What is the coffee culture like in San Diego?

Esteemed food blogger Warren Van Dam claims San Diego has one of the most robust and unique coffee culture in the country, easily rivaling that of Los Angeles, or even New York. What makes San Diego different is its location, particularly being a city alongside the Tijuana border. A sprawling city with over 5 million residents, San Diego is a haven for residents and tourists alike. And it just so happens that both speak the universal language of coffee.

Folks in San Diego have their own reasons for drinking coffee. Some like the sensory experience that comes with every cup while others do so for the sake of their digestive system. A lot of people rely on homebrewed instant coffee or filtered coffee as their primary source of java. And while the population that’s savvy about taste testing events and cupping events are still on the rise, this doesn’t stop shops like Café Sur a Norte, Dinastia 12, Café Baristi, and Malvia Coffee Bar from giving guests an experience to remember.

Like most cities, the source for coffee mostly comes from convenience outlets, chain stores, and specialty coffee shops. With one coffee shop to every 10,000 residents, there is still a big market for coffee places as the area is not saturated yet in terms of convenient coffee sources. And with Mexico just a stone’s throw away, the city gets to enjoy exported beans fresh from harvest, according to Warren Van Dam.

Even with the convenience of getting beans from Mexico, some coffee shops go the extra mile and cultivate their own beans. For example, San Diego grown Geisha coffee uses beans that would normally cost $600 per pound since the variety can only be found in Panama. Warren Van Dam also claims that boutique coffee shops try their best to incorporate their own unique mix into each cup to distinguish them from other coffee shops in the area.