Mission Coffee Cup
Categories: American (New), Tex-Mex, Asian Fusion [Edit]
Neighborhood: La Jolla1109 Wall St
(between Herschel Ave & Ivanhoe Ave)
La Jolla, CA 92037 (858) 551-8514
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Breakfast
- Alcohol: None
117 reviews
Neighborhood: La Jolla
"This is an outstanding establishment, with outstanding "California Modern" lounge in the sub level and gorgeous views of La Jolla cove from…" read more »
28 Reviews for Mission Coffee Cup
Awesome - friendly service, GREAT food (organic, too) and nice atmosphere.
I LOVE going to Mission Coffee Cup! It's a great place to bring out of town guests.
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First impression: this place is small, quaint and cute. We went during a bustling lunch hour and the three of us were squeezed into a two top, which didn't bother me any, but the two heavily bejeweled ladies at the next table over seemed a little disgruntled by my being too close for comfort.
Two out of three of us ordered breakfast. I had the poached eggs with zucchini and rosemary bread. My boyfriend had some kind of elaborate scramble thing, that once his plate was cleaned he practically licked the last few remnants off of, so, it had to be good. The third in our party had a sandwich and soup combo, she raved about both. We all kept commenting on how good the rosemary bread was.
The service was extraordinarily friendly. We had unlucky timing and waited over 20 minutes for our food because of a wave of large volume to go orders that were entered just before our order; This was the only bummer of the meal.
I will write a follow up; I have every intention of going back and trying their pancakes and french toast!
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The Coffee Cup Cafe has a terrific breakfast and lunch menu! It is located on Wall Street with no assigned parking area. Knowing the parking situation in La Jolla and how bad those meter maids can be, I'd say, find a 2-hr parking place someplace further away and walk to the cafe. When you get closer to the Coffee Cup Cafe, you'll notice a long line waiting outside of the building. There's even a built-in padded window seating area outside the cafe for people to sit as they're waiting to be called.
When you ask the slender lady how long the wait will be, she'll reply "not that long," and then you'll wait outside the cafe for approximately 20 min as the people clear out. Go ahead and put your name down though, because it's WORTH the wait.
We got a seat outside which was really nice because La Jolla is warm and breezy in the summer, with a high of 70 F. I got the Mexican Mocha and Omar's Special.
The surfer dude waiter was really nice and didn't pressure us to get anything more than tap water with lemon. I liked that. Upon further inspection of their menu, I realized that they do have a nice selection of coffee drinks. The Mexican Mocha was excellent!! For $4.50, you get this large white ceramic mug with a mocha, topped with whip cream and cinnamon-nutmeg. It wasn't too sweet and not too spicy. Very delicious!
Omar's special is a plate of egg whites with mushrooms, some sausage and a cilantro-green-avocado sauce drizzled on top of everything, plus some brown rice on the side. It's very very filling and very very good. Price for Omar's special? $12.
We also got the Avocado Scrambler for $10 which was okay. There's a large omelet with just jack cheese and eggs, with avocado folded into the omelet. Then 3 pieces of avocado on top. You get this with their rosemary potato hash and some mushrooms and some salsa and 2 toasted pieces of rosemary bread. For some reason I thought there could have been more flavor to this dish.
All in all, I really liked the Coffee Cup Cafe here in La Jolla. Definitely sit outside and get Omar's special.
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Coffee Cup is a quaint little breakfast place set in La Jolla. If the place gets busy, I doubt if you can even find a seat, it is that small. The menu is vegetarian friendly and I liked the choice of breakfast items they had. The waitresses were prompt and friendly. However, I really didn't love my food that much. It was a 4 egg white scramble with rice and beans and I found the quantity a tad less and the taste not out of this world. I will reassess my rating after eating again.
Oh, btw, parking is a big pain in that area. Good luck finding a spot, or else, make sure you have at least 3 dollars in cash for the parking garages.
****NOTE: I also posted this same review under the restaurant The Coffee Cup Cafe****
The Coffee Cup Cafe is run by the same people who run The Mission chain. This location is small compact but surprisingly not cramped. There are eight or so tables inside, and half a dozen more outside. Seating is limited and, as you can imagine, this place can get really busy.
Since The Missions are touchstones of breakfast for many San Diegans, it is no surprise that the CCC shares many of the same menu items. If you love such and such dish at The Mission, then it probably appears on the menu at CCC. Same Rosemary Potatoes, same squiggly fruit sauce on the dish for the pancakes, same Cafe Moto coffee roast.
