In mid-March, I hopped on the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System’s Blue Line for a couple days and wrote about 16 places I found to eat, drink, shop and explore in San Diego County.
Blue Line trolley
Continuing with our series on dining and shopping while riding the trolley, on a Monday and Tuesday in early April, I took the Orange Line and found places for coffee, a shop with old vinyl records and movie posters, Jamaican food, a bar with hundreds of tequilas and mezcals to try and more.
This guide spotlights the basics of the Orange Line, along with 11 places to go in the morning, afternoon, evening or late night. Also, the shops, bars and restaurants recommended are no more than a 15-minute walk from a trolley stop on the Orange Line.
Orange Line basics
The Orange Line was originally called the Euclid Line when it opened in March 1986. It started with a 4.5 mile path, but in June 1989 it was extended 11.1 miles to El Cajon and renamed the East Line. In 1997, the East Line’s name changed to the Orange Line.
The Orange Line now goes to and from the San Diego Central Courthouse and El Cajon. It es through or near the neighborhoods of Sherman Heights, Logan Heights, Grant Hill, Mountain View, Emerald Hills, Encanto, Lemon Grove and La Mesa.
This line begins operating at 4:45 a.m. during the week and 5:15 a.m. on the weekends from the Arnele Avenue Station in El Cajon going westward toward the San Diego Central Courthouse. Going toward El Cajon, this trolley line starts at 5 a.m. during the week and 5:15 a.m. on the weekends. The last trolley service going east leaves the courthouse stop at 11:45 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10:15 p.m. on Sundays. Going west, the last Orange Line trolley leaves Arnele Avenue Station at 11:45 p.m. on Monday through Saturday and 11:15 p.m. on Sundays.
To ride the trolley it costs $6 for an all-day , $3 for seniors and people with disabilities and it’s free for people 18 years and under until June 30.
Morning
Light Bulb Coffee: If you are looking for a cafe that has a good set up for working remotely, client meetings and also offers a good mix of lattes and sandwiches, stop by Light Bulb Coffee in La Mesa. I ordered the most popular coffee, according to a staff member. The Turkish hazelnut latte is a super sweet drink with lots of hazelnut and an after taste of pepper and menthol flavors from the cardamom inside the coffee. I ordered it iced, but it’s also served hot. This place has over 20 seats and tables inside with a few tables outside. One of the more unique things I saw on my visit here were some small birds chirping in a cage. It’s about a three-minute walk from the La Mesa Boulevard trolley station. 8138 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa. (619) 713-6578, lightbulbcoffee.com
The Mission: About a month ago, I took my cousins to The Mission in East Village for their first visit, and they loved the expansive breakfast menu and especially the ones with a Mexican twist, such as the sweet corn and chili tamales. I had the baked banana caramel french toast, which is a very sweet dish served in a cast iron skillet with candied pecans and whipped cream. Plus, The Mission’s menu has a variety of specialty drinks such as an Oregon chai latte, a mango green tea smoothie, beer and mimosas. The Mission is right around the corner from the Park & Market trolley stop. 1250 J St., San Diego. (619) 232-7662, themissionsd.com
Afternoon
Caribbean Taste: Caribbean Taste may not have the flashiest exterior on this list, but failing to walk through its front door means missing out on some delicious Jamaican food. It can be found in a strip mall called Trolley Stop Plaza. I ordered one of the most popular menu items, according to Google customer reviews: the curry goat plate. The meat is outstandingly tender and melts off the bone. It’s served on a bed of savory rice, mixed with beans, along with a couple pieces of plantains that are sweet and tender. I ordered a small plate, but the portion was generous. Inside this small restaurant, which seats about 25 people, there was reggae and dancehall music playing and several portraits of Bob Marley on the wall. Caribbean Taste is located directly across the Encanto / 62nd Street Station. 6171 Imperial Ave., San Diego. (619) 795-1772.
