Alta Coffee

Alta Coffee sits three blocks from the surf, a compact room of sun-bleached wood, hanging plants and mismatched chairs that invite lingering. The coffee is solid, crema that grips the spoon, and the bacon cinnamon roll is a salty, gooey thing you will not share. Mornings smell of toast and sea air. Midday brings freelancers with phone hotspots and locals who know the staff by name. Breakfast runs all day: the Sunrise Breakfast Sandwich is slammed with egg and pesto, the Chicken Pesto Sandwich arrives on bread baked in-house, and the Bueno Bowl can be ordered vegetarian. Service is brisk and familiar, patio chatter blending with the clink of ceramic and occasional live acoustic sets drifting onto the sidewalk. Street parking tightens on weekends, so aim for a weekday lull. The cinnamon glaze will leave a fingerprint on your thumb.