We had the following items on our last visit:
House Coffee
Rosemary Potatoes with Scrambled Eggs and Rosemary Toast
Plata Tortillas with scrambled eggs and black beans
Yeah, basically the same thing we would have eaten at The Mission. Ain't that the shit?
Therein lies the rub, although I really like this location from a size point of view -- how did they fit a full restaurant in such a tiny space is amazing -- and a location sense, there is very little original about it. I don't think I would choose The Mission as my go to breakfast joint, so how could I rate this any higher? The service was kind of spotty, but they tried hard. The food was kind of uninspired, but they copied the recipes faithfully. The location was smart, the restaurant interior was cool, but I can really see that they added the La Jolla luxury tax to all of the dishes.
I would go back, but I won't go runnin'.
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Best breakfast I've had in ages and I've been craving it since! It's small and might get crowded but definitely worth it!
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My favorite place for lunch in La Jolla. Everything is delicious and homeade and the staff is friendly. Cute little bustling diner atmosphere. Can be packed, so you might have to wait, but it's worth it. Breakfast is great too.
It is re-opened! Pretty much the same...not too cozy, service a bit half-assed, but the food is gooood.
Banana-Blackberry pancakes? Gooood.
Avocado scramble? Gooood.
Rosemary toast? Gooood.
You still gotta deal with the La Jolla "scene," but that can be fun on a boring Sunday with nothing to do except sit and judge!
Go back and enjoy!
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The BEST breakfast place in La Jolla -- it's where I take all my business clients and friends. LOTS of unique and tasty food options -- you'll never run out of something new to try. The Cottage is a good place to take your grandparents -- they'll be comfortable with the menu -- and Harry's is good if you prefer the good-old-American diner experience. And Brockton Villa has a view that far exceeds its offerings. But the Mission is the best if you like your breakfast just a bit outside the box -- it's edgy, but VERY tasty all at once. Best to go during the week -- weekends are BUSY.
This place has breakfast down. I have tried almost everything on the menu here and I have yet to be disappointed, left hungry, or able to finish everything on my plate. The service is always welcoming and attentive and the coffee has some real fuel to it. Try the Vincent Vega if you dare.
I liked the menu, but wasn't impressed with the service. We sat outside so we could people watch. It seems like this place could have been cleaner- maybe that's why it closed down.
This place is delicious, small... but delicious! Very limited seating which can lead to long waits on weekend mornings ... I enjoy sitting outside, when I have the option, but the small spaces on the sidewalk can be kinda akward and cramped at times.
It was closed for awhile, due to a fire. I have yet to go back, since they reopened, so I'm sure it has changed.
The rosemary toast is always a must for me, as is a big cup of coffee.
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Figures, Narendra was the first to review.. He does get credit for finding it back in the day, when the first one opened in Mission Beach.
Marla, who is now Isabella gets credit for starting one of the best breakfast places, you will ever find..
California breakfast with a Nuevo Latino flare, that produces a ton of innovative choices. Papas Loco with eggs is still my favorite, with a side of french toast, the best you will find, especially after being in the water for a couple of hours.. It is made with fresh baked cinnamon bread.. Now a days you have to order it with a side of real maple syrup, to make it perfect. The plate comes with a design of blackberry puree that is always tasty.
I had a new pancake today, Raspberry,Lemon poppyseed. Incredible..only matched by Zazi's Gingerbread pancakes.
Service is always nice and the food will leave you with a smile, that matches the sunny weather..
A must if you are in La Jolla!
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Heard this place is great...I tried to go yesterday (12/01/07).
But I guess because of the fire it is still closed. Looks like its about to re-open.
please send me a message if you know its been re-opened.
Thanks!
The delicious food of the other mission locations (North Park, etc), but crammed into a tiny hole in the wall, cute and cozy cafe in snooty La Jolla. It boggles the mind, honestly. I love this place, the food is great, and I like the awkward charm afforded in its tiny location.
It's well worth a trip--I'd recommend the Papas Locos or Desayuno Burrito.
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The best breakfast you can get.
a good breakfast spot that offers balanced meals. i was told the chicken is free range, but i was also told it wasn't. when it is good it is really good and when it is not to so good it can be greasy and bland. i think it depends on the kitchen staff. i would only give it 3 stars but i ate there the other day and the espresso was pretty good, it was really cafe crema disguised as espresso, but in the barren espresso wasteland of SD I'll take what i can get.
