Lofty Coffee Encinitas Roasting Works

Wow what a beautiful coffee shop . Perched up high on the street so when you sit outside you have a beautiful view of the street . Cute bulb lights add to the ambiance . Seems like a family friendly space - plenty of seating outside . We ordered a drip coffee and a salted caramel latte - they both were good ! Definitely one of the stronger coffee shops in downtown Encinitas

The The receipt speaks for itself.  Upcharged at every turn possible.  When the bill came to us we were completely dumbfounded but I paid it because really what are you going to do when it's 7:00 in the morning and you want the damn coffee and your kid is there and he wants his half calf with this and that.  But for God's sakes this was over $50.  The next morning we went to the 101 diner down the street and that was 23 full breakfast bacon the works for two. It's a fact food was incredible. The atmosphere was nice and you could not make the food any better than it was.  It simply is not possible. So there is that. But for God's sakes $50.  Mr. Lofty whoever you are Mark my words. We will meet one day in my personal handcrafted artisan single origin organic hell. Bring your wallet.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Lofty Coffee in Encinitas is an absolute gem! Hidden away on a private hill just off the main road, it’s the perfect spot to relax, work, or just soak in the vibe with a great cup of coffee. The seating areas are super chill, whether you're grabbing your morning brew or a tasty afternoon bite. I was beyond excited when I saw they had VENEZUELAN chocolate! 🇻🇪 Being from Venezuela, I had to try it, and let me tell you, it was BOMB 💣! If you're a chocolate lover, you can't miss it. I went with a classic croissant 🥐—flaky, buttery, and delicious. My girlfriend had a chia acai bowl that was bursting with flavor—super refreshing and exactly what we were looking for in a quick pitstop. Highly recommend this place! It's definitely a 5-star spot... or should I say, 5 coffees ☕️!

I absolutely love the organic coffee and food. The quality is consistently excellent. However, customer service consistently falls short. Every visit seems to come with the same disappointing experience: Rude, unfriendly, unhelpful, bad attitide (as if they are doing me a favor), disinterested staff who seem to be going through the motions rather than genuinely providing good service. It's unclear whether this is due to poor training or a broader issue with workplace culture, but the result is the same—frustrating service that undermines an otherwise great brand. Perhaps it comes down to this generation of workers, who don't understand what it means to work hard, take pride in their job, show up as their best self no matter the task and aspire for professionalism. There’s a sense of entitlement, as if simply showing up qualifies them for tips, even when the effort and attitude aren’t there. The automatic expectation of gratuity for merely taking an order—often with minimal courtesy—is especially frustrating. I have seen companies remove tipping all together and opt for offering customers the option to donate to a nonprofit the company donates to. Food for thought.😉 Regardless, it’s a shame, because with the right team and/or proper training, this place would be outstanding. Poor service seriously drags down the overall experience.

Got to come here for the first time with my friends! I had a cup of decaf coffee ☕️ twas very fruity and cool experience! I like the vibe of this shop on the slight hill top! Friendly staffs are ready to serve you! Keep up the good work! Cheers 🥂

Liked their coffee after tasting at a friend’s place. Went in for a bag. Staff was friendly and all, however, the coffee bag I got wasn’t up to par. Parking lot is super small and the place is active with cars coming and going. Possible fender bender situation. Consider parking on the street and walking over. Atmosphere is nice. Place is lively with a cool vibe. Walked in looking for bags of coffee and didn’t see any. The cashier came around from the check out to show me that they were right below the counter. Heh. Kinda not easy to see with people checking out in front of you. (By the time I got to my turn I figured they had bags behind the counter.) Felt awkward that the staffer came around to show me their small bagged coffee selection. Great binder showing info on each blend. Thing is, the one I wanted only came in a 2 pound bag. I got back home, (I’m not local, I live two plus hours away), to discover dry overly bitter beans. Disappointed. It’s a shame, I liked the cup I had at my friend’s place, so maybe it’s a matter of consistency? Left me wondering if the selection below the counter is display only, (for esthetic), and fresher bags should be ordered?

I've been to the Carlsbad, Sonoma, and Little Italy locations and I will go out of my way to go to this location because of the people. I don't necessarily need good customer service to appreciate a good product but it definitely says something about this location when it feels like the employees enjoy working there. Can't really say the same for the other locations. Their coffee is always consistent and there's a nice batch of signature drinks that I always recommend.

