The call
This page is kept as part of the dated record. The order notes below describe the place as Roger recommended it, not as it operates today.
What to order
- Donuts
- Coffee
Best for
- Fresh-made donuts
Coffee & Tea · Donuts
Copper Top Coffee & Donuts
Roger caught this Hillcrest donut-and-coffee shop mid-construction at the old Wienerschnitzel site and liked the fresh, hot donuts and strong-brewed coffee at the outdoor patio.
Closed
Copper Top Coffee & Donuts is listed as closed — the chain closed for good after its final Pacific Beach location in September 2025. Roger's dated review of the original Hillcrest shop is kept as part of the record.
Yelp — Copper Top Coffee & Donuts (Hillcrest) listed as closed (checked 2026-09-17) (2026-09-17) ↗Source-backed notes
Visit history
Checked in 26 times on Yelp, most recently Feb 7, 2022. See the check-in log
2018-01-05day precision · source explicit
“Donuts freshly made, crispy and still hot. Coffee freshly brewed and strong.”
Roger noticed construction at the old Wienerschnitzel site turning into this donut-and-coffee shop with outdoor patio seating, and liked the fresh, hot donuts and strong coffee.
Stay in the neighborhood
More in Hillcrest.
RecommendedPrice varies
Hillcrest
Cigar Cave
Drinks
Roger's Hillcrest cigar-bar pick, run by an owner (Raul) he calls the friendliest in town, open later than most local lounges with a strong Belgian beer selection on tap and bottle.
- From the order notes
- A cigar paired by Raul · Belgian beer on tap or bottle
- Go for
- Late-night cigar hours · Belgian beer drinkers
Latest recorded visit2025-01-15
Not recommendedPrice varies
Hillcrest
Hong Kong Restaurant
Chinese
A Hillcrest Chinese restaurant Roger says declined after the pandemic, dropping from a two-star review to one star, after an earlier visit he'd already called just okay and Americanized.
- From the order notes
- Go for
- A cautionary tale on a post-pandemic decline
Latest recorded visit2022
Worth trying$$
Hillcrest
Nishiki Ramen - Hillcrest
JapaneseRamen
A Hillcrest location of the Nishiki Ramen chain -- a separate address from the site's existing Kearny Mesa entry -- rated a middling three stars by Roger.
- From the order notes
- Go for
- Ramen in Hillcrest
Latest recorded visit2019-02-02
Keep exploring
More like this.
Browse the Coffee & Tea page, or continue to another place with a matching cuisine.
MixedPrice varies
Koreatown
California Donuts
Donuts
A hyped Koreatown donut shop: great presentation and fun concoctions, but donuts Roger found just so-so.
- From the order notes
- Oreo panda donut
- Go for
- The spectacle
Latest recorded visit2017
RecommendedPrice varies
Kearny Mesa
MNGO cafe
DessertsCoffee & Tea
A needed cafe/lounge for the Convoy area with puffles, coffee concoctions, and tea, which Roger reviewed during its soft opening — plenty of space with outlets, in a hip, modern remodel of the old Big Joy space.
- From the order notes
- Puffles · Coffee concoctions · Tea beverages
- Go for
- A Convoy-area coffee and dessert stop · Working with outlets nearby
Latest recorded visit2017