A new entrant to the burgeoning coffee roasting scene in San Diego has opened as of Saturday, January 19th: Dark Horse Coffee Roasters in Normal Heights. Located at 3260 Adams Avenue, next to the Normal Heights Post Office, Dark Horse joins the ever-expanding array of businesses that have located on Adams Avenue in recent years. Soon to join Dark Horse will be the double-team of Polite Provisions and Soda & Swine just down the street at 30th Street and Adams Avenue.
Owned and operated by Daniel Charlson, Dark Horse features house-roasted coffee (no espresso) served in a variety of ways: french press, pour over, and cold brewed. The pour-over selections when I visited were Brazil, El Salvador, and Papua New Guinea. I opted for the Papua New Guinea pour over and purchased a mug since the shop is currently in ‘soft opening’ mode and hasn’t yet received their porcelain products for ‘to stay’ use. The coffee was good, on the dark side but not bitter.
In addition to being the owner and roaster Mr. Charlson also designed and built pretty much everything in the shop: the register, the wood sections on the walls, and most likely anything else you see as well. The shop has a cozy feel and a large window that looks out onto busy Adams Avenue. Cheers to a young entrepreneur that is willing to take the initiative to start a business and also skilled and creative enough to envision and create the physical space for that business. Personal touches are evident as well, including the collection of license plates from Mr. Charlson’s native state of Hawaii.
If you’re in Normal Heights or looking to try a new coffee roaster Dark Horse is worth a visit. Additionally, they utilize Square for processing payments and if you use the Square Wallet mobile app there is currently a deal for half off your first purchase at the shop. Just in case you needed another reason to visit.
For more information check out the company website or twitter account. Hours are 7 AM – 4 PM daily.
John P. Anderson
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Thanks for the review! I keep driving past this place and wondering what it’s like. Will have to stop in next time.
Hope you like it! If you go tomorrow I might see you there. Have a good weekend. :)
Thanks for alerting me to this. I love this new trend. I hope they do some lighter roasts, those are harder to find.
I think the roasting here will be on the lighter side. The Papua New Guinea was just on the dark side of medium and it was the darkest roast available the day I was there. Cafe Virtuoso also has some nice roasts on the lighter side, if you aren’t already familiar.
GREAT………another promising coffee place that, being the coffee snob that I am, I will absolutely HAVE to visit.
How is it compared to Caffe Calabria? I like their coffee, but it has this distinct, unusual twang to it–but it is buttery smooth, though.
In all seriousness, I’m always looking for coffee shops other than the ubiquitous Starbucks. And I’m intrigued by places like Caffe Calabria and Ryan Bros. in Barrio Logan that roast their own on site.
I’m not a huge fan of Calabria for coffee, but love their espresso. I actually usually drink their coffee at Influx in Golden Hill (they serve Calabria) and prefer their drip at Influx to in their own store. Weird, but that’s how it’s been for me. But the espresso (and espresso drinks) at Calabria are top notch.
Ryan Bros. is probably my third favorite of the Barrio Logan roasters. I’d go Cafe Virtuoso, Cafe Moto, then Ryan Bros. Moto does get extra props for their great design and wholesale store attached to the cafe.
Another awesome spot (probably my tops in SD) is Bird Rock Coffee on La Jolla Blvd. Amazing layout and design, fantastic coffee.
I almost mentioned Cafe Moto…..never been there, but Big City Bagel in Hillcrest brews Cafe Moto coffees, and it’s pretty damn good!
We are limiting this discussion to places that roast their own beans, right?
Yeah, all the above do their own roasting. Another really good one is Coffee & Tea Collective on El Cajon (2911, near 30th). Really smooth coffee.
I buy Cafe Virtuoso beans at the Public Market and love their iced coffee, which is made using a very neat system. Also Madmen Roasters at the Hillcrest Farmers Market is good for plantation specific coffees.