Lucia L.
Yelp
I was so excited that a new neighborhood coffee shop had opened in a more sleepy, suburban part of Culver City, and I decided to stop by this morning to check out their soft opening and get a cup of joe this morning before Pilates. While I theoretically love the concept- a minimalistic, aesthetic space with artisan crafted matcha and coffee drinks, I felt like the quality of their drinks and speed of service still needs some work.
I arrived at 10:20 to a small line, but it took until 10:40 to get to the front of the line and 10:50 to get my drink. I understand that a) this isn't Starbucks and b) it's their soft opening and they're still sorting out kinks especially with a busy weekend morning rush, but the efficiency felt limited due to the fact that there was only one cashier, who often had to step away since he was also hand mixing the matcha, pouring the latte art, and adding the finishing touches to the drinks. I felt like these tasks could have been delegated to the 4 other employees all jammed behind the small coffee bar, while the cashier focused on taking orders to prevent a line build up at the door.
Onto the drinks - I ordered a regular latte with their special seasonal espresso, and to say I was disappointed is an understatement, especially considering how expensive and nice their espresso machine is. With add-ons like oat milk, the seasonal espresso, and vanilla syrup, my drink came out to $8 for a small cup. The espresso itself was not flavorful and even almost bitter, and the latte was so muted that it tasted almost like a flat white.
The cafe itself is beautiful, but the seating is a bit cramped especially with the line to order blocking one entrance, and both indoor and outdoor seating is a bit better for waiting/conversing than sitting down and doing work. I also think they need to add a sign to watch your step at their back entrance (near the bathroom), since there's a six inch drop from the cafe floor to the sidewalk outside that almost made me trip and drop my coffee.
Overall, I see a lot of potential for this coffee shop, but I'd give them some time to sort out their operations and for the lines to die down before coming back again.