A local alt weekly once deemed San Diego not a coffee city; the writer reasoned that perennially warm temperatures hold us back. Well, I’m pretty sure that’s a bunch of bull because judging by places like Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, Caffe Calabria, Cafe Moto, Cafe Ipe and others, I’d say we have a pretty darn great, forward-thinking roasting scene.
One of the more popular spots in the city is the sleek Coffee & Tea Collective in North Park. The space is undoubtedly trendy and hipster—Eames (or Eames-style chairs), minimal decor, and a definite cool-kids clientele—but the team backs it up with really quality coffee. I’d compare it to Blue Bottle, and though I’ve enjoyed the coffee, their latte is my true love. The cafe also welcomes a variety of foodie talents, from waffles and Prager Brothers’ bread topped with melted butter and jam (a pricey $4 but fun to share) to Tribute Pizza, a pop-up pie company.
I work at a lot of coffee shops around town, but Coffee & Tea Collective feels more like a place where you should just enjoy your cuppa, and not just because they have great playlists and cute dogs trot in. Much like their beautiful Instagram feed, the cafe is a great combination of talent, taste and design.
Check it out:
Oooh, thanks for spilling the deets about this place. I’m a big tea fan (sorry, but Starbucks just doesn’t cut it) so I’ll have to check it out! And any place that uses Eames or Eames-style chairs is a keeper. :)