As soon as you walk in you get a calming feeling. I really enjoyed the interior. The green decor was really soothing and serene. The service was really great. The employee who took my order really took his time to explain the different blends. The drink tasted delicious. read more

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As a cat lover, and having two cats myself, when I saw an ad for this place on Instagram, I immediately fell in love with the logo and had to look up the place. Upon arrival, I noticed the place was really clean, the cute merch that was on display was AMEOWZING that I had to PURR-chase one item (although I wanted everything). I went in not planning to purchase any merch, but I ended up grabbing the adorable black tote. I was very happy with my purchase. The tote was very large and roomy. The aesthetic overall was definitely pleasing to the eyes. Loved the color schemes, and the ambience when I was there was very relaxing. Staff is nice. Menu is pretty straightforward and simple. Choose your beans and choose your drink. They have 3 kinds of beans to choose from and they also have 3 sample bottles that you can smell the beans to help you decide. I chose the midnight blend and chose cappuccino for my drink. My cousin got the honey oat latte with the Lan Xang beans. Both drinks were so fresh and delicious. I love the taste of fresh coffee beans! Oh, when it came to milk substitutes, I believe they only offered whole milk and almond milk when I asked if they had soy milk. So I chose almond milk for my cappuccino. Oh yeah, and there is ample parking, so that's a plus! read more

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Soft opening review. Very nice staff and damn good coffee. Menu is somewhat limited right now but coffee drinks and matcha drinks on menu with some croissants. It's very clean and mellow inside which is perfect for a coffee shop. No internet right now but told it was coming soon. I will def be back. #supportsmallbusiness read more

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Saw that this was new in the area and wanted to check it out. Did not disappoint!! All their drinks are made to order. I got that yuzu matcha tonic and my husband got the matcha coconut. Both were really delicious! Definitely coming back with my friends read more

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I've been looking for newer cafes in the area that would offer something different. The drinks, service, and attention to care goes beyond here. They give 3 different coffee bean options: Lao, Midnight, Da Lat. We went with Lao for the Honey Latte, it was SO smooth. No acidity at all. Perfectly sweetened. Reminded us of coffee in Korea, Love this. I got the matcha yuzu tonic. The matcha color is insane. I think it was the perfect balance of yuzu and matcha, not too sweet or too citrusy. Will come back here! read more

Cafe Refuge - matcha yuzu tonic - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Please come for the coffee. These are the best latte's in OC. This is how it should be done!! read more

Cafe Refuge - Vanilla Latte and Matcha Vanilla Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Was exploring and searching the best matcha drink in the area and found this 5 star cafe. Came early in the morning and it seems new. There's still a grand opening signage in front of the cafe so i assume this place is new? Inside is neat and minimalist...They also selling their merchandise which is pretty cool. Got the strawberry matcha and the staff were kind and even advised me to stir it before drinking to fully enjoy it. You can really taste the quality of the matcha. It had a vibrant flavor and smooth finish with no bitterness. Definitely worth checking out if you're a matcha lover. read more

Cafe Refuge - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Much needed coffee with real coffee - this maybe isn't the place for you if you are a coco puff, fruity pebble, smore cookie butter latte person. You choose your bean profile and then add a milk with syrups limited to vanilla or simple syrup. The coffee really is the star of this latte and it was spectacular. I did ask to add a dried orange for a little kick and the barista obliged. 10/10 ! read more

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I'm always looking for new coffee places to try and I'm glad I stumbled upon this one. It's a fairly new spot that just opened up in the plaza. They have a unique backstory and it seems like the owners are very passionate about what they do. As for the coffee, they specialize in coffee and tea from different Asian countries, currently three options of beans to choose from, all with their own unique flavor. The service is amazing, they're always so kind, even if the cafe is busy, they make sure that each drink is made correctly. The ambience inside is mellow, there's seating for studying and there's plenty of parking outside. read more

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Drinks were AMAZING , quality matcha and espresso! the barista was really nice and gave some good drink recommendations . also free and good wifi! seating is really limited though. read more

