A Vista Coffee Hut Is Taking Over a CSUSM Tradition |
A former Cougars soccer player started El Kafecito in Vista at 21. Five years later, his sixth location is headed to the campus where he once studied. |
A small Vista drive-thru is about to inherit more than two decades of San Marcos coffee history.
No pressure.
El Kafecito is scheduled to fully launch at Cal State San Marcos on Aug. 31, replacing Campus Coffee outside Science Hall 1.
Campus Coffee served students from that spot beginning in 2004. Its familiar red awning closed for the final time during fall 2025 after owners Tim and Sandra Sabbatini decided to retire.
That left a coffee-sized hole on the far side of campus.
Its replacement comes with a local plot twist.
From Vista Hut to Campus Homecoming
El Kafecito owner Rodrigo Rodriguez is a CSUSM alumnus and former Cougars soccer player.
According to the university, the Valley Center native started the business with a small drive-thru coffee hut in Vista in 2021.
He was 21.
El Kafecito now operates locations in Vista, San Marcos, Escondido, Valley Center and San Diego. The CSUSM stand is scheduled to become its sixth.
That is a respectable climb for a business that began in a hut.
The company specializes in Mexican- and Hispanic-inspired flavors, including horchata, mazapán, dulce de leche, café de la olla, tres leches and Mexican mocha. It also offers traditional flavors, pastries and other food items.
CSUSM Corporation selected El Kafecito with help from the Student Culinary Council, which was created to strengthen the connection between students and campus dining.
The council helped identify potential vendors, participate in interviews and evaluate the candidates.
The winning business just happened to belong to a former student and athlete.
Sometimes the plot writes itself.
Vista’s Larger Coffee Map
El Kafecito is only one stop in Vista’s increasingly varied coffee scene.
Ascend Coffee Roasters operates at 802 S. Santa Fe Ave. inside The Commons, a former Walgreens converted into a 10,000-square-foot community and event venue.
Ascend carries the history of a decades-old San Marcos coffeehouse. Owner Erin Harper previously operated the Restaurant Row shop once known as Old California Coffee House and Eatery.
That location closed in 2024 as the property moved toward redevelopment.
Banana Dang Coffee brings a different travel history to 1031 S. Santa Fe Ave., Suite E-1.
The company says it opened its first coffee bar in Rincón, Puerto Rico, in 2007, relocated to Oceanside in 2015 and added Vista in 2024. Its menu includes coffee, banana smoothies, toast and sweets.
Downtown, Cosmic Bloom Coffee operates at 253 Main St. The specialty roaster serves espresso drinks, immersion brews and signature drinks and hosts chess meetups on the second and fourth Wednesdays from 4 to 7 p.m.
Caffeine may improve alertness.
Your endgame remains your problem.
Skybound Coffee + Dessert Lounge, at 1661-A S. Melrose Drive, handles the coffee-and-cake shift. Its official pages promote coffee, tea, smoothies, desserts and vegan and gluten-free choices. Its posted schedule currently extends to 8 p.m.
Five Vista coffee businesses.
One is now completing a round trip to college.
Questions About Campus Coffee
What is replacing Campus Coffee at CSUSM?
El Kafecito is scheduled to fully launch Aug. 31, 2026.
Who owns El Kafecito?
CSUSM alumnus and former Cougars soccer player Rodrigo Rodriguez.
Where did the business begin?
CSUSM says it began as a Vista drive-thru in 2021.
How many locations will it have?
The campus stand is scheduled to become its sixth. |
9 Comments
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Chess meetups at Cosmic Bloom sound fun! Coffee scene around here has really leveled up. Good problems to have.
If you haven’t tried their café de la olla, do it! The Vista hut is my new favorite since moving here last year.
Another coffee spot in Vista, lol. Honestly, I miss Old Cal Coffee the most but I’ll check this out. Anyone know prices yet?
Pete L.Same, Old Cal was my spot for studying back in the day. I think El Kafecito's drinks are usually around $5, but not sure about the campus pricing yet. Maybe they'll do a student discount?
Please tell me they’ll have vegan pastry options? Some of us got dietary needs, and Skybound is kinda far from campus.
Brenda83I wondered the same! Their other locations have had a few vegan options in the pastry case before, so fingers crossed they keep that up at the campus one.
Glad they asked students what they wanted. Too many places just ignore us. I’ll grab coffee before class for sure.
Cool that a former Cougar is taking over, but I’ll miss the old couple at Campus Coffee. Hope El Kafecito keeps the friendly vibe.
Sad to see Campus Coffee go, but excited for El Kafecito! Mazapán drinks sound so good. Welcome back, Rodrigo!