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Laguna is brimming with new coffee shops, adding to several longtime cafes, all serving up steaming hot—or iced—cups of caffeine.
By Sharael Kolberg
Laguna Beach residents must love their coffee because this small beach town seems to have exploded with new cafes offering a variety of custom caffeinated concoctions—joining many longtime favorites. Laguna now has at least 20 places to grab your morning cup of Joe, which means you could visit a different cafe for nearly three weeks to try them all.
Whether you like a hot espresso, pour over or cold brew, there’s something for every coffee connoisseur, not to mention alternative drinks from herbal tea to matcha lattes and chagaccinos (made from chaga mushrooms), plus delicious pastries to pair with your favorite morning beverage.
New to the Neighborhood
If you’re in need of a morning jolt or an afternoon pick-me-up, these new businesses have a variety of sips to get you going.
Coffee purists will love Jedidiah Coffee’s beans, which hail from places like Ethiopia, Guatemala and Colombia and are freshly roasted in Laguna Canyon. The local brand’s “Keep Laguna Caffeinated” motto extends to educating customers about its craft coffee, and the north Laguna cafe is much more than a coffee shop, it is a community gathering place. Local groups meet there and the owners, husband-and-wife team Steve and Embry Munsey, organize beach clean-ups and Corner Markets with artisan goods. “We like to think we give back to our community by really being ingrained in it,” Embry Munsey says. The company is named in loving memory of the couple’s stillborn son. After several years of pop-ups and event catering, the Munseys finally opened their brick-and-mortar cafe earlier this year, partnering with local companies such as Gelato Paradiso for their affogatos and South Swell Donuts for the pastry case.
Also in north Laguna, The Lost Bean Coastal Cafe opened in May in the space formerly occupied by Zeytoon Cafe; it’s the brand’s seventh OC location. The Lost Bean works with sustainable farms and sells fair-trade coffee, as well as international organic loose-leaf teas. The cafe roasts its organic beans using an eco-friendly machine that recirculates the air to ensure quality, smokeless roasting and is better for the environment. You can also feel good about what you’re drinking as the company gives a significant portion of its profits to charities around the world that support education, health and the environment. While at the cafe, select a scrumptious dish from the Mediterranean menu and dine on the rooftop patio.
Bear Coast Coffee, which debuted in December on South Coast Highway—with shops also in San Clemente and Dana Point—serves artisan coffee using syrups made in-house and almond milk made from scratch. “Our focus on community, connection and creativity sets us apart,” says owner Jeff Clinard. Bear Coast sources coffees from farmers the company knows and cares about, paying growers above fair trade prices and working with communities that follow the best practices for sustainability. The owner visits the farms where the coffee is grown, spending significant time in Central and South America. In El Salvador, the brand even serves as a philanthropic partner to provide clean water to surrounding communities. Try one of Bear Coast’s specialty drinks, such as lavender caramel coffee, dark chocolate mocha, vanilla nutmeg latte or horchata latte. Be sure to also try the yummy chia seed pudding.
Food-forward cafe Rye Goods, which opened last year in downtown Laguna, mills its own flour for delectable pastries and offers organic premade meals to take home. Food leftovers are donated to the Laguna Food Pantry. The cafe’s coffee drinks are made with beans from LA-based Canyon Coffee, which sources fair trade beans and uses 100% regenerative organic coffee beans. For a unique drink, try the saffron latte or strawberry matcha latte.
In a hurry for your caffeine fix? No problem. Swing by MoonGoat Coffee’s drive-through spot—which opened last year in north Laguna—for a churro latte, masala chai, matcha spritzer or Yuzu Fizzy soda with an espresso shot. Pair your drink with a gluten-free yuzu raspberry lemon loaf, overnight oats or a buttermilk biscuit and egg sandwich. The company has also sponsored, collaborated with and hosted multiple events and fundraisers with Growers First, a local nonprofit that empowers indigenous farmers to achieve a sustainable income and growth through partnerships with U.S. buyers. And a few years ago, MoonGoat partners David Yardley and Mark Evans went on a trip to Mexico, bringing supplies and goodwill to some of the coffee farmers and their workers.
Endless Quest Roasters is a single-origin shop that opened in March at Boat Canyon Shopping Center, focusing its efforts on specialty roasted coffees and teas, such as ceremonial-grade matcha from Japan, which customers love with the cafe’s house-made lavender syrup. Owner Ryan Okko, who visits the farms where the coffee beans are grown, says, “I am committed to … making a positive impact on the lives of the coffee producers we support.” The cafe also offers vegan doughnuts, which are a hit.
