Steve L.
Yelp
One of the things I love about South Bay is all the great coffee shops. We have another winner in Pure Bean, the latest addition to the Manhattan/Hermosa area. Located in what I believe was a former Coffee Bean, we definitely received an upgrade.
I have now gone several times, tried multiple items and brought others to try it out... so needless to say, if you are bringing others to the shop, you love it and I do.
Let me break it down -
Atmosphere 5* - a nice patio, dog friendly outside, clean interior, a community table you can stand at and chat. Plenty of seats with tables to work at, or better, just to chat and enjoy your coffee. Best of all, it's always clean.
Service 5* - I've been there enough I've met the owner Fritz who seems to be a really nice guy, new dad and involved with the shop. Some owners are "stay at home" owners, but he has been in the shop each time I've stopped by. The staff are all friendly, share their favorites and can help you find the right cup for you.
But what really counts - the COFFEE 5* - the star of the show at Pure Bean is the beans... they have unique coffee options that keep the focus on the coffee... nothing too sweet... just frosting the tips....
I've enjoyed drink I've tried, but my favorite is the Cardigan. It has cardamon in it and it is so good, I'm hooked... I also tried the Afterburner, a blended expresso and protein drink that spoke to my inner refined gym bro... but again, the star is the coffee, I've had the expresso and drip and both are great. Looking forward to my next visit.
2 other notes...
I've taken a few people to visit and they all have loved the coffee... one was from Paris and Pure Bean was our first stop... after trying 3 or 4 other shops, he wanted to make sure we went back to Pure Bean before he flew home, as it was his favorite...
I would be remiss if I did not point out something I think can be improved, even 5 stars doesn't mean it's perfect... I'm not a big fan of the pastries... they tasted too commercial to me. Luckily that's not why I go, but I felt compelled to share.