LOS ANGELES — In Los Angeles, where coffee trends often emerge from independent roasters and neighborhood cafes, Korean-led coffee shops are increasingly shaping how the city drinks its daily cup.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are known to start their mornings at Community Goods, a small takeout-focused cafe that has become the go-to for Korean-style lattes. Since opening in February 2023, the cafe has drawn long weekday lines for drinks developed by Korean head barista Brandon Cho.
Among the most popular is the matcha Einspanner — a vivid green matcha latte topped with cream — which has gained traction on social media. Unlike the milder American-style latte, the drink emphasizes a deeper, nuttier flavor profile inspired by Korean cafe culture.
“Whenever someone outside the city asks me for a place to visit while in Los Angeles, I tell them to go to Community Goods,” said one local coffee enthusiast. “I think it is one of the first places that introduced Korean-style coffee here. The queue is usually more than 40 minutes long, but there is a reason why people keep coming back.”
The cafe also serves coffee and simple brunch items such as breakfast sliders, operating from a compact space designed primarily for takeaway orders.
Across town in Fairfax, Be Bright Coffee, opened in 2022 by husband-and-wife team Frank and Michelle La, has gained recognition for both craftsmanship and innovation. Frank La won the 2024 US Barista Championship and later competed in the World Barista Championship in Busan.
The cafe roasts its beans in-house and distributes them across Los Angeles, including at Constellation and Steelhead Coffee in Long Beach. Through its website, Be Bright also offers customized bean recommendations based on customers’ flavor preferences, brewing methods and equipment.
“Found this cute little cafe by chance and I’m in love,” said Isabelle P., 26. “I got the vivid cream latte and it was absolutely delicious. I arrived just a little bit before it got really busy — a huge rush came through.”
But Korean influence on Los Angeles’ coffee scene predates even those two gems.
Stereoscope Coffee, founded in 2013 by Korean American owner Leif An, now operates five locations across Los Angeles. The cafe is known for its design-forward interiors featuring marble, tile, metal and glass — an aesthetic more reminiscent of Seoul neighborhoods such as Seongsu-dong than traditional American coffee shops. The great service, including detailed explanations of coffee and table delivery, helps distinguish the experience.
Menu innovation is another defining feature of Korean cafes. At Kumquat Coffee, matcha lattes made with tea sourced from Boseong and Jeju have become signature items. The cafe also offers creative, limited-edition drinks such as organic peanut-butter-based beverages developed in collaboration with cafes in Korea.
Many customers are drawn first by clean design, distinctive branding and visually appealing drinks that spread quickly on social media. Unique menu items, including corn lattes, dalgona lattes and misugaru lattes, add novelty while maintaining strong coffee quality.
Korean baristas are also gaining recognition in the US. Roughly half of last year’s US Barista Championship finalists were Korean, and restaurant publication Eater LA recently included several Korean-run cafes, including Document Coffee Bar and Be Bright Coffee, on its list of the best coffee shops in Los Angeles.
Document Coffee Bar, tucked just off Wilshire Boulevard in Koreatown, is known for its extensive pour-over program using beans sourced from Costa Rica, Ethiopia and other coffee-producing regions, along with specialty drinks such as cafe horchata and a spice-infused latte.
yoohong@heraldcorp.com
