Nutmeg Bakery & Cafe — Restaurant in San Diego

Friday morning. 9am. Dark and dreary clouds blanket the inland hills of Poway. Drizzle dampens the edges and furls of fabrics pulled tight for extra warmth; it's cold outside and I'm rushing to get into Nutmeg Bakery and Cafe, hoping it's as warm and cozy as it's name sounds. Nutmeg has great Yelp reviews and I've got a friend in town, so I figured I'd give it a shot.

The atmosphere doesn't quite match the name: stone floors, warehouse style ceiling vents, and an extraordinarily open spacing give the Cafe a cold feeling. This setup is an entirely appropriate on a normal California day, but on a morning like this the decor feels a bit lacking. The service is quite good. Friendly and attractive young women work the cashier area, the coffee bar, and deliver whatever fine delicacy you may have selected. I found them pleasant and amiable without being intrusive. I was a bit famished and ordered a panini, pecan tart, latte, and papaya drink. All were excellent. I appreciated the open windowed- kitchen where you can watch your hot panini being made. Deep down I'm a simple man entranced by simple things. Hearts drawn into latte foam for example, are a nice touch, and contribute to the warm style that Nutmeg exudes in attitude, if not in appearance. The clientele on this Friday morning was Sabre Spring soccer-moms peppered with the laptop bourgeoisie. I get the impression that Nutmeg is the place to be seen, as much as such a place exists in the area.

On a final note, paninis seem to have fallen out of fashion recently, although I can't imagine why. Nutmeg makes a delicious and compelling case for re-establishing their place in my dietary harem. I'm considering a serious affair with the paremesano: a luscious, forthright, and crispy little number that oozes sweet Margherita-style sauce. It was artful.

Happy...

Nutmeg Bakery & Cafe: A family-friendly gem in Sabre Springs, San Diego. This artisan bakery offers an array of comforting baked goods and hearty brunch dishes. Nutmeg expanded their space over the last few years, making this an inviting place for families, couples, and local foodies exploring North San Diego’s breakfast spots.

For Sunday brunch, we enjoyed a warm ham and cheese croissant. Its airy, flaky layers and butter richness complemented the ham and melted Swiss cheese to create a pleasant balance of salty and savory flavors.

The spicy corned beef hash was a substantial dish, full of brightly colored ingredients. It had a pile of vibrant scrambled eggs, corned beef bites, sliced green onions, jalapeños, red peppers and potatoes, and melted cheese. While the spice was milder than expected, some dashes of hot sauce enhanced its acidity and heat.

The ordering / dining experience was straight forward: order from the friendly counter staff, take a number, and settle into one of the many indoor or outdoor tables for efficient food delivery by the servers. Note: The outdoor area is in a cozy, shaded area with limited seating.

The counter service is noticeably friendly and welcoming. The floor service felt less attentive, likely due to the busy weekend brunch crowd.

Nutmeg Bakery & Cafe in Sabre Springs is a great choice for a tasty, mid-priced meal. It is well-suited for families or anyone craving artisan baked goods in...

Was excited to come here for brunch but customer service changed that feeling. Showed up for the first time with 3 other people and was told we can look at the restaurant style menus to see what we wanted. We walked over to an empty table since you have to order at the counter and wanted to see what to get. With many options on the menu it would have been great to take some time to see what would be best to get. Immediately after we sat down though we were promptly told by a male employee that we can’t reserve tables, that it’s a house rule and we need to order first. We walked to the counter, waited behind one person, placed our order and then walked back the same spot we were at before. I’m confused on what this place wants to be…. Do they want to be a quick place to eat or a sit down location. I could see if it’s very busy but there were a bit of seats available inside as well as outside. It just seems that common sense was not used in this interaction. Regarding the food, I decided to get the Avocado toast and it was fine. Was a little pricy for one slice(decent size) toast with tomatoes on top of the avocado. Overall I don’t plan on coming back because I’m not sure what this place is trying to be and there are other breakfast/brunch options that are either cheaper, or similar price with a more...