I had a meeting in Carlsbad and on the way back I had to stop here. One to grab their many wonderful coffee beans and also a pumpkin seed muffin and a cappuccino. Their croissants are my mom’s favorite in town. The location is so precious. Kinda hidden but with a beautiful ocean view from the top of the hill. I mean, what else can I ask for? Coffee + View! You can also bring your computer and work from one of their many outdoor tables.

Great Coffee, Not so great prices. I am rating this place on 3 things: 1. Coffee & food quality. 2. Prices. 3. Atmosphere. So lets begin. --- 5-stars for the coffee and food. yumy yum yum on my tummy tum tum. --- 4 stars for prices. --- 5 stars for the view! The view: Sitting outdoors with the view looking down at Encinitas is awesome sauce. Locals and tourists walking, casual bicyclers as well as out-of-town serious cyclists passing through, cars and motorcycles driving by. So interesting.

Not only does this place have delicious, quality coffee It also has some pretty great looking menu items - I mean, it has your pastries that you will find in the glass case in case you want some light eats, but it has some serious, beautifully prepared plates and meal items suitable for a meet up or a brunch in their vibe-y space. The people are friendly and the service was great from the cashiers to the baristas. There's seating inside (limited), but a good amount of seating outside in the courtyard and covered area outside of the building. This is really a unique space in terms of coffee spots I've been to. There's a few shacks on the property as well that looks like it could have high potential for cool pop ups, etc. My cousin and I went here on the morning I headed out of town. We split the matcha donut and the almond croissant - both were very delicious and the crisp on the croissant was perfect. In terms of drink, I got the Ethiopian bean pour over. Such delicious coffee with low acidity. I didn't use cream or anything to smooth it out. I ended up buying a bag of beans as well. Pretty excited to try the coffee using my Aeropress at home. All in all, just a great, unique space that serves great coffee and food. Parking might be the only tricky part. It's on a small grade and the parking felt a little tight. My car is fine as it is pretty small, but you may want to think twice if you drive a huge pick up truck etc.

Stopped by this cool coffee spot in Encinitas. The staff was very fire and helped my husband decide on a what coffee to try. He had cloudy with the chance of cold brew and I have the salted caramel latte. We loved the coffee here! We also tried the sausage, egg and cheddar croissant and the Egg and Hatch Chili Tart which was delicious as well! Love the vibe here and we sat outdoors and enjoyed the beautiful San Diego weather!

My first time to this Lofty. The service was prompt and pleasant. My London Fog came out phenomenal, so pretty like black sesame and tastes lovely! Full body Earl Grey! I'm so glad because sometimes you can get a watery version. Not here! Ambiance was nice clean tables and nice to look at Moonlight Beach at a different vantage point. It can get busy with all the cars zipping up and down Coast Highway. Enjoy! Thank you for my London Fog!

Our first time in and we were impressed! The staff were all very friendly. We sat on the patio, very nice indoor-outdoor, open-air vibe by the beach. Delicious pastries and coffee.

Lofty is a perfect spot for coffee and lunch. It's located in Encinitas right by the main road so it's hard to miss it. There is some parking space and plenty of seating areas outside. The coffee shop is cool and hipster. They offer good selection of flavourful coffees, yummy pastries and good food. Our order included Turkish cardamom coffee, matcha tea with honey, pastries baked in store and toast with fresh hummus. Everything was very good. Pastries were well baked and were not overly sweet. Toast was nicely plated and all ingredients were fresh and tasty. Also both beverages were prepared with care and tasted good. Good atmosphere, service, coffee and food. You should definitely visit this place!

This roasting works location is an awesome and different vibe to Lofty Coffee. All the seating is outdoors and has a very cool and industrial vibe as this is where all the baking happens for their pastries. Literally all of their baked goods are so incredible and their croissants are the best. Combine that with their croissant breakfast sandwich, I could not be happier.

