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    Amai Coffee

    4.4 (341 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 6:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Order Amai Coffee Takeout or Delivery

    Amai Coffee Photos

    AMAI COFFEE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Amai Coffee

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    Meera S.

    I thought I'd like Amai more but maybe it was just a blip in the universe type of day where it just wasn't happening. Walked into Amai on a Friday afternoon pre-road trip and it was a bit of a stale and ever so silent environment. Nobody else in shop which I mean isn't their fault but for some reason, everything looked run down and tired. Used the bathroom and it too looked like it had a long day. Ordered at the counter with the barista who then immediately started making my drink. What was odd was the fact that he made the drink on the serving counter right in front of me so I saw how little effort was put into the drink. I thought the iced matcha latte was decent but nothing out of the ordinary. Later that day was glossing my credit card transaction history and saw the charge for Amai upwards of $10. I realize I didn't complete the tip page on the screen (my mistake) which is likely where the barista took the liberty to fill it in on his own. Not cool. Maybe one day will be back but also, there are so many alternatives in the area, it's a tough business case.

    Matcha
    Lianne P.

    Signature coffee is good! I asked for less milk and it was perfect. Lots of parking in the lot.

    Banana cream top latte
    Natalia H.

    Tried a banana cream top matcha & latte here. Both are pretty solid. It is not one of the best ones but is definitely a good one. Stuff & place feel warm and welcoming. If I want something near SM & Venice with banana foam - I recommend this place within area.

    Menu
    Peggy S.

    This coffee spot can get crowded sometimes because it's across the street from Santa Monica College. It's a smaller, cozy shop but didn't have too much problem getting a seat Thursday morning. Hard to find a charger outlet though so bring your laptop charged/ The barista was really nice and greeted people warmly. Ordered the blueberry matcha which wasn't too sweet. There seemed to be a bit of a fizz in there too. Also got the everything croissant which had fragrant toasted sesame seeds and lightly filled with cream cheese. Parking is available in a small strip lot mall.

    Mango sticky rice matcha
    Halley K.

    Popped in here around 3pm needing an afternoon matcha pick me up and wow did they deliver! The barista was so friendly and kind to make recommendations. They have a nice selection of both coffee and matcha drinks, and I went with the mango sticky rice matcha with almond milk. I was a little nervous about the color of the mango, but not to worry it was absolutely delicious! Great flavor and the perfect amount of sweetness. The space is on the smaller side with a few tables and one community table, but a chill vibe to sit and enjoy. I will definitely be back!

    Amai Signature (left), Manila Vanilla (right)
    Joleena A.

    Tucked away in a small Asian plaza with plenty of free parking, which is definitely a plus. They were unfortunately out of the Ube, so we tried the Amai Signature and Manila Vanilla instead. Both drinks were light and easy to drink--safe choices that tasted good, but neither really stood out. The Signature was slightly sweeter thanks to the cold foam, though the two flavors were otherwise quite similar. If I come back, I'd be more interested in trying the Ube or Mocha. The café itself was clean, and the restroom was spacious (you'll need a code to access it). The two women working the counter were friendly, answered questions, and adjusted another customer's matcha drink when she asked for it to be sweeter.

    Banana Coffee and Manila Vanilla
    Autumn D.

    Ok I'm giving a 4 because my coffee did not taste like banana. If I'm ordering a banana coffee I want to taste banana, not coffee oat milk and a random syrup. I saw her put banana syrup in it but I think anything banana needs to be made from banana itself not a store bought syrup. Customer service was great, they welcome me in and everything. Overall presentation of drinks were beautiful as well. Despite my banana itself it still tasted good. My friend's coffee was the Manila Vanilla and he really liked it and said it was good. There's parking !!! WOOOO HOOO Ambience was nice .. enough co working space if I wanted to come back and work for a bit or have coffee with a friend.

    Amai Signature
    Jasmine B.

    I tried Amai coffee and immediately understood the great ratings. The flavors are very balanced and even with almond milk it tastes like a treat.

