Communal Coffee in North Park – A Trendy San Diego Hangout Spot
More than just a place to grab a cup of coffee, Communal Coffee is a trendy hangout spot that has quickly become an OG staple for locals and visitors alike in San Diego. What began as a simple place to pick up a morning drink and a bouquet of flowers, has blossomed into a community hub with a variety of events, shopping and healthy food.
I have been to the North Park Communal Coffee location many times, and I’ve seen it evolve over the years into the one of the go-to places in the neighborhood. This blog post is filled with useful information to help plan your visit, along with many photos we’ve taken over the years.
About the North Park Neighborhood
North Park is one of San Diego’s trendiest neighborhoods, known for its mix of modern and eclectic cafes, restaurants and boutique stores. The main streets of North Park include University Avenue, which is the heart of the neighborhood, lined with trendy cafes, breweries, and boutique shops. The North Park Communal Coffee location is at 2335 University Ave.
30th Street, another key thoroughfare, is known for its impressive lineup of craft beer establishments, making it a popular destination for beer enthusiasts.
Additionally, Balboa Park‘s North Park entrance provides residents and visitors with easy access to one of the largest urban cultural parks in the United States.
Embracing the North Park Vibe
North Park is known for its creative, forward-thinking spirit, and Communal Coffee embodies this perfectly. The café’s aesthetic, with its blend of modern and rustic elements, reflects the neighborhood’s unique character. Inside there’s a blend of hip minimal interiors, along with colorful wall paper, vibrant blooming flowers and eye-catching mercantile for purchase.
The Communal Coffee Menu Options
Back in the day (like 8 years ago), the menu options at Communal Coffee were limited to drinks and avocado toast. Nowadays you can order a full meal, hot drinks, alcoholic cocktails and beer and more. I’ve highlighted some of my favorite and unique menu items, basically cool things that foodie lovers can appreciate.
Hot Coffee Drinks
- Sweet Mint Cold Brew – Includes house-made mint syrup, oat milk and fresh mint sprig
- Coconut Cream Cold Brew
- Lavender Honey Latte
- Vanilla Bean Latte
- Hazelnut Brown Sugar Latte
- Lemon Almond Latte
Matcha and Tea Drinks
- Matcha Latte
- Coconut Matcha
- Ube Matcha Latte
- Blueberry Earl Grey Latte
- Chai Latte
Fresh Juice and Cold Drinks
- Kombucha
- Kefir Soda
- Cucumber Limeade
Morning Breakfast Menu
While there are many items on the menu that are served all day (including breakfast), the below menu items are only available in the morning until 2pm.
- Acai Bowl
- Granola Bowl
- Soyrizo Burrito
- Breakfast Burrito
Afternoon Lunch and Served All Day Menu
As I mentioned above, many of the menu items are served all day. Below there’s a few lunch and dinner items that are only for the afternoon.
Menu Items Served After 12pm
- Communal Pizza and Build-Your-Own Pizza
- Artisanal Charcuterie Board
- Ceasar Salad
Food Menu Items Served All Day
- Classic Bagel
- English Muffin with Butter, Honey or Jam
- Aioli Avocado Bagel Sandwich
- Smoked Salmon Bagel Sandwich
- Sweet Potato Pancetta Hash
- Turkey Pesto Sandwich
- And many more!
Artisanal Toasts
- Avocado Toast
- Pear Ricotta Toast
- Caprese Toast
- Blueberry Lavender Toast
- Can’t decide on which toast? Order a Toast Flight with Avocado Toast, Blueberry Lavender and Caprese Toast
Alcoholic Drinks
Communal Coffee has clearly evolved past a small coffee shop. This is evidenced by the fact that you can order wine, cocktails or beer to accompany your meal. Below I’ve listed some noteworthy boozy beverages available at the North Park location.
- Espresso Martini
- Wine Spritz
- Mai Tai
- Mimosa
- Craft Beer
- Wine by the Glass – Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc or Proseco
Alcoholic-Free Cocktails and Mocktails
For when you want to feel fancy and get the taste of boozy bubbles without actually drinking alcohol, you can opt to order the following:
- Espresso Martini made with Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Rum
- Mai Tai made with Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Rum
- Best Day Non-Alcoholic Beer
- Lyre’s Mocktails – Amalfi Spritz, Gin and Tonic or Dark n’ Spicy
Are the Communal Coffee Locations Kid-Friendly?