Banana blackberry pancakes, chicken apple sausage, soy chorizo and eggs: there are so many delicious, healthy options at this great breakfast spot. They also serve lunch, but after the massive breakfast you get here, there's no need for it. Great art, funky wait staff: so un-La Jolla.
Minus one star for the crowds, but best breakfast in La Jolla.
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Mission Cup always will always keep you guessing. Besides the regular items on the menu, many of which are far from being regular, they also usually have interesting specials. Some of the great regular items include, banana blackberry pancakes, artichoke scramble, and my favorite, breakfast tamales. In addition to wonderful food, the staff is friendly and helpful, but the area itself is a bit cold and cramped- the only downfall I believe to my favorite breakfast joint in San Diego.
If you are one who enjoys a gourmet breakfast with a twist, Mission Cup will surely become one of your breakfast favorites.
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When I was in San Diego the first time to check out my new company, I had bought a Zagat San Diego, and they recommend Mission Coffee Cup as the best breakfast in La Jolla. I tried it and I have been back many times since. Mission was not the reason I moved to San Diego, but it was an added bonus. There are 2 Cons: 1. Getting a table, because it so is popular 2. Finding a parking spot, as it is in the village. Otherwise highly recommended
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I used to work here when it first opened up and it was challenging to say the least mostly because the space is small and the food so outrageously good that it was always busy. Opened only for breakfast and lunch, the Coffee Cup is owned by the same owner that started the Mission Cafe in Mission Beach. Many of the recipes are similar since Marla created them in the first place. She did expand on them and created some awesome new dishes that have become classics in their own. Tex-Mex with Asian influence. The rosemary potatoes and her spicy peanut sauce is to die for. Can't wait to go back.
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We finally arrived at Mission Coffee Cup after driving the La Jolla 500 and getting some unintentional scenic tour. Awaiting us at 9am was the long line. Great I thought! This makes the Yelp reviews look even more promising. This must be really something and so I ordered what has been recommended... the blackberry banana pancake with bacon and 2 eggs. Nevermind the fact that I just vowed to lose some weight. I figure I got 2 more days till new years.
As described, the pancakes were quite fluffy and yummy although I could do without the bananas. The presentation was immaculate. However, my hubby didn't seem to impressed with his hash beef.
Overall, I'd give this place a 3.75 if I could.
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Everytime I think about the Mission Coffee Cup, I start to drool uncontrollably. I never knew breakfast can do that to me! The prices are pretty good for La Jolla and really good for the food you get. I enjoy the pesto egg white omelette. The only problem is that the wait could be long and the indoors is small and slightly cramped (but I like this kind of environment).
This is my fav breakfast place in LJ. Better than the Cottage, Brockton, or Harry's.
The pancakes are soo good. The bananna blackberry is great with good presentation. The seating is pretty limited on the inside and out, but it's worth the wait.
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Besides the fact that the location does not allow for an ocean view and the space is a bit too narrow, the extensiveness of the menu is notable. What sets this place apart from other cafes is their chino Latino and seriously thought out healthy dish options: Zen breakfast(marinated grilled tofu, eggs white, brown rice, zucchini and salsa) and nuevo roll-ups constitute just a few examples of that aspect. I like to roll in here to indulge once in awhile into a different breakfast dish, such as artichoke scramble or coffee cup rosemary. It's a nice change from your average breakfast's usual suspects.
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Yep, primarily a latino-breakfast place, but with a heavy emphasis on chic super-healthy options. They have a whole "Power Menu" with things like brown rice, egg whites, etc.
Personally, I find the food to be a bit ... unfriendly is the best word I can think of. Or better, "uncomfortable", in that this is the opposite of "comfort food". The toast is dry (but heavy on rosemary), the syrup thin, the sauces scant. Really I've found only one dish here that I really like, the Roast Beef Hash and Eggs, which is actually nice big nuggets of steak with eggs.
This place is way more "hip" than The Cottage up the road, but you'll get far, far better food at The Cottage, in my opinion.
Maybe I don't do enough Yoga to understand :)
This is one of 3 "chino-latino + breafast place" Mission restaurants in San Diego. This one is my favorite breakfast place (the menu, however, is not limited to breakfast!)
The mission has a great array of hot beverages, fantastic blackberry pancakes, and I can't seem to escape my #1 item -- Papas Loco with eggs.
For a great blend of healthy, tasty, and inspired options, this place can not be beat.
Notes: some outdoor seating but La Jolla weather can be fickle. There can be a wait in the late morning and not just on weekends -- this is socal!
if you like this place, you should try Cantina in PB... or even the cookbook Isabel's Cantina!!
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