Le Petit Château Coffee Bar

I just checked their Facebook to confirm whether they really closed their doors, and it is true. Their last day was November 15, 2015. My girlfriend and I are slightly gutted because this was one of our favorite gems we discovered in San Diego, thanks to Unilocal of course.
Originally, we came here for a coffee and fruit juice. We had just finished up a pretty substantial dinner, and just wanted some place were we could chill and enjoy some after dinner refreshments.
Upon entering this place, we were greeted by the delightfully French owner. The owner is super warm and friendly, and the space is very comfortable and inviting.
We got a mocha and organic juice, and both of them were great. We chatted with the owner about cooking and France, right after we played a game of chess.
Before this place closed, I said you owed it to yourself to check this place out. Because of this place’s charm and great drinks/​baked goods, this was truly a gem. I’m sure locals and out of towners, like us, will miss this place because I know we are saddened by the fact that we won’t be able to return. But, I’m glad we got to experience this place before it closed its doors.
Perhaps, one day, they’ll open this place back up, even if just for a day or two a week.

Sadly it has closed just as we were going to try it.

Coffees, fresh fruit smoothies and all natural baked goods. Cute little location in the heart of la jolla. They get those pastries fresh every morning. my pit-​stop before work.

Almond croissant and latte are above and beyond expectations, the 5 stars doesn’t do this place justice. Everything is fresh, organic, and well made. Adorable meeting spots inside, and 6 – 7 patio chairs with French inspired tables and décor.

Delicious chai tea lattes! We especially enjoyed the almond croissants. I’m actually craving one right now. Dang it.
I wish I knew more French! I would definitely go back for the nice environment. Just wish it was a little cooler in there.
It’s a little hidden when you’re searching on the street. It’s right next to the dance studio.

I had a very good cold brew, the service was excellent… And they have yummy pastries. A place to go!

Went there for breakfast. Coffee was OK but the almond croissants were incredible! We pretty much ate all that they had left.yummy.

One of my favorite coffee shops in San Diego. Very cozy environment and friendly staff (owners: husband and wife).
Coffee drinks are great but I also love the orange juice which is squeezed right in front of you.

This cozy little hidden gem is well worth a visit. The coffee is delicious, the pastries are fantastic, and the owner (Damien) is the most personable guy. I love the white mocha, and the almond croissants. The quality and flavor of the pastries are equal to what you would find in the best cafes in France. It’s always a treat to visit Le Petit Château. Thank you Damien!

On our weekend coffee exploration we ended up in La Jolla at a place called Le Petit Château Coffee Bar. Charming shop, even more charming own, Damian who was very friendly. Great Cappuccino and Chocolate croissant. We will be back.

Walked in to Le Petit Château Coffee Bar after stuffing my face at The Taco Stand and asked if they had cold-​brewed coffee, which I didn’t see on the menu, but he said they did. I said it was for to-​go, and he asked if I wanted ice. I said just a little bit, and he proceeded to pour the coffee into a paper cup made for hot drinks. I’m not sure if this somehow keeps the drink colder, but I found it odd since I had to stick the straw in the little opening where you sip your drink. Also, it was like an 8-​ounce cup, which was tiny. The coffee was really good, but maybe the presentation could be worked on a little bit for the cold-​brew coffee, especially since it was $ 4.

I was debating on writing this review cuz of selfish reasons, ha.
I love this little place so might as well share the goodness.
Décor:
It’s really simple and inviting, a light and airy vibe with some classy and elegant touches.
(The music is great café music. Tasteful and delicate, acoustic radio)
Food/​coffee/​tea:
Delicious loose tea options and yummy pastries.
Only my second time here so looking forward to trying the coffee/​espresso/​Capp next time.

We sort of accidentally wandered in ten minutes before closing so I opted for a simple cup of drip coffee and the last croissant in the case to go. My husband skipped the coffee but grabbed one of the apple pastries. We’d actually just eaten, but I’ll never pass up a croissant. We both bought the pastries to enjoy later.
We ended up sitting at La Jolla Cove under the shade of a tree for the next hour. It was lovely sitting there, sipping on my delicious coffee. And it really was delicious. It was rich and a little nutty. I don’t sweeten my coffee at all; I usually just add a splash of milk or cream. I can tell if coffee is good by using this method. And wow — was this coffee great!
A few hours later we were home and ready for a snack (we like snacks), so we opened the bag of pastries, put them in the microwave for 10 seconds, and tasted. We both grew immediately silent and then immediately loud: «THIS IS SO GOOOOOOD!» My croissant was perfect. Absolutely perfect. My husband finished his apple pastry in .04 seconds and was ready to get back in the car and buy another one. Just… PERFECT.
My co-​worker is leaving for Paris next week and I have to admit I’ve been very jealous. All I want to do is go to Paris and eat croissants and drink coffee. Alas, we’re not headed there this year, but I can say with absolute certainty that I will be frequenting Le Petit Château Coffee Bar for my own little taste of Paris. I mean, the owners/​employees (?) even speak French!
I’m so in love with this place.

