Communal Coffee

Communal Coffee in South Park is a standout destination for coffee aficionados and culinary enthusiasts alike. Nestled at 2221 Fern Street, this café offers a harmonious blend of expertly crafted beverages and thoughtfully curated bites, all within a charming, community-focused setting. Espresso & Drip Coffee: The espresso here is robust and nuanced, showcasing the quality of Sightglass Coffee beans. Each shot is pulled with precision, delivering a rich crema and balanced flavor profile. The drip coffee, available in 12 or 16 oz servings, features single-origin offerings or the house Communal Drip blend, providing a smooth and satisfying experience. Vanilla Latte: A highlight on the menu, the Vanilla Bean Latte combines house-made vanilla bean syrup with expertly steamed milk and a double shot of espresso. The result is a velvety, aromatic beverage that balances sweetness with the espresso’s natural bitterness. Avocado Toast: A staple done right, the avocado toast features creamy avocado spread over hearty bread, seasoned with butter, sea salt, pepper, and chili flakes. It’s a simple yet flavorful option that satisfies without overwhelming. Smoked Salmon Toast: For a more indulgent choice, the smoked salmon toast is a must-try. It layers dijon mayo, sliced radish, cucumber, mint, chives, dill, olive oil, sea salt, and cracked pepper atop fresh bread, creating a complex and refreshing flavor profile that delights the palate. Pastries: The pastry selection includes options like the chocolate croissant and chocolate cronut, both of which are crafted with attention to detail and quality ingredients. These treats provide a perfect accompaniment to your coffee, offering just the right amount of sweetness. Communal Coffee’s South Park location is more than just a café; it’s a thoughtfully designed space that fosters community and creativity. Whether you’re seeking a meticulously prepared espresso, a satisfying meal, or a cozy spot to unwind, this café delivers on all fronts.

Communal Coffee made a good impression. The atmosphere is very pleasant, a cozy space with a stylish interior where you can spend time. It is especially interesting that there are many things for sale here - from dishes to decor, everything looks very aesthetically pleasing and adds a special charm to the place. We ordered matcha, but at first it was very sweet. The staff had no problem reworking the drink, and as a result, the matcha turned out to be okay, although a little bitter. The coffee we ordered was excellent - rich flavor and excellent quality. Overall, this place is worth a visit, especially if you appreciate the atmosphere, good coffee, and the opportunity to find something interesting for yourself among the things on sale.

I really enjoyed my visit to Communal Coffee and here is the following reasons why you will too: 1. The coffee is fantastic. I love that the taste of the coffee is actually good and the aesthetics of the space is paired with that taste. Additionally, the coffee was made extremely fast. Probably the fastest I've ever got a latte. 2. Aesthetics as mentioned above. Good vibe here and plenty of seating space. Additionally there is inside space but the primary focus is outdoor seating. There could be some issues for people in wheelchairs if they want seating in the main area. There is wheelchair accessable seating inside and near the street. 3. There is a cool shop that offers an array of products, many being childrens clothing and high quality wood toys. See photos. 4. Overall I was happy to spend my morning here. I don't feel the need to go find another coffee shop so I'll come here a few more times throughout my stay. See photos to get a sense of the space.

The cashier was welcoming at first, but after I asked a question, he got busy making drinks and didn’t let me know he’d get back to me — I ended up waiting without knowing what to do, which left me a bit confused. The Banana Caramel Latte was good and not too sweet, which I liked. However, the Golden Coast was very strong in flavor and much sweeter in comparison — I probably would’ve stuck with the latte instead.

Chai latte is the absolute, not overly sweet, and a wonderful blend of chai spices. The Communal Coffee on 30th just south of Upas has a very nice seating area out on the patio through the back door.

Great spot for morning coffee. I got the cold brew and my wife had an oatmeal latte. Their pastries are absolutely fantastic. We had a cinnamon twist our first day and a berry danish the next. They also have an adorable boutique with housewares, jewelry, clothing, and toiletries.

