City Heights Coffee House

With so many coffee shops popping up nowadays claiming to be so many ethical different things, it’s hard to really get a feel for who’s authentic and actually cares. With so many of these fair-​trade third wavers I tend to get the sense that they’re really milking a «passion» of theirs for profit, but that’s definitely not the case here.
1. Registered non-​profit
2. Hiring local teenagers to provide jobs for the low-​income community
3. Located in a lower-​income neighborhood, so milking the high earners is not an option here
On top of that, the coffee, conversation, and community seem awesome. I sincerely wish these guys the best.

Coffee that strives to make a difference.
I think the best thing about this place is the fact that they’re a nonprofit who is trying to get their funding to employ at risk youth and refugees. It’s awesome to see a business strive to serve their community, and I encourage you to ask the staff about their mission!
They’re currently have a tent open at the city heights farmers market and give you personal attention as they make coffee for you. Their menu includes delicious chai tea, Vietnamese coffee, Café de Olla, and black tea (for non coffee drinkers). Their variety truly represents the diversity of the cultures that exist in City Heights!
I especially liked their Vietnamese coffee because coffee taste in it was strong and gives you that jolt you need to wake up. My friend and I did ask for half sweet though so if you do need more milk and sweetener feel free to tell them!
I sampled the Café de Olla which was also very flavorful. I could definitely taste the notes of cinnamon, an awesome surprise compared to just plain black coffee!
Overall, I’d love to come again and can’t wait till they open their own coffee cart. It’s awesome to try different coffees from different cultures but also have the staple favorites.

multi-​ethnic coffee. never seen this before in san diego. super happy they plan to open up a shop in the next year. the nearest shops are more ethnic-​focused (ie, locals go there but not necessarily extremely welcome). other corporate shop is Starbucks. hope this turns into something fantastic :)

HEART + AMAZING coffee = Love.
Maybe I am biased. This place has everything I love: Started by people I care about, in a community I care about, this non-​profit does coffee right.
They are currently in their soft launch, at the City Heights Farmers Market on Saturdays (9am-​1pm). They offer Foxy coffee beans (formerly Ladies & Gentlemen) in a variety of ways: Café De Olla, Vietnamese Iced Coffee, Toddy iced coffee, and french press. They make these RIGHT. The super cool thing that they do is highlight different cultures through coffee, which is straight to the heart of the non-​profit: connect with multiethnic communities in significant ways. They have received feedback from people from different cultures on how their coffee matches with what they know, which is just a super fun conversation.
I appreciate CHCH for a million reasons, from the high quality of the product to the honest and loving care they provide, to the vision of the non-​profit:
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«We create a community space with a multi-​cultural menu that reflects the authentic tastes and preferences of the City Heights neighborhood.
We fuel economic recovery by providing employment, job training, career-​related assistance, and holistic development for at-​risk and high-​risk youth and adults.
We are driven by Jesus’ relentless compassion and care for our friends: the refugees, the homeless, gang members, and those who long for relationship, purpose, and a place to call home.» (
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This is all the things I love: Friends, good coffee made with care and compassion (from bean to brew), awareness of the community, and a vision of loving people.

A new coffee shop starting out at city heights farmers market! A new welcomed addition!