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Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
Neighborhood: EncinitasMon-Sun. 6:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
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Great prices on good food and awesome baked goods. The only downside is there is a long line on weekends, but it seems to move fast. Their coffee is delicious, but I also don't like paying "a la carte" for each cup.
If you are looking for full service breakfast, don't go here. You stand in a long line, put in your order, and are given a #. Then, you go find a table (there is nice seating outside in the sun) and they bring you your food. A limited cooked-food menu including delicious Greek Eggs scrambled with basil, feta, and tomatoes and served with a bialy.
They're a dog friendly cafe and the bussers keep the tables clean. Overall it is a good experience.
I walked here from a friend's house, but yeah I can see how the parkign would suck!
one of the worst coffee places in North County and that's saying something, since there really aren't any great ones.
Indifferent service and really bad espresso drinks. The people who own this place must thank their lucky stars for the location and beautiful building because that HAS to be the only draw.
I've been many times TRYING to like it and it just isn't good sorry to say.
Quaint place. Service was a bit rude. Food was okay.
I think the fact that it was thick with flies left a bad impression on me.
Well isn't this a little gem of a place!? The fam and I were out this way, and craving something sweet, so my sister suggested this joint for some baked goods.
AMBIENCE- defintely a hip joint, it's interesting, as soon as you walk in, you got the coffee shop along with all the baked goods displayed in their glory. To the right, you have a little knick nack shop, with a mix of food, toys, and the like. To the left, you got seating, which is almost barn like, but definitely nice. They have two levels, and outdoor seating, which is what we elected to do.
SERVICE- people working the front were friendly, and helped us figure out which of the yummy treats we wanted to partake in. They seemed to be "the type" that would work at a hip place such as this.
MENU- typical cafe coffee/tea fare, the differentiator here were the baked goods. They had a variety of pies, cookies, and other yummy, yet bad for you treats for you to choose from. If I'm not mistaken, they make everything on site, and use some high quality ingredients.
FOOD- Even though we had just eaten an hour ago, we all rocked out a dessert. We ended up getting a slice of coconut creme pie, chocolate creme pie, a blue berry and peach bar of some sort, and a third slice of pie which escapes me at the moment. We decided to the family style dining, and rotated each of the desserts. Each one was pretty damn tasty, though I gotta say, the coconut creme pie may have been to coconutty for me. It had toasted cocunut on top, and in the filling. It was good, but a little bit too much for me. After multiple rotations, we found ourselves stuffed and wanting to take a nap.
OVERALL- definitely a nice mid day snack kind of place. Turning left out of this place sucks, so keep that in mind. Otherwise, definitely a place worth checkign out if you're in the cafe kind of mood.
Celebrity Rating- Ben Harper
Love this place!! It's in an old train depot, and it sits in front of Pacific Coast Highway. The pastries are always fresh and the Coffee is always good. I prefer Mochas and White Mochas. The place has great breakfast and the service does lack a little. I did have a good barista today and it was very lovely out. The patio seating is abundant you can always find a place to sit inside. I will be back again.
Good Espresso Americanos. Wonderful muffins. BUT... the service is lacking - not friendly. And NO WIFI - what's up with that?
yes, please! The wait on a Saturday or Sunday morning is well worth it for a raspberry muffin and cappucino. It is in a beautiful historic building and kind of fun to see the whole community come out for coffee. On Easter they had hidden Easter eggs around the whole property and kids were having so much fun taking home some chocolates. I will also stop at the one on Via de la Valle if I am heading downtown. I once spotted a cake that was out in the case and completely moldy. uh-oh...
I have to admit I love their Chai Latte on ice. I have also tried the carrot cake.. pretty good...
A couple of concerns I have with this place is the rude service. The girls behind the counters never seem happy and that a customer bugs them when they actually have to work. Lets be honest.. its not tough work. Be thankful you have a job. This place is pretty dirty. Granted it is an old train station but the swarming of lies and other bugs and dirty floors makes you want to run. The free wifi is a nice feature...
Great place, I loved the building inside and out. It definitely has an artsy feel about it. The drinks and food were pretty good. It could use some cleaning though, like some people on here already pointed out.
The good: AWESOME coffee, one of our favorites. This has been around for centuries and it's always crowded for a good reason. The Vietnamese coffee tastes great and packs a punch! If you're not used to strong coffee, add some milk to it. They also have a great selection of tea here, we were able to find Rooibos(south African wonder tea)!
The evil: Parking...
The $: fair pricing.