Love the atmosphere at this location, super cute and cozy! The coffee and tea drinks have always been consistently good, especially love that they make their own syrups. The rose one was my favorite. I’ve only had one or two pastries, but they were both very tasty. Staff is always friendly. The outdoor seating is great when the weather cooperates :)

Such a cozy spot! I ordered a ham & Swiss bagel but they realized they were out of the ingredients. So they offered me anything else on the menu plus a refund. It was a sweet gesture and the bagel (& coffee) was amazing!

I just wanted to grab a coffee and have a toast with smoked salmon and avocado on crispy grilled bread. If you're here just for coffee, I'd say it's pretty basic--nothing special. And if you like coffee with cream, the cream is right on the table, so you can add as much as you like. But the toast with smoked salmon, radish, avocado, and crunchy bread was absolutely delicious! I really enjoyed it. I'm giving this place 4 stars because I make better coffee at home, but the toast was truly amazing--so tasty! The atmosphere is modern and casual. It's a good spot to sit down and work or just have a quick bite. The staff is friendly, everything is clean, and there are both indoor and outdoor seating areas. I sat outside, and I liked that you can hide from the sun on a hot day and still enjoy your meal comfortably.

The coffee is pretty great, However the service did not meet expectations. Barista was not helpful with the menu, and actually at times seemed to not even want to take our order. We ordered the iced Golden Coast, iced banana Carmel, and hot vanilla latte. All were good and definitely a quality coffee. The outdoor seating was great as the weather was good.

We ordered 2 coffees and 2 sausage & egg sandwiches w an extra egg. First sandwiches didn't have the extra eggs, and at $2 extra for each egg, we weren't going to overlook it. After 10 minutes they handed us the next sandwiches. Nope. Now it's just 1 egg on the muffin, no sausage, no extra egg. So go back 3rd time and wait again as our coffees get cold. Sorry, but it's not that difficult of an order. To their credit, they did give us a refund, thus the 2 star instead of 1.

This place looked like it would be amazing but the coffee was disappointing. The patio area is so adorable and charming, but the drinks were not good. I got the banana caramel latte and it tasted bland. My friends got different variations of matcha lattes and it tasted like milk.

Lovely coffee spot. You order from a trailer set-up. Pretty limited indoor seating, it's mostly outdoor. But San Diego has beautiful weather, even in the winter when I came, so most folk were enjoying the fresh air outdoors anyways. This place was all the vibes, with a good cup of coffee! :)

I love communal! It's always a must stop when I visit. Good coffee, good vibes, kind service and really good bites if you're hungry! Love the outside space here

Been on a search for the best decaf coffee and this place has had the best so far. I got 4 decaf shots with smoke show and sugar free vanilla flavor and oat milk. The drink was creamy, well balanced with flavors and coffee. I was impressed.

I first heard about this place upon eavesdropping a "couple" on their first date at another San Diegan cafe. He said it was the "best" coffee in the area, so I had to check it out before my flight out of SD. Communal's cafe is mostly outdoor, with a lot of parasols covering you from the hot Socal sun. I got the Sweet Mint Cold Brew, which reminds me a lot of Philz's mint mojito. It's 100% a much better version of it. It has a bit more kick and bite to it, but you still feel cool and refreshed from the minty aftertaste. I couldn't really tell if it was real cold brew, but it tasted good to me! It did not taste acidic to me, but it might have been the milk :O I like the fun hippie van as their barista bar. It just lends so much to the aesthetic. Oh, and there's water on the side. and everything here felt really clean. 10/10 would go again!

Coffee great, service was not so great. I ordered a Golden Coast coffee, the coffee was so delicious! I brought my dog and noticed it was dog friendly because there was a water bowl, dog treats, and plenty of outdoor seating. The flooring outdoors was cute. I visited on Friday morning and the lady making coffee that time did not greet me. I was the only customer there and I had to say hi first, to place an order. I felt invisible as a customer which felt awkward. Even while ordering and picking up my coffee, the barista had a bit of a cold attitude. I love Communal coffee so I suggest other locations, maybe not this one.

