How the Naked Cafe Keeps Raising the Bar
If you've grabbed breakfast or lunch in coastal North County, you probably know the Naked Cafe. What you might not know is how much this local favorite does behind the scenes to protect the coastline we all love.
A Beach-Town Cafe at Heart
The Wheeler family opened the first Naked Cafe in Solana Beach in September 2002, and their love of simple, natural living still shows up on the menu every day. The dishes, including vegan and gluten-free options, are always fresh and organic, with global influences.
Joining the Ocean Friendly Restaurants family
In 2019, Naked Cafe became a certified Surfrider Foundation Ocean Friendly Restaurant. The OFR program recognizes restaurants that commit to reducing plastic pollution and protecting our oceans, waves and beaches.
Naked Cafe — Carlsbad location staff
They didn't stop at certification. The Naked Cafe partnered with Surfrider San Diego on a beach cleanup at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas and thanked volunteers with 10% off food and drinks afterward.
An Impactful Step: Truly Compostable Straws
Since 2018, the Naked Cafe has been using paper straws, and in 2025, they switched to Holy City Straw Company, a vendor Surfrider Foundation recommends. Their straws are biodegradable and contain zero plastic. As an Ocean Friendly Restaurant, Naked Cafe also gets a vendor discount, which shows that sustainable choices can make good business sense too.
A straw can seem like a small thing. But simple swaps, made again and again by businesses and customers, add up to real change for our coastline.
Holy City Straw Co. straws
How You Can Show Some Love
Pick one or do them all:
- Eat Ocean Friendly. Visit the Naked Cafe in Solana Beach, Carlsbad or Encinitas or dine at any of the other OFRs in San Diego County and let the staff know you appreciate their commitment to sustainability.
- Spread the word. Know a restaurant that should join the program? Point them to Ocean Friendly Restaurants.
- Join a beach cleanup. Check Surfrider San Diego for upcoming events.
Every Ocean Friendly meal is a small vote for a cleaner coastline, and Naked Cafe makes that choice delicious. 🌊
A delicious seasonal special — Brown Butter Cinnamon Latte