Lani S.
Yelp
I discovered Mostra Coffee a few months back when I was searching the internet for Philippine coffee and/or Filipino-owned coffee companies to support. I read that they are women, minority, veteran, and immigrant-owned.... exactly what I love supporting.
While I was ready to order coffee beans online, I decided to hold off until I visited in person. We drove down to San Diego from San Francisco the week of Thanksgiving. This location was most convenient for us (we stayed near the Convention Center) to stop at in the middle of our sightseeing.
Hub and mother-in-law ordered regular lattes. I totally forgot that hub wanted his sweetened and only remembered after they made the drink. They were super gracious about it though!
I wanted to order something unique to what I'm used to, so I went with the Bibingka Creme Brulee Latte (milk infused with Philippine coconut and vanilla bean). The top was caramelized which put the overall flavor in top gear.
While ordering, I asked the person taking my order which beans he recommended. He came out from behind the counter and asked me if I preferred light or dark roast, etc. and proceeded to show me a few. I truly appreciated that. (I wish I knew his name, sorry!) He recommended Ethiopia for smooth, but when I asked for which was most popular, he said Ghost Bear was a favorite and was also what they were using for espresso. Needless to say, I got two bags of Ghost Bear and one bag of Philippines.
The cafe pricing is higher than what you might be used to, but it did not factor in my decision to visit. Quality coffee and quality service speaks for itself. The cafe itself is bright and airy with an overall chill vibe.
BTW, I went back online after I traveled back home and ordered another bag of beans and some single serve brew bags for stocking stuffers! :)