Let’s face it, coffee is in our blood. Whether it was the café con leche our moms made every mañana before school or the shot of espresso we have to revive us after a big lunch, it’s evident that coffee culture is a big part of being Latin. Which is why watered-down deli coffees and over-priced artisan blends don’t always cut it. Sometimes, you want the comfort of a cortadito or the taste of a tinto to warm and wake you up. So to celebrate National Coffee Day, why not have a cup of José at one of these locations that serve some authentic Latin varieties of coffee?
Cafecito Organico
(534 N. Hoover St., Los Angeles, CA 90026)
Angel Orozco opened up coffee roaster and wholesale provider Cafecito Organico (formerly Coffee Cellar) after growing passionate about coffee in college and experimenting with barista techniques in his own living room. I’m here to formally say thank you! An unorthodox plan turned into an espresso revered by Angelenos from Highland Park to Venice. To better fulfill that craving, Cafecito Organico boasts a full retail location (with service-bar to boot), a Saturday stint at the Silverlake Farmers Market and Hollywood’s Sunday Farmers Market (pictured above).
And as a Remezcla exclusive, Angel informed us that there’s a NEW location opening up at 710 N. Heliotrope (cross street Melrose) around mid-October. The fidgetiness settling in is excitement, folks.
Café Bolivar
(1741 Ocean Park Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405, 310.581.2344)
Fantastic photography? Check. Less than two miles from the beach? Check. Arepas to die for? Check. And we haven’t even talked about the cafecito! But make no mistake, Café Bolivar offers robust roasts, beautifully crafted lattes and hands down the best Mexican Mocha on the Westside.
Tierra Mia Coffee
4914 Firestone Blvd., South Gate, Ca, 323.589.2065
Nestled in Huntington Park, Tierra Mia Coffee offers an exemplary cultural/community cafe experience with high-quality coffee blends from Guatemala, Ecuador and Mexico. Their creative crew of baristas will concoct anything from Mexican mochas, lattes, cappucinos, and — dare I say — Horchate lattes?! I hope they trademark this stat before Starbuck’s appropriates it.
Tierra Mia Coffee recently opened two new locations in Huntington Park and Santa Fe Springs.
Porto’s Bakery
(315 N Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91203, 818.956.5996)
Porto’s Bakery in Glendale has been a cafecito staple in Los Angeles since 1960 offering Cuban espresso (especially the best cortadito in LA) to fans far and wide. With their wide variety of pastries, sandwiches (Cuban and Media Noche are amazing), and snack, it’s difficult for someone to leave without having a quick espresso shot before, during and after a meal.
Zona Rosa Caffee
15 El Molino Avenue, Pasadena, Ca 91101 (626.793.2334)
Living in Mexico City for the last two years taught us a valuable lesson about what we like in cities — cafes! In DF, coffee shops are as vibrant and enchanting as they are in Paris, Buenos Aires and New York City, which is why Zona Rosa Coffee immediately catches our eye. Taking its name from one of the most eclectic (and colorful) neighborhoods in Chilangolandia, Zona Rosa Caffe aspires to bring a little token of Mexico City to Pasadena. For the purist, you can count on their espresso bean to be oof the highest quality. For the adventurous, there are numerous unique lattes to choose from. Then, proceed to couple any of these drinks with their pan dulce. Soon you’ll feel like you’re just blocks away from Reforma.
Don’t forget Remezcla reps New York City, Chicago, San Francisco and Miami. So if you’re not in the Los Angeles area, don’t feel like we’ve left you out in the cold (although iced coffee is kind of our guilty, non-Latino pleasure).
Tell us about YOUR favorite cafecito joint below!