Point Loma is the home to over 20 coffee shops. Many of these locations are visited by Point Loma Nazarene University students daily looking for bursts of energy to knock out the day’s homework. Honing in on three of the many cafes, Point Loma’s community is reflected in various ways by each.
Margaryta Irving, owner of Vili’s Health Bar, is located on Sunset Cliffs. Irving said what makes her cafe unique is their desire to spread consciousness about healthy foods.
“We specifically use superfoods (nutrient foods that benefit one’s health) in our items that benefit our customers’ health and bodies,” she said.
Vili’s has also provided catering services at many PLNU events. Students visit this location, often hanging out on the outdoor patio or taking their orders to go.
Irving’s favorite drink to make is the “Macnut Bullet.” It consists of organic coffee, macadamia milk, coconut oil, MCT oil, Laird superfood creamer, macnut butter and cinnamon. It costs $7. Other popular items include their smoothies and superfood smoothies, ranging from $9-$14.
The Craft Creamery-Moniker Coffee Co., located on Rosecrans Street, is unique to the surrounding community. Combining an ice cream shop with a cafe helps create a sense of a college-based community, according to Kate Gilcresse, a third-year marketing major at PLNU who works there.
Gilcresse said, “Most of the employees and customers here are Point Loma students.”
This location wasn’t always a combined coffee shop, it originally was Craft Creamery. Moniker Coffee Co. joined the scene in February of 2023, expanding from the larger Moniker General location in Liberty Station.
A mile and a half from PLNU, this cafe and ice cream shop is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. This location offers indoor and outdoor seating which can create a study-friendly environment, however not many students study at this location, Gilcresse said.
This site is typically more grab-and-go since many of the customers purchase ice cream and then go on their way. Gilcresse said that there are some nights when students will come to this location after events like basketball or volleyball games to hang out, and by this time the amber-colored lights have begun to brighten up the front deck filled with patio chairs.
Gilcresse’s favorite drink to make is the “Viennese.” It consists of a double shot of espresso, 1 ounce of honey, cinnamon and milk. It costs $5.75. Other popular items are the regular and vanilla lattes.
Con Pane, French for “with bread,” has been a part of the Point Loma community for 25 years. They frequently see customers in search of an experience, not simply to grab-and-go, Rosa Nunez, Con Pane manager, said.
Their distinct flavor is “created with a unique technique that combines the humid breeze with the salty marine air; Point Loma is embedded within the bread,” Nunez said.
“This cafe continuously sees multiple generations of PLNU students who previously studied for their finals here and now are returning with their families,” she said. “To them, they feel as though they are coming home.”
It is important to Con Pane that nothing goes to waste, Nunez said, that all the end-of-the-day items either go to their employees, and their neighbors or are donated to various organizations.
Nunez said the most popular products at the bakery are their Artisan style bread and cinnamon rolls. The breads range from $3.25 to $9.95, while their Brioche cinnamon roll is $6.95. They also serve coffee, including a Mexican mocha for $5.95.
Being the small section of San Diego’s community that Point Loma is, this area offers a variety of cafe options to accommodate the diverse individuals that make up San Diego.
Tessa Balc 
Grace Chaves 
Grace Barrera