Ferchaladas: Mariscos and birria are the tasty and greasy winning combination at Ferchaladas in Logan Heights. I ordered a shrimp taco and a tilapia taco. They both were made with tortillas soaked in a birria broth and covered with melted cheese and topped with a cilantro aioli, cabbage, chopped red onions, cilantro and avocado slices. Each taco was savory and had a slight kick of spiciness that gave me a runny nose. Both were also messy from the birria juices in the tacos. Ferchaladas is very small inside with about six tables, but there are also three long communal tables out front with red umbrellas. It takes about seven minutes to get to this small Mexican restaurant from the 25th and Commercial trolley stop. 2709 Imperial Ave., San Diego. (619) 230-5428, instagram.com/ferchaladas_
Re-Animated Records: When I walked into Re-Animated Records in La Mesa, it was like taking a trip back in time. I saw thousands of used 45 and 12-inch vinyl records from various genres for sale. Plus, there were hundreds of television and movie posters and standees from films like “Borat” and “King Kong,” videotapes, DVDs, books, toys from the 1980s and novelty item like a “Space Invaders” tin lunch box. This mom and pop-style collectibles shop is definitely a place for those who enjoy all things retro and want to relive their childhoods. Re-Animated Records does smell like an old stuffy room that gets no ventilation, so be ready for that thrift store type of atmosphere. From the La Mesa Boulevard trolley stop, it’s about a three-minute walk. 8320 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa. (619) 825-8363, reanimatedrecords.com
Thai Time: In an El Cajon small strip mall between a Marshalls department store and Mor Furniture is the hidden gem: Thai Time. It’s a restaurant that seats only about 40 people, but fulfills your hunger with various Thai foods. When I went in the afternoon, I ordered one of the 15 lunch specials, the pad see iew. For $11.95, I received stir fry flat noodles with scrambled eggs, sliced carrots and small pieces of broccoli. This lunch special also comes with a choice of various proteins: I chose the tofu. This meal is savory with hints of garlic and spiciness. The stir fry also comes with a vegetarian soup, house salad and a vegetarian fried spring roll. The salad was bland, but everything else tasted fresh and delicious. The food comes out in less than 10 minutes, so if you are in a hurry this might be a restaurant for you. To get here, it takes about 10 minutes from the Arnele Avenue Station. 762 N. Johnson Ave., El Cajon. (619) 447-2819, thaisandiego.com
Evening
Banbu Sushi Bar & Grill: Find a chill and relaxing Japanese spot with a large patio steps away from the Grossmont Transit Center. When I visited Banbu Sushi Bar & Grill, I ordered the California roll, because in my opinion, it’s a good way to tell if a place can make the most basic sushi roll tasty and delicious, and it was. The California roll had light and fluffy rice and krab that tasted like it could have been caught that morning and was not frozen then thawed. It came with 12 pieces for $11, but they were small so it left me still hungry. Also there are no food specials or happy hour deals. 8555 Fletcher Parkway Suite 106, La Mesa. (619) 589-0071, banbusushi.com
Catalano’s Pizzeria: Walking into Catalano’s Pizza in Logan Heights reminds me of many small pizzeria ts in New York City, but without the slices for sale. Inside is just the kitchen, the area to pay and a hallway with white tile floor where you can wait for your whole pizza to be made. Catalano’s smells like mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and various meats and can get quite hot inside. The menu has all the traditional toppings of pizza, including pepperoni, sausage, ham and pineapple, but also some curve balls like chorizo, beans and jalapenos. You can also order chicken wings, sub sandwiches, lasagna, salads and spaghetti. This mom and pop shop is approximately an eight-minute walk from the 32nd & Commercial Street Station. 3002 Imperial Ave., San Diego. (619) 231-9050, catalanospizzamenu.com
Quartyard: On the corner of Market and 13th streets is Quartyard, an urban park that hosts several events each month. When there are no events, it’s a relaxing place to sit at one of the man communal picnic tables and grab a coffee, beer, cocktail or something to eat. There is also a very small dog area with artificial grass in the corner next to the bathrooms. What makes this East Village venue unique is that some of the structures are made out of large shipping containers like the bathrooms, kitchen, bar and coffee shop. Quartyard is about a three-minute walk from the Park & Market trolley stop. 1301 Market St., San Diego.quartyardsd.com
Late Night
Casa Octavio: One of the first things I noticed walking into Casa Octavio is the numerous tequila and mezcal bottles along the wall. Some are above the bar, but the majority are in a glass case toward the back of this restaurant. This East Village venue also has two brown leather sofas with a wooden table in the middle to sit and enjoy tequila and mezcal shots, one of the 14 specialty cocktails and food that includes breakfast, lunch and dinner options. As far as specials go, on Mondays there is a special deal for 20 percent off margaritas from 6 p.m. to midnight, and there is a buy one mezcal, get a second for one cent, deal on Fridays from 8 to 10 p.m. 935 J St., San Diego. (619) 915-6967, casaoctaviosd.com
La Fachada: Right around the corner from the 25th and Commercial trolley stop is La Fachada, one of my favorite places to get tacos. The place looks like an old house turned into a taco shop, with a sky blue exterior and outdoor walk-up counter to order. I like to order the mulita with either carnitas or chicken because those are the most flavorful and juicy, in my opinion. The mulita is a taco sandwich with melted cheese on the two handmade corn tortillas that binds the meat, chopped onions and cilantro together. After 9 p.m. the staff will put out a large cooking pot filled with beans simmering on a grill with green onions on the side. Visitors can also find an outdoor refrigerator that holds various Mexican sodas and beers. There are about six tables to sit inside, but most people, like myself, like to sit outside to breathe in this taco shop culture. 20 25th St., San Diego. (619) 236-8566.