My wife and I went today and even thought it was raining it was a perfect setting for a coffee date. I ordered the Dark Chocolate cherry latte and I've never had anything like it before and it was delicious. My wife had the lavender latte and loved it as well. The barista was helpful and nice. The store next to it had good seating which is also part of Communal coffee. The only downfall is the parking situation but that seems to be a problem in that whole area.

Great coffee and the ambiance is great as well. Their breakfast food and pasties are delicious as well! I got the Apple pie toast and it was so good!

First time at this location, probably wont come back. After a 6 hour drive I was craving the smoked salmon bagel I usually get. What I got was nothing like the bagel I used to get - the bagel was barely toasted, the cream cheese was plain when its advertised as 'herbed' and there was an inch of cream cheese on each side (not a complaint but more than my liking). I had one sliver of pickled onion - I think they added a handful of capers to make up for it (which are not listed as an ingredient, and I am not fond of). No complaints about the latte. I didnt check until I got home, so partially my fault. But, I think a heads up asking if substitutions were ok if they were out of an ingredient would have been nice. Especially since this thing was $15!

5 FUGGIN STARS! The atmosphere is incredible. Very calm and relaxing, Quaint breakfast garden attached to the store. The trailer-esk kitchen/bar area adds a very comfortable homey feel. The service is perfect. They were busy when we arrived, still met with a pleasant greeting explaining they'd be with us shortly. Ordered food and coffees... Maple sandwich...BOMB. Avocado toast....BOMBER. The brown sugar latte was perf, the dirty chai was a tad too spicy for me personally and the staff was receptive to me explaining it wasn't for me and replaced it quickly and with no extra charge. The service really is the icing on the cake. HIGHLY recommend if you're looking to relax and sip.

Enjoyed a custom iced americano with heavy cream and a squirt of pumpkin sauce topped with cinnamon... um utterly divine! Yum-pkin

Will come here for an overpriced coffee in a pinch. Skip the vegan donuts though. V gross

I am surprised that their score was not even at 4 on Yelp. It was my first time here and I had a great experience. This place is super cute and the menu includes various coffee, matcha and food options. We got a Ube matcha, a hazelnut lattea regular latte, and some baked goods. The drinks were finished beautifully and severed at a perfectly warm temperature. Tasted great. We got nothing really to complain. I would recommend this location for people to try when they are visiting the city.

This place was so cute! If you like the ambiance of pigment, along with just a very zen quiet little coffee shop with good coffee, this is a must try. Their other location tends to be pretty busy, with good reason. This place was quiet and had the most adorable merchandise in the store. I ordered a hazelnut brown sugar latte and it was delicious! Another great coffee spot to try in San Diego!

Such a cute spot! The service was very quick & friendly, and I love the options that were available and on display. I had an unsweetened matcha latte that was so perfect! It was a quiet day in the neighborhood and this would be a good spot for studying/reading. The only slight inconvenience was the tile-like outdoor flooring being too spaced out. Cracks in the floor do not pair well with the chairs, so it was wobbled seating. This type of ground is probably not wheelchair or stroller friendly so please be careful if this applies to you

Communal is one of the staple San Diego coffee shops. I had never been to the South Park location but decided to do some outdoor reading after the gym. There's a lot of outdoor space at this location, some of the tables in the morning might get blinded by the sun but they do have shade coverings. I came in through the store and felt slightly dumb for not realizing that you also order and get your drinks in the stand outside. However, the store looks really cute inside with the Boho decor, plants, and merchandise all over. My matcha was pretty decent, not the best in the area but certainly refreshing and made pretty quickly.

No flavor, all milk, no good taste at all. Ordered 3 drinks and were all the same. If you think there coffees good , you've never experienced real coffee. Hyped up place for nothing.

Delicious coffee, ok food. Was a bit upset with the ricotta toast; it was good but did not appetizing. Not at all what is advertised on their website.

Stayed in south park on vacation and needed to get my morning coffee. I walked over to communal and it seemed like a popular spot. I decided to get the black sesame iced latte and it was awesome. Definitely a great drink to try if you're looking for something different!

