around san diego

neighborhood watch: la mesa

March 3, 2014

La-Mesa-Village-downtown

On the spectrum of San Diego neighborhoods, La Mesa doesn’t usually rank high on the “cool” end, but you’d be surprised to know that this quaint suburban area with a pedestrian-friendly downtown village is absolutely worth checking out. It’s charming and laid-back, with a small-town feel. The people are warm, the time seems to move so much more slowly, and much like South Park, it feels like a community.

No, there aren’t blocks upon blocks to explore, but what La Mesa lacks in size it makes up for in quality. You’ll find hip restaurants, a ridiculously cool florist shop and a phenomenal selection of antique shops. (We all know the antique shops in less-visited ‘hoods have the best stuff—and just wait until you see what I scored for $25.)

La Mesa is also incredibly dog-friendly. Errbody wanted to meet Teddy. One woman stopped her car in the middle of the street—it’s that quiet there—once she saw him and showed us her 6-month-old golden retriever pup in the front seat. Even the antique shops were happy to have Teddy inside (we didn’t bring him in; that animated tail would knock over everything)!

Here’s a look at the best of La Mesa, thanks in large part to recs from La Mesa local Cara-Mia:

La-Mesa-downtown-san-diego

Swamis-San-Diego

Swami’s is a popular cafe in North County—and La Mesa just so happens to have its own outpost. Sure, you might miss the surfer vibe of the Encinitas location, but this giant breakfast burrito should help you forget about that.

La-Mesa-San-Diego

favorite-things-la-mesa-vintage

Favorite Things is a newer antique shop that also sells modern wall decor. Housed in the city’s former post office from the 1930s, this space has preserved many original details, including the black marble counter. Owner Barbara has fun vintage finds like 1960s barware and kitchen pieces, but as a new interior design geek, I fell for the Bentwood chair (above, right). I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it—and the $25 price tag.

Barbara had found it in bad shape but asked her expert carpenter friend to refurbish it. We don’t need more chairs at the moment, but I’m beginning to collect “forever” pieces for our future home. I’m doing a little happy dance now that this is a part of that collection. (This is what I envision for a future kitchen nook, perhaps with mismatched classic chairs.)

golden-retriever-san-diego

Gratuitous puppy shot. Because he’s so handsome!

La-Mesa-florist-L&S-Design-StudioL&S-design-studio-florist

Some parts of La Mesa feel small-town, but L&S Design Co. is a burst of modern. Sarah Neal, a former graphic designer, and her mother, a former event coordinator, are the brains behind this stylish floral boutique with Pinterest-worthy arrangements. If you want an extra dose of flower power, check out Sarah’s Instagram, where she posts photos of her latest creations.

Cosmos-cafe-moto-coffee-la-mesa

Cosmos Coffee Cafe serves Cafe Moto, a local roast. Dogs aren’t allowed inside, but they have a lovely al fresco area.

La-Mesa-shops

What a Dish is a new-ish kitchen goods store next to L&S Design Studio. Love that tortilla kitchen towel.

bo-beau-kitchen-la-mesa

And then there’s Bo-Beau Kitchen + Garden, a spacious French restaurant with an industrial-meets-country-garden vibe. Between the string lights, feathery green trees and fire pit, I’m not sure I’ve seen a more beautiful restaurant setting in San Diego. Even though we didn’t have time to eat, I’m plotting a visit for the near-future. This is a great place for special occasions—or happy hour (every day 4:30-5:30 p.m.).

Mount-helix-san-diego-view

We decided to drive through Mount Helix on our way home to see some of the famous real estate porn, but we ended up finding Mount Helix Nature Park, which offers an amphitheater, nature education programs, and most importantly, one of the most epic panoramic views I’ve ever seen. Was this San Diego or Tuscany? I couldn’t tell. And some San Diegans haven’t ever been to this spot! Oh, the tragedy.

The above picture doesn’t quite do the view justice—here’s my Instagram video for a better look—so you’ll just have to go and see it for yourself. Better yet, pack a picnic and park yourself on one of the rocks for a sunset meal. Trust me on this one.

I also wrote about La Mesa for San Diego Magazine‘s recent neighborhoods issue. Check out the story here.

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