I love coffee. You could probably tell by my cold brew recipe I posted a couple weeks ago. I love it so much that we usually visit some kind of coffeehouse each weekend. So it was about time I posted about some of the best coffeehouses in Orange County so I can hopefully inspire you to visit a new one or revisit one you haven’t been to in awhile.
I worked in a few different coffeehouses during college as a barista and developed a deep appreciation for a good cup of coffee. Back then, Starbucks had yet to make an appearance in Orange County and what we had were a lot of smaller one location coffeehouses reminiscent of all those episodes of Friends back in the 90’s. Most of the best ones had live music on the weekends, comfortable seating and an ambiance that you would find in smaller cafe’s in Europe. Those were some of my favorite jobs of all time because there was a regular crowd that came and such a familiar cozy feeling.
Once Starbucks started infiltrating the market a lot of those smaller coffeehouses went out of business or got lost in the shuffle. It became easy to rush in and rush out to get your afternoon quick fix of coffee. In the last few years though we have had a resurgence of coffeehouses popping up all over. Smaller, super cool places, that although they might have multiple locations, they also typically roast their own coffee and care about the quality of coffee they serve. Hand poured, freshly roasted, these locations not only care about the art of the bean but also your coffee experience.
The Aussie Bean
Orange
The Aussie Bean was started by an Australian that moved to California with his American wife. Finding American coffee to be quite different from Australian coffee he decided to bring it here to the US. Lucky for us, he opened it in one of the cutest areas, Old Town Orange. Stroll the pretty streets, visit antique stores while you sip on this coffee or just spend some time in the more industrial space that they opened the coffeehouse in. Coffee sizes are slightly smaller than what you might be used to, but every sip is slightly sweet and delicious.
Cafecito Organico
Costa Mesa, Anaheim, Malibu, Silverlake
We visited the Costa Mesa location which was located within the Lab AntiMall. We had such a good time sipping coffee and staring out the window at all the revamped Airstreams turned stores. This area is quirky, artsy and a nice way to spend an afternoon. The coffee was delicious and from the looks of it, all their locations are as unique as this one.
Hidden House Coffee
Santa Ana, Lake Forest, San Juan Capistrano
Like a hidden gem, we actually passed this place TWICE before we figured out where it was. Somehow we missed the GIANT Coffee sign painted on the side of the brick building. This place is an old shop of some sort converted into a coffeehouse and we loved it. The ambiance was great. I also loved the fact that they used real mugs and plates instead of disposable like you get in most places these days. Their pastries were also unique and made on site in their bakery and beans are roasted in small batches.
Ink & Bean
Anaheim
Visiting Disneyland this year? This coffeehouse is just 5 minutes away and offers a nice little detour from the tourist pack. The whole name of this place is Ink & Bean Coffee Saloon and Wordshop. They pride themselves on creating a haven for writers by providing writing supplies, workshops and an amazing library setting including hanging books from the ceiling. To finish off the uniqueness of their store, a vintage Airstream lending library in the parking lot.
Kean Coffee
Costa Mesa, Tustin
This coffeehouse has gotten so many awards it’s hard to keep track but what it comes down to is that Kean Coffee has some great tasting coffee. I actually used to work in this coffeehouse back when it was Dietrich’s coffee and was run by the parents of the new owners so I have a soft spot for them. But this spot doesn’t ever disappoint me and I love their generous coffee sizes and the size of their menu.
Portola Coffee Lab
Costa Mesa, Tustin, Orange, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach, Mission Viejo
With so many locations no matter where you are in Orange County you are probably close to one. And with the Roaster of the Year award you know that their coffee is good and it’s worth the trip. With a look and feel that resembles a unique science lab, their coffee is definitely an experience that you will want to have. The smell of this lab is amazing, and the flavors are delightful and robust! The only downside to this place is the price tag which seems to be higher than most.
Bodhi Leaf Coffee Traders
Orange
While the coffee here is delicious the atmosphere is not. This is the one place on the list that I was not impressed with the actual space. Being a designer that really bothered me, but because they had free wifi and plenty of seating we stayed for a drink. The reason that I’ve put this place on the list though is that their coffee is delicious. They also import high quality beans that you can buy in small batches not only for commercial roasters but if you want to try your hand at roasting yourself. I bought Sean some of the supplies needed for Christmas, so we will have blog post coming soon on how to do that yourself.
So, there you have it. Some of the coolest coffeehouses in the area. If you visit Orange County this summer, don’t forget to try and add one of these places onto your must see list. You won’t be disappointed.
