PorchLight Coffee

While the Pad Thai Stand on Garnet proves you can thrive with laser focus, PorchLight goes wide — French pastries, bagels flown in from who-knows-where, a matcha program that locals swear by, plus wine and beer if you're dragging yourself here post-surf and need something stronger than espresso. It's the rare PB coffee shop run by a French family, which explains the **Mister Croissant**, a buttery hybrid of croissant and croque monsieur that shouldn't work but does.

The space works for the laptop crowd — outlets, WiFi capped at 90 minutes so no one camps all day, enough tables that you're not fighting for real estate. But it's not precious about the co-working vibe; families post up here too, grabbing bagels with cream cheese that multiple reviews rank among the best in San Diego. The **matcha** gets called out again and again, which is notable in a beach town where most coffee shops treat it as an afterthought.

Staff is genuinely warm, not the transactional vibe you get at some boardwalk cafes. They'll talk you through the pastry case, recommend a vanilla latte if you're undecided, remember your order if you become a regular. Prices run higher than the surf-and-turf breakfast joints down the street, but you're paying for actual technique — laminated dough, properly pulled espresso, a matcha program someone clearly cares about.

Parking on Cass is easier than Garnet but still tight on weekends. Go early if you want first pick of pastries; the croissants sell out. And if you order the ham and cheese croissant, check it before you leave — one review noted it came burnt, though the flavor underneath was solid. Small operation, small margin for error, but the intention is there.