I love San Diego so much because there is always something fun to do. It’s also where my parents live, so I enjoy getting to spend time with them, but also discovering what this lovely city has to offer. I’ve decided to compile a short list of fun, healthy San Diego cafes to hang out at.
San Diego has so many different neighborhoods filled with trendy restaurants to check out. The five favorite spots I listed are scattered throughout various parts of San Diego. Eventually, I would like to create more of these quick guides in specific parts of San Diego, LA, and Orange County. How fun would it be to plan a day trip and have an easy guide to follow?
1. Madison on Park: Located in University Heights, this modern, contemporary restaurant will not fail expectations. Even from the outside, its exterior baby blue walls will catch your eye. The interior is also really cool with its vaulted ceilings and courtyard style garden. I seriously loved how bright and cheery it was! My friend and I ordered a couple cocktails, which were very delicious and also served in the cutest tumblers. I ordered the paleo bowl, which is a mix of carnitas or chicken, kale, avocado, pickled onion, tomatoes, and a poached egg. I love how the menu had so many healthy options too.
2. Holy Matcha: This little tea shop is located in North Park. It’s definitely a girl’s dream, with its pink, tropical themed decor. While I really enjoyed their matcha iced teas, I was not a huge fan of the chia pudding and vegan/ gluten free donuts. However, I do have to admit that the food was very picture friendly (Akshay is definitely going to roll his eyes at this statement)!
3. S3 Coffee Bar: If you’re looking for an aesthetically pleasing coffee shop, head on over to S3 Coffee Bar in La Mesa. I was super excited to check this place out because they serve lattes with rainbow art and rose teas with edible rosebuds and glitter! These were the prettiest drinks I have ever come across. I was so excited I dragged my mom here and she loved it too! Also, the purse in the flat lay below is from a boutique store in India called Neonia. The owner is this super sweet, inspiring woman who started her own boutique store for purses and bags. The embroidery on this yellow purse really caught my eye. Also, even though this bag looks small, it fits my car keys, phone, and other essentials!
4. Flower Child: This restaurant is located in a big shopping plaza in Solana Beach. It was so nostalgic going back to this area because I used to hang out there when I was in high school. Back then, all the restaurants were large chains. It’s nice that most of the chains have been replaced with small, farm fresh cafes like this one. Anyways, I don’t normally rave about healthy food, but Flower Child actually makes me crave healthy food. I ordered the Mother Earth bowl with salmon, which has sweet potato, mushrooms, ancient grains, broccoli pesto, and red pepper miso vinaigrette. Let me tell you, all the flavors went so well together! Also, their salmon was cooked perfectly. The cafe has a lot of positive vibes and colors and is definitely worth a visit!
5. Parakeet Cafe: Located in La Jolla, this place is perfect to have a quick, healthy bite to eat before heading over to La Jolla Cove. I just heard that they are also opening one up in Del Mar in 2019. This is another farm fresh style cafe with pops of color and urban style decor. The staff was super helpful and even took photos of my mom and I. We ended up ordering a chia pudding and salmon bowl, which were both very delicious. We topped it off with some refreshing iced teas. All delicious!
For these 5 San Diego cafes I described above, I loved that they were located in busy neighborhoods with lots of other things to do and see. As I continue exploring Orange County as well as its neighboring cities, I plan to make more short guides– day trips, places to eat and drink, etc. It truly makes me happy that I get to spend time with my friends and family, find hot spots to hang out at, and create beautiful memories and colorful content.