After just leaving this place, I had a wild experience. Living in Encinitas as an Afro-Latina woman from the East Coast is challenging; most of the time, you're the only person of color in the room. Which makes you vulnerable to mistreatment, and this place is an example. Living close by, I stopped in for a Matcha Latte. Although I order Matcha lattes often, this was my first time at this place. When I took a sip, the mint mixed in the Matcha was way too strong for me. I asked if they could make it without mint, but the server said no, as the Matcha and mint were pre-mixed. I then requested a refund since I wanted Matcha. They had trouble finding my bank card because I had used Apple Pay. When asked for the last four digits of my credit card, I provided the unmasked digits, not realizing they could only see encrypted numbers. The server had to ask the manager or owner for help. The manager was rude, visibly struggling to locate my card, and asked, "Why are we doing this?" I explained my dislike for the drink due to the overpowering mint and requested a refund. He repeatedly stated, "Oh, you don't like it, that's why," before eventually offering to refund it later. I insisted on a refund receipt before leaving. After much struggle, he finally found the Matcha latte on PayPal by checking recent purchases. It was the only latte bought within the last two hours. I couldn't help but wonder, why the unnecessary hassle? Ugh, Californians can be frustrating. Edit: My response to the owner: 1) Let's be honest about Encinitas--it's not as diverse as it claims. With a significant 76% white population and less than 2% Black, calling it diverse doesn't hold up. And trust me, I've faced more racism here than back in my hometown of Boston. 2) So, I ordered the Matcha Latte with Mint, thinking it would be to my liking. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. And according to California law, if the food isn't up to par, I'm entitled to a refund. Plus, I barely touched the drink--no lid on the cup says it all. 3) The barista didn't offer a refund right away. She suggested remaking the another drink, I brought up the possibility of a refund since I intended to buy a Matcha latte elsewhere. 4) Shoutout to the very kind frontline baristas--they were great. But the owner isn't. Your lack of compassion and empathy really soured my experience. Did you really need to question me three times about not liking the drink? It felt rather dismissive. 5) After mocking me and saying " Oh so you don't like the drink. that's why you want a refund" three times, you expect me to trust your promise of a refund if I leave? Not likely. 6) Oh, and by the way, apologies for the "POS" typo. But honestly, who cares about the payment system? The real issue here is your lack of empathy. That's why I felt compelled to leave this review.

Great ambiance and location. Very popular place, so plan accordingly. It was solid for sure. I'm a bit of a coffee snob and always looking for coffee shops to try (other than *bucks). All I got was a coffee, so can't comment on anything else but I'd def go back.

Lovely place with flavorful coffee! There is another smaller one right across the street but we came here because it had a huge parking lot and plenty of outdoor seating (more than 20 tables!). They also had tiny tot tables so bring your little ones. It is above ground level over looking the busy street which felt nice and private. You would also see and feel the train pass right by you which was also fun. There's no fence between the coffeeshop and the train tracks so keep your kiddos close by. Their Aztec Mocha (shot of espresso, dark cacao, cinnamon, cayenne and substituted oat milk) is for those who REALLY love the cayenne spiciness. It gives a very very strong kick. Do not underestimate it! Ask for a sample if you are not sure. It is amazing. Their Turkish Latte (double shot latte infused with cardamom and raw sugar, and dairy of your choice) also had a strong cardamom flavor. When they say it is infused, it is infused. Does not taste like they just added flavored syrup. The staff were friendly and helpful in describing their drinks and recommending what to order. I look forward to coming here again to try their Tokyo-style cold brew as today, I was looking for some hot coffee.

Stopped by here on our drive back from SD. A block from the beach with private parking. Love that they serve coffees out of ceramic cups. The mocha was great with a house made chocolate ganache but the star of the show was the chocolate chip cookie which comes with giant chunks of chocolate chip and is drizzled with large sized sea salt pieces for the perfect sweet salty combo. The chocolate croissant was good too but I wish it had more chocolate inside. There's a smaller location across the street if this location is busy.

We went for a stroll around Moonlight Beach then ended up here. I had the Avo and Hummus. My friend had the Chicken Sausage Croissant. Both menu items were fantastic. Full of flavor and not heavy. The coffee is super strong but good as well. Atmosphere was great. You just need to make sure that you are not sitting in front of the speaker. The only down side is that I missed my dog who will be joining us next time.

Speaking about my experience with the Encinitas location: I had been buying whole bean coffee from Lofty Coffee, but no longer go there. Starts with no available parking. They seem to think its important to park their delivery vans right next to the building so that their Customers have to park in the dirt behind the building. Ask their employees about the taste/style of their coffee, and most of them have no idea. They are very friendly and polite but most of the employees of this "coffee roaster" know nothing about their own coffee. Coffee seems to be an unimportant part of their business as they focus on their food stuffs. The coffee's, while excellent, seem to change on a too frequent basis. As soon as I find a coffee I like, it is gone in a few weeks later. Finally, the prices here, for coffee and food are pretty high.

