Better Buzz Coffee creates quite the conversation buzz in San Diego — you can't pass through the coastal area without hearing about this local franchise, which owns stores throughout San Diego county. The line was already decently long when we arrived at 8 a.m. on a Thursday morning, but the line went out the door starting at 9 a.m. My friend, a fellow barista and Encinitas resident, hopes to work there eventually, so we stopped by and sampled lattes on their menu.
I could instantly see why locals love Better Buzz as we stepped into the store. It's a perfect study spot for any college student to study, a great place to relax on the couch with a good book, or a wonderful socializing spot.
The coffee shop has a very simple, yet cute, and well-designed, modern aesthetic with a matching color scheme (even the cups matched) — twinkle lights; lit signs; wooden floors and tables; bar seating with a huge, open window looking over Highway 101; other small teal tea tables and chairs; chalkboard menus; a high ceiling; wooden merchandise cubbies, dressers and shelves; comfy couches; and a "coffee first" message on the wall. The tables even had a big "B" on the side, a very creative touch that made the interior design stand out even more. It pleased both my inner designer and coffee enthusiast tastes.
The cafe features a full espresso and juice bar as well as acai bowls, breakfast pastries, cookies, and a few hot food items. View the full menu here. In addition to drinks, the stores sell merchandise such as t-shirts, mugs, coffee appliances, and coffee grounds.
Flavors like vanilla bean and honey appealed to my tastes, but I spotted a seasonal drinks menu, —which included gingerbread, eggnog, and snickerdoodle lattes as well as a peppermint mocha — as I approached the register. I hope to try a blended beverage sometime later in the year when the weather warms up, but the weather did not suit a cold drink. I decided to order something to warm my cold hands, deviated from my favorite gingerbread holiday flavor, and settled on the snickerdoodle latte.
Since I like my coffee lightly sweetened, I ordered it half sweet. The espresso was a little too bitter for me, but the barista made it with a nice layer of velvety foam and not overly sweet, per my request. After sampling their espresso, I would recommend an americano for any customer who orders extra shots or prefers strong shots.
Although I love extensive menus with numerous choices, I'm very indecisive and appreciated Better Buzz's simple menu that still offered variety. I wafted between a ham breakfast sandwich or the caprese panini (on gluten-free bread, of course) for about five minutes. It was 8:30 in the morning so the breakfast sandwich sounded great, but I love any caprese combination — it's like an exquisite, Italian grilled cheese — so I chose the panini. The prices seemed a little expensive, but the quality ingredients made it worth the payment.
The sandwiched arrived on a white porcelain plate and my friend's toast was plated on a wooden cutting board with a small lemon on the side. Both plates had a pretty presentation. I'm very picky about gluten-free bread, but I enjoyed this sandwich because it tasted like cross between sourdough and a white artisan sandwich bread. The pesto was very flavorful and smooth, while the arugula provided a nice, earthy compliment to the plainer mozzarella and tomato flavors. The bread was also toasted to my taste preferences — a little char on top, but not overly crisp. The tomato juice made the bread a bit soggy, but that is typical for gluten-free bread since it is not overly sturdy. Nonetheless, I enjoyed my small meal.
