Olive Oil Organic Cafe

I’ve toyed with the idea of writing this review for awhile. You see, I’ve never actually been to the IB storefront; I’ve only been to the outpost in West Commons at SDSU. I thought about adding a Unilocal page for the SDSU location, except that West Commons doesn’t exactly have its own address, other than the university’s address. I thought about just skipping the review altogether, for the sake of being a purist about only reviewing the specific location of a business that I’ve actually been to.
But here’s the thing … the FOOD. So far I’ve tried eight of the ten vegetarian sandwiches they have listed at the West Commons location, as well as two of the six meat-​based sandwiches. Favorites would have to include the Green Goddess (I remember portobello mushrooms, spinach, and I think goat cheese, but there was so much harmonious deliciousness going on in that flavor explosion that I think my memory has been impaired), the Pear Gorgonzola, and the Holiday (which, of course, is like Thanksgiving on a slice of mouthwatering ciabatta bread … while they also offer wheat and sourdough, you just have to try the ciabatta).
And the SOUP … my favorites so far have been the mushroom soup and the butternut squash. I want to take a bath in this freaking soup. I’ve had a few other selections that were also quite good, but those two – the mushroom and the butternut – were otherworldly. I had to restrain myself from licking the bottom of the cup.
On top of everything else, the staff is so friendly. They’re always quite busy, but instead of the brusqueness you might expect from quick-​service employees with a long line of customers, the staff at Olive Oil Café are always warm and welcoming.
Prices are a smidge on the expensive side ($ 7.99 for vegetarian sandwiches; $ 8.99 for meat-​based sandwiches). I wish I could justify eating here more often. But you know what? I don’t even care. When your product is this good, you can charge whatever you want, and people will pay it. My weekly (okay, okay, fine, sometimes semiweekly) treat here isn’t breaking me too badly.
If you find yourself in the vicinity of SDSU and looking for lunch, drag your rear over to West Commons and give Olive Oil a try. If you don’t like it, I’ll eat my hat (especially if that hat happens to be a sandwich from Olive Oil Café).

Always get the Southwestern at the SDSU farmers market! I’ve been getting Olive Oil since they started at SDSU and I’m never disappointed. I forget the owner’s name but she’s the best!

Sad situation … amazing products if you can get them at the farmers market but the businesses store is clearly unmaintained and appears OUT OF BUSINESS. I’ve tried several times to come during posted business hours with no luck.
Its a shame to see such a great possibility of a successful business ruining their reputation by advertising a store they done have.

They’re gluten-​free baked goods are AMAZING! I had their carrot cake and lemon bars at the Sunday Market and they are the BEST!
I’m only giving them 3 stars because I drove all the way to their location at Imperial Beach and it was closed. I asked around the shops and they said that the placed had been closed for a while — so not sure whats going on with management.
Hopefully I’ll get to try their baked goods again one day!

I LOVE this place. My absolute favorite sandwich and dessert shop in San Diego County. I first was introduced to Olive Organic Café at the San Diego State University Farmers’ Market. The ladies who run the café are so sweet and give excellent customer service.
They make AMAZING vegetarian sandwiches as well as the tastiest treats — cookies, 7-​layer bars, etc.
You should check them out at their IB storefront, or at SDSU’s Farmers’ Market OR inside SDSU’s West Commons — yes they have their own place at SDSU since they were that popular at the Farmers’ Market.

Love the sandwiches but they are a bit $$$. Healthy food in IB, & also serving sweet treats at Farmer’s Markets like Saturday at the Little Italy Mercato! Good, low key but a bit pricey. Good for you always = expensive…

I first came upon these sandwiches at the SDSU farmer’s market. Among the many great organic and ethnic foods available, this deli’s sandwiches stood out. After my first couple of semesters, I changed my schedule and was not able to make it to the farmer’s market any longer, but was aware that the store was in the Imperial Beach area. Two semesters later I set out to find it, and was finally successful today.
The store is tucked away in a small shopping center on Palm and Rainbow, which makes it pretty easy to get to. The Café is actually inside of a store called Suncoast. Stepping in the store, I was taken aback after seeing that the store was pretty sad to say the least.
As is said, however, don’t judge a book by its cover. I ordered the Italian Stallion sandwich, made with ham, roasted tomatoes and an aeoli that ties the flavors together making the sandwich nothing short of delectable.
I have had the California Love, as well as their brownies and cookies, which are all also very tasty.
The store is a definite fixer upper, and I would avoid the bottled all-​natural ginger ale they serve, but otherwise this local family-​owned deli is a definite must-​have.

