Espresso and gelato in San Diego

[ajgnet]

Hi -- I'm spending a week in San Diego, and would like to explore some of the coffee options this city has to offer. Are there any places for a great espresso, cappuccino, macchiato, etc ..? Thanks in advance.

[kalypso]

Caffe Calabria - North Park

Pannikin - La Jolla

Zumbar Coffee - Sorrento Valley

Cafe Virtuoso - mainly a roaster by they also sell their brewed coffees at the Little Italy farmers market on Sat. mornings.

[FrogPrincesse]

Also Bird Rock Coffee Roasters in La Jolla

[ajgnet]

Thank you.

By chance any interesting espresso in Little Italy?

[kalypso]

Thank you.

By chance any interesting espresso in Little Italy?

....no

[Kouign Aman]

Decent gelato tho, in the italian place next door to Filippis.

[kalypso]

Decent gelato tho, in the italian place next door to Filippis.

Have you tried the gelato at Papplecco's at State & Union? Really good, owners are from Pisa. Love their fruit flavors. They recently opened a 2nd store up on 5th around Pennsylvania.

Papplecco, if you haven't been, check it out, especially now that the weather is warming up. They also do espresso and various coffee drinks. Those are good but probably wouldn't really satisfy a real coffee-head

[Honkman]

Surprised that you liked the fruit flavors at Pappalecco. I always found their fruit flavors a but weak compared to the non-fruits one (chocolate, vanilla etc.)

I also recently visited their new location and even though I would expect that they use the same recipes for their icecream (or make it at a central location) it was much worse than at their Little Italy location (fruit and non-fruit ones).

Have you tried Chocolat ? They have two locations downtown and also in Hillcrest (the Hillcrest one is new and quite chaotic. I recommend the one downtown). Again their fruit-based icecreams are average but their non-fruit flavors are really good and at least on the same level as Pappalecco if not better.

[kalypso]

Surprised that you liked the fruit flavors at Pappalecco. I always found their fruit flavors a but weak compared to the non-fruits one (chocolate, vanilla etc.)

I also recently visited their new location and even though I would expect that they use the same recipes for their icecream (or make it at a central location) it was much worse than at their Little Italy location (fruit and non-fruit ones).

Have you tried Chocolat ? They have two locations downtown and also in Hillcrest (the Hillcrest one is new and quite chaotic. I recommend the one downtown). Again their fruit-based icecreams are average but their non-fruit flavors are really good and at least on the same level as Pappalecco if not better.

I'm not a big fan of the lemon or cantaloupe flavors at Papplecco, but I do like most of their berry flavors, the coconut and a few others. I also like some of their non-fruit flavors. Usually I ask for a little sample of the ones that look the most promising and just go with the one that tastes the best to me on any given day.

I've only eaten breakfast (which was pretty good) at their 5th Ave. location. Haven't tried the gelato there yet. Have you tried the pastries at the new store? They look good, but I'm usually so disappointed with how good looking pastries usually taste that I end up not ordering them.

Funny you should mention Chocolat. I haven't been up in Hillrest much over the last 4 or 5 months, but I'm going there this weekend with a friend who has a birthday coming up and is a real chocoholic. Also, a guy at work who lives in Hillcrest was telling me about it last week; he really loved Chocolat. Said the entree crepes were really good. I'm not a huge fan of crepes, I don't see the point in them, but I'm sure there are other things I can try. I am, however, very anxious to sample their chocolate Now if only I'll be able to find parking...

[kalypso]

Honkman, I tried the gelato at Chocolat today. Loved it. I had pistacho and dark chocolat, both of which were very creamy and quite satisfying. The pistacho was excellent; I was very impressed with it. They certainly do give Pappalecco a good run for their money. Now I'll have to go try the gelato at PL again

My friend and I each also had a panini. Nice lunch, good but not grat. I liked the buffalo mozz on my sandwich, but not the big streak of fat in the speck. My biggest complaint was the noise level. The place was only about a third full and we practically had to yell at each other to be heard. Since the tables are so close together I now know all about college lesson plans and tenure from the conversation on one side, and all about impending birth from the pregnant lady on the other side. I'd like to go back and try more of the menu, but not sure I want to brave the noise. Too many hard surfaces and too many tables too close together.

I also stopped by Venissimo today and picked up some lemon stilton that is to die for. Creamy,luscious and really delicious.

[FrogPrincesse]

Just a quick note that it was nice to see Bird Rock Coffee Roasters recognized with the 2012 Micro Roaster of the Year award (link to the press release here).

It's definitely worth checking out this place if you are a coffee lover (and as a plus, since the coffee is roasted on the premises, the smell in the shop is divine!).

[Kouign Aman]

Friends of mine who have traveled in Italy give props to the Costco gelato, specifically the stracciatella flavor.

The ambiance, not so much.

[Dan C.]

I love the gelato at Chocolat, reminds me of the gelato in Italy