I have been to this quaint little place a few times and have had no complaints. I mean it could use a bit more clean up here and there -- but then again what facility doesn't? My friends and I met up to get some work done and found that it was peaceful and of course, we were able to satisfy that sweet tooth.
I mean seriously, who can say no to a chocolate mousse pie? It is DELICIOUS! :D You should also try the Coconut Creme Pie as well.
The atmosphere is quiet and is for those who like to either study, have meetings, or just curl up with a good book. The only downside is that this place closes so early!
Don't take my word for it -- go try those desserts!!!
Everything here is GIANT-- from the giant yellow victorian house this cafe is housed in to the cookies (diameter= at least 7", circumference= 7 * pi = 7 * 3.14 = 22 inches!) , to the biscotti (7"x2.5"...HUGE), to the huge wedges of sweet breads, coffee cakes, muffin bars, brownies, and lemon squares, to the chai tea lattes (I ordered a small and it was like 16 oz!!!).
Glucose levels shoot upppppp as glycolysis commences...
You might get diabetes after eating one pastry in one sitting. Be warned!
So-- share!!!!
This charming coffeehouse has ample indoor as well as outdoor seating area and live music (local talent) plays outside during the weekend.
There is also a store inside the building which sells pretty things that look like they could be sold at Anthropologie-- unique housewarres, dainty espresso cups and beautifully painted teapots and tea cups, apparel, printed aprons, candies and other sweets in assorted jars, fancy picture frames, etc.
The whole place has a hippie vibe to it, which I absolutely love. The ambience is the best thing about this place, second to the CHEAP PRICES.
Next time I come here, Im totally going to nab a sensitive poet boy. Those are the types that are in here. That or musicians. Those types of boys are so vulnerable and malleable. I'll have them around my finger in no time. As long as they're not too emo. Cuz that's just a turnoff.
This location is so great and there's always a line out the door, but I wasn't impressed with my mocha.
And worse, the service is always slightly rude! It's an attitude they can afford to have b/c there's a line out the door. Well, I'd rather spend my money where it's appreciated and I'm treated as a customer not a burden.
Visited Ye Olde Pannikin this morning for breakfast.
Lines were long, stretching out the door to the sidewalk, but the line moved very quickly.
This tea house/coffee shop/restaurant is located in an eclectic older style structure right on the 101 Coast Highway. It also has a unique outdoor dining area and lawn, where you can find numerous chairs, tables and other things to lounge on while you sip down a beverage or eat a meal.
For food, I ordered the Greek eggs. They steam cook all of their eggs, so you don't have to worry about greasy or runny egg yuckiness. This also allows them to serve people VERY quickly, as I'm sure they have a batch of eggs steamed and ready to go.
The Greek eggs dish is steamed scrambled eggs with feta, tomatoes and fresh basil strips. It was extremely delicious! The plate also comes served with a bialy (a cross between an english muffin and a bagel), which was also very good.
For my morning beverage, I ordered up the Coconut Ginger Green Tea, which is one of their most popular menu items according to the person who took my order. Awesome beverage!
Areas for improvement: I'd like to see some potatoes added to the menu and into the plates, or a larger helping of eggs in the plates. Other than that, love this spot!
If I lived in Encinitas, I would be there all of the time.
If you've been on the 101 in Leucadia and you haven't noticed the bright yellow, old Victorian-looking house or their long, LONG lines, then you need to open your eyes son!
Pannikan is my, and everyone else's apparently, favorite place to grab a cup 'o joe! They have all kinds of breakfast plates. You can get an egg & cheese bagel sandwich. Or eggs & cheese with a side of bagel. Or just a bagel, hold the eggs and cheese. They have other options too, I mean, if eggs, cheese, and/or bagels are not your first choice. Also, if you aren't in a coffee kind of mood, they have gobs of tea, GOOD tea, and the Mexican Hot Chocolate with whipped cream is to die for! I love sitting in their front yard and playing with the dogs and small children. It's just fun. Go!
LOve Love LoVE the Pannikin!
Located in a renovated yellow train station in Leucadia, this place is the most popular coffee/pastry place in town. Reasons why: it's cool, it's scenic and people-watching-friendly, there's dogs, the workers are nice, and the stuff tastes way good. Oh, and it's NOT starbucks! Big Plus! Bleh!
The scrambled egg dishes are way tasty, as is the yummy coffee and tea. Can't go wrong choosing one of those pastries to nibble on either.
I always order the Chinese Dragon Jasmine Phoenix Pearl tea. Those little pearls spore out and look way cool in the bottom of my tea cup.