Although Michelin Guide-recognized Selanne Steak Tavern is known for its superb steaks and wine, the restaurant also recently opened The b8kery by Selanne, adjacent to the restaurant, late last year. The bakery is housed in the former Andree’s Patisserie, established in Laguna in the 1960s. Customers can select from a variety of specialty hot and cold drinks, as well as The b8kery’s popular fruit bang pies and assorted pastries.
Other newbies include Equator Coffees, a Certified B Corporation focused on quality, sustainability and social responsibility, which serves its specialty java and pastries from LA’s Farmshop in a space at Rivian’s South Coast Theater. And Succulent Coffee Roasters offers batch brew, pour over and cold brew selections with a rotating mix of seasonal coffees and a full espresso bar.
Oldies, But Goodies
There are plenty of coffee shops in Laguna that have withstood the test of time and have gained many loyal customers. These places are where you meet up with friends and the baristas know you by name. Some sell bagged beans, in case you want to sleep in and savor your morning brew in your PJs.
You can smell the beans being roasted when you walk in the door of mother-daughter-owned Laguna Coffee Co. A longtime locals’ favorite, the lively atmosphere, friendly baristas, art-adorned walls and outdoor seating make it an appealing place to chat over a cup of your favorite bean-to-cup brew; notably, the cafe’s coffee comes from small-batch growers across Central America and Africa. The medium roast Laguna Blend features a mild flavor with cherry and floral notes. While at the cafe, fill your belly with fresh pastries (from Rye Goods), toasts or sandwiches, too.
Heidelberg Cafe, a popular Laguna Beach staple for three decades, offers coffee from Delta Cafe Roasting Co., which is made with 100% shade-grown, sun-dried coffee beans; for espresso-based drinks, Illy brand beans are used. The cafe also features a large breakfast and lunch menu paired with ocean views. Try the vanilla cream cold brew, iced strawberry matcha or lavender vanilla tea latte and sink your teeth into the eggs Heidelberg or almond stuffed French toast. Sign up for the cafe’s loyalty program to earn points toward future purchases.
Situated in what was once part of The Pottery Shack, established in the 1930s, The Pantry is an expansion of the adjacent Sapphire, Cellar-Craft-Cook restaurant. You can’t miss the iconic statue of Eiler Larsen, the original “greeter” of Laguna, out front. “Everyone loves the historic nature of our location, plus … we have a beautiful patio with an ocean view,” says owner Russ Bendel. The coffee shop features traditional coffee drinks, as well as a breakfast and lunch takeout menu with items such as pastries, waffles, burgers and sandwiches. Of course, coffee isn’t the only beverage served here. Don’t miss The Pantry’s popular mason jar cocktails.
Moulin, a traditional Parisian cafe, carries authentic French food and drinks. You’ll find no-fuss coffee drinks such as espresso, Americano, cafe au lait and cappuccino (without flavored syrups), as well as freshly made bread, pastries, desserts and sandwiches, and made-to-order crepes, omelets, salads and more. The bistro also carries wine and Champagne imported from France.
For organically grown heirloom coffee, decadent baked goods and desserts, and beautiful latte art, head to Urth Caffé, where you’ll typically see a long queue patiently waiting. Customers’ favorite drinks include the Spanish latte and the caffe pistachio latte, made with Sicilian pistachio butter and pistachio milk. Organic ceremonial matcha and rooibos teas are also offered.
Zinc Cafe, which opened in the 1980s and recently came under new ownership, features a classic and innovative coffee menu with traditional lattes and cappuccinos as well as a lavender latte and salted rosemary latte—plus a full food menu from breakfast through dinner with many vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.
Laguna is also home to two Starbucks locations (downtown across from Main Beach and inside Pavilions), for those seeking their familiar Frappuccino, nitro cold brew and ever-popular Pumpkin Spice Latte. A few other well-established coffee shops in town include Anastasia Cafe, open since 1995, with traditional coffee beverages, fresh-squeezed juice, plus breakfast and lunch dishes, all made in-house daily. Others include Blk Dot Coffee, known for its Vietnamese coffee drinks and also serving breakfast sandwiches, bowls and bagels; Kitchen in the Canyon, with hot and iced coffee, mochas, rose and lavender lattes, a variety of tea options and a full breakfast and lunch menu.
Of course, many other restaurants in town serve coffee as well, but there’s something comforting about walking into a warm coffee shop, especially in fall and winter, to enjoy a steaming cup of joe while perusing the newspaper headlines, getting lost in a good book or catching up with friends.