    IG: happyfoodietown
    Vy D.

    A chill day at the coffee shop. Love the chill vibe and great drinks they offer here.

    MANGO STICKY MATCHA  Amai Signature

    this place is right beside my job and I've come here a couple times. Always great service and a great menu. The drinks here are really good. I either get the mango sticky rice matcha or the Amai Signature. They have a parking lot and plenty of seats inside if you ever wanted to chill out here.

    Elisa S.

    I've been out training in Santa Monica, so I finally made my way to check out this gem. Very pleased with the Manila vanilla signature drink I ordered. Service was great, and was happy to see that they had good street and lot parking. I will definitely be back!

    Strawberry matcha and mango sticky matcha
    Miranda M.

    Was craving a matcha and decided to check out Amai Coffee in Santa Monica. There's a small parking lot out front making it easy to stop by. The cafe was small, but so cute with a few seats to relax in. I ordered a mango sticky matcha with almond milk from the seasonal menu and my friend got the strawberry matcha. They were around the $8-9 range. My drink really brougth home the mango and coconut flavor from a classic mango sticky rice. The matcha itself felt very light, the drink overall a bit on the sweet side. I would come back to try the hojicha latte or a fun seasonal flavor, but not sure if I would spend that much for their regular matcha menu.

    Melanie O.

    I love getting drinks from here ! They're always so good and one time I got a mocha and they did not burn the milk. It tasted soooo good ! Shoutout to the barista that did it, you are a good barista (didn't ask for his name). But I love everyone here they're always super nice and attentive ! And I love their drinks and the aesthetic of the place, a really good vibe.

    Matcha with Vanilla Cream Top

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    Amai Coffee Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Amai Coffee

    Are there outlets here?

    Yes!

    What types of coffee beans or blends do you use?

    We use sightglass’ top tier owls howl for our espresso blend. For our decaf we use sightglass as well! We retail sightglass, cognescenti, little wolf, & onyx though we sell out very quickly.

    What type of dairy and non dairy milks do they have?

    Hello Katrina! We currently offer organic whole milk, oat milk, & almond milk.

    View All 4 Questions

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    Tartine

    Tartine

    4.1
    (883 reviews)
    1.0 mi
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    Wonderful ambience! This is not a full service restaurant. You wait in line ( many times the line…read moreis out the front door onto the side walk. This part is a bit stressful. Order and pay at the counter and find a table indoors or outside. Both areas are nice, however inside, the noise level is a wee bit louder, however I haven't had any issues having a conversation with a friend. For those with sensitive ears, just sit outside. One can come here for coffee. Free refills! You can ask for a cup ( their cups are glass), but the coffee doesn't stay warm long. If you plan on sitting there and don't mind a paper cup To Go, order your coffee in a To Go cup. Food: each time I have ordered food to eat there, it arrives promptly and presented beautifully. Their sandwiches are made with their house made bread! Delicious! Try to save room for one of their pastries or desserts. Tartine is an oasis to relax, unwind, catch up with friends, people watch. Parking: paid lot, adjacent, not cheap.

    One of the best croissants I've ever had was given to me from Tartine. Ever since, I've always…read morewanted to visit myself. Parking here on a Sunday morning is fairly difficult on the street. The valet isn't quite worth it if you're only getting a coffee and pastry - almost feels like an upcharge on a lightly pricy snack / drink. That being said, the almond croissant? Worth every penny! The almond croissant has a generous helping of almonds and features a nice, crispy exterior and light, fluffy interior. My excited nibbles sent them bread shards soaring through the air! I also had an iced latte, and i often don't finish my drink the same hour. Well, I did here! The espresso they added was nutty and dark; the ice made it a little watery but it was tasty nonetheless. To enjoy all the goodness, seating is available indoors (for a more rustic feel) and outdoors (for a more garden feel). Come early, though, not only for parking and fresh bread, but also because there may be a short line!