There are three pannikins, I believe. 1st one, my favorite, is in Leucadia, which is cutesy and old timey. 2nd one is in Del Mar, it shares space and hard wood floors with Bookworks, an adorable little bookshop. 3rd one is in La Jolla. This one's more like an outdoorsy patio, and the bookstore next to it is Wonderful! Try them all if you like coffee and sweets! Oh yeah, and atmosphere! Screw starbucks!
On Sunday mornings, there's the hair of the dog, then there's the curse of the dog. If you're not grabbing a Bloody Mary for your hangover, then you're likely grabbing a coffee at a place like the Pannikin and if you're lucky, a dog isn't grabbing your leg.
I rarely make it to this Pannikin because it's far away but it's my favorite stop on the way to Lou's for used movies. It has an okay menu, mostly bagels and coffeemaker-steamed egg concoctions.
I like it on weekend mornings during the summer, when it's hot everywhere else in town but the marine layer keeps the sunshine kinda soft. But be careful if you sit in the chairs or open tables outside, where dog owners freely let their furry little munchkins crawl over your belongings or your bagel.
This is one of my favorite places to go on coast highway...get a coffee and then go to Lou's Records. I enjoy their coffee and muffins...love the independents versus Charbucks. There finally is a sidewalk in front of the place and handicap spot. So, the only reason they dont get five stars is due to cleanliness of pastry case and condiment station...it could use some deep cleaning and then constant attention.
I've been coming here since before I could walk; Pannikin has long been a staple in my life. I remember when the downstairs was a funky art gallery. Some of my parents' Leucadian art friends used to display there and I spent many an afternoon running around there as a kid.
Aside from my nostalgia, Pannikin is a fun place to hang out. Great coffee, amazing collection of tea (both to order to drink and to take home), fun gift shop, yummy food, and great atmosphere.
The big yellow building was once a train station (that, incidentally enough, resided across the street by the actual train tracks but was physically moved some years back) and is decorated with all sorts of cool local antiques. (The giant pegasus that hangs on one of the interior walls actually belonged to the Encinitas Mobil station in the 80s.)
And the food! YUM!! One of my favorite things to order (any time of day) is the Greek eggs. I've tried to re-create the recipe many times but I never quite get it right. Pannikin truly does it best! They also have a great collection of baked goods, I can hardly ever walk past the display without giving in to that amazing chocolate cake.
This is just a great spot to have a cup of coffee, people watch, spend a lazy afternoon, and stop off on a bike ride. Of all the Pannikin locations, Encinitas has it right!
The last time I came by here sealed the deal. Whenever I'm in the area (or passing through) I definitely have to stop by Pannikin's.
What makes this place special is the fact there there isn't a Pannikin's on every freakin' street corner. Pannikin's seems to be strictly a regional thing and that makes it all the more special. For a simple caffeine-fueled eye-opener, the larger corporate coffee houses might do, but if you ever happen to pass through Encinitas driving down the eucalyptus-shaded portion of the historic Coast Highway 101, make sure you stop by the little yellow schoolhouse-
...well technically, it used to be a train station built in 1888.
A railroad parallels the highway and although the Amtrak Surfliner (nor the Coaster, San Diego's version of the Metrolink) doesn't stop in Encinitas, a seemingly constant stream of cyclists in their form-fitting togs, along with yoga-toned mommies toting their offspring, do. FYI, the line spills out the door if you go at peak times.
Now, I don't know much about coffee. I'm far from being the connoisseur; I drink my coffee, not straight, but with lots of milk and sugar. Still, I know enough that I like the brew here, but there's more to this place than coffee.
When you're exposed to the conglomerate-run coffeehouses, a cafe like the Encinitas Pannikin's is literally - and figuratively - a breath of fresh air. How quaint can you get? A refurbished Victorian-era train station painted yellow with white trim; inviting greenery at "curbside"; wooden floors, railing, planters, bannisters; red brick pathways - the atmosphere's enough to drag you inside the cramped, crowded space in front of the counter.
While you wait your chance at a barista, the counter tempts you with all kinds of baked goods, although I can only vouch for 1) the gigantic biscotti; ridiculously large, yet very tasty. Sure, biscotti may be designed to be dunked into coffee, but even when dry, these big boys are forgiving to your java-stained pearly whites. You won't have to worry about chipping a tooth nor breaking a crown, AND they're also relatively forgiving to your lap if you succumb to its siren song on the drive back to L.A. - and 2) the huge cookies. Usually cookies this big are a novelty from the "size-matters" school of thought, but these cookies are pretty damn tasty. I was pleasantly surprised at both baked goods.
