Carrera Cafe — Restaurant in Los Angeles

I used to love this place. Great vibe. Superb coffee. Tasty food & a friendly and welcoming staff.

This all changed when I was in recently and asked if they were ready for Pride. “Our owners won’t allow us to put up a pride flag.” I was told. I asked why, since given the location that most of their customers see the flag not only as a sign of empowerment but also safety. “The owners don’t want to look like they’re choosing sides.” was the employee’s response.

Unbelievable. Especially in our current political climate & in this specific neighborhood.

This business is supported by an overwhelming LGBTQ+ community and in return it chooses to turn a blind eye to that community and the hate, bigotry and erasure they’re facing in America right now.

This is cowardice on such an appalling level that I choose not to support it & neither should you.

Because those who choose to not take a side will always end up on the wrong side of history.

My advice is find yourself another cafe that serves great coffee and food and isn’t afraid or ashamed to show that they stand with their brothers & sisters in the LGBTQ+ community.

UPDATE

Following the publication of my review, the business owners issued a lengthy and self-serving response which they claim justifies their internal policies.

In my opinion, their statement reflects a broader trend seen in certain public entities that have retreated from DEI commitments under the guise of “inclusion.” However, what is most concerning is the owners’ thinly veiled threat of legal action in response to public criticism.

If that doesn’t raise red flags, I’m not sure what would.

My review contains no false statements of fact, nor does it allege fraud, abuse, or criminal activity—elements that are required for any defamation claim to have legal merit.

While I am not intimidated by this business’s passive-aggressive posture or its apparent willingness to pursue meritless litigation, their response makes one thing abundantly clear: they are far more comfortable deflecting accountability than accepting honest feedback.

Also worth noting—they concluded their legal threat without a period, which suggests that their aversion to criticism is matched only by their disregard for basic...

This cafe is beautifully aesthetic and has the beverage quality to back up the looks!

After going out for brunch, my boyfriend and I were looking for a cute cafe nearby that we could go to and do some studying for our classes. That's when we came across Carrera Cafe as a highly rated spot, and decided to give it a try.

The parking was relatively easy, there's a lot of street parking on the street outside. It's situated on the hip and trendy Melrose Ave, I love the location! The cafe is very befitting of its hip locale as well, with a very white-and-black styled interior that is so cute and aesthetic. I love the white tables, black chairs, white quartz counters, white brick walls, and the white and black menu board!! It's definitely one of my favorite cafe's in terms of decor and atmosphere now.

It's very crowded, but the line moves fast, and we ordered two of the specialty sodas, which you can select flavors for. I got raspberry, and my boyfriend got strawberry. Both flavors were delicious, and the drinks rich and creamy!

The only detraction is how hot it was inside, but that's understandable given the high heats in Los Angeles right now and the fact that it was so heavily crowded inside. The prices were quite reasonable, the atmosphere and decor so hip and cute, and the drinks were refreshing and wonderful! Oh, and they have really good free WiFi!!

I'll be back! You hit all the marks for me,...

I was conflicted between a 3 and 4-star rating, because while I loved the shop and the amazing coffee art, I absolutely hated the service and the taste was alright. What attracted me to Carrera Cafe was - without a doubt - their coffee art options. They have a good list of various coffee art designs that one can choose from or if you download the "Ripples" app, you can actually have your own photo "printed" in the foam of your drink. According to the girl behind the register, the drinks that you can ask for art on are latte, chai latte and hot chocolate. Needless to say, my crazy self got all 3 drinks and waffles for dessert the day my friend and I visited. My favorite drink taste-wise was the chai latte, while the other ones tasted just whatever. The waffles were pretty good and as you can see from my pictures, they came with a twist as you don't get just regular waffle, but rather waffle sticks with whipped cream at the bottom and other toppings for additional cost. Their menu also offers subs and salads. The shop itself is very cute with tall windows and good...