TC had her weekend volunteer gig so off we went to downtown's East Village...
to check out a new "craft coffee" bar near the Central Library, whose dome you can see in these photos...
We liked being out and about in the early morning (post 8 am). As we noticed in our previous East Village outings, there were lots of downtown folks and their four legged canine friends. I mean, practically everyone had a dog!
Bean Bar is across from the southwest corner of the downtown library. We met the two owners, Sandra and Jason (transplants from Portland, OR) who were so very nice and welcoming. No snobbishness at all and no old timey-hipster wardrobe (no vest, suspenders, fedoras, haha). Seriously, they were super chill.
Their cool Spirit espresso machine was designed and build by Dutch maker, Kees van der Westen Espressionistic Works; complete with handles, levers and dials (that side not shown in this photo). It looks like it could have come from a vintage vehicle. It wasn't crowded when we got there so it was nice to be able to walk around and look at their decor. The color scheme is robin's egg blue, white with accents of natural wood.
Bert chose their Honduras La Colmena pourover while I had the cold brew. Their beans are from 49th Parallel, a Vancouver based roaster which has a "cult" following. Not being a coffee aficionado, I wouldn't know, but holy $#@%, I'm a believer because our coffees were so good they didn't even need anything added to it (although I later did add cream and sugar to mine)! The pastries (both sweet and savory) were from Sugar & Scribe in PB.
Hipster decor, yes. Hanging terrariums, both spheres (as seen in this little corner niche) and geometric shapes (hanging above the counter), plus local art work. Can't forget the tillandsia (air plant) on the burlap coffee bag/table cover.
They had orange/mint water which was a nice touch.
Bert's pourover was so smooth and had no trace of bitterness or acidity. He liked the fruity flavor so much that he didn't even need to add any sugar or cream to it. We shared a bacon/egg/cheese quiche while Bert had the croissant to himself. Note to self - don't get the croissant ever again. It was way too bready and not buttery at all. I thought it kind of sucked. I didn't even want to take a bite from it, having been spoiled with the French style croissants from Le Parfait Paris in the Gaslamp. The quiche was alright; I've had the mushroom version before at Sugar & Scribe. It just needed to be heated up a bit more.
The view from our window:
As smooth as my cold brew was, I ended up adding some cream and sugar, but not too much. I wanted to have a bit of bitterness to it. This was one of the best cold brews I've had so far (I still like Cafe Moto's the best)
As you look south, you can see the Coronado Bridge...
Both of the owners are knowledgeable, friendly, and treat their customers well.
We will be back soon...
Gotta throw in a musical reference:
Bert is interested in trying the Ethiopian blends for a future pourover. As for me? I will stick to the cold brew.
Bean Bar
1068 K St. (between 10th and 11th)
San Diego, CA 92101
(503) 704-6573
sdbeanbar.com + their fb page
Reviews from You know where + a short blurb from zagat complete with a nifty map + the following articles:
East Village - craft coffee neighborhood?". SD Reader, October 8, 2014
"Feast - Coffee break? Take your time!". SD Reader, October 9, 2014
"Bean Bar gives the East Village a fresh helping of craft coffee". SD Eater, Dec. 5, 2014
This coffee bar is located in such a great spot. hope they do well. We hope to visit again soon and pair it up with a visit to the downtown library...
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