San Diego's bagel scene runs wider than you'd expect, from a long-running New York-style counter in El Cajon to craft morning spots in La Jolla and North County. This guide pulls together the county's best stops for a morning bagel run, plus a few neighborhood breakfast counters worth knowing about if you're already out the door. No chain defaults, no Gaslamp tourist traps: just the spots locals actually go back to.
№ 01
Intazza Mug & Grub
6.7Great
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Intazza Mug and Grub sits in a residential neighborhood with street parking and more indoor and outdoor space than the address would suggest. The breakfast bagels are on the menu alongside burritos and full breakfast plates, making it one of the more versatile morning spots in the guide. Outlets are limited, so plan accordingly if you are planning to work. The room is a genuine all-morning destination for the surrounding neighborhood.
What to orderBreakfast Burrito, Everything Bagel Sandwich, Cortado
№ 02
Mary's Donuts
6.7Great
Santee $$
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Mary's Donuts is a Santee institution, the kind of mom-and-pop shop that has been feeding the same families for decades. The glazed and old-fashioned are the standards, and the maple bar is the move if one is available. This is a donut counter, not a bagel stop, but if you are heading east on the 8 and need something sweet and familiar before a longer drive, Mary's is the honest local choice.
What to orderApple Fritter, Maple Bar, Glazed Old Fashioned
№ 03
The Cliffs Cafe
6.5Great
$$
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The Cliffs Cafe sits near the water in Point Loma and runs a straightforward brunch menu: breakfast plates, solid coffee, and matcha that regulars specifically come back for. The room is closely decorated and has the feel of a neighborhood place that earned its regulars over time. It is not a bagel destination, but it is a reliable casual breakfast stop on the west side of the city before you hit the 8 or the 5.
What to orderAvocado Toast, Matcha Latte, Açaí Bowl
№ 04
Hilltop Deli
6.3Solid
El Cajon $
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Hilltop Deli in El Cajon is a sandwich counter first. The Bomb is the order: fresh bread, quality cold cuts, the kind of deli build that justifies the drive east on the 8. The shop runs clean and the meats are the main event. This is not a bagel destination, but it earns its spot on any East County breakfast-and-lunch list. If Memo's is closed, Hilltop is your next call in that part of the county.
What to orderThe Bomb, Italian Sub, Turkey Club
№ 05
Memo's Bagel Cafe
6.2Solid
El Cajon $$
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Memo's Bagel Cafe in El Cajon is the real-deal answer to the 'best bagels in San Diego County' question. The style is New York Jewish deli: hand-rolled, boiled, baked, and served with cream cheese the way they should be. The cinnamon sticks are worth ordering alongside a bagel. Owners bring out samples, the staff knows regulars by name, and the shop has been earning that loyalty for years. Head east on the 8 and make the stop.
What to orderEverything Bagel with Lox and Cream Cheese, Cinnamon Raisin Bagel, Nova Lox Bagel Sandwich
№ 06
PopUp Bagels
6.2Solid
La Jolla $$
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PopUp Bagels in La Jolla leans into the grab-and-go format: plain and everything bagels with cream cheese, sold by the half dozen and meant to be taken somewhere. The room is small, the line moves, and the staff is reliably helpful. Regulars plan ahead and order in quantity. This is not a sit-down-and-linger spot, but if you want a clean, well-made bagel to bring to the beach or a morning gathering, this is the La Jolla answer.
What to orderEverything Bagel With Scallion Cream Cheese, Sesame Bagel With Lox, Pumpernickel Bagel With Bacon Egg And Cheese
№ 07
Donut Touch
5.9Solid
$
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Donut Touch is a neighborhood donut counter doing what a neighborhood donut counter should: good donuts, fast service, easy parking, and a half-dozen box ready to go. Regulars hit it weekly by habit. There is no reinvention here, just a well-run shop that keeps people coming back on their own block. If you are in the area and need a quick morning stop, it delivers.