As evidenced by the available kids menu at the North Park Communal Coffee location, families are welcome to enjoy a drinks and a meal with their kids.
Your mini me can enjoy the following:
- Pizza Bites
- Grilled Cheese
- A Steamer drink in the following flavors – vanilla bean, chocolate, lavender honey, caramel or house-made seasonal syrup
- Lemonade
- Chocolate Milk
Can I Bring My Dog to Communal Coffee?
Many of the Communal Coffee locations (including North Park) have outdoor patios where dogs are welcome on a leash. You can even order a Pup Cup which is whipped cream in a cup with a dog bone.
Flowers and Coffee
Outside the North Park Communal Coffee location, there’s a big mural that reads Flowers + Coffee. This is because they offer gorgeous bouquets made daily by their in house floral team. Every season they have a new color palette, and they use on-trend fresh flowers to create these artful floral gems. They also have in-house florists at the Oceanside location.
A Popular Spot for Instagram Photos
Communal Coffee has nearly 60,000 Instagram followers. This is pure evidence that they’ve mastered the art of taking Insta-worthy photography. The interiors and exteriors of the building are bright and airy, with pops of the perfect mute colors. It’s hard not to get a good shot of people, food, drinks, flowers and products for your own Instagram and TikTok account.
Open Days and Hours
The Communal Coffee location in North Park is open Sunday – Thursday between 7am – 6pm. On Friday and Saturday they are open between 7am – 7pm.
Busiest Days and Times
If you are trying to steer clear of their peak times, I would avoid Saturday and Sunday mornings around the 10am brunch hour. This is their prime time for visitors, which makes sense because it’s when all the people like to be out and about. Later in the afternoons it tends to get more quiet and hopefully finding seating won’t be an issue.
Can I Order Food and Drinks Online from Communal Coffee? Do They Deliver?
While I highly recommend everyone experience this cafe in-person at least once, they do have online ordering and delivery options. On their website, you will select the location you are ordering from, and then the available items will populate on a menu. If you know you’ve got a busy schedule coming up, you can pre-order for later and select the future time when you want to pick-up. If you want the convenience of food delivered to your doorstep, it’s a $12 fee.
Workshops and Events at communal Coffee
In recent years, Communal Coffee has begun serving a lot more than just food and drinks. They are now a hub for experiences for their community. Below I’ve listed some of the popular workshops, events, and even dance classes.
Book Your Calendar for These Experiences at Communal Coffee:
- Sourdough Making Workshops
- DIY Gemstone Bracelets Class
- Communal Fitness Dance Classes
Can You Plan a Private Event at Communal Coffee?
Yes! The Oceanside Communal Coffee has The Annex in their same location. This modern and bright venue space is perfect for hosting office events, dinner parties, birthday celebrations, baby showers and holiday events. They have both indoor and outdoor spaces available, along with catering options.
All the Communal Coffee Locations in San Diego
The Communal Coffee family is always expanding with new locations popping up all over San Diego.
The Following Communal Coffee Locations Are Open:
The Communal Coffee Newsletter
Sign-up for the Communal Coffee newsletter to stay in the know about everything coming up.
Communal Coffee in Tremont Collective
I mentioned above that there’s a new Communal Coffee location in Oceanside. I wanted to slightly expand on this because Tremont Collective is one of the newest hot spots in the San Diego area. This new construction has several foodie and store front spots that are definitively worth exploring. It’s a great place to spend a few hours exploring, eating and shopping.
Haven By Communal
Last but not least, we have Haven by Communal. Similarly to the other Communal Coffee locations, this is a restaurant space combined with a retail space. It is located in San Diego’s Altadena neighborhood which borders North Park. The aesthetic is bright, light and airy with natural color schemes. The menu is very similar to the traditional Communal Coffee offerings, with healthy and fresh food.