Very cute vibe. Good coffees/ food choices. Also has a cute store to peruse. Definitely will come back

Super cute spot with mostly outdoor seating and some tables available in the associated shop next door. The coffee is prepared and served out of a little pull-behind camper, and most tables are in a courtyard that is only partly shaded. I ordered a blueberry mint latte because I've never seen a place offer this flavor, and my friend ordered their non-coffee creamsicle drink because it was also uncommon. Both drinks were awesome, but still not worth what they are priced at. The food, however, was expensive and disappointing. Yes, they clearly state that they have to package the toppings for the toasts and bagels separately because of some regulation placed on "Mobile Food Facilities," but really? How often does this little camper leave the courtyard? Maybe often...maybe never. Almost half of their food items are toasts or bagels, so many orders require little work on behalf of the 3 people I saw inside the one tiny camper. $10 avocado toast is already expensive, but I think I speak for most of us when I say I pay for it because someone else is preparing it for me. If I am doing half the work, I'd rather spend $10 on the ingredients to make literally 20 pieces of avocado toast. The sandwich I ordered tasted like an only slightly better Jimmy Dean sandwich. Honestly I don't think it was worth even $6. At least I didn't have to put it together. Not sure what costs they are trying to mitigate with these prices...everything is outside, they work out of a camper, and their employees don't have to do much food prep. Maybe the location is expensive to rent?

I miss the blueberry Earl Gray latte. Haters level up those tastebuds! The ultimate hack was putting the blueberry syrup in the matcha

I visited on Sunday about 9:40. The drinks and food are served from a vintage trailer, the kind Lucy and Ricky Ricardo used in their honeymoon film. There is plenty of seating on a semi enclosed patio, with shade from umbrellas and trees. There is an entrance to a shop which shares its wall mural on one side, it is dog friendly, and there are strings of lights stretched overhead. Street noise is minimal. I ordered the seasonal blueberry Earl Grey latte and the peach and ricotta toast. Service was prompt, and both were fresh and delicious. I had never had one of either and the combination of flavors on each was delightful. The toast was crunchy and the peach jam and ricotta together were creamy and sweet. 10/10, will be back.

live laugh love communal it's definitely less packed compared to their other location, and i love the quiet ambience (also shoutout to the guy playing kpop inside when we went, loved it). the seating both inside and outside is plentiful and is a good place to just sit and talk. the avocado toast is my absolutely favorite thing ever and i get it every time i come, but they didn't have it so i opted for a ham and cheese croissant which might be my other go to now. my favorite spot in the area and forever worth the drive too!

The ambience was great at this place, there's a lot of foot traffic. If the outdoor tables were clean, I would've given it a 5/5.

Cute shop for coffee, they have lots of seating and a small store. Coffee is ordered from their 'van' outside. Only street parking in the area, very tough to find a spot. Tried: $6 each Lemon almond latte - needed more lemon, had an odd after taste. The lemon latte at seven seas down the way is better. Chocolate orange latte - needed more orange flavor. They both would probably have been better as cappuccinos where the flavor of coffee and syrup would have melded better, a little too much milk. The have whole milk, oat and almond milk. They do not have nonfat/2% etc milk.

I love the open space here, it's very easy to bring in a stroller which is part of the appeal, however each time I come I feel very unwelcome by the baristas.. I don't think i have been smiled at once I the past 4-5 times I've come. The breakfast sandwiches are really good an d the coffee is okay, I wish they were a little more flavorful but that may be personal preference. With there being so many options along the street, it does come down to customer service and this may be one of the last times I come by because of it. I get that work is stressful and everyone has things going on but a smile does make a big difference

Love this spot. Their specialty lattes are super unique and flavorful. Chill place to veg out on their terrace setup. Very friendly baristas who make the morning great.

Been to this location several times and have been pleased each time! Recently got the beet limeade, highly recommend. Can be an acquired taste if you're not into beets LOL but still worthy a try in my opinion. Great bagels, good avo toast. Amazing place for a pick me up when roaming South Park!

Great coffee and food. Service is quick and there's plenty of outdoor space/seating. No matter when I come, the space is relatively quiet and calm. There's a shop connected with indoor seating and great artisan and unique finds. Love coming here.