Good atmosphere. Good coffee. Pour overs are expensive. The internet didn't work and when I asked an employee, his response was "sorry" and then I asked him if there is a way to try to reset it and his response : "uhhhh I don't know. I've never done that". Customer service is important.

Don't come here after 12. They don't serve regular coffee after 12. They will point you to an Americano which is fine but they charge you full price if you want a refill. If it were just their black coffee it comes at a discount. Customer service sucks after 230, they are just trying to close and the two girls were just focusing on that and not the customers. Location is great though.

Great coffees, croissant sandwiches & pastries with a lovely view served by friendly staff.

Although their smaller cafe is literally across the street, their roasting works is a whole different world. Industrial, stylish and affording a nice view of the Coast Highway, this Lofty central command offers great coffee and decent food in a convenient location. Ordering your coffee indoors is part of the fun: behind huge sheets of glass is their roasting facility, on display and fascinating to watch. The coffee comes out in fairly quick order--and in addition to their estimable espresso drinks, they also do a whole host of tasty brews. The seating is exclusively outdoors, also industrial in a Spartan concrete sort of way, but extremely comfortable and surprisingly quiet as it is a good 25 feet above street level. In all, a great place to wile away the day, chatting with friends or doing a little work. Well worth a visit!

Visited 2 locations of Lofty Bro's (located across the street from each other) within our weekend trip to Encinitas! SOLID option for a caffeine fix with an AMAZING salted chocolate chip cookie! The roastery has a little more outdoor seating, a parking lot, and a bigger food menu than the cafe across the street ---chocolate chip cookie: perfectly crispy bottom and chewy top throughout the entire cookie! I cant stop thinking about this cookie TBH ---avocado hummus toast: generous amount of AVO ---crossiant with ham & cheese: not my favorite but the fiance enjoyed it more than the avocado toast ---tried the iced Aztec Mocha and Turkish Latte Will be back for that chocolate chip cookie, hope that have it the day I come *fingers crossed*

I prefer this location on the east side of the street. There is more space in between tables and a mix of table sizes, some under a patio and some not. I also like the views better from here. I enjoy how they serve coffee in a real mug. Only issue is limited parking.

Amazing coffee and an amazing space to hangout. Love that it is a Roastery and they even have small food options. The employees are awesome and always ensure you leave happy. They have some of the best roasted coffee in California.

Stopped by this roastery and had a very pleasant experience. My friends ordered the salted caramel latte and enjoyed it very much. I ordered a basic drip which was a medium roast blend which was above average. Their ethos sign is posted on the patio and I can attest to their attention to pleasing the customer. I will be back next time I'm down in Encinitas.

Service was exceptional. My coffee and breakfast "The Encinitas" was wonderful. The outdoor dining was fabulous as well as great company with other patrons.

This is our favorite Lofty Coffee branch because of all the open seating. They have so many picnic tables available and the weather's typically nice. I also like that they have a good variety of pastry and other breakfast items. Their Salted Caramel Latte is great. If I'm craving something savory for breakfast, I usually go for their Ham, Egg and Cheddar Croissant sandwich. If I'm craving something sweet, I usually get an almond croissant or, on a hot day, their acai bowl. Prices here have unfortunately increased over the last year but that's the case at most restaurants/coffee shops nowadays.

Although pretty busy in the morning on a Wednesday, I was able to find street parking across the street, and there were still tables (most outside the covered patio area). Super nice staff, order and sit down with a number. I love croissants, and they have delicious large ones. Busy, but due to being outside it wasn't too noisy--I was able to carry a conversation with my friend for an hour without difficulty. It definitely cleared up by the time I left around 10am and I saw lots of parking spots, but it was super crowded at 9am (no parking in small lot in front, sporadic open spots in the back). Tables are not super close together, and it's a great spot for a coffee meeting, as it appears most people were doing.

had crap coffee and posted a bad review, owner hopped on here complaining and arguing lol here you go buddy

We love visiting Lofty Coffee! The Cloudy with a Chance of Cold Brew is my wife's favorite and the salted caramel late is my go-to. To the owners - I cannot give a five star review because of the facilities. There was no changing table located in the restroom and when this was mentioned to a female employee she rolled her eyes and looked less enthused a customer had a suggestion for the management. Besides this experience, we have always had great coffee and good times here!

One of my favorite coffee shops in town! Friendly staff. They make their drinks with love. I wish the peppermint cold brew was year round! It's delicious! My go to drink is an iced lavender latte with oat milk and I can drink it everyday. The price of a latte is a bit expensive $8.25 with tip but honestly the quality is worth the price.