Easily a 5 stars for us! My partner got a flat white with oat milk, and it is spectacular. The quality of the beans is amazing. The beans are roasted on site which definitely adds to the quality. The cafe is specialized in Asian beans which is super unique and rare to find here! I got a coconut matcha. They don't serve cream top drinks here but honestly, I prefer this version of coconut matcha more -- it is very refreshing and not too sweet. The owner is also great and friendly! He's passionate and knowledgeable about their work. The ambiance is great overall! Love that they have some cute cat merchs here as well! What a gems! We would definitely come back when we're in SoCal next time! read more

Cafe Refuge - Coconut matcha & Flat white - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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i ordered the coconut matcha and it was so refreshing for a hot summer day! the coconut flavor is very light and i wish it was just a tad sweeter. the drink tasted very similar to pennywort (rau ma). clean peaceful interior and vibes! read more

Cafe Refuge - coconut matcha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Starting off on a positive note: incredibly nice and friendly staff and owner. Small space with limited seatings but the interior is chic and well decorated with plenty of parking. They also have a giant coffee grinder and grind it fresh so the store smells like aromatic coffee beans. It's cool that they source their beans from southeast asia for their coffee. For dining in, they make your drinks in cute little glasses, very environmentally friendly! They also have some pastries options if you're feeling peckish. Brown Sugar Hojicha 2/5: run of the mill, brown sugar is overpowering but you still get a bit of the nutty aroma of the hojicha, on par with a homemade hojicha Strawberry Matcha Latte 1/5: the strawberry flavor was pronounced and not synthetic at all. I like the bits of crunchy dried strawberries. However, the matcha itself was practically nonexistent. Honey Matcha Latte 0/5: the honey was overwhelming, and combined with the fact I couldn't taste the matcha at all, it was the worst drink I remember ever having. I noticed that the ice in this one was completely melted, so the assumption is that they whisked the matcha with very hot water, and when poured over the ice melted it, making the drink watery and bland. In my opinion, this is a fundamental mistake in matcha making that can't be overlooked. The matcha here is objectively subpar and arguably bottom of the barrel. I understand that they are trying to cover all the bases when it comes to menu variety, but this is definitely backfiring. This is clearly a specialty coffee store but because of my bad experience with these three non-coffee drinks, I'm deterred from possibly coming back to find out they have the best coffee I would've ever had. With how competitive it has gotten in the matcha/hojicha market in OC, I would sincerely suggest removing the hojicha and matcha menu altogether so the customers would try their coffee. Tldr: excellent customer service, cute decor, do not order matcha or hojicha and try the coffee if you're already here. read more

Cafe Refuge - Honey Matcha Latte, Strawberry Matcha Latte, and Brown Sugar Hojicha Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Excellent customer service. Clean, spacious and easily accessible. Easy parking. Good clean bathroom. Delicious shaken brown sugar espresso latte and strawberry matcha latte. Both were iced, super fairly priced even with almond milk and not too sweet. Will definitely return. What a great addition to the neighborhood. read more

Cafe Refuge - Iced shaken brown sugar espresso latte. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

so nice to see a cafe that really values coffee! i love how simple the menu is, because it really highlights the quality of their beans (which they roast themselves!!). i had a lovely conversation with the owner and learned a lot about their mission. so cool how they're supporting farmers in asia and showing the beauty of asian coffee and teas. i'm really excited to see how they grow! will definitely come back and try their other drinks. read more

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I went yesterday on Labor Day right when they opened - as you walk in you're welcomed by the sweetest employees who are knowledgeable on both tea/coffee. I was visiting from out of state so I had to go crazy and try three different matcha (regular hot matcha latte, hot honey matcha latte and the iced strawberry matcha). All which were super yummy! I do wish I could have sat down and enjoyed the ambiance as it was super spacious and very nice interior - I will be back! read more

