The very first time I came to San Diego was in the Summer of 2005. I had been invited by a couple of friends of mine to stop by an outdoor music festival and spend an extended weekend being given a tour of all the cooler, “hidden gems” in and around their city- and I instantly fell in love with everything Southern California had to offer. I was a wide-eyed teenager and immediately clicked with the community- and I’ve returned a few times a year ever since to spend time with the friends and the extended family I’ve grown and developed there over time.
One of the places I was taken to during that very first visit was a small, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Mexican food restaurant on the corner of E Street and Tenth Avenue downtown- and is a “must visit” spot every time I come back. Pokez, which has been around since 1994, serves a pretty extensive menu of both authentic Mexican cuisine and vegetarian options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They make some of the best burritos I’ve ever had- as well as potato tacos that I have never been able to find anywhere else. Nothing even comes close!
Pokez recently added onto their establishment, and now feature a café and dessert bar right next door- so if it’s a little too early for Enchiladas Suiza or a Mexican Pizza- you can pop in for a latte or a freshly baked tart. I managed to do both during my most recent stay- savoring a brown sugar almond milk latte (forever iced!) on one day, and shredded beef tacos and rice on another. As always- the food was incredible and the service was great. Everyone there is always so friendly.
As long as I’m living and visiting San Diego on a regular basis, and as long as Pokez stays in business- I’ll be stopping by each and every time- and if you’ve never been before and find yourself in downtown San Diego, it’s definitely worth the visit!
xo
Coffee & Chiffon 