I've purchased their beans before but this was my first time visiting their roasting location. The shop offers a spacious outdoor seating area with spacious areas - it seems dog friendly! We went on a rainy day so there wasn't as many people outdoors. Their roasting machines can be seen behind the glass walls behind the register area which we found to be super interesting. I ordered a salted caramel latte iced and my bf ordered a Aztec mocha. The salted caramel latte was delicious. They use in house caramel, which tasted delicious! Other salted caramel lattes that I've tasted have been overwhelmingly sweet but they got the sweetness down perfectly. 9/10 would definitely recommend. As far as the Aztec mocha, my boyfriend was not a huge fan of it and I knew I wouldn't like it given it had cayenne pepper in it. It was very spicy however the guy did tell us it was spicy. The service was great and the drinks came out quick!

THE COFFEE AND SERVICE WERE ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL! The barista named Brooks was very friendly and kind and seemed to have high spirits while I was there. I highly recommend coming here and enjoying some lattes.

I love this place with all my heart. As someone who has probably been to just about every coffee shop around... This is the BEST. Coffee is nothing short of amazing every time. And the presentation come on??? Always so happy to come here. I come at least once a week minimum. Probably more. Worth the stop.

Japanese style cold brew on ice - excellent. Salted chocolate chunk cookie - toasted upon my request, perfect level and distribution of salt, and good crumbly chewy texture. Avo hummus toast - comes with fork and knife but this tasty combo is hard to eat and makes me wish it was just the same ingredients as a salad with toasted bread on the side. Vibe - the only thing that drops this a star is that the highway sounds and obnoxious billboard are a buzz kill. But the baristas are friendly and wonderful (seems consistent across Lofty locations), and the factors they can control are lovely - art installations, plentiful seating with options for shade, overall decor.

The food is delicious, the service is absolutely terrible!!! I ordered a breakfast sandwich to go on a Monday morning (late morning) and it took them almost 30 minutes to make it! There were other people there but for a Monday morning it was not crowded and definitely should NOT take that long to make a little breakfast sandwich! No explanation as to why it took that long and also no apology either! It was very good but certainly not worth waiting that long for something to go! Response to Eric: The ticket times must be incorrect then, because I stood there for almost 30 minutes for a to go order! Perhaps they forgot to put the order in and therefor isn't showing the correct time? Either way, terrible service and terrible response!

During COVID19 this is the only Lofty location open. A pity the eating wares is closed as this is the location with the best view. The easiest way to order is via their app. You can order meals, coffee, bags of beans, and their amaaazing pastries. You can add tip via the app because although one can pay at Lofty via their iPAD, they do not allow people touching the screen. And the employees do not ask you for a tip. Also be aware that they have a smaller staff so though food may take longer than usual this is for everyone's health. More physical distancing and better control of keeping track of employee health. Via their website, Lofty consistently tracks the health of its employees. Everything is made by scratch here so for best efficiency order ahead of time as there is is usually a cue of people waiting around for their order because Lofty is popular. And it makes sense.. . . Lofty has the best coffee in SD and I have been a customer of theirs since they opened (2011). The espresso based drinks are my favorite and you can really taste the richness of their homemade almond milk. They have other alternative nut milks that they also make in house as well. For these warmer temps I recommend the Salted Caramel Latte. Iced is just as good because Lofty makes sure that you are not given a latte with the ice already melting and watering down the drink's flavor. My fave pastry is the vegan gluten free chocolate chip cookie. Crunchy on the diameter but soft and chewy in the interior. Perfection. Fave meal: croissant sandwiches. I cannot handle gluten too well so I usually share with another person (sadly). Lofty prepares the right amount of sandwich filling versus actual bread. Head over to their website and you can also take advantage of their Lofty Provisions. They will deliver FOR FREE a box of coffee, pastries, bread, and other goodies to your doorstep in a contactless delivery. Through Provisions, I discovered how good their gluten free bread it. It has some tiny slivers of almonds in the bread for a bit of crunch. The bread is chewy and tastes better than regular bread.