Our first visit - just saw it the other day, driving down Harbor, close to home. They have cool iced coffees, a variety of matcha drinks but we went with our standard flat white. Interesting concept - beans are sourced from a variety of SEAsian countries - currently 2 from Vietnam and one from Lao. Something we've never seen - they have 3 bulb snifters for their 3 current beans so you can squeeze the bulb and smell each to compare them. There is a variety of pastries, sweet and savory croissants and a scone. Tasty! The interior is modern and appealing, baristas friendly and helpful. We will be back! Nice to support a local business. read more

Cafe Refuge was a serendipitous find. We just happened to be a the pet supply store a few doors down when we spotted this brand new coffee shop just as we were about to go to another coffee place. We were happy to try Cafe Refuge, rather than the original spot we were about to try. We love how Cafe Refuge allows its customers to select the coffee beans to use in the drinks. We both selected the medium roast and were not disappointed. Hubby tried the coco espresso tonic (espresso with coconut water), and he found it refreshing. I tried the honey latte and enjoyed the bold coffee flavor, lightened by a tinge of sweetness. Cafe Refuge is small, but clean, and the owners and staff were friendly. read more

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I often stop by this shop once a week during my breaks as a fun treat! Everyone there is so sweet and helpful, especially when it comes to coffee. Their matcha is lovely, defiantly the best I've tried across many different cafes. Sometimes it can be a little hard to find seating, but the overall ambience of friendliness really makes it all work! read more

The strawberry matcha was SO GOOD! There was plenty of seating on a Friday morning. Friendly and helpful staff. Very aesthetic inside and great pastry options as well. read more

Cafe Refuge - Strawberry matcha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Really solid spot with a nice atmosphere. I tried the yuzu tonic drink, and it was excellent--refreshing, well-balanced, and not overly sweet. I usually don't like drinks with jelly because the texture isn't my thing, but this one actually changed my mind. The jelly complemented the drink instead of getting in the way. Service was friendly, and everything felt well put together. The only reason I'm giving it four stars instead of five is that nothing completely blew me away, but I'd definitely come back to try more of the menu. read more

Cutest concept for a coffee shop and the people in there were very friendly and helpful. I got honey latte and my bf got iced americano and we got to pick out our coffee blends. Fantastic coffee!! read more

Cafe Refuge - Honey latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Just an awesome experience. Artisanal Asian inspired drinks served in a beautifully designed and built out spot. Had the iced Da Lat (Vietnamese) brew. Oh it was so good, just the right amount of bitterness and smoothness. Kudos to the Roaster. Can't wait to go back to try other menu items. read more

café refuge recently opened, and knowing that they opened their doors during a time of struggle makes what they've created even more impressive. i actually got the chance to talk to the owner while i was there, who was super friendly and told me a little bit about their story and everything that goes into what they make. everything is made in-house by hand, even down to their vanilla syrup, and you can absolutely taste the difference compared to the typical syrups most coffee shops use. the coffee was delicious, fresh, and clearly made with a lot of attention to quality. the employees were also incredibly helpful and informative. they took the time to help me figure out which beans would work best for my coffee and actually explained the different options rather than just giving me a quick recommendation. you can tell everyone there genuinely cares about the quality of what they're serving and the experience they give their customers. i was so happy with my experience and really admire what the owners have been able to create despite the circumstances they opened under. i'll definitely be consistently coming back to café refuge, and i'm excited to see this place grow. read more

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When you walk in, the place is beautiful. It's insanely clean and so aesthetically pleasing. The service was fantastic as well! We were greeted by kind smiling faces and positive vibes. They helped us choose beans for our coffee and let us smell the different beans from different countries. The coffee was absolutely incredible. I typically don't even like coffee and yet I was stealing my boyfriend's cup away from him to get some more. This place has cheap prices for some of the most intentional and artisan coffee and matcha i've ever seen! Each cup is made to perfection and looks just as great as it tastes. Fun fact, they even roast all of their own beans in house! So you never have to worry about horribly burnt and bitter beans. We love cafe refuge!! Best coffee in town by far! read more

Great drinks and environment. Friendly staff. This place has become my go to place. I strongly recommend given it a try, you won't be disappointed. read more

Cafe Refuge - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Great spot that allows you to choose your beans for each latte, giving you a choice to try different styles! Coco expresso isn't anything overly unique though it's done right with the freshly ground expresso. Very personable staff and clean decor. read more

