Cafecito Organico Silver Lake — Restaurant in Los Angeles

I write for a music and coffee blog called Crooners In Coffeeshops, in which I interview local musicians at local coffeeshops. My writeup reflects the positive experience that I encountered at Cafecito Organico on our interview date.

Living in L.A. means that you get pretty used to not seeing a whole lot of greenery in any area where people live or work, which unfortunately means you’ve got to get your butt up to do a hike or take up a gardening hobby to get your chlorophyll fix. But have no fear, because Cafecito Organico is the coffeshop gem that you’ve been looking for! Considering Silverlake is known for its compact-ness, this shop was blessed by the location Gods, by which not only is it a corner shop, but its space also allows for a decent-sized patio area to fit any sized group of coffee loving visitors. Rustic wooden tables and benches, tribal designs, and bright accent colors for seat cushions, umbrellas, vases and more showcase the shop’s quirky and inviting personality, while large amounts of greenery (trees, flowers and AstroTurf) give city life-ers a pleasant dose of nature.

In terms of their menu, Cafecito Organico provides their guests with classic options (courtesy of the small growers and family farms that they harvest from) mixed with signature recipes, roasts, and batch brews. I opted for the Raw Cacao Mocha, and I will say that the difference between your standard mocha and this one is definitely noticeable, in a good way of course. A fun little fact, the shop is regularly involved with local community groups and organizations that promote social and environmental justice. So think of it this way, one cup of coffee is one step closer to better livelihoods locally...

I live in Koreatown, and this is one of my absolute favorite places to walk to on a weekend. It has a few really big plusses going to for it. First, the coffee is great. The staff knows there stuff and the coffee menu sticks to the basics of what you would expect from an coffee snob's coffee spot, without being stuck up. I'm an iced Americano man, simple, but a good test of the flavor of a shop's espresso. The iced Americano here is so beyond on point. Second, the exclusively outdoor seating at this place really shines. There are two areas, the first being a covered patio with a few tables and some bar seating. This is usually where I sit if I have a laptop with me or if I'm not staying long. The second is the wilderness area which is a fun outdoor space with astroturf and fun places to sit with both shady or sunny spots. There seems to be a real sense of community with the people who hang here. Third, and not last, is the fact that they have a weekend pop-up that makes vegetarian and vegan Mexican food. WOW. The tofu based breakfast burrito is INSANE not to even mention how good the tacos are. All of these items combined make this a spot I hit up at least...

Unfortunately I had a terrible experience with a curly, long-haired male barista here. I was looking forward to checking out the café because of the good reviews. I walked from my hotel and by the time I got there I had to use the restroom. I went up to the window and asked if I could use the restroom before I ordered and he said it was only for customers. I said I wanted to order and sit down I just needed to relieve myself first. He then proceeded to very aggressively give me the code. Mind you, it wasn't a rush, the café was completely empty, there was no reason for the extreme animosity. Then the door wouldn't open and I went back to inform him and he said that it wasn't his problem. In the end, another customer had to help open the door. I was very upset and couldn't understand why I was being treated so poorly when I was genuinely looking forward to visiting the establishment. The business owners should reevaluate who they instate as the face of their brand. Truly...