Dropped off my partner at UC Irvine early this morning, so early that we didn't have time to make…read morecoffee at home, so I ventured in unknown territory to try some local brews. A mere 1.3 miles away, I find this eight year old coffee shop that has its name origins from the German word for bread. Evidently, they have a plethora of baked foods mainly consisting of flour, water and often yeast displayed in full display next to the counter. I asked one of the staff if the shop makes their own bread and she said a local artisan bakery supplies them. They look amazing and they even have gluten-free options! This is a family-owned business that provides a more than suitable area for working on your laptop with WiFi access, or simply enjoying your favorite hot or cold caffeinated beverage, oh, and I must mention that they have premium blends as well for the coffee aficionado! Spacious indoor area that doesn't feel cramped and the exposed ceiling vents, the jazzy beats that is playing at a perfect volume and plenty of potted plants give it a balanced chill industrial vibe. There are tables outside too that's perfect for early morning or late afternoon when it's not too hot. I ordered the Vanilla Latte hot and asked that they fill up my insulated mug instead of the cardboard cup. Even with the steady stream of patrons, I received my expertly prepared brew by their hirsute barista, who gave me "beard envy" (I can only sport a goatee) :D The crew are friendly, conversing with the regulars. I can tell they enjoy working here! I don't come to Orange very often but would definitely grab coffee here again if I'm in the area and would highly recommend this place. This place is doing something right and by mere observation, I can tell they will continue to do so for years to come! Kudos!

My friend and I both ordered the iced mocha, and unfortunately, it was just okay. It tasted a bit…read morewatered down and could have used a stronger chocolate and espresso flavor. Wasn't worth the price in my opinion. The cafe itself is spacious, with plenty of seating both indoors and out on the patio. I also noticed several tables with conveniently placed outlets, making it a nice spot for studying or getting some work done. During my visit, there were quite a few people working on their laptops, so it seems to be a popular place to settle in for a while. As for the service, it wasn't particularly warm or welcoming. One of the baristas accidentally dropped something, creating a loud noise, and she was visibly frustrated and seemed like she didn't wanna be there which affected the overall atmosphere.

Parking in the orange circle now costs money ($1.50 per hour)…read more However, the orange circle remains a wonderful location for thrifting, coffee, and hanging out. Play coffee is an iconic coffee shop here that honors the history of the building and offers great coffee flavors. There is a decent amount of indoor seating here, A few different pastry options, ceremonial matcha, and a variety of latte flavors. We ordered an iced chai latte with almond milk and a "sweet latte" (aka a brown sugar latte) - both were well balanced and enjoyable. And the barista that helped us was very friendly, accommodating and patient.

Play Coffee is such an interesting spot - there's a lot to like, but I think it's still a little…read morerough around the edges. Play is located in Old Town Orange off the main circle in this beautiful historic bank. It honestly feels like a pop up within the bank because the rest of the space isn't being used at all, so I really hope that changes and they actually take time to do more with the space because it feels like such a waste and kills the vibe IMO. Staff is all nice, and they move pretty quick considering how busy they tend to be. On the drinks front, I usually get their cardamom latte, which is great, but I've noticed as of late they've been underserving on their drinks which is a bummer (the shrinkflation is real I guess). They also serve some various baked goods which are fine, but not great. Overall, Play has a lot of potential to be great, but they've got a ton of stiff competition in the area. I'd say it's worth a visit, but don't go out of your way for it.

Philz Coffee is AWESOME! I am a huge fan of any place that sells coffee coffee - not just the…read moreflavored stuff that so many places in Orange do. The abolute NICEST folks work at this shop. there's great parking, and these guys truly care about their customers (me included!). Highly recommend you stop by first thing in the morning - they open at 5:30 am!

The honey haze is always my go to and refreshing especially for summer! The service here was nice…read moreand friendly. The atmosphere is bright and homey feeling, seems like a nice spot to do some work. Parking lot is super small maybe only 4-5 spots but there's street parking since it's downtown Orange.

Currently obsessed with their Yuzu mango matcha drink! I do unsweetened matcha because the yuzu jam…read moreand mango syrup add enough sweetness! At least for me :). I'll be sad if it's a seasonal summer drink. Would love to have it all year round lol.

They had an iPad I utilized to order my hot honey bacon avocado toast. It was easy and simple for…read moreme to use. It was also very patient with me when I was trying to use Apple Pay and their WiFi system quickly logged me in first. The food I had was so good. The bacon is cooked to perfection, and the avocados drizzled with the honey tastes so sweet.