Breakfast is also served here, which is good for what it is, but a tad on the expensive side for me; well within the budget if you happen to call the coast of Northern San Diego County, home. Yet, the price doesn't seem to deter people from crowding the tables in the small dining area out front, or in a raised rustic mezzanine level inside the station.
One negative for me is the narrow parking lot behind the building. Although there's access from both ends, the size screams "one way only!" while the alignment of the parking slots suggest otherwise. Be forewarned: there isn't enough leeway back there for a game of chicken.
For those of your who care, below the indoor dining area, down a flight of stairs is where they roast and store bags and bags of coffee beans. I feel sorry for whoever has to lug those bags around.
Pannikin's occupies a special place in the heart of this Angeleno that no Starbucks or Coffee Bean could occupy; a home away from home, and even with the cramped parking lot, kids running around, and lycra biking shorts worn over all shapes and sizes, I'd still try my best to stop by. It's definitely a must-do whenever I'm driving down the Coast Highway and get a hankering for a cookie larger than my face.
What the hell am I doing in Encinitas?
Well, I met up with a friend. Now don't get all Chris Hansen on them. It's not like that. We didn't go to Shabu Shabu. Haha.
INSIDE JOKE.
First friend picked me up on the sidewalk across from the Car Country Mall of Carlsbad, then we went to Lotus Thai, apparently friend still had room for coffee.
"I always have room for coffee."
me: /stares at friends belly "yeah you do."
just kidding, I didn't say that.
So driving driving more driving, we ended up at Pannikin in Encinitas.
'It used to be a train station.'
Fascinating.
Parking sucked. But we got a spot behind the coffee shop.
The line wasn't too bad.
People sitting around, inside and out.
The smell of spices filled my nostrils. Coffees and Tea galore.
Cookies the size of your face or maybe bigger if you have a big head. I should have gotten one. Next time.
I got a Cafe Mocha, no whip(Whip cream has 'fat' written all over it.)
Cap it yourself, just in case you want to add some of this and that. No need for a sleeve!
So I'm a sissy and have to wait a couple minutes for my drink to cool down.
As we were leaving the line was out the door.
Afterwards when I had to use the potty my urine smelled like the drink. Gross.
best cup of coffee in encinitas. hand pulled espresso shots, good drip coffee and an amazing selection of tea. the location is the best. sucks that they cut down that big pine tree on the grassy side of the place. its so hot over there now without the shade. breakfast is pretty good if you want something casual. its a little expensive, but i guess the atmosphere makes up for it. i usually get the greek eggs or the huevos rancheros. we like to sit out in the grass with the dogs where they can sprawl out and enjoy the sunshine.
during the week this is a nice place to do homework or get other work done. they have a lot of tables available and it is usually not annoyingly busy like it is on the weekends. service can be hit or miss depending on who is working, but overall it is alright as long as you know what you want.
i wish this place were open in the evenings they close way too early. it would also be cool if they served beer like the Perg (http://theperg.com/ ) in santa cruz. but that is wishful thinking i suppose.
This pannikin is WAY better than the one in flower hill mall! I think that the Encinitas location has much more history and eclectic atmosphere; with these two added together it equals awesome.
Esthetics aside, portions are really big, especially for their pastries. I can't attest to all of their baked goods, but their chocolate creme pie is delicious! I love coming here after shopping for records at Lou's.
The short and sweet review: Chill. Parking difficult. Simple California coffeehouse menu, San Diego hipsters (part plaid, part surfer, part entitlement).
My favorite is the Keith Richards (4 shots of espresso, hot chocolate and whipped cream).
Click to see some breakfast (3 photos).
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
the only downside to this place is that it's so far away from my house.
i am a big fan of the la jolla pannikin's, just not so much a fan of the aggressive feral birds on the patio. this pannikin's is lovely. same great espresso, tea and scones, plus a large outdoor area underneath the trees with adirondack chairs. it was an inviting space saying: sit down, tap a nap, enjoy a sunday afternoon here. even poodle chilled out and enjoyed himself sitting underneath the trees with the cool ocean breeze.
definitely a place to come back for a relaxing coffee and tea.
1 star for atmosphere and the building
1 star for being locally owned and operated
.5 star for food quality
.5 star for drink quality
The food selection is small, but the quality is good. The drink selection is good, but the quality is average. The service here is not very good. I've been quite a few times and they all (save one older guy) just seem like they have something better they could be doing when taking your order. Not a good quality when providing service.
We go for the freshly roasted beans and are ratings reflect that. Flavor is full bodied, however smooth taste. Price is comparable and reasonable. We used to go to Pete's all the time until we found Pannikin. We enjoy the beans from Latin America (Brazil, Costa Rica) for great balance. We buy about 1lb of whole beans every 2 weeks.
