Inspired Coffee Roasters Brews Community in UH
What Do Survivor, Coffee, and Disc Golf Have in Common?
The answer: Inspired Coffee Roasters, San Diego’s newest third-wave coffee shop, located on the border of North Park and University Heights.
I sat down with Christina Viola, Dan Kane, and Jacob Lanza—the founders of Inspired Coffee Roasters—whose journey began in Brooklyn in 2020. Their friendship and passion for coffee and disc golf have now found a home in San Diego.
The Inspiration Behind Inspired Coffee
Christina’s job brought her to San Diego, sparking the idea for Inspired Coffee Roasters. “We saw this place as being somewhere… saw that it was a community place and that [it had] that walkability to it” said Jacob.
Jacob adds, “We didn’t realize how much community was gonna start happening, but already within a month and a half, we know the neighbors, we know everybody’s name…it was just perfect, meant to be, serendipitous.”
A Unique Approach to Community
Beyond serving coffee, Inspired Coffee Roasters is about community engagement. “We’re already doing events like with Christina…they empower women to come out and play, just support each other,” Jacob says. “A lot of people come in here that we’ve gotten to know—like their personal lives, what they do” said Christina.
Jacob emphasizes personal connection: “We talk a lot. We engage with people. We want to know what people are up to”. “It just brings a human aspect” Christina chimed in.
Dan adds, “It’s kind of just, like, inspiring people to pursue things they’re passionate about. Creating this shop, creating this space, having people come in and share their thoughts and ideas or just talk about something they might want to do in their life—giving that positivity and energy to it.”
The Story Behind the Name
Dan explains, “It’s Inspired because of us and our friendship and the things we want to create together. And this is hopefully just the beginning of something really big. We want to create that community where people can come in, feel that energy, and take that into their own lives.”
Christina adds, “So it’s not just coffee—it’s a lifestyle.”
Signature Drinks and New York Influences
Inspired Coffee Roasters brings a taste of New York to San Diego, sourcing products from Brooklyn-based purveyors. Their espresso has a fruitier, lighter profile than traditional Italian-style espresso.
Jacob shares, “Some of the things we’re doing that are unique…like a Cinnamon Toast Crunch Latte. That was a happy accident. Just coming up with flavors out of excitement and listening to the story of the coffee.” Christina adds, “You can really taste the flavors of the espresso in our latte drinks, not just all milk. In addition to espresso, the texture of the milk and the quality of the products we put in is really important.”
Jacob continues, “We use a lot of New York products, a lot of purveyors out of Brooklyn. We don’t have a typical Italian espresso profile. We roast everything. So it’s just not exactly what you’re getting everywhere.” Dan highlights another key detail: “We use the Water Lady water over in North Park…all of our drinks are made with high pH water that is alkaline, which gives it better mineralogy. It tastes better.”
More Than Just Coffee
At its core, Inspired Coffee Roasters is about fostering creativity and connection. “We’re really big about other people who are doing the same type of business,” Jacob says. “We want to support other coffee roasters. We’re not trying to be competitive—we’re trying to connect the dots.” They sum it up perfectly: “Whether you’re talking about business, playing disc golf, or just grabbing a cup of coffee, this space is for you.”
Find Inspired Coffee Roasters at 4384 Hamilton St, San Diego.
Follow them on Instagram @drink.in.spired