Cafe Refuge - Coco expresso - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I absolutely love Cafe Refuge. I stopped in on a Sunday morning and tried their orange espresso tonic, and it was absolutely delightful. Not only that, but the service was fantastic. The woman who helped me made a great recommendation on the specialty Asian coffee bean to use that pairs best with the drink, so I just really loved this place. It was very nice and welcoming. I'm definitely going to be back. read more

Stopped by on my way to work to get a hot matcha and I'm so glad I did! This cafe is sorta hidden in a Sherwin-Williams parking lot, but they have cute cats in their logo that are visible on the door. They had a really unique menu and the Coconut Matcha (served cold) stood out to me but I decided to go with a hot Honey Matcha latte. The flavor of the matcha was really different it was almost nutty but I really enjoyed it. My drink was out quick and customer service was excellent. It's a beautiful little cafe to check out! read more

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So good! Enjoyed the coffee and how they let you pick your bean. It definitely was enjoyable and I will be back to try out more of their drinks :) read more

Grand opening of an adorable coffee house specializing in Asian coffee and ceremonial match. The interior was beautifully minimalistic with my favorite muted green tones. We ordered an espresso tonic, matcha tonic, honey matcha, and honey latte with almond milk. All were delicious and refreshing. Matcha was made in the traditional manner and customer service was on point. I'll be back! read more

Cafe Refuge - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Great new cafe that opened up with plenty of seating, and they roast their own specialty beans. Love how you can sniff and choose your beans for your espresso based drinks. Fantastic third wave coffee spot with also excellent matcha. read more

Cafe Refuge - Coffee and matcha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Cool minimalist vibes for a new cafe. Simple espresso drinks and green tea lattes. We came for a soft opening. Friendly faces and tasty drinks, I'm looking forward to the grand opening! read more

This place is so cute!! The logo I can't get over. The strawberry matcha was the perfect balance of sweetness. The coffee they offer was so smooth and refreshing. The staff were so nice as well,I definitely recommend trying. read more

Cafe Refuge - Honey latte, strawberry matcha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Finally a good coffee shop! The owner seem to know what they are doing and definitely have a passion for it. I was in the area and searched coffee shops near me. So glad i did, I went in to try just a basic iced vanilla latte. They let you choose the beans you'd like and the owner also recommended what flavor of beans would taste best with my latte and she was right. The perfect taste of espresso as you take a sip. The vanilla is not overpowering its the perfect balance. read more

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I've been here a few times now (6 times), and I really enjoy the matcha I feel like there was a good balance of matcha to milk. Mine have not been too milky at all, while that is usually why I won't get it at other coffee shops. Nice vibe, quite to work if needed. I hope they do well in this spot! Give them a try! read more

I'm not a Macha person so I wasn't sure if this place was for me, but their regular latte with a little bit of simple syrup really surprised me. Really delicious! Staff was sweet too. read more

The staff is very knowledgeable about the various roasts. Very friendly service. The coffee is outstanding. read more

Cafe Refuge - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

im such a coffee feinnn and have tried so many cafes in oc that were pretty mediocre but THIS PLACE DOESNT COMPARE. i got the honey latte w/ whole milk and the midnight blend for my choice of coffee beans. 10/10 and this is my second time coming back so it's safe to say they're pretty consistent in quality. baristas are pretty welcoming as well and so helpful if you have any questions. you can also smell the different types of beans OMGG can this place get any better. ok i'm going to stop yapping now but if you're in the area def try it read more

Cafe Refuge - i'm a major coffee fein and this place is SOOO GOODD. I got a honey latte with the midnight blend beans. 10/10 try this place trust me - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Ambience of the store was very nice. It felt very sterile, like a hospital! I thought the vibes of the place overall were really chill too. It was cool to see, on the way to the restroom, their bean roaster!! The service was very pleasant and i liked that we can smell the means as well! Got a strawberry matcha and a brownsugar hojicha. Both came out amazing, both in flavor and visuals!! read more