Kumquat in Highland Park is a sleek coffee haven boasting an impressive selection of global beans and chic drinks, though outdoor seating is the only option.
"The neatly wrapped Hot Pocket of a breakfast burrito served at Kumquat Coffee contains all the important elements: Chunks of seasoned potato? Check. Soft scrambled eggs? That’s right. Gooey cheese that gets into every bite? Indeed. But it’s the addition of caramelized garlic confit that sets the burrito at this Highland Park coffee shop apart. The garlic flavor isn’t too pungent for the morning, but it does heighten the elements around it—we especially like it with their juicy turkey sausage (you can also order it with bacon for crunch). These burritos typically take about 15 minutes to prepare, so place a pickup order beforehand on their website." - nikko duren, garrett snyder
"Kumquat in Highland Park is a quiet coffee shop (i.e., you could walk in half asleep and stay that way until your first cup). Baristas silently brew one of the ten pour-overs on the menu while customers thoughtfully peruse shelves of Japanese coffee filters and imported chocolates. The espresso drinks at Kumquat are flashier than the ambiance, though, like the Tennessee Iced Latte with a savory twist from smoked salt and the Cloudy Latte with thick peanut butter foam. If you’re a tea person who decided to read this guide anyway, Kumquat has your back with fun lattes like milk tea with coconut cream and masala chai." - sylvio martins, garrett snyder
"AJ Kim and Scott Sohn, the founders of Kumquat Coffee in Highland Park and Cypress Park’s Loquat Coffee, are known for their focus on quality and are now expanding their business with the opening of Fondry, a bakery specializing in croissants." - Rebecca Roland
"Highland Park’s Kumquat Coffee is quietly becoming a dominant figure in LA’s coffee market. Last month, the popular coffeemaker moved into DTLA on the bottom floor of the Jonathan Club, and co-owner AJ Kim tells Eater that a fourth and unnamed location is underway. The future cafe is a mere three blocks over in the former car repair space at 4703 York Boulevard, which is transitioning to retail and restaurants." - Mona Holmes
"Kumquat Coffee owners confirmed they’re opening a third cafe in Downtown LA in early 2023. The popular Highland Park cafe opened in 2018, with a sister shop called Loquat in Cypress Park over the summer. The DTLA location will be on the ground floor of the Jonathan Club." - Mona Holmes