They were at the Farmer’s Market at SDSU, as they are every Thursday and I decided to stop by. I got the Southwestern on multi-​grain and it wasn’t anything too special. I asked for no jalapenos, but the guy put it on, anyway. That’s fine, I was able to pick it out. The bread was delicious, but I didn’t taste much of the chipotle aoli. So all in all, it was a good sandwich, but nothing remarkable. And the workers were nice, as well.

I am not vegetarian or vegan but GAWD their green goddess portobello mushroom sandwich is sooo good. My friends who are also not vegetarian were like. is that meat? that looks good! They have cookie bars that I think are a bit overpriced at $ 2 for a small size but they are good as well.
really great place to try if you want to try a vegetable sandwich. They also serve ones with meat but I never tried those.
4 stars for being a bit overpriced and also for not giving me a cookie that one time when you charged me for it =/​
but 4 stars because your sandwiches are good!

I haven’t been able to shut up about the delicacies I discovered at the farmers market for months! Everyone who says «gluten free,» I say «Holy crap, you have to try these desserts…»
So you can only imagine my disappointment when I drove 30 minutes to check out their sandwiches and desserts at their store in IB, only for it to be closed, despite it saying 10AM — 3PM on here.
If you’re going to put a ‘People love us on Unilocal’ sticker on your door, maybe make sure your hours are up to date? Still — I understand things happen…
The 2 stars comes from the horrific customer service I received when I called the listed number. When I asked the gentleman if they were closed, he responded with «yes, every Saturday and Sunday.» When I explained that their Unilocal account says otherwise, he started arguing with me saying that it didn’t (Really?) and that they haven’t been open on a Saturday in over 3 years. He then continued on — talking over me — to say that someone must have went in and edited it. Ok? I was simply calling to inquire and let you know, sassy pants. He annoyingly said goodbye and hung up.
The lady at the stand is incredibly helpful and sweet, but not sure I’ll be returning after that phone call.

Revolting customer service is responsible for this one-​star rating.
Their dessert bars are AWESOME, but their customer service is as appetizing as a steaming pile of dog shit.
My friend and I went in here on Thursday, and the girl working there said they closed at 3, and for us to come back tomorrow.
So we came back the next day (today). The door was open. Then some guy told us they were closed and preparing for a farmer’s market. Then that same girl came out and said «no, I told you we were open till 3 on certain days only».
She never said that to us. She told us to come back the next day before 3. We were there at 2:30.
The people who work here are stupid, lazy, and rude. My friend is going to be contacting the old lady who owns this place, and suggest to her she fire her idiot daughter and hire someone who actually has a brain. I don’t care how damn good the dessert bars are. I won’t do business with lazy liars.

After having read so many positive reviews on Unilocal and viewing their menu, I was convinced I had to drop by for a visit. Being constantly on the go I attempted to call in an order to go. Unfortunately EVERY time I called (about 4 times), someone always told me that they didn’t have the ingredients to make the smoothies, salads, or sandwiches on their menu… quite a bummer really. So each time I opted to go to a different venue in hopes of satisfying my craving.
Today I thought it would be a good time to give it another go. Again, the same response. Frustrated I asked the lady on the phone what they DID have. Smoothies? They didn’t have any today. Salads? The only one they had was the Mediterranean salad and they couldn’t make it to go. Sandwiches? They were only able to make a baby greens sandwich. SO MUCH FOR SELECTION. So, if they don’t have most of the items on their menu 85% available… why have a menu?
With it being on my way to work, I decided to just order the baby greens sandwich. The café is located in a shopping mall with ample parking. The place itself was empty. I walked in and a guy in the back asked if I was the one who ordered food to go. He told me my food was on the counter and went on about his business. For a minute I stood there confused looking for another employee and the cash register. I must’ve looked lost because the lady behind the counter finally directed me to the cash register. I was so happy to walk out of the door.
My overall experience was pretty poor. Phone etiquette was sub par. Customer service was poor. Venue was far from inviting; not a place I’d want to have a meal in at least. BUT my sandwich was delicious. I would advice looking at their menu and calling ahead just to make sure they had the ingredients to make it, or else you’ll be wasting gas and time.

Just okay. The prices were high and the brownie I bought was pretty dry. I was the only customer in the store and it seemed like the entire family that owned the store was in there so I felt a little out of place and like I was intruding. Wasn’t anything that I would go back for.

