John Daly
a cup of hot chocolate with an orange on top
Coffee Soda and Sparkling Moonlight Tea!
outside
outside
Outside area
Looking into the ceramics studio
two people standing at a counter
Menu
drink
interior
Spiced piloncillo latte (left), soda coffee (right)
an orange slice in a glass of coffee
Specialty drink called The Big One!
a woman using her cell phone
Inside
Menu
interior
interior
menu
Nice outdoor sitting area. Great for kids to run around and color with sidewalk chalk!
food
Outdoor art!
Jonathan O.
Sep 5, 2024
Big thanks to Curtis, who was so welcoming and kind during our visit. The coffee here is excellent, loved both the Current Capp and 9th-and-J. Highly recommend The Rosa focaccia also!Necessity is everything you love about a local, top-shelf coffee shop without the pretentiousness or feeling standoffish10/10
Read MoreShaira T.
Jul 21, 2024
We went on a Saturday when they happened to have a market going in their lot. They share the lot / space with Maek Friends, a ceramic collective, so my first call out is parking difficulties here. The market itself (not sure how often they do it) was cute and had a variety of vendors, but took up the entire lot. It's located in a fairly industrial neighborhood with car shops and whatnot in its vicinity, so good luck finding spots on the street.They have Relic Bageri items on occasion which is the reason I went that day. They had a few specialty drinks and your usual drink menu for a cafe. The drinks themselves were fairly good, though not the best coffee I've ever had or anything. I also got a matcha and looks like they pre whisked the matcha itself since it sat in a bottle. It didnt affect the taste in my opinion and this helped them make our drinks quickly. Staff was very friendly!I'd definitely go back but maybe avoid whenever they do a market to not have to deal with parking problems.
Read MoreJordan G.
Jun 21, 2024
I was here when Lofty opened many years ago. And when Ironsmith opened. Encinitas is now a kind of coffee Mecca. There must be a dozen good shops. Necessity seems to be the new king. Impeccable vibes. Real care.Enjoy
Read MoreGeoff N.
Jun 19, 2024
Nope. I am afraid on four separate occasions, the coffee has been consistently "meh." I even asked them to remake a cortado, to see if there was a bad pull or something similar. No; the end product is less than impressive. Again, I appreciate the slightly industrial quality of Necessity and its surroundings; the staff are professional and knowledgable. But they seem incapable of pulling off a decent espresso drink. As I love the vibe of this place, I will ponder that question for a while. But I will be doing it an another cafe. Disappointing.
Read MoreVanessa D.
Aug 4, 2024
Such a cute coffee shop in an odd part of Encinitas. Plenty of street parking nearby if there is no parking in the small lot. Immediately upon walking in we were greeted and the barista was super helpful in explaining different drinks and answering all our questions. The coffee was amazing. The flavor was so smooth and had a beautiful presentation! I will definitely be back to try the other drinks!
Read MoreCaitlin D.
Mar 24, 2024
I came here on their 1 year anniversary. My first time at this coffee spot, my friend posted on Instagram about it and so I wanted to come try it out. It's supposedly around 2 hour walk from Del Mar/Solana Beach area. And while you're walking, you end up in a residential are and you start to question if you're going the correct way. Luckily they had this "COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE" sign that leads you into a dead end street. Necessity Coffee is on the left side all the way in the back. There's only 2 tables inside (typically seating 4 people per) and a few stools here and there. They had some tables outside as well but it was super windy and rainy. The workers are incredibly kind and lively. Will brighten up your day! - DATE CAPP ($6.50 plus sales tax so $7) and I got it iced. It is their Black Candor Espresso, date syrup, smoked rosemary, and Himalayan salt. I chose this because usually I'm a huge fan of flavors like rosemary, sage, etc. And dates are pretty delicious as well! As he called my name and put my drink out on the bar my initial thoughts were: That's it? For this coffee cup size? And that price? I don't know how I feel about this color...And I'd stand by that especially when I tasted the drink and I couldn't taste any of the flavors mentioned in the detailed notes of the menu-- besides the Himalayan salt. I'm a bit disappointed with that, but maybe this coffee shop is too complex for my tastebuds to really enjoy it. I'll give it 3-4 stars. I wouldn't come back here myself, but I have many friends that come here and love it! So, swing by and give it a try as well. Who knows, you could really enjoy it!
Read MoreKristelle B.
Mar 10, 2024
We finally got to drive up north for Necessity Coffee. I always see their beans in downtown coffee shops and I've been wanting to visit myself. The space is beautiful, full of light, and has an amazing energy. The share it with a ceramics studio which adds to the charm. They have some interesting coffee table books as well that you can browse while enjoying your coffee.The menu is a little bit hard to understand and can get kind of intimidating but the baristas were helpful in explaining it. I ended up going for my safe choice of just an iced vanilla latte and I like how they have some in-house syrups, I believe. Overall, found a new favorite! Coffee is decently-priced as well.
Read MoreJJ R.
May 17, 2024
Honestly a really good spot...kind of a hole in the wall around the street from Lofty in Encinitas but worth stopping by.Locally owned, great coffee, some good places to sit both inside and outside. Check it out
Read MoreJack L.
Sep 24, 2023
Fantastic little coffee shop that is hidden within San Diego. Wanted to give it a try with hearing how the owners experiment with roasting their own beans, expanding the boundaries of typical coffee drinks (like my cappuccino), and so forth. The service was fantastic, and the baristas were so attentive with a half an hour conversation about the coffee industry, as well as life in general. Lastly, the coffee was fantastic! One of the best specialty cappuccinos I have had in awhile, with a great balance between sweetness from the shaven peaches and notes of the espresso.If you are in the area, come here!
Read MoreTyson C.
Mar 23, 2024
Crazy little hidden stop in an industry/ residential part of town. Some table inside and a few seats outside. Great thing about this place is a working ceramics business that is connected to the coffee shop. Drinks are good and the staff is super friendly. You do feel welcomed when entering the property. Great people good drinks. Very cool spot that you need to check out.
Read MoreRated: 4.9 (41 reviews) · $$
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