The only thing that keeps me warm on a cold winter night is a hot cup of Café de olla resting in my palms. The cinnamon and piloncillo flavors mix together to create the perfect sweet and balanced blend of coffee. One sip takes me right back to my childhood, looking at pan dