Normal Heights has been described as many things – quirky, eclectic, diverse, communal. You could think of it as the Brooklyn of San Diego – it was one of the first suburbs of the city proper and therefore is off the beaten path enough to retain its own unique style and charm, but it is also close enough to Balboa Park and Downtown to feel like it is part of the city. Normal Heights is unpretentiously cool, laid back, and happening, and they say it perfectly represent the diversity of San Diego within its borders – both economically and ethnically.

So if you want to spend a day and a night getting to know a slice of San Diego, you can’t really go wrong with Normal Heights. We love it for its people, its local businesses, and its character. We expect you will too.

The Itinerary

1. Get Coffee And Breakfast At Dos Palmas Cafe
2. Morning Activity: Browse Book Tree (A Metaphysical Book Store) And Shopping On Adams Ave
3. Have Lunch At Jyoti-Bihanga (And Ice Cream At Mariposa)
4. Afternoon Activity: Take A Yoga Class At Pilgrimage Of The Heart
5. Eat Dinner At Blind Lady Alehouse
6. After Dinner: Show At Adams Ave Theater
7. Late Night: Sing Karaoke At Ould Sod
8. Map To This Itinerary

Get Coffee And Breakfast At Dos Palmas Cafe

There are plenty of coffee shops and breakfast spots in Normal Heights, but Dos Palmas Cafe is our favorite. Locally owned and operated by couple Laura McNary and Valentin Salas, this place is charming, friendly, and most importantly, their food and coffee is delicious. They serve a top notch breakfast sandwich (and we love breakfast sandwiches), as well as more heavy, lunch-type sandwiches, alongside homemade pastries baked fresh daily. We are partial to the banana bread.

Dos Palmas has a lovely, expansive courtyard out back with a peaceful garden and various tables and benches where you can eat, sit and read, or chat it up with friends. The place has a notably local vibe and clientele. Go on a day that Liverpool FC won and congratulate Valentin as he makes your sandwich.

Morning Activity: Browse Book Tree (A Metaphysical Book Store) And Shopping On Adams Ave

Adams Ave is the main artery running through the heart of Normal Heights. It is the commercial strip. The meeting spot. The town square. Unlike some other neighborhoods where the commercial district has been taken over by chain stores, brand name yoga studios, and 7-Elevens, Adams Ave has managed to retain a ton of old local businesses (though it does have all those other things too).

It can feel like you are back in 1960s Southern California walking into The Book Tree, a metaphysical bookstore. Book Tree has sections you will not find in Barnes and Noble – such as Hypnosis, Conspiracies, and Psychic/Paranormal – and this is the bulk of what they have on offer. They also have non-metaphysical books too, if that is your thing, but c’mon – grab a book on cryptozoology and get to learning. Or maybe shamanism and entheogens is more your thing. We didn’t major in you in college. Do what you want. The owner is always friendly and happy to chat about the collection.

Along Adams Ave you’ll find other locally owned stores – a couple of record shops (Nickelodeon Records and WM Records), a couple of vintage clothing stores (La Loupe and Home Start), a folk art store (Back From Timoboctou), and Rose Reggae – a Caribbean and African-themed store of clothes and accessories. You don’t have to buy anything anywhere, it just feels rare these days to find so many local purveyors showcasing things they love.

Have Lunch At Jyoti-Bihanga (And Ice Cream At Mariposa)

Jyoti-Bihanga is a vegetarian restaurant in the heart of Normal Heights. They have been there since the 1980s, a restaurant with a reported purpose – all of the staff practice mindfulness while at work and attempt to create an atmosphere of peace in the business itself. The food at Jyoti-Bihanga is actually good, even though it’s vegetarian and mostly vegan (no offense… to vegetarian people). Try their famous Neatloaf and a side of mashed potatoes. The ingredients are fresh and you can feel good about yourself after for eating such a healthy meal in a place dedicated to peace of mind.

Disclaimer: In learning about the founder and owner of Jyoti-Bihanga we learned that he is a follower of a spiritual leader named Sri Chinmoy. You will see pictures of Sri Chinmoy in the restaurant and the restaurant may still be affiliated with Sri Chinmoy’s spiritual group, we don’t know. When we searched Sri Chinmoy we found that he is a controversial figure – there are accusations of abuse against him and some of his followers and outside experts have stated he ran a cult. We of course are in no way affiliated with Sri Chinmoy’s may-or-may-not-be cult (at least we don’t think, though that is what all cult followers say) and we do not want to promote any business that we feel has roots in impropriety. We will leave it to you to do the research yourself and decide. We just want to put this message out there.

And on that note, time to go get some ice cream.

Because you just ate a healthy meal, you deserve a treat. Mariposa Ice Cream is an award-winning, no frills ice cream spot a couple blocks away from Jyoti-Bihanga. Locally owned (as are all places in this itinerary), they serve creamy, rich, delectable ice cream that deserves all the recognition it gets.

Afternoon Activity: Do Yoga At Pilgrimage Of The Heart

So you just explored a metaphysical bookstore and ate vegan food. You’ll be looking to cap off your very-California day with a trip to the yoga studio.

Here at When In San Diego we appreciate wellness, legitimate wellness, and Pilgrimage of the Heart Yoga is a legitimately good yoga studio for your wellbeing. If you have never done yoga before, have no fear, this place has plenty of classes for beginners. They also provide mats and rollers and everything else you need. The teachers are kind, patient, and gentle, and the space is welcoming for all ages. They say “When in Rome, do as the Romans”, so When in San Diego, do as the San Diegans and get yourself on a yoga mat. It will feel good to move your body a bit.

Oh, and also, Pilgrimage of the Heart has some links to a certain Sri Chinmoy as well. Turns out this man is everywhere in Normal Heights.

Eat Dinner At Blind Lady Alehouse

How could we suggest anywhere but Blind Lady Ale House for dinner in Normal Heights. Yes, there are other good restaurants in this neighborhood, but Blind Lady is hands down our favorite. Good for everything. Good at everything. Read our review here.

After Dinner: Go To A Show At Adams Ave Theater

Adams Ave Theater is an old movie theater now reopened as an event space. They don’t events every night, so you may be out of luck, but it’s worth checking their calendar. They host Abnormal Nights stand-up comedy, Candlelight concerts, pop-up movies, and more.

Late Night: Sing Karaoke At Ould Sod

Ould Sod is a classic Irish bar that is not necessarily a dive, but not a fancy new cocktail spot either. The clientele are local, the cocktails are beer, and the service is tolerable, as in they tolerate you being there. The bar space is comfortable with big booths in the front bar and then a large expansive second bar out back with games and plenty of seating and standing room. Grab a Smithwicks and chat up your neighbor. They seemingly do karaoke every night, so drink enough to get yourself on the stage for some public embarrassment. It is open later than most places in San Diego, so be prepared to lose track of time.

Map To This Itinerary

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