Milton's Deli (Del Mar)

Milton’s Deli in Del Mar was a fun spot while in San Diego. I know what you’re thinking…a deli…why are you reviewing a deli. Once you see or walk into Milton’s Deli, you’ll know why. Yes, it has a deli in the name, but it’s definitely a diner.

Milton’s Deli Atmosphere: A

The exterior of Milton’s Deli is modern, and it sticks out in the shopping center. It’s a stand-alone building inside an outdoor shopping mall. There is outdoor seating and even an outdoor TV.

When you walk inside, you are greeted by a fine-looking bakery section, so fine; I decided to get something to go later. The inside has plenty of old-school diner photos. In all, it’s one of the most “real” dinners I’ve seen in California.

Coffee: A

The coffee at Milton’s Deli was brewed hot and fresh. There was nothing unique about it, but I was happy to enjoy coffee at a diner again. It feels like just “relaxing at a diner” has been so long ago.

Milton’s Deli Menu: A

As you would imagine, the Milton’s Deli menu is massive. It reminds me a lot of east coast and New Jersey diners. They have everything from all-day breakfast to vegetarian options to burgers and huge sandwiches. They are also known for their bagels. They even have a smoked fish board. You can see the full Milton’s Diner menu here.

I actually thought about getting the smoked fish, but I was hungrier and decided to order their Mediterranean in a pita. It came with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, chopped olives, feta, and mozzarella cheeses tossed in housemade Greek dressing and served in a warm pita.

When it came out, I was more than impressed. It was one of the biggest meals I’ve had, and the pita bread pocket was large as well. The Mediterranean salad that was stuffed in the pita was good. It was one of the best diner meals I’ve had on the west coast. I was almost giving up hope for California diners.

Milton’s Deli Dessert: A

I decided to order a Napolean Cake to go. Honestly, I’ve never had one but looking at the bakery case made me want to try it.

Napoleon Cake is made of thin and flaky puff pastry cake layers and rich pastry cream between the layers. It was my first one, but I was more than impressed. It tasted good, and I appreciated all of the frosting and cream.

Milton’s Deli Service: A

Our service was great. The waiter was friendly, and the food came out within 10-15 minutes. In fact, when they were coming over, I thought they might have brought out the wrong food because it was so fast.

Cost: $$

For my meal and coffee at Milton’s Deli, it was $19.

Overall Thoughts/Would I Come Back to Milton’s Deli in Del Mar?

I really enjoyed Milton’s Deli, and it was one of the better diners on the west coast. Its only flaw is that it doesn’t have the word diner in the name. It was a very good experience, and I look forward to coming back.

Atmosphere: A
Coffee: A
Food: A
Dessert: A
Service: A
Price: $15-25
Overall: A