Explore the coffee of South Los Angeles
If you are a coffee connoisseur who finds joy in sipping on an early morning espresso or cooling down with an iced vanilla latte, you’ve probably grown tired of the limited on-campus options. There is no better way to start your day than with a dose of caffeine. The necessity of coffee is especially important during the relentless workload of midterm season. If you are enamored by the smell of freshly brewed coffee but want a break from the repetitive Starbucks run and long wait of mobile orders, here is a list of five coffee shops in South Central to try:
Coffee Del Mundo
Located on Vermont Avenue less than five miles from campus is Coffee Del Mundo, the “world’s first non-European coffee establishment.” Visiting Coffee Del Mundo means taking a trip across the globe. The carefully selected coffee beans originate from five countries: El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Mexico. Coinciding with this theme of coffee from around the world, each cold brew bottle or bag of beans is labeled with a mock plane ticket from LAX to the origin of the coffee. Coffee Del Mundo thrives on the appreciation of the coffee’s cultural origins. The walls are lined with coffee bean bags and various countries’ flags.
Coffee Del Mundo is also 100% plant based. The coffee shop hosts “Plant Based Saturdays,” an event that brings local chefs in to share recipes.
If you are ready to explore the world of coffee, bus line 754 will bring you right to the door.
Café Calle
Beginning as a street vendor selling only pour over coffee to South Central, Diana Martinez created Café Calle. Evolving into a catering business for pop-up events, Café Calle finally opened a brick-and-mortar store in March 2020.
Located at 3310 S. Central Ave, Café Calle operates under the slogan #PourCoffeeNotHate. Martinez is the daughter of Salvadoran immigrants and proudly sells coffee from El Salvador and Guatemala. Customers are drawn to the decadent drinks flavored with homemade syrups and fresh acai bowls. Café Calle is growing to have an integral impact on the South Central community. Through events such as community bike rides and coffee crawls, the shop puts an emphasis on highlighting neighboring small businesses.
To reach Café Calle, take bus lines 38 and 55.
Harun Coffee
With plenty of outdoor seats to soak up the Los Angeles sun, Harun Coffee is a perfect study spot.
If you aren’t feeling coffee, Harun offers a wide variety of smoothies — some including espresso so you can still have a caffeine kick.
If you find yourself hungry between assignments, the Rasta Pasta and Halal Burger are sure to satisfy any cravings.
Hop on the Metro E Line and transfer to the Metro K Line to reach Harun Coffee. With an art gallery within the coffee shop co-owner, Chase Johnson created a space which breeds creativity. It is also not unusual to find musical performances or pop-up events within the cafe. An artistically driven and revolutionary coffee shop environment is one of a kind.
Hot and Cool Cafe
Located in Leimert Park, Hot and Cool Cafe serves ethically-sourced Ethiopian coffee. If you are looking for more than just a drink, the cafe has a strong menu — mostly vegan and plant based. Some highlights include their breakfast burrito, cauliflower wings and soul bowl.
The cozy spot was built to provide space for artists. Between poetry readings, open mic nights and live music shows, Hot and Cool Cafe has no shortage of entertaining and enriching events. It is not only a great spot to grind out some midterms, but it is also a welcoming and inspiring space for artists to work on their craft.
Unfortunately, the 4331 Degnan Blvd location was damaged during recent L.A. storms and is under construction. Once it is able to reopen, bus line 38 and the Metro K Line will bring you to the spot of your next coffee obsession.
South LA Cafe
Also in Leimert Park, this brightly lit, roomy space is the perfect spot to study, chat with friends or just decompress with a nice cup of coffee. Between horchata lattes and lavender lattes, South LA Cafe provides any drink you could want. Coffee beans are also available for purchase to bring a little piece of South LA Cafe in your home.
The cafe also birthed the South LA Community Foundation which is dedicated to uplifting Black and brown communities. The foundation works to address food insecurity and teach business skills in the hopes of seeing more business owners of color.
Take the Metro E line to reach the home of $5 avocado toast. And, if you’re having a lazy day and don’t want to take a trek, the cafe recently became a food provider at the Natural History Museum just across the street from campus.