La Jolla’s Parakeet Cafe Landing in Little Italy

Parakeet Cafe, which launched last year in downtown La Jolla, is winging its way to Little Italy. It will land on India Street, in the prime corner spot below Prep Kitchen and next to Salt & Straw Ice Cream; at 3,000-square-feet, this space will be significantly bigger than Parakeet’s original 700-square-foot eatery.

Co-owner Jonathan Goldwasser tells Eater that the Little Italy restaurant is currently slated to open in early December. The cafe is known for its fresh, health-conscious menu, which is based on organic ingredients; all-day options include salad, rice and veggie bowls, toast topped with everything from avocado to beet-cured smoked salmon, and breakfast plates ranging from a matcha waffle to greens with scrambled eggs. Besides beer and wine, it also pours a large selection of coffee, tea, and unique specialty drinks that include a turmeric latte, mushroom tonics, and the flat black, a mix of activated charcoal, homemade lavender honey, and milk.

Goldwasser says that the Little Italy eatery will have extended operating hours, staying open until 10 p.m. and offering additional dinner items featuring fish, chicken, and grass fed beef. He plans to open more Parakeet Cafe locations in neighborhoods throughout San Diego and beyond; the next one is coming to One Paseo in North County by early March 2019.