    Photos
    Inside, to-go boxes, cups and water station
    Inside, to-go boxes, cups and water station
    Coconut cream pie with a ganache
    Coconut cream pie with a ganache
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    Paderia Bakehouse

    Paderia Bakehouse

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    (348 reviews)
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    This is one of my professors' favorite places to get Portuguese egg tarts, so obviously my friends…read moreand I needed to check it out. I can see why he loves it -- the egg tarts are very custardy and rich, with a lightly eggy flavor but the sweetness from heavy cream in each bite contrasting to the flaky crust. We also got the red velvet cheesecake, which was pretty standard. The strawberry and cream cookie was massive and I loved the strawberry flavor! It was a little too sweet for me but for the average American palette is probably perfect. There's a parking lot but pretty limited seating (that gets a lot of sun), so plan on taking it to go unless you want to casually borrow a table next door...

    I was in Santa Monica and craving some cookies. I saw these recommended on Instagram for their…read morechunky cookies. While the physical location is small, there's outdoor seating to enjoy our sweets and goodies right away. We ordered the peanut butter chocolate, chocolate chip, chocolate chunk sea salt and walnuts, and cookies and cream. We also ordered the pistachio latte and matcha cream top. My favorite cookie was the peanut butter chocolate followed by the chocolate chip walnut with sea salt. My mom's favorite was the chocolate walnut sea salt. The pistachio latte was yummy with real pistachio pieces sprinkled on top

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    Strawberry shortcake cookie (limited time only) and egg tart
    Strawberry shortcake cookie (limited time only) and egg tart
    S'mores cookie
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    Portuguese Egg Tart

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    Helms Bakery

    Helms Bakery

    3.9
    (215 reviews)
    5.1 mi
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    In complete honesty, everything was average tasting EXCEPT the Jambon Beurre sandwich. Even though…read moreit was just ham and butter, it was specifically French Isigny butter from Normandy. The unfortunate part was that the sandwich was only a half portion and cost almost $17... The interior/food displays reminded me of Erewhon. I wish I found out about Helms earlier because I know they make amazing pastries!! Sad that they are gone.

    Heavily saddened to hear that this ambitious project and love letter to L.A. history is closing…read morethis weekend. Chef Yang Soon began developing the reimagined classic Helms Bakery twelve years ago but could not have anticipated the huge changes that were to hit the dining landscape with the Covid pandemic. The decline of going out / dining out, changes in spending habits and the rise of delivery services made this Art Deco styled concept bakery financially unsustainable. Helms has a fascinating history. In 1932 their bread, Olympic Bread, was declared the official bread of the Olympic Games. This led to worldwide recognition. Delivery wagons, or coaches, brought bread, doughnuts and other baked goods to Angelenos' homes with their slogan, "Daily at Your Door." Helms was the bread that astronauts in Apollo 11 took to the moon. World Famous. I've sampled many items in my several visits (driving all the way to Culver City from the SF Valley.) *Breakfast burrito, $14 *Prosciutto/Persimmon sandwich, $17 *Coffee Cake, $5 *Cherry Pie slice, $12 *Nutella-stuffed cookie, $7 *Oat & Medjool Date cookie, $4.50 *Corn & Caramel cookie, $5 *Pistachio & chocolate cookie, $7 *Pecan Molasses, $5 On previous visits: *Olive Oil Cake *Corn Cake All of the above were made with high-quality ingredients, and thus sold at a high price point. All well-crafted and extremely delicious in my opinion. I will miss this place tremendously. I sincerely hope that Chef makes good on opening a Helms bakery in another location in the near future. I'll drive across town for that! R.I.P Helms original, 1931 - 1969 Helms reimagined, November 2024 / December 14, 2025

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    Helms Bakery
    Roasted banana ice scream dipped in chocolate , freshly made.
    Roasted banana ice scream dipped in chocolate , freshly made.
    Helms Bakery

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    Amai Coffee - coffee - Updated August 2026

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