The Olive Oil Organic Café looks low key but this is Imperial Beach’s hidden gem! I’m so serious!!! If I still lived in the area I would be here at least once a week.
I had the California Love ($ 8.99) which is served on toasty Cibatta bread. It has light turkey, bacon, cheddar cheese, avocado, fresh spinach, and caramelized onions served with pesto aloi. It was the best sandwich I’ve ever tasted! My mom who is very picky and originally didn’t want one had a bite of the California Love and fell in love with it! I didn’t want to give her half of mine but I did because she is my mom. lol
Thanks to Mary Jane P’s review I found this place. Imperial Beachians and South bay support this local business so I can eat here again! Thanks!

AMAAZZZIINNGGG! Literally, I have never had such amazing sandwiches in my life and that is the only thing I order at cafes and restaurants!
Aside from these sandwiches being UBER healthy, they’re also heavenlyyyyy! What is the best part? They make a sandwich that has pesto aioli in it but is completely vegan!
Onnn toppp of that! They’re decently priced! Which is definitely the icing on the cake!
Cannot get enough of these sandwiches! Keep up the great work Olive Oil! =]]]

I have to preface this by saying that I have not been to the actual café, but I have stopped by their booth at the Little Italy Mercato many times. They have the BEST brownies in the world. And they’re sugar-​free (they use natural calorie-​free sweeteners) & vegan! I don’t know how they do it, but they’re ridiculously good. I am craving another right now…
I can’t wait to try their actual food, I keep hearing great things! Come to the OB Farmer’s Market, please! :)

The first time I visited was with my cousin after looking for a good place on Unilocal.I couldn’t get Cousin in the place at first because of the way the place looked (not because it was dirty or anything, but because its just a few tables inside of a pharmacy). After seeing the other places were closed, he finally agreed to try Olive Oil.
He ordered the California Love sandwich ($ 8.99) which came with light turkey, Bacon, cheddar cheese, avocado, spinach, and caramelized onions with a pest aoli). I ordered the Chicago Way ($ 7.99) which has Top London Broiled roast beef, provoke, spinach, tomato, and caramelized onions with a horseradish aoli. We tasted each others sandwiches. Omg, both were delicious! And he admit to not question me again lol.
The second time, I brought my daughter and the hubby. I ordered the Italian Stallion for my hubby but they were out for that sandwich that day so he got the California Love and I got the Southwestern ($ 8.99) which came with Turkey, pepper jack cheese, avocado, jalapenos, spinach, tomato, and caramelized onions with chipotle aoli. They made a grilled cheese with a little vegetables for my daughter and soup. It was all really yummy!
When we were done, the little one asked if she could have a dessert from there. It had a cookie or graham cracker bottom, green mint cream in the middle and a layer of chocolate on top. The woman said it was organic, gluten free and sugar free. It tasted too good to be true and my daughter inhaled it!
The woman here is so sweet and nice and didn’t charge us for the soup (since the guy thought they were out). She was really nice both times and she looks like she loves what she does. I hope so because I’m about to be a regular!
P. S. Had one of the smoothies and worth the $ 5.99 price (seriously)

California Loooovvveeee (cue the 2PAC) (also, he’s STILL ALIVE Y’ALL)
Anyway, initial impressions were: store not clearly marked, shelves meagerly stocked, strange layout.
I ordered the California Love and my friend ordered the Italian — well, they were out of salami. So he said just make it with all black forest ham. They were out of that too. So he changed orders to get what I was having.
I asked for no onions and upon checkout I asked how I’d be able to tell them apart when I took them out of the bag — NO PROBLEM, since they were out of onions too. WTF PEEPS?!
But I have to admit, the pesto aioli made a nice sweet tang, the ciabatta a nice buttery flavor, and the turkey /​bacon added the salty flavor and the avocado and tomato made nice lubrication going down the hatch.
All in all a strange start to a delicious sandwich experience:
LISTEN TO ME NOW AND HEAR ME LATER: I’LL BE BACK.

I’m too lazy to write.
Just come here. The sammiches are delicious.
The end.

I’ve kind of given up on writing Unilocal reviews (partly because I’ve been busy finishing college, but mostly because I’m lazy), but I just had to write this review just so I could give Olive Oil Organic Café five stars.
They deserve five stars solely based on my enjoyment of a sandwich they call the Green Goddess. This sandwich is GODLY. This sandwich is insanely delicious. This sandwich will change your entire outlook on fungus. This sandwich is what the inventor of sandwiches was striving for. This sandwich is vegan. WTF?! Seriously! I would become a vegan if I could eat vegan food this delightful ALL THE TIME.
GO EAT THIS SANDWICH DO IT NOW THERE IS NO TIME FOR PUNCTUATION