What a charming little coffee shop and store! I was in the South Park area with some friends for lunch. Once we were done visiting, they headed off and I had some time to wander around and wait for a lift. Communal was right there, so I stopped in to get a drink. The patio is super cute, I love the caravan and they had some nice pastries and lots of options for drinks. The seating is nicely spread out so you can cowork, chill with a book, or catch up with a friend. I will note though that the paving stones are apart and surrounded by stones, so be ready for that. You have to set up your chair just right, and it's not super accessible. They have a water station with all the fixings you need. I got a mango black iced tea which was delicious. It was an infused tea rather than a syrup, which I always appreciate. The service was quick and friendly. Inside the main building is a shop with lots of locally made gifts and trinkets. Some jewellery, some homewares, candles, etc. I got a gift card and a glass and metal straw so I can make my iced teas at home a little prettier. If you buy a glass you get a free drink - so I shopped in the wrong order, but no big. Lovely space, I'm glad I stopped by.

My go-to study spot! With beautiful, outdoor patio seating and an adorable coffee trailer, it's the best place to get a cup of coffee and relax outdoors. Not to mention, their specialty coffees are amazing paired with an everything bagel and large heaping of their herbed cream cheese. My two favorite drinks are the Orange Cardamon latte and the chai latte with a shot of espresso. It is a bit pricer, but the ambience and quality of drinks speaks for itself. There are two locations that I frequent, the one in North Park is great for studying because they have a lot of tables (indoors and outdoors), and the South park location is great for catching up with friends and relaxing, with less tables that are smaller and outdoors. Don't forget to walk around the inside and shop around as well, each location features jewelry, clothing, stationary, and more from local artists :) great for gifts!

Walked by this location and wasn't planning on stopping but the vibes and aesthetic immediately draw you in!! I'm also not even a huge coffee person but loved this coffee shop because of the decor and style... + gorgeous artsy mural wall and hanging lights + friendly quick service + got 2 drinks and it was $10 together so not overly expensive + cute store next door/attached - got the chai which was a bit too cardamom/gingery for my taste but not bad

Avocado toast that comes with a small side of diy browned oxidized avocado. :( Bread was good though.

Such a cute coffee shop! Lots of Indoor and outdoor seating options, great space to hang out or work out of. They sell a lot of cute stuff as well as fresh flowers. I go their for the matcha and it's delicious.

Visiting from out of town and came to this coffee shop twice. Vibe was cool but quality wasn't too great. Pros: - cute little vibe -dropped in an awesome neighborhood - variety of food and drinks - cute outdoor section and connected To an indoor shop with fun knickknacks Cons: - Had a pumpkin spice latte and it was really weak. Felt like I was only drinking oat milk with cinnamon on top - Another day, I had a peppermint cold brew and tasted no peppermint I think I mistakenly received a different drink. All I could taste was chicory. - my husband got a regular coffee with a little bit of room and got what felt like half a cup of coffee.

Really cute coffee shop with only outdoor seating so this is nice if you want to sit and enjoy the sun while sipping your drink.

My favorite drink here is not coffee, but the iced creamsicle (orangina + vanilla bean syrup + cream). It's like eating a popsicle. On a hot summer day, it's very refreshing. Service was friendly and I didn't wait long for my drink. The outdoor space is boho-chic and relaxing. The table and chairs were adequate, but the owner could invest in more comfortable seating.

