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South LA Cafe

4.7 (429 reviews)
Closed 7:00 am - 2:00 pm
Updated 2 weeks ago

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SOUTH LA CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Outdoor seating
Dogs allowed
Good for working

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Recommended Reviews - South LA Cafe

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Reviews With Photos

Miranda D.

Visited this spot two times during my four day trip to LA -- let that be your sign to come visit South LA Cafe! This cafe is black-owned and women-owned so you know I had to show my support. Upon walking in, you're greeted with a beautiful Nipsey Hussle mural as well as other social activist paintings created by small business artists. This place creates such a safe space for all which is super important especially during these trying times. On top of the ambiance, the service was amazing. You're greeted by individuals who appear to love what they do and genuinely appreciate your business. The food itself was yummy! During the two times we visited, we ordered some iced mochas, iced refreshers, croissants, bagels, empanadas, etc. All of them were solid! I will definitely recommend this spot to others and will encourage those reading this to also give it a try :)

Chocolate chip scone
Danielle K.

Just stopped by on our way to the museum. I got the choco chip scone (very good, wish there had been butter) and my husband got the western. He liked it but unfortunately he wasnt able to finish it so i cant say if it was good past the first few sips. The barista who helped us was nice but seemed new since he wasnt very knowledgeable; however, he did get the answers for us when we asked a couple questions. I got my scone cold by choice but when they called the coffee the scone wasnt ready yet for some reason and of course i had to go back and ask them for it since they never called our name. Its a small place next to the NHM so even tho there is seating its limited. They sell merch too. I would not recommend coming here ONLY for the cafe, because there is no parking unless youre going to the museums.

The Western, The Crenshaw, hot chocolate
Karen K.

I honestly wasn't expecting reasonablly priced, decently tasty coffee with good service at a museum like the Natural History Museum. I was expecting over priced, watered down, meh coffee. I'm happy to see South LA take their product seriously. The Western was a horchata and espresso coffee. I got it iced. It is pretty sweet, but tasty. The Crenshaw is a cold brew with cinnamon and whipped cream. I liked that it didn't taste too sweet. I should have gotten a larger hot chocolate, because I had my kids share, and they devoured it and were arguing over the drops remaining in the cup. The vibe is cool, pretty modern, sinple, and relaxed. It is next to the cafe with access from the outside of the museum. 10% off for teachers!

Cheese danish
Spring G.

Cute community coffee shop !! They have lavender YUMMY ! Huge pastries ! My daughter said her matcha was too sweet . Very cool vibes loved the Nipsey and Martin paintings ! Cool spots for picture taking and there's parking ! My coffee was crafted how I wanted and put in a cute short hot cup with ice ;))

Iced Vanilla Latte
Karina R.

I've always wanted to try this spot, and with a new location opening near me soon, I took the opportunity to visit the Western Ave location. The space is beautifully clean, spacious, and has such a warm and welcoming atmosphere. You can really feel the heart of South LA reflected in the decor and vibe. It's a lovely tribute to the community's rich history. The staff were incredibly friendly. While the menu includes many familiar coffee shop staples, they also offer some standout signature drinks and tasty empanadas. The real star for me, though, was the coffee cake, definitely worth trying! Portions are generous, and everything I had felt made with care. I highly recommend stopping by if you're in the area or near one of their other locations.

Oatmilk Latte
Carlie C.

Love South LA Cafe Coffee is always on point, pastries from Homeboy Industries are always amazing, and the service is the best part! It is a true community spot where people are working, conversing, and the cafe seems to always be doing things for the community like food drives. I always love the coffee but tried an empanada on my last visit and it was delicious too! Parking is easy and inside is always clean, welcoming, and plenty of outlets for when you need to work.

Maria G.

This is my first time trying this coffee place and it was so delicious. I love the coffee that I chose, it was "The Western" ice coffee. It had a great flavor and you have option to get it cold, hot or blended. I also decided to try the chicken empanada which was delicious. Definitely one of my favorite places to get coffee in South LA. I also saw that they have different locations all around South Los Angeles and they have a loyalty program that let you earn points on every visit and after 10 points you get $5 dollars off. The service was amazing. The two persons behind the counter were friendly and welcoming. Since it was my first time there the person who took my order, took his time to explain the menu to me. The ambience is very calm definitely a great place to come and relax while enjoying a cup of coffee.

Orchata ice latte

I ordered the orchata ice latte and it's delicious. I don't like it very sweet, so I requested half the usual amount of sugar, and it tastes so good. The girl at the register is pretty friendly.

Erika L.

Might be my new coffee shop. Iced Horchata Latte less sweet with an extra espresso shot is my favorite drink. It's sweet but well balanced by the extra shot. I also tried with their ham & cheese croissant this last time. It's a large one, big enough to share with someone. Croissant was flaky and buttery; could have a bit more ham but still good. Service is always friendly and quick.

Well made, delicious!!
Sincere H.

The drinks are well made when there isn't a long line of people waiting. However, the food bank service has issues on Wednesdays. The posted time was 12:30 PM, but by then they had already run out of bags. While people were left waiting in the 88-degree heat, the company took part in a celebration instead of assisting. Because of this, some cold food had already melted or gotten wet. Once you finally proceed through the line, the process is smoother, and there is helpful assistance available to carry food to your vehicle if you have one. Could have better service.

Inside the coffee shop
Justin C.

First time trying this cafe and to my surprise it's affordable compared to other places I've been too. I had the match tea and it's one of the best. Highly recommended, I would definitely come back again and try the other drinks.

Jalapeño Croissant
Sylvia R.

The chai latte was perfect! And I love their partnership with homeboy industries (those Jalapeño Croissants are my absolute favorite). I had a great time here on a gloomy rainy day with some friends. The employee Carmen was very friendly Highly recommend!!

Mushroom & spinach empanada and the Black Mamba iced tea.
Kris E.

My mom and I finally visited after driving past for years. I'm so glad we did! We tried the mushroom & spinach empanadas, deluxe bagel sandwich, iced horchata latte, and the black mamba iced tea. Everything tasted fresh and delicious and was prepared promptly! The service was incredible--staff was patient as we scanned and processed the menu, shared recommendations based on what items have been popular for coffee and non-coffee drinkers, and invited us to pick out a complimentary button to take home with us since it was our first visit. Staff warmly checked on the regular patrons setting up camp on their laptops and welcomed us newbies with the same inviting energy. It brought joy to my spirit to see this Black and family-owned business of such high quality thriving in the neighborhood I grew up in, particularly when larger chains and brands often don't think we're worth investing in. What a sacred and safe space with Black and Brown people of all ages in community gathering over healthy and quality food and beverage options, right in our own backyard. There were also children helping to prep grocery bags for a food distribution! We will definitely be returning and sharing our experience with others. We look forward to all the incredible things in store as this business continues to grow and thrive, all while serving the community.

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The Western as the best selling drink wasn't that impressive. As a heavy coffee drink, its just a cinimon sugar drink to me.

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Ask the Community - South LA Cafe

Are customers allowed to sit and get some work/studying done here?

Yes, there's outdoor seating along the side of the cafe. I haven't seen any tables/chairs set up inside yet.

What type of oatmilk do you use?

Generally Califia but sometimes we use Oatly. You can always ask what we have in stock when you arrive and we will accommodate you based on what we have.

Can you stay open until 7 on Tuesday? My friend and I want to come by.

Hey Stephanie! We’d love to have you! Our soft launch hours are weekdays 7-4 and weekends 8-1. Hopefully you can make it in then! In the future we may have events and other occasions when we stay open later. If you haven’t already become a free… Read more

Could you post photos of your menu? I have food allergies and would love to see what options I have. Thanks!

You got it! Are you on IG? If so follow us @southlacafe and then send us a dm and we can share the menu. We will also post on Yelp now hoping it will update immediately!

Do you have an oat milk option :)?

Yes, they do have oat milk!

View All 8 Questions

Review Highlights - South LA Cafe

Love what they stand for, love what they do for the community and love how passionate the owners are about helping people.

Mentioned in 113 reviews

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Super cute, whimsical and magical experience at the Museum of Make Believe…read more After seeing some Instagram posts and reels about the cute space, my friend and I decided to stop by to visit for a day trip. You do choose a time slot to enter, but due to traffic we were going to be a little bit late. We called and let the staff know and it was no biggie. Parking is a bit confusing since it's near a very busy road and residential area, so just make sure you're not parking where you can get fined or towed. After some confusion, we parked in the structure (unclear if allowed or not, but subsequently nothing happened. Phew!). The museum is located at the business plaza building and immediately stands out with it's beautiful storefront and the door that looks like it's out of a fairytale. Immediately we were welcomed by Sabrina, who was not only super informative (but in an easy to understand, not overwhelming way), but super friendly and made our visit that much more amazing. She knows the lore, knew the key and critical points to swoop in to enhance the magic (like when we went to ask the wise wizard some questions), and was very accommodating overall. The people really do make the magic. During your visit, you can opt to do the scavenger hunts and answer the riddles for some prizes and it varies in difficulty from easy to hard, but everything is open to interpretation based on YOUR IMAGINATION. It's the Museum of Make Believe for a reason. The attention to detail is immaculate, from the miniatures and dioramas, the foliage on the ceiling to the ground, and even in the water closet, there's so much to see and you can easily spend a long time just taking everything in. I won't include spoilers but I love that there's not just a lot to see, but to experience through sound and even smell! Lots of thought went into this museum and I'm glad it's getting expanded as well! Can't wait to see what the future holds for such a magical place!

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