Hubby & I again cruised down from SC to enjoy some Pannikin. The coffee was of course great; tried the Keith Richards based on a previous review... good stuff! We also enjoyed their baked goods. Everything looked SO DANG GOOD!
BIG FAT minus one star for the chaos of their ordering system. Though the line wasn't long, the ordering area was completely bottle necked with people either waiting to pay or waiting for coffee. Cra-zy; so crazy, the hubby & I started bickering it was SO unpleasant! Sure didn't help when the short, fat lady bumped into me and literally knocked me over (too much cushion!)
I'll still come back. Hopefully next time things will be more organized...
My hubby & I stumbled across this place during an escape from OC. It was SO CUTE! So much character,… Read more »
Best coffee and quiche in N. county and an excellent place to relax and read a book.
You can be an ahole and talk on your cell phone whilst ordering your coffee OR you can be one of those clueless people who spends ten minutes trying to pick out the right variety of tea (No- it's a green tea, but it's a little bitter... Which one is that?)
HOWEVER: If you talk on your cell phone to your wife whilst ordering HER tea at 11 AM on a saturday morning, when the line is already out the door- you sir- are a total douche bag. Good day to you.
I've reviewed the Del Mar Pannikin before http://www.yelp.com/bi..., but the Encinitas version deserves its own review based on its location alone.
You see this Pannikin is located in an old 19th century railroad station right on Highway 101. As you step foot in the place you can feel the history. From the creaky wooden flooring to the large leaded windows you know that this place is special. It is broken up into a few differrent seating areas; outside on the lawn, the outdoor deck, and upstairs indoors. They have a small roasting operation in the lower level.
My wife and I stopped in yesterday for afternoon coffee and dessert. This Pannikin has more desserts than the one in Del Mar. In fact the case was bursting with cookies, pies, cakes, muffins, bars, scones and other assorted pastries. We went for the apple pie which was delectable with its flaky crust and cinnamon flavor. They made a perfect dry cappuccino for me, two shots and foam only. It was heavenly.
We sat out front in the low fall afternoon sun in a pair of Adirondack chairs and just soaked in the ambiance of the place. Sipping our coffee, closing our eyes and letting the sun warm our bones.
Afterward, we went inside to their tea/ gift shop and bought a couple of bags of tea to take home. They have a tea/coffee buyers club and will hold a card for you. Each time you buy, they will mark it off and one special day they will tell you that you don't have to pay for your tea or coffee.
I think I'm in love with this place.
It's a renovated train station over run with cyclists most days. Food is decent, but so crowded it feels overly trendy. I prefer something more off the beaten path, but you can't really go wrong with Pannikin.
I don't know if I just caught a huge off-day, but my iced white mocha might as well have been straight up milk - there was hardly any coffee or white chocolate flavoring. The redo (into a regular mocha) wasn't quite as good either, and for some reason a slightly undesirable aftertaste. They made it with actual chocolate milk. :\
The only reason they get three stars is because the staff was quite friendly, and the environment was large and typical "laid-back eclectic coffeehouse", which is still a plus in our Starbucks-saturated society.
Had "breakfast" here this morning (Quotes are because there was no meat involved.) Cinnamon bun was swell, latte was frothy, her quiche was a bit thick and a bit wet but not bad. Next time I may try the lox and bagel just to get a bit of protein. No room to sit inside, luckily the sun came out as we were shivering outside. Lots of dogs and bicyclists.
The building and the atmosphere is cool though. Thirty years ago I remember there was a hobby shop in the basement here. The coffee schwag is interesting to browse as well, and there are places to sit and work on non-crowded days.
This place is awesome. It's a big old house that was turned into a coffee shop. It reminds me of Spider House in Austin, TX.
Pannikin has a full menu, good espresso, and plenty of seating -- a great place to chill out in before (or after) a trip to Lou's Records.
I've been here a couple times and have been impressed thus far. They roast their own coffee and it always tastes great! There is a huge selection of fresh baked goods. The cinnamon roll was pretty good and the blueberry muffin was defiantely tasty. Don't be decieved by the long line on the weekends, they have multiple people behind the counter and it moves very quickly.
Serves is great, but always a line.
Delicious baked goods, great gift shop and cute setting.
All around great place.
Their veggie pannwhich is HUGE!
Neighborhood: Encinitas
Category: Diners
Neighborhood: Encinitas
Category: Bakeries
Neighborhood: Encinitas
Category: Delis
Neighborhood: Encinitas
Category: Diners
Del Mar, CA
Category: Coffee & Tea
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