There’s never a bad time of the year to visit La Jolla with its incredible beaches and resorts to enjoy in the summer, along with 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 goes for La Jolla’s coffee shops which are largely underrated when compared to the city’s attractions, despite offering some incredible-tasting coffee which some have even claimed 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 some delicious coffee and tea along with a great selection of quick bites that you can snack on while relaxing on the outdoor patio on some deck chairs, or you can take them on the go if you have a busy day ahead.
Brick & Bell’s scones are especially popular, having an incredibly deep and rich flavor with 100,000 being sold every year, so it’s always worth a visit even 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 cafe more vibrant and artistic 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 manages to pair 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 and that is Rancho Roasters, a small coffee spot run by incredibly friendly staff who serve some of the best coffee in La Jolla with good variety of teas and smoothies to also 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 with an incredible mixture of flavors and spices combined with freshly brewed beans to make each cup incredible on the tastebuds.
With its vibrant atmosphere and mixture of both unique and classic beverages to pick up, there’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 deserts in all of 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 to enjoy 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 tremendously since it first 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 their 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 provides great take-out coffees in a nice 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 a smoothie. They are open 7 days a week from 7am 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 and every 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.
With free Wi-Fi in each of their stores, it’s 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 to you, then Living Room Coffee is a must-visit being open every day from 7 am to 1 am and having an incredibly homely atmosphere that really does make 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 delightful they are.
Address: 1010 Prospect Street, La Jolla (click for map)
13. Smallgoods Cheese Shop & Cafe
While it seems like there is a huge selection of vibrant and unique cafes opening up around California each and 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 along with 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 are what make Coffee Cup’s drinks so incredibly rich and tasteful, you also won’t want to miss out on their fantastic breakfast, lunch, and salad selection, especially since they are known for serving huge portions to ensure each and every customer is fully satisfied with their purchase.
While everyone has their own taste preferences, we would definitely recommend trying out the mouthwatering salted thick pancakes topped with strawberries and raspberries to 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 been serving delicious American and Southern Californian dishes for all La Jolla citizens to enjoy.
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, all the way to the Cottage Mocha that combines a smooth and rich chocolate mixture with whipped cream, the options are endless when it comes to The Cottage’s expansive menu.
Address: 7702 Fay Avenue, La Jolla (click for map)
Summary
La Jolla is home to some of the most unique and vibrant cafes and coffee shops in all of California
So, no matter if you want to enjoy a sweet dessert with a cool iced tea, or if you just want to 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.
What to do in La Jolla
My name is Dana Dupree and I am an avid coffee lover. Since I began college and realized what a heavy load writing majors took on, I have been a fan of the bean juice.
My job took me all over the US on book tours and press conferences, and my favorite part about the trip was exploring the best places to grab my cup of Joe.
