a heart made of coffee beans

Revisiting Shelli’s World Coffee Tour – Burly And The Bean in San Diego

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A few months ago, my World Coffee Tour covered the coffee scene in San Diego. I want the Bean Around The World series to be a growing series, so I’m excited to tell you about a new addition to the San Diego coffee scene.  I found out about Burly And The Bean from a friend whose family lives in the Azalea Park area of San Diego. Now maybe as a tourist, you’re thinking you might never go to the Azalea Park neighborhood, but since Azalea Park has a bunch of AirBNB options, you just might find yourself there! In fact, when I went over to Burly yesterday, I met a food blogger from Belgium who was at Burly because he and his family were in an AirBNB unit just up the block.

Burly And The Bean is owned by Justin and his wife, Vanessa. Justin had been in the construction business before venturing out to the coffee kiosk scene. His kiosk did so well, he constructed an outdoor space that’s like no other you’ll find.  Watch the video below to get a sense of the space and of Justin and Vanessa. One thing I can guarantee: you’ll meet lots of fun folks and have some great conversations as well. Justin and Vanessa are passionate about coffee and about Azalea Park and providing a wonderfully welcome space to everyone who drops by.

One thing I loved about the space is that all the artwork and decorations have been donated by people in the area who are customers. But after all it’s about the coffee, is it not?

Burly And The Bean has a roaster in San Diego who roasts two different blends for their coffee beverages. While the video above may have shown the sweet coffee drinks, I had a latte so I could get a true sense of their blend and technique. The small latte came with two shots of espresso. The blend is smooth and distinctive, not at all overly bitter or acidic, and created a nice morning latte. My friend is not a coffee drinker so she opted for a hot chocolate and was so busy enjoying it she didn’t even offer me a taste!

Finding coffee entrepreneurs like Justin and Vanessa is such a treat, and to see a neighborhood supporting them is wonderful. It feels like a time gone by, at least in the states, but hopefully seeing Burly And The Bean succeed will pave the way for more spaces like what they’ve created. If you’re in San Diego, check them out!  If there are any other coffee spots in San Diego that you recommend, please let me know in the comments below.

If you liked this post, please check out all the other cities I reviewed in Shelli’s World Coffee Tour.


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