You Must Try These Spots on Sunset Cliffs Blvd

By Samantha Mason

Today, I journeyed down to Sunset Cliffs Boulevard. It was rainy and muggy out, and I felt like I was in Florida rather than Ocean Beach. I wanted to take advantage of the rain and go back out to explore some of the businesses on OB’s main north-south avenue.

I arrived at noon on Thursday afternoon, and scored a street parking spot. (I’ll consider this a redemption from my “Ocean Beach Has The Character I’ve Been Missing” story, where I embarrassingly admitted to paying over $20 for parking in –what am I, a tourist?)

Blendies (1830 Sunset Cliffs Blvd)

My first stop was Blendies, a small smoothie and acai bowl spot on the corner of Sunset Cliffs and Niagara Ave. I met a woman behind the counter named Jessie, who is one of the business partners. She told me Blendies has only been open for a month, and they also own Social Thai Kitchen next door. It’s a family business, and the inspiration to open the location came from their love of cafe culture.

Jessie noted she loves the chill energy of Ocean Beach patrons, and that “everyone walks their dog everywhere.” They have an enticing menu of smoothies, milk teas, and matcha – I will definitely return to try out their strawberry matcha! They also have an adorable patio right on the boulevard. Their menu and delivery options can be found at https://order.snackpass.co/blendies.

The Cliffs Cafe (1830 Sunset Cliffs Blvd)

Right next door was The Cliffs Cafe. I had a conversation with a barista, Bryan, who was kind enough to tell me about his experience working at the cafe. He expressed how one of his favorite parts of this location is speaking and meeting new people; “I love to give them a great experience when they come in,” he noted. He also recommended the Funky Monkey frappuccino, a decadent combination of banana, espresso peanut butter, milk, and dark chocolate classico. More information about The Cliffs Cafe and their story can be found on their website https://thecliffscafego.twupro.com/.

Ultreya (1785 Sunset Cliffs Blvd)

I’ve been looking forward to checking out Ultreya, another coffee spot. It is women/queer owned and operated, which I always like to see. I immediately loved the outside of the building, and the inside only got better. These types of places are always my cup of tea – cute decor, interesting and artisanal products for sale, etc. I looked through all of their products and decided on some herbal joints, made with lemon balm and chamomile for relaxation (no THC included). I chatted with Ray, a barista, who was welcoming. He said he most appreciated the community that comes with being in OB, and also “meeting new people.”

While this location has only been open since November, their other location near SDSU has been operating since 2018. As a San Diego State alum, I’m kicking myself for not trying this place out while I was living in the College Area. Ray mentioned that Ultreya will be launching their specialty seasonal drinks soon, so make sure to keep an eye out! Their website is https://ultreyacoffee.com/.

Rosemarie’s (1774 Sunset Cliffs Blvd)

I had the privilege of speaking with chef Nick, the owner of Rosemarie’s. A delectable burger joint, Rosemarie’s has been decorated with a myriad of awards. These include San Diego Magazine’s Best Burger in 2024, Yelp’s Top 100 Places To Eat in 2024 and in 2025, and, impressively, has been recognized by the state senate as one of Yelp’s Top 100 US Restaurants in 2025. Nick first started catering, pop-up, and food truck operations before launching the first Rosemarie’s in Mission Beach.

He drew inspiration from his grandmother, a Sicilian immigrant who instilled in him a love of food. Nick’s charisma and passion really shone through our entire conversation, and I enjoyed my time speaking with him. As for the exemplary customer experience, “you’ll feel it when you come in,” Nick said. He notes a key to his success as not letting anything limit him, and if you love your customers, you’ll succeed. Make sure to check out this San Diego gem, and learn more about them at https://rosemariesburgers.com/#.

Vili’s Health Bar (1780 Sunset Cliffs Blvd)

Next on my list was Vili’s Health Bar, a bright little health food spot. Upon entry, I immediately felt welcome, in part due to their “it’s a good day to have a good day” sign. I met Margarita, one of the co-owners. When I asked her what drew them to open a health spot specifically, she said “healthy food is the only food I think should exist.” And I agree! They offer a wide array of coffee, matcha, juice shots, acai bowls, avocado toast, and more. One of my favorite things about this place is that everything is made to order, and is never premade or frozen. Even their coffee beans are pesticide-free and organic. I’m definitely wanting to try their bullet coffee (what they’re known for), because you can order your drink with superfood add-ins. Check them out at https://www.vilishealthbar.com/.

Excelsa Cafe (1855 Sunset Cliffs Blvd)

Without a doubt, my experience at Excelsa Cafe was the best of the day. I had the chance to meet Olin Patterson, co-founder of Excelsa. When I walked in, I was expecting an interaction similar to all my others — cool, friendly people and laid-back vibes. But, this was way more. I was taken aback by the story and passion of Excelsa. Patterson introduced me to an entirely new world of coffee. Most of the coffee we drink is Arabica, which comes from small shrubs. Excelsa comes from large trees, and can take years until it’s ready to harvest. So why are Patterson, and his co-founder Michael Mazzotta, so dead set on this new bean? Climate change. Excelsa trees are huge and have deep roots; making them more climate resilient. The Arabica coffee market is in active decline, due to climate change affecting the crops (the New York Times covered this issue in 2023). More and more coffee farmers globally are out of work due to large corporations investing in creating synthetic coffees instead. Excelsa seeks to flip the script.

The Excelsa coffee grown and harvested by Patterson and Mazzotta is completely pesticide and chemical free, a welcome change to most Arabica blends we all drink. This type of coffee has a lighter and fruitier taste, with less bitterness and a slightly lower caffeine content. It is hailed as a “unique coffee experience.” Patterson also expressed that the point of their tasting room on Sunset Cliffs is to “add value, not compete” with other cafes.

I enjoyed learning about this whole new world of coffee. I do believe this new type of coffee can change how coffee is grown and consumed worldwide. The Coffee Review recognized Patteron and Mazzotta specifically, saying “the only reason we have any Excelsa at all available in the U.S. specialty world may be owing to a single company: Excelsa Coffee.” Patterson expanded on this, expressing that Excelsa Coffee wants to “plant the flag” for the future of coffee right here in San Diego. They were kind enough to let me try a cold brew and send me home with a bag of coffee. I can for sure say that I also hope that this is the future of coffee – I was stunned at how delicious it was! Do yourself a favor and learn more about them at https://excelsacoffee.com/.

Truthfully, everything I want to say about this company and their mission would make this article a million miles long; I learned so much from Patterson that I would love to profile him and Excelsa in detail. If that’s something the Rag readers want, let me know!

All in all, I left OB feeling grateful for this city, and excited to return. They don’t call OB the coolest beach in America’s Finest City for nothing; until next time!

Samantha Mason is a journalist based out of North County. An alum of San Diego State University, she has written for Coast News, the San Diego Gulls and more. When she’s not chasing a good story, you can find her trying out a new brewery or walking her 3-year-old lab, Clover. Follow her on X @samantha3mason.