La Milpa Cafe — Restaurant in Santa Ana

Found this spot on Yelp earlier this morning and decided to go straight after work. They're open at 7AM away from other businesses which is always a plus.

Here's what I ordered:

**Cafe de Olla (Iced): The flavor profile for this drink was spot on. I could taste the sweet, spice, and earthy notes. The balance was pretty good and not overpowering at all. (4/5)

**Horchata Cold Brew: I honestly think they forgot the cold brew. All I tasted was water infused with cinnamon powder. (0/5)

**Fresas Con Crema Matcha: Opted out for oat milk which I believe is free of charge. The matcha portion was decent but the standout of the drink was the strawberry puree. None of the flavors were overpowering over the other. (3.5/5)

I was initially reeled in to this spot because of all the plants set up everywhere. They have everything from succulents to bigger plants up for sale. There's a nice little shaded seating area with a few tables. Service was decent and my drinks came out fairly quick even though the person in front of me had a fairly large order including a complete sellout (20) of all of their sweet empanadas so I wasn't able to try any for myself. As far as the Horchata Cold Brew goes, maybe it was a bad day for them or lack of knowledge with the recipe so I'll give them a pass since they are still quite new.

The unmarked lane right in front of the entrance says no stopping at any time but people still park there anyways. There's plenty of parking on the streets by the residential area so that won't...

Loved the matcha and banana bread. The breads are soooo good and not too sweet. They have a good balance of sweet and savory. The swirl of Nutella on the banana bread was divine. There is also a small refill store, farm fresh produce,and hand woven artisanal goods available here. Not to mention they sometimes have really cool events that are centered around community building. I can’t wait to see how...

Tucked away in a residential area near Downtown Santa Ana, La Milpa Cafe is a hidden gem. I ordered their iced Matcha Latte with oat milk which was outstanding, equally rich, earthy, creamy, and balanced. The pricing was very reasonable and the staff were very friendly and accommodating.

I am looking forward to returning to La Milpa and trying the rest...