Sam T.
Yelp
Today was my first time at this Swedish outpost, and I fell in love the moment I turned the corner and saw it. Hipsters, groups of friends, young parents, guys in Hawaiian shirts were sitting around sleek black tables, sipping their coffees and wines; chatting and laughing and people watching. The ambience was stylish, vibrant, and sophisticated. The neon red sign (emblazoned with "ilcaffe") heralded the entrance of the store, which is located across from the historic Orpheus and in the same building as a beautifully designed residential building. Note: Only outdoor seating is available right now due to covid, but it was nice to take in the sights and sounds of Los Angeles, and the street ilcaffe is on isn't too seedy.
Every time I went inside, there was always a swanky young duo ahead of me in line inquiring about the alcoholic options on the menu. The baristas were clearly quite knowledgeable and friendly about the subject -- I thought this was mainly a coffee shop, but I saw many a customer order wines and IPAs as well.
I ordered my signature, the cafe breve, which isn't on the menu but they kindly brewed up for me. It was delicious: espresso notes are old school, strong and bold but without unwieldy bitterness. Ilcaffe uses their own beans, which I liked tremendously.
My friend and I acquired a table outside and sat down to read / get work done. Despite it being windy, it was just a great place to sit and soak in the vibes. The pasta sisters truck right outside was a nice touch -- you don't even have to leave the place for dinner, and it closes at 9PM. Amazing!
The main hassle I project is parking in DTLA. We were lucky and got a spot relatively quickly, two blocks down. I will definitely be returning, but thinking of finding parking next time gives me a headache. Can't blame ilcaffe for that though.