in the sea of koreatown cafes with top-tier matcha lattes, it's pretty hard to stand out--but cafe luce is now one of my favorites.
the raspberry peach matcha ($8) used to be on their "secret" menu, and it's by far the menu highlight. the combination of (house-made!) raspberry and peach adds a delicious sweet-tart flavor to the perfectly balanced matcha.
it's a totally unique drink as far as i know... which means i have to come back to cafe luce every time i want it. i've only been twice so far, but i'm already obsessed and see many visits in my future.
the marbled matcha ($6) is their other signature drink. it's a heavily cream-based latte mixed with matcha and oat milk. the matcha flavor is there, but overall this drink is a bit too milky and rich for my taste. if you like cream top lattes, it's worth trying, but i'll be sticking to the raspberry peach one. (and both drinks look equally great in photos, heh.)
ambiance-wise, cafe luce is pretty cute. the music is LOUD (which i don't like), but the tables are spotlessly clean and there's plenty of seating. they have free wifi for customers and i saw two outlets along the walls, so it could be a decent place to work or study if you don't mind the noise.
the same person has been behind the counter each time i've been here, and they're very nice + the drinks come out quickly... partially because every time i've been here, there's only one other party in the store. go try the matcha before this place blows up! read more