What to orderGlazed Donut, Chocolate Frosted Donut, Maple Bar
$
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BCB Cafe near SDSU fills the gap that a campus neighborhood always needs: a non-chain coffee stop with pricing that does not punish you for skipping the big chain down the street. The acai bowl with peanut butter and the PB and chocolate power smoothie are the standout orders. Coffee quality holds up. The staff earns consistent praise from regulars. For students and locals in the College Area, this is the everyday morning default.
What to orderAcai Bowl, PB & Chocolate Power Smoothie, Cold Brew
№ 09
Coffee Coffee
5.7Solid
Encinitas $
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Coffee Coffee is a Leucadia cafe with indoor and tree-shaded patio seating, planted in the stretch of North County coastal just off the 5. The Orange Spice drink is the signature order, drip coffee is clean and straightforward, and the pastry case covers the basics. This is a working-and-studying spot as much as a quick stop. If you are spending a morning in Encinitas, it earns a place in the rotation.
What to orderOrange Spice Latte, Cortado, Avocado Toast
№ 10
Gold Coast Bagel
5.7Solid
La Mesa $
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Gold Coast Bagel in La Mesa runs a wide bagel selection and a menu with more options than most spots in this category. The veggie breakfast sandwich on an everything bagel is a go-to order, the blueberry bagel holds up on its own, and the muffins draw their own following. Counter service, low price, and the kind of neighborhood spot that does not need to explain itself. Sunny-day patio lunch is the right context.
What to orderVeggie Breakfast Sandwich, Blueberry Bagel with Cream Cheese, Everything Bagel with Lox
№ 11
Nomad Donuts
5.4Solid
$$
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Nomad Donuts runs a rotating craft-donut program alongside breakfast sandwiches, and the zaatar bagel with pimento cheese spread is the sleeper order here. It reads as a genuine standout, not a novelty. The island boi sandwich draws regulars too. Order online ahead of time: pickup is quick. The donut flavors cycle, so what you see one weekend may not be there the next. Counter service, casual, worth the stop.
What to orderZaatar Bagel with Pimento Cheese, Island Boi Sandwich, Rotating Craft Donut
Frequently asked
Where can I get bagels in San Diego?
San Diego has solid options spread across the city. Memo's Bagel Cafe, Gold Coast Bagel, and PopUp Bagels are three of the strongest stops on this list and worth building your morning around.
Who makes the best bagels in San Diego?
Memo's Bagel Cafe ranks at the top of this guide and is the clearest answer for a straight-up bagel run. If you want to compare, Gold Coast Bagel and PopUp Bagels are both in the conversation and worth a back-to-back visit to decide for yourself.
What is the best bagel shop for a group in San Diego?
For feeding a crew, spots with cafe-style seating and a full menu give you the most flexibility. BCB Cafe, Intazza Mug and Grub, and Hilltop Deli all show up on this ranked list and offer enough variety to keep a whole table happy.
Do any San Diego bagel spots also serve coffee and breakfast?
Several do, which makes them easy one-stop morning spots. The Cliffs Cafe, Coffee Coffee, and Intazza Mug and Grub are all on this guide's roster and pair their bagel offerings with a full coffee program.
Where can I find the best Bagels near me in San Diego?
Our bagels picks are spread across Santee, El Cajon, La Jolla, Encinitas, and 1 more neighborhood, so wherever you are, one is usually close. A few of the highest ranked: Intazza Mug & Grub, Mary's Donuts in Santee, and The Cliffs Cafe. The full list above marks the neighborhood on every spot, so you can find the closest.
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The data first, then the verdict
We start with the review record, not a press release. Every room here is a real kitchen with a strong rating across a meaningful number of reviews, ranked on our 10-point Insider Score. We weight consistency over time and the rooms locals return to, not the ones tourists pass through once. The list updates as the data does. How we work →
Diego Castellano
Staff Writer
Staff Writer at Top of San Diego. A Chula Vista and South Bay native who navigates by the freeways; the taco, fish-taco, cheap-eats, and brewery beats.
