Cult-Favorite Kumquat Opens an Ambitious Coffee Compound in Glassell Park | Eater LA

"In early October, a quietly launched, expansive cafe–roastery–tasting-room compound on Dolores Street in Glassell Park realized AJ Kim and Scott Sohn’s long-planned, Apple campus–tinged vision for their growing Korean coffee-wave empire, with the hybrid name nodding to sibling spots Kumquat and Loquat. The 3,500-square-foot space takes a minimalist tack—neutral tones, discounted furniture to keep costs down, and hand-painted art by Kim’s mother—while centering transparency in sourcing and roasting. Across a courtyard, the north side serves specialty coffee and tea curated during Kim’s 50 trips abroad last year, built on relationships in Ethiopia, Ecuador, Panama, and Colombia; beans and tea leaves are displayed across two expansive rooms, from highly curated lots costing a few hundred dollars to more affordable options. A rear eight-seat omakase tasting room, Atelier Q, is slated to open by appointment in the coming months. The south side combines a compact cafe with a roasting room visible through floor-to-ceiling windows; alongside standard coffee drinks, two mashups stand out: the Claude Cooler (oolong, green plum extract, peaflower tea) and the Copenhagen (espresso, spiced apple cider syrup, mascarpone foam, cardamom, cinnamon). Despite tariff-driven cost spikes and volatile green coffee prices, demand remains high, and the team hopes to showcase barista talent and help them advance via the omakase stage. Open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., in a space that shares a wall with Forest Lawn cemetery." - Mona Holmes