of coffees, lattes and espressos, served alongside a few delightfully warm pastries.
Address: 927 Silverado St, La Jolla (click for map)
7. Harry’s Coffee Shop
La Jolla’s oldest diner may have retained its classically vintage aesthetic. However, this hasn’t stopped its menu from expanding since it opened its doors decades ago.
The incredibly friendly atmosphere is perfect to relax in while sipping on a delightfully warm beverage or even while enjoying one of the crunchy and creamy waffles that Harry’s is so well known for.
Address: 7556 Fay Ave, La Jolla (click for map)
8. Ranco Roasters
Rancho Roasters is a small coffee shop that offers great take-out coffee in a quiet part of La Jolla, just a short walk from the sea.
You can also sit outside in the glorious Californian sunshine while enjoying your coffee, tea or smoothie. They are open seven days a week from 7 a.m. until late afternoon.
Address: 1273 Prospect St, La Jolla (click for map)
9. Caroline’s Seaside Cafe
Just down the road from the famous La Jolla Cove, and with one of the best views of the crystal clear Pacific waves that you’ll ever see, Caroline’s Seaside Cafe is a perfect spot to relax while sipping on a warm or chilled beverage with a few friends or family members.
Surrounded by palm trees and with a fantastic Californa-style food menu that is light and refreshing to tuck into, there’s nothing quite like sitting back and watching the waves roll by at Caroline’s Seaside Cafe.
Address: 8610 Charles F, Kennel Way, La Jolla (click for map)
10. Sugar and Scribe Bakery Fine Food
When it comes to baked goods that pack as much flavor into each bite as possible, it’s hard to get much better than Sugar and Scribe, which offers one of the biggest dessert menus you’ll ever see.
From pancakes to chocolate-covered waffles and chilled or warm beverages to enjoy alongside their tasty treats, we recommend their delicious iced chai lattes when you visit.
Address: 7660 Fay Ave Suite, La Jolla (click for map)
11. Cafe Vahik
Sometimes, all we need is a light and refreshing meal along with a warm cup of coffee to get us ready for the long day ahead, and Cafe Vahik knows this, serving some of the best breakfast burritos out there along with some deliciously tasty salads for when you don’t want a meal that’s too hefty.
Free Wi-Fi in each store makes it easy to lose track of time when enjoying scrumptious coffee in Cafe Vahik.
Address: 6780 La Jolla Blvd, La Jolla (click for map)
12. Living Room Coffee
If ‘A European cafe with a Californian flair’ sounds intriguing, then Living Room Coffee is a must-visit. It is open every day from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. and has an incredibly homely atmosphere that makes you feel like you’re enjoying a piping hot beverage in your very own living room.
They also offer delivery options if you’re ever craving one of their delightful teas, and trust us, it’s hard not to once you taste how enjoyable they are.
Address: 1010 Prospect Street, La Jolla (click for map)
13. Smallgoods Cheese Shop & Cafe
While it seems like a vast selection of vibrant and unique cafes are opening up around California every day, there’s nothing wrong with sticking with what we know: a small, quaint, and cozy coffee store that serves your favorite coffee and tea options, along with a decent selection of tasty light dishes to snack on, including their chicken and feta sandwiches, and a fruity selection of cakes and smoothies.
Address: 7524 La Jolla Blvd, La Jolla (click for map)
14. Coffee Cup Cafe
While the internationally sourced coffee beans make Coffee Cup’s drinks incredibly rich and tasteful, you won’t miss out on their fantastic breakfast, lunch, and salad selection. They are known for serving huge portions to ensure customers are fully satisfied with their purchase.
While everyone has their own taste preferences, we recommend trying the mouthwatering salted thick pancakes topped with strawberries and raspberries, which will keep you more than satisfied after you leave.
Address: 1109 Wall Street, La Jolla (click for map)
15. The Cottage La Jolla
For over 25 years, The Cottage cafe has served delicious American and Southern Californian dishes to all La Jolla citizens.
It’s not just their food menu that stands out, however. From a Mexican Mocha that uses Mexican chocolate to make the taste as creamy as possible to the Cottage Mocha that combines a smooth and rich chocolate mixture with whipped cream, the options are endless for The Cottage’s expansive menu.
Address: 7702 Fay Avenue, La Jolla (click for map)
Summary
La Jolla is home to some of California’s most unique and vibrant cafes and coffee shops.
So, whether you want to enjoy a sweet dessert with a cool iced tea or relax with a classic espresso, there’s always a cafe in La Jolla that has just what you need to keep you feeling energized and refreshed throughout the day.
Check out the best coffee shops in California in the other Californian cities we cover.
Other California Cities: Newport coffee shops and Santa Barbara coffee shops.
