April 28, 2008

Monday Madness - Eating Lemon Grove, part 4

They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway

Here we are in the heart of the tiny city of Lemon Grove. Downtown is more hectic with the Trolley, Home Depot and Food 4 Less arriving in recent years. Still, people walk about because everything seems close and convenient.

We finished all the restaurants West of Lemon Grove Avenue and we’re hungry and eager to check out downtown. A quick peek at the ’strip’ before we go:

click any image to enlarge

South side of Broadway:

• Da Boyz- Pizza with attitude! Check out the old timey gangsta movie photos on the walls.
• Por Favor- Well respected local family eatery with patio dining available.
• Starbucks- Not many coffee snobs in Lemon Grove, yet the place seems popular.
• Golden Donut- For now it’s the only donut shop around. It’s a good spot for people watching.
• LG Pets- I don’t care how tender and juicy those puppies and kittens are; eating them is just wrong! Maybe a nutritious goldfish would be a quick snack though.
• Baskin Robbins ice cream- Rich and creamy!
• Papa John’s Pizza- Premium pizza from a name you know. fairly new in town.
• KC’s Express Chinese - Lemon Grove is blessed with many choices for Chinese food. At least one city councilperson buys here (can’t go wrong with insider tips).
• Los Rios Mexican - Excellent burritos and more. Recommended to me by a LG librarian.
• Jack in the Box - A very old store brought up-to-date. Used to look like a box, with the clown jumping out.

From Papa John’s you can look up Grove Street to the north. A block or two up there is a large cluster of condos, many of which are available at excellent prices. They include the usual pool, clubhouse etc, and when you buy with Redfin you can save around $1000. Recently a 1,022 sq.ft. unit sold for $175k. Let’s look at some quick stats on these:

Address Bd/Ba Sq.Ft. $/SqFt Price Comment 3595 GROVE ST #252 2/2 1,025 244 $250k built 2005, HOA fee $193 3635 GROVE ST #164 1/1 767 163 $125k 2005, listed 12 days, HOA $198 3525 GROVE ST #120 3/2 1,088 147 $160k 2005, 81 days, HOA $197 3515 GROVE ST #111 1/1 767 169 $130k 1988, 33 days, HOA $171 3555 GROVE ST #230 1/1 767 163 $125k 2005, 12 days, HOA ?

North side of Broadway:

• Antique Row- Relatively new to LG, very popular, slightly upscale family dining and new patio for those who enjoy the ‘Greatest Climate on Earth’.
• Cilantro- Vegan dining comes to Lemon Grove. They’re new in town so pay them a visit.
• Panda- Well established, comfortable Chinese restaurant.
• El Pollo Grill- They were popular at a nearby location and now far more popular since they moved here.
• LG Deli and Grill- Before there was a Subway or Submarina, there was the famous Lemon Grove Deli.
• Food Factory cafe- Local business people eat here. Breakfast & lunch only.

Parking is a bit tight at times. Plenty of room near the donut shop and behind the shops on the North side of Broadway. Enjoy a walk around town, visit lots of eateries, shops and enjoy the bustling ambiance of a small town 8 miles from downtown San Diego. There are lots more restaurants to come in the final installment of Eating Lemon Grove.

see also:
Monday Madness - Eating Lemon Grove, part 1
Monday Madness - Eating Lemon Grove, part 2
Monday Madness - Eating Lemon Grove, part 3

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