Ok, I'm done with Communal Coffee on Fern. I admit, it's nice to walk somewhere and sit outside, but I've tortured myself enough, for years and I'm done now. I was indifferent for years, at first open I hated the fact that it is absolutely not ADA compliant. I don't care if they actually are somehow ADA compliant in a book with the city somewhere, but if you are in a wheelchair or have children with strollers, this place is your absolute WORST nightmare!!!! Who creates a flooring so uneven that even people who are walking with feet have trouble navigating walking?! What a flipping mess. This is alllllllll before you even order, so stop here if that's enough for you. Yeah, I'm also not into supporting owners who don't give a shit about accessibility to everyone, and I even hate to admit it now, that I put up with it thinking "they'll fix this soon, once they realize what a stupid idea this was for everyone"- it's a problem for sitting, it's a problem for standing, it limits all access to wheels of any kind, it is gross because it catches food, dog feces, hair... I could go on, this is clearly just a terrible choice. Ok now get past the terrain, the coffee is mediocre AT BEST. It's "cuteness" is selling point for many. People love it's "instagramability" of the silly flower designs in foam (limited to if your barista happens to wake up on the right side of the bed and create that morning), people buy it. So, does it taste good? No. Then, for years I put up with the terrible service. Again I'm in it for the walk and outdoors factor of the experience for me. But the people working there have been on a slippery slope, I think first hires original staff were helpful and kind, these new folks over the years have probably been worn down by the instagramers who have repeatedly ordered the same "vanilla rose latte" which is basically sugary soap coffee. Ok my final issue that has me drawing the line is the cleanliness. The new staff or maybe there is new ownership, has completely left this place to go to shit. I'm sorry to say it, but now it's unbearable to sit there, it was my final reason to even visit, the outdoor trees and cute succulents and meeting my neighbors.... No, now it's a desert wasteland, dead succulents (how can you slowly kill such adorable plants?!), all chairs are broken and unstable outdoor furniture, and the FLIES EVERYWHERE. A few days ago I thought if I moved away from the trashcans it would improve and no, it does not matter where you sit, the entire place is full of FLIES. This means nothing is being cleaned, which makes sense, I doubt any employee or owner has set foot in the actual sitting area that they expect people to enjoy. I'm so disappointed. I really wanted to like this place and for years I put up with... actually a lot, keeping hope that they would fix the flooring issue one day when they made back the initial investment, or really turn it into a gathering place for the community by hiring friendly and personably staff, but the fact that this place isn't being cleaned anymore grossed me out.... And if they don't care then who will?!

Pretty good coffee at a decent price. Got the lemon almond latte (Iced) was good and refreshing. Loved the lemon flavor and had just the right amount of sweetness. Friend got the cappuccino and it was good and strong and he liked it as well. Service was good and professional.

Cute coffee truck/shop. Great outdoor patio seating. Super friendly service and a great overall vibe. My chai latte was also yum.

This is a great place to grab a coffee with friends. There is a lot of outdoor seating as well as a few tables indoors. They have a fun seasonal menu, which is especially fantastic in fall.

*SOCIAL DISTANCING EXPERIENCE* Fantastic coffee and even better outdoor space! I had the coffee flight, which included the festive Gingerbread Maple Latte and specialty Lavender Latte, both with oatmilk. I was really surprised that I loved the Gingerbread Maple Latte. It was just sweet enough and tasted just like a cookie. This was probably the best latte I've ever had! The Lavender Latte was really nice, too. The floral taste could've been easily too much, but instead was perfectly balanced. I highly recommend buying a coffee and relaxing in the space to read a book or working on your laptop. I love that you can buy plants here, too!

Cold brew was average. The server was not very nice to us. It was raining so we went inside for 10 min, came back out, and she said "are you guys ordering more food or something?" when I just wanted my buttered, toasted plain bagel. There was no one else in line either. The store next to the coffee stand was cute. Probably won't return.

We had very high expectations of this coffee place and sadly nothing like what we were expecting it. First of all the place closes at 7pm we got there around 5:45 and we were told kitchen was already closed!! What a bummer!! We were only able to get coffees. I got a sugar free vanilla latte and my sister a cortado mine was so so! My sisters was nasty! The only reason why I'm giving it two stars is because of the place itself it pretty cute and clean! Very neat with a. Lot Of cute things to Purchase! Flower bouquets and much more. Customer service is whatever they really don't care much or at least that's what we experienced. Not sure if we will ever come back here most likely no! I do recommend this place to respect their hours of operation because it's really unfair and unprofessional to not serve what you are promoting

Great spot in the heart of South Park. Lovely seating area and of course it's dog friendly. I think the atmosphere is super chill and it's such an easy spot to stop by during your morning or afternoon walk. Today I drank their mango iced blank tea and enjoyed it.