Sooooooo... 2 reviews! 1st review: Came to Lofty for the first time with my boyfriend because a family member recommended this place. I was frantic and didn't know what to order so I picked the Turkish latte/coffee iced. Amazing! Not usually what I would drink but I thought it was worth coming back and trying something new! 2nd review: I went on yelp, ordered through their website, and came. They didn't receive my order, but that was some technical issue. USE THE APP. dont be dumb like me lol. I showed them that Lofty Coffee did charge my apple card and they just asked what I ordered and made it for me. I ordered a panini online, but they stopped making that. So I picked this turkey croissant sandwich with balsamic and arugula and cheese!!! AMAZING. I got this lil sandwich and sat in my car, thinking I would be able to eat it as I drove back up to LA, but of course, I tossed the box SIDEWAYS into the passenger seat. I opened the box and my avocado fell out:( but whatever. The croissant sandwich got messy because of me lol. The balsamic on this croissant was EVERYTHING. The croissant was so soft, warm, and flaky, it reminded me of when I was in France! The turkey was thick, but not so thick that it was dry. Avocado, they did not cheap out!!!! I think they put a half avo in this sandwich. The cheese was perfectly melty, but not too melty that the oil was everywhere and last but not least, the arugula was perfectly green. I also got a matcha latte with oat milk, which was good but I think coffee is more their strong suit here. Maybe I was just so overwhelmed by how good the croissant was. I appreciate that Lofty has their own parking lot so I'm not stressed about parking:) As for my lil website ordering issue, their team & management handled it very well. I even offered to dispute the charge on my card so they can charge me the right amount. The manager, older gentleman, told me it shouldn't be my problem. 5 stars for food, ambiance, coffee, and customer service! If you're a sucker for a good croissant sandwich and coffee, you're in the right place!

WOW! What a few weeks can do. Sometimes continuing your patronage rather than giving up makes sense, because you can see how a place changes, improves and grows. This is an update. My last review talked about how slow the service was at this Lofty. As I mentioned I'd continue to go, and I have. What's important are they changes they've made. Of the last couple of weeks, Lofty's speed has really improved. We have been ordering from the ap on the table, which is a great idea. Now you're not trying to listen from across the place for your name to be yelled out! I am sure these changes were in the making during my last review, and I want to point out they have made a world of difference. Keep it up, Lofty! Now I can be happy about my patronage every time!

It's a lovely coffee place for hangout. Great atmosphere, services, coffee, pastries/toasts. One good thing is it has own parking lot.

I was invited to get a coffee and work with a friend during the week in the summer. To be honest I had no idea this coffee shop was here! What a welcome surprise! Upon walking up I noticed a great amount of dog friendly seating and everything was very new and clean. I ordered a mocha with a sea salt chocolate chip cookie because who doesn't like a cookie. I realized once I ordered my coffee that it was a mocha with ganache. It was delivered to me at my table which was unexpected and once again was a great surprise. This is by far the fanciest mocha I've ever had and it did not disappoint. I'm by no means a coffee snob but I can tell when there is care taken in the making of anything. I will be going here again. Probably bring my dog next time.

hot drip coffee kyoto cold brew coffee egg tart friendly knowledgeable staff beautiful/open interior and exterior space feelin' Lofty af

This is my favorite of the Lofty locations. It's larger and more open and I can usually find a table. They sell sourdough loaves which I love so I like to come to this location when I'm able. Great coffee, helpful and friendly staff...yummy pastries! I love coming here to read and/or get some work done on my computer as it's rather quiet compared to Starbucks or Coffee Bean.

We love Lofty and drive 40 miles just to have it! Today we ordered: *Salted Caramel Latte- this is just what I wanted and absolutely beautifully crafted *Americano - traditional and just what you would expect. Dark and flavorful. *Turkey and Avocado Croissant- warm, cheesy and topped with the most amazing balsamic vinaigrette *Matcha Donut topped with ground pistachio and dried rose petals - so tasty, sweet and moist! This location was my hubby and I's first date and today we brought our little one. We love their outdoor seating although it definitely fills up fast. They have opened a back parking lot which is helpful. Overall, great coffee, good location and seating and attentive staff. We'll be back soon!

Great coffee shop with access to outside seating and a lovely breeze. Don't want to say to many fabulous things about Lofty Coffee Roasting Works because I'd like it all to myself and the people that are already here. Great nitro brew options and the barista was cool to let my friend and I do a tasting. Much like the other locations, the decor is cool. Tables have small potted succulents. They offer some coffee brewing kits and glassware as well as clothing and of course coffee beans to go. One of my favs is the Kyoto cold brew. I also love the earl gray de la creme (tea au lait), and a sweet salted caramel latte.

