Hillcrest Eats: Coffee Shops, Cafes, & Bakeries

Hillcrest’s best spots for coffee, baked goods, and light deli fare—grouped by type with quick descriptions to help you find your next go-to spot.

COFFEE-FORWARD CAFÉS

Divo Diva Cafe – 3862 Fourth Ave
This European-style café double-lives as a 22-seat ticketed supper club: by day it serves Italian-bean espresso, house-baked croissants, paninis and gelato; by night the owner-opera singers perform live dinner shows featuring charcuterie boards and Prosecco in a space modeled on intimate East-Coast supper-clubs.
Amore Caffe – 3803 Fifth Ave
Offers Italian espresso drinks alongside a house-crepe program and seasonal specialty lattes (like blueberry-matcha). It occupies a bright, modern 900 sq ft space and features a small batch pastry case imported from local artisanal bakers.
Meshuggah Shack – 4048 Goldfinch St
This tiny, bohemian “shack” near Mission Hills pulls in loyal local coffee fans with a rotating set of playful drink names (“Crackhead Chai Latte,” “Ian’s Make-You-Wanna-Hula”) and bold seasonal syrups.
Heartwork Coffee – 3993 Goldfinch St
A women-owned, Latino-owned café in Hillcrest presenting Japanese matcha rituals alongside Latin-American espresso blends. Their focus on ethically sourced beans and minimalist décor makes this a specialist stop for serious coffee.
Better Buzz Coffee – Hillcrest – 801 University Ave
The flagship location of the local roasterers: housed in a 7,200 sq ft converted historic building, the site boasts hexagon-tile flooring, neon signage (“Morning Drug”), and a menu of multigrain toasts, smoothie bowls, and craft cold brews.
Quiet Storm Roasters & Bakers – 3590 Fifth Ave
A family-run roastery-bakery hybrid blending specialty coffee, house-baked goods, and a cigar-friendly outdoor lounge. Dog-friendly patio tables and a multiplication of community events mark its distinct identity.
Kona Coffee Co. – 3995 Fifth Ave
A boutique Hillcrest café focused on 100 % Kona coffee beans imported from certified Hawaiian farms. They highlight French-press single-origin pours and suggest the higher-grade Kona terroir makes a literal taste difference.
BCB Cafe – Hillcrest – 1010 University Ave
Located inside The Hub, this coffeehouse and bagel emporium offers locally roasted Café Moto blends, a “Build-Your-Bagel” menu with over 20 topping combinations, and a full prepared-food lineup from breakfast burritos to smoothie bowls, all tailored for high-volume throughput.
Little Nap Cafe – 3900 Vermont St
A Japanese-inspired micro-café known for Hokkaido milk soft-serve, Kinako (roasted-soybean) lattes, and shokupan toast topped with matcha butter. Compact and design-brief, it layers minimalist décor with Japanese pastry techniques seldom found in Hillcrest.
Mostra Coffee – 3900 Seventh Ave
Specialty roaster and café whose Philippine microlot program sources single-origin beans from Sitio Belis in Benguet (1,400–1,700 m elevation) and features processes like 24-hour wet-ferment and natural drying—served in-house alongside signature drinks like an ube coconut latte.

BAKERIES & BAKERY-CAFÉS

Prager Brothers Artisan Breads – 1252 University Ave
The Hillcrest outpost of a North County bakery, this spot brings loaves like kalamata-olive-rosemary sourdough and raisin-walnut baguettes to the neighborhood—with clear scheduling (olive-rosemary only Wednesday & Saturday) and an emphasis on long fermentation and minimal ingredients.
Starry Lane Bakery – 3925 Fourth Ave
San Diego’s dedicated “top-10 allergen-free” bakery: everything made on-site is free from gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, mustard and sesame. Their brownies, cookies, custom cakes and baking mixes are consciously inclusive yet designed for flavor, not compromise.
Taste of Denmark – 142 University Ave
A family-run Danish bakery and café serving house-made rye breads with 3-day cold fermentation, open-faced smørrebrød sandwiches, and a dessert case of Danish cakes imported from tradition. It brings hygge to Hillcrest with a distinctly Scandinavian twist.
Bread & Cie – 350 University Ave
A popular European-style bakery café featuring stone-hearth breads, pastries and rotating sandwich specials. Highlight: their sesame-seed encrusted sourdough has drawn loyal walk-in lists—and they pair artisan loaves with a full dine-in café setting.
Hazel & Jade Bakery – 3852 Fourth Ave
A fully plant-based bakery in Hillcrest crafting vegan croissants, almond-milk-based danishes, and rotating seasonal tarts. Founded by two pastry-chef owners challenging the notion that vegan means “less delicious.”

ALL-DAY CAFÉS & CASUAL EATS

Gooseberries Cafe – 3776 Fourth Ave
Known for Thai-American crossover dishes—think basil-fried rice next to cinnamon-roll pancakes, tom kha–inspired soups, and a full vegetarian section. The compact dining room and shaded patio keep it feeling like a true neighborhood fixture.
Lester's Hillcrest – 1045 University Ave
A daytime café with a from-scratch sensibility, offering buttermilk pancakes, pressed sandwiches, house-baked muffins, and fresh juices. Its corner-lot patio gets steady morning sun and pulls in regulars from the surrounding residential blocks.
Rosemary & Thyme Cafe – 1475 University Ave1
A garden-patio café serving French-leaning comfort plates like croque-monsieur melts, quiche Lorraine, and herb-roasted chicken sandwiches. The ivy-lined courtyard and mismatched furniture give it a tucked-away, almost European feel unusual for Fifth Avenue.
Lestat’s Hillcrest – 1045 University Ave
A dual-level café that functions into the evening (open until midnight), featuring chilled nitro brews, a full food menu, and a front patio overlooking Hillcrest’s nightlife.

SANDWICH SHOPS & DELI-STYLE CAFÉS

The Deli Llama – [3702 Fifth Ave]https://maps.app.goo.gl/6gCnTr2RqawuedVNA)
A locally owned sandwich shop known for its pun-filled menu (the “Llamanator,” “Drama Llama”), fresh-baked bread, and generously packed hot and cold subs. Inside, the circus-bright murals and vintage posters give it a slightly eccentric, Hillcrest-perfect vibe.
Ike’s Love & Sandwiches – 1010 University Ave
The Hillcrest outpost of the cult Bay Area chain, built around its signature sweet-garlicky “Ike’s Dirty Sauce” and Dutch-crunch rolls. The menu runs deep with exclusive creations, vegan options, fried-chicken sandwiches, and names that nod to local San Diego references.
Mevan Coffee & Desserts & Breakfast – 3923 Fourth Ave
A hybrid coffee house and patisserie in Hillcrest offering Turkish-style breakfast plates (like menemen), Flor & Seed single-origin espresso (notably a Chiapas bean with almond-cocoa-citrus notes), and house-made desserts.