Absolutely darling!
I am always on a search for a really good almond croissant and after reading the 5 star reviews I decided to venture over and try one at Le Petit Château. YAY!!! It is very very very good! If you like almond croissants, come here. It is one of the best ones I have had in SD. Crisp and flaky on the outside and a nice softer almond center. Not too dry, good quality, just right, in fact I usually like mine heated but this one is excellent cold. I also tried the raspberry pastry and it was equally tasty.
I had a pot of tea and sat in the window, a most delightful experience.
The owner is personable and friendly, his wife owns the dance studio attached. I appreciated being able to smell the different teas before deciding, they are in jars on the counter and the owner insisted I smell them before making a decision. That is a tea lovers dream. When I was ready to go, he even offered to make me a to-​go cup of the tea. Wow, such service.
I will be coming back here for the almond croissants and tea, both were exceptional.
Thank you

Very nice I must say. Quality is the focus On all levels: Pastry, Coffee, Service, Astmosphere. There is nothing exceptional being done here in the first 2 categories– Café Moto Beans & La París Pastry but the service and atmosphere combined with solid product make this a 4 to 5 star location.
The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is because of the purveyors of product, although good, not unique. I also believe that with the quality driven focus of the owner, the place will develop, earning 5 stars no problem. I just like to go to a place that is so unique that I can not find the product anywhere else but there.
With that said, aside from one other place I know of, these croissants are TOP Notch. If you do not like French Gourmet, then you will be delighted with these pastries; and, if you do like French Gourmet then you will be swept off your feet :)
Comfy, cozy, unique, and that «go to» spot. Know that he does a great job with the beans he is using, giving Moto some great representation and earned respect. Doing it right from the beginning.
Almond Croissant-​Trust Me

This is the TRUE HIDDEN GEM!!!
If you can find it, you will be happy you did, you will enjoy the best coffee without the crowds…
We came across it though Unilocal and now it is our little secret.
Don’t tell tok many people or they will ruin it for us…

Very good organic drip coffee; dark, clean, & smooth. Complete with organic ½ n ½
The owner is great! Very generous, welcoming, & funny.
The atmosphere, with the dance studio next door & dancers coming & going make you feel like you’ve stepped into a lively movie yet it’s separate enough to be a relaxed comfortable observer

Let me say it’s tough to find pastries that remind me of Europe (I grew up in Germany) and one bite out of the Chocolat croissant, in French called «pain au chocolat» reminded me so much of home and the textures were a perfect combination of pure bliss! Also tried the Danish and I will add an extra workout just so I can keep coming back for more, haha.
My husband got a few left over bites from me and also loved them.
I do not like the typical American overloaded with sugar type baked goods, so this had the right kind of tasteful sweet for my taste buds!
Next time I will have to try the coffee as the smell was already very tempting and seductive. I also love the atmosphere, has a very personal feel. I dance and teach at the studio attached to it, now I can get my coffee on before I dance my heart out, perfect! parking is also pretty easy on the street.

Yes, San Diego had a number of great coffee spots popping up around town, but this one is located in front of a successful dance studio. I did not know that until I stopped in on an early Sunday morning. While I was here chatted it up with the owner Damian and learned that they carry pastries from Le Parfait Paris downtown and they use Café Moto Roasters for their brew right now.
While I was there getting some work done, I had a two shot Americano and a Café Latte. The Americano was firmly strong, robust, but had a smooth and easy flavor to drink. Bitterness was null and great coffee bean flavor was rich. The Café Latte was perfect in my book. It was smooth and rich with just amount of foam on top (
). The Café Moto beans strong flavors came through well in a good way of course.
The place offers some almost old world French patio seating and a very good WiFi connection, a connection I needed and was very pleased with. Yes, there’s a dance studio in the same building, and if you are looking, you get to see some lovely people, but what I loved about the place, was that it was warm, comforting, and for the most part, quite…

Thank You Damien,
Beautiful pastries and a desire to to make beautiful coffee what more can you ask for?
They use café moto espresso and it makes a very nice tasting smooth cappuccino.