Lofty is still my favorite coffee spot in San Diego and their Roasting Works location is directly across the street from their coffee shop. While sitting on the patio, you can sip your coffee or iced tea and watch the long line of patrons ordering the exact same thing as you! There is ample seating, shade and a dog friendly patio. Their New Orleans Iced Coffee is my fave and their Blood Orange Hibiscus Iced Tea across the way is my go to on a sunny day...so every day.

If coffee was able to become a sentient life-form it would happen here. It would not be a slow progression life form but one that would be a super intelligence with a serious high society coffee snob attitude. It would create a heavy fog and it alone would decide if you had enough merit to drink the coffee here. As an engineer lets talk about the super sexy coffee maker made me smitten just looking at it. To know so much about coffee roasting that you use a graph to track how much roasting the bean creates this percent of caffeine? Total and complete respect to the roasters you f'ing rock for the knowledge and skillset. I loved the taste of the coffee, it was something different and it made me realize I may had been drinking warm caffeinated zombie piss since the age of 14 when I started to drink coffee. I have to tell you I've been all over this planet and I've drank some terrible coffee and drank good coffee. I've been in the field where I had coffee grounds and warm water and I would swish it around in my mouth and swallow. I've made coffee in a lab because christ why would you not make coffee if you had a whole lab with pyrex beakers and volumetric flasks. But this, this is excellent coffee. The problem is I'm a bit of of a thug. I do not have sophisticated taste buds I could not tell you where the coffee beans came from or how long they needed to be roasted for this excellent coffee. Looking around at the people while sitting watching the traffic and the occasional passing train I felt out of place. I'm just too high strung now I don't know how to relax and be in the moment for a long period of time. All of the people drinking coffee seemed like they were in a place of zen and I was just passing through. The staff was polite and I could tell they liked their jobs. The noise was just the right amount of being busy without the mood of chaotic. If I get a chance to return I will. I know I'll feel the same as the people whom work here deserve to work there. If you learn a craft that can create something I would fondly like to have again. Well, that's just magic. Good Luck out there. Jasoninaz

I've always enjoyed the coffee here, the Nola style iced coffee is one of my faves, but what took it over the top today was the cinnamon rolls they have here, not sure if they make them or get them from a bakery but damn ate they everything you want in a cinnamon roll and nothing you don't. The best thing about it is the cream cheese icing, I don't know why more places don't do this but it takes what is already a tasty pastry and takes it to a level of sensual delight that most pastries dare not dream of. Seriously though, great coffee, enjoyed everything I've had here but get a cinnamon roll next time, they will not disappoint.

Absolutely wonderful place to grab some coffee and get a little work done. The "Hilltop" style atmosphere here is top notch! The people are friendly! The coffee is excellent! This is the only place my wife will drink coffee (superb whole milk lattes here) at. Great view of the beach local culture and tourist but far enough away to not be distracted bu them. Just a great place to come spend time, chat, and work.

Fun-and-lively vibe. Nice outdoor seating options offering plenty of people-watching opportunities. Very friendly, patient, and helpful staff! I thoroughly enjoyed my long pour espresso (what I know as an Americano), as well as all of the (what I learned are gluten-free) pastries & cookies (my favorite: their lemon cookie)! This location is now among my favorite coffee spots... just wish it was closer to me.

I was in the area and found this place on yelp. My bf and I had some time to kill so we decided to stop and get a drink. I ordered the salted caramel latte and my bf got the matcha latte. When we first got there, there was no seating. Eventually we were able to find a spot. The outside area is a great place to hangout. There were lots of people with their dogs and laptops. The train did go by once in a while but other than that it wasn't too noisy. My salted caramel latte was good. It has the right amount of sweetness. Unfortunately, my bf didn't like his drink. The matcha was very powdery, like it wasn't stirred into the drink. He fished his drink anyways. My bf ended up getting a chai tea latte since he wasn't satisfied with the matcha latte. The chai tea was better than the matcha but it still wasn't the best. It basically tasted like milk and cinnamon. I'd come back if I'm in the area to try their other drinks but I wouldn't get the matcha or chai latte again.

First time trying the larger venue, which is directly across the street from the location I had visited several times before when going thru the area. This location is the showcase, a place where the roasting occurs and has tons of seating out front overlooking PCH up on a hill. We ordered a regular drip coffee and an iced coffee. Service was pretty quick despite being very crowded and the coffee hit the spot!