July 26th, 2026 10:45am Sunday…read moreOrdered: - Banana Bread Iced Latte - Oat Milk Iced Latte (Shot of Hazelnut Syrup) Atmosphere: -Two Floor, Indoor Seating -No parking lot, just street spots (we were lucky and found parking right in front!) -Lively Atmosphere, Friendly Staff -Music loud enough to offer privacy between group conversations! Final Notes: Lots of people doing their work here. Seems headphones are necessary if you need focusing, but very excited to come back during the school year to study in a comfortable environment :D

Oh, The Lost Bean... I'm at a loss for words…read more I really wanted to love this location. I've been a customer at the Tustin location for years, so I walked in excited. Unfortunately, this visit was one disappointment after another. We arrived at 8:30 a.m. hoping for a peaceful coffee-and-breakfast morning. Instead, we accidentally wandered into what felt like a Janis Joplin tribute concert. The music was blasting at nightclub volume--not exactly the relaxing start to the day we had in mind. But surprisingly... that wasn't even the worst part. The food was incredibly disappointing. I ordered the breakfast burrito, and the potatoes were still raw--hard enough to remind me they were once part of the ground.. My husband ordered the French toast, which looked suspiciously like it took a quick detour from Trader Joe's frozen aisle before landing on our table. There's nothing wrong with frozen French toast... unless you're charging $14 and calling it brunch. Another friend ordered the granola with berries. After a few bites, he gave it a skeptical look, pushed the bowl away, and decided breakfast simply wasn't worth the gamble. The coffee was decent , but honestly wasn't worth fighting the neighbors for a parking spot!

I stopped by Ape Coffee thinking I was just grabbing a coffee. Next thing I know, I'm standing…read morethere wondering if this is what happiness tastes like. The coffee was so good it made me question every gas station coffee I've ever defended. One sip in and I suddenly felt qualified to give TED Talks, start three businesses, and reorganize my entire life before noon. The staff was friendly, the drinks came out quickly, and everything tasted like it was actually made by someone who cared instead of someone just trying to survive the morning rush. If caffeine had a luxury version, this would be it. I walked in half asleep and walked out acting like I had my life completely together. Five stars. I'll definitely be back the next time I need a cup of coffee that makes me believe I can answer emails I've been ignoring for two weeks.

Great coffee shop with specialty in banana. Love to try new coffee shops!…read more I had: 1. Golden ape - house-made banana syrup latte 2. Mango cloud matcha - inspired by mango sticky rice dessert, made with house-made mango puree 3. Banana walnut fig 4. Ham & cheese croque

The blueberry matcha is to die for! I'm not the biggest blueberry fan but I will definitely come…read moreback just for this. The service was 10/10 and the vibes were even better. Going to stop by here when I can before my dog walks ;)

One of my favorite spots in Orange County! My two favorites here are the Coconut Pandan Green Rice…read moreand the Matcha Three. Both drinks are delicious and have such unique flavors, I definitely recommend giving them a try! The line can get pretty long on the weekends, but it moves surprisingly fast. My average wait is usually around 10-15 minutes, so it's definitely worth waiting for. Great spot for a refreshing and unique drink!

UPDATE! I'm thrilled to share that after my post, the owner…read moreof Rekindle, Rebecca, reached out to me and has been absolutely wonderful. It's not often today for the owner of a business to reach out directly to a customer - she did and it was a very positive engagement. There are time that even the best business has a hiccup and something goes wrong. What makes a huge difference is how the business responds, and therefore, Rekindle gets five stars. I'm certain my next visit will be fantastic - I'll be posting an update in the near future. Wow - So Disappointed! Rekindle was at the Taste of Orange this year and I enjoyed one of the Italian sandwich samples they were handing out. It was fantastic! We met the owner - she was very charismatic and charming. Today we stopped by to grab an Italian sandwich, and I just cannot believe they served me bread that was so old and dry - it would have been perfect for croutons, but definitely nothing like what we had at the Taste of Orange. The bread was so dry I had to dress it up with some olive relish to eat it - I don't expect when I pay $31 for a sandwich and chai iced tea latte to get home and have to start working on my sandwich. I accept some responsibility for this, because honestly, who goes to a coffee shop for a sandwich.

Long time customer, first time reviewer. They have so many latte flavors. My most favorite is…read moreEnglish Toffee. Their drinks are a little on the pricey side - $8 for an iced latte. I used to love their Blueberry Twist and get it almost every visit, but my most recent one wasn't quite as good as I remember. It wasn't crispy or delicious. I do like their lemon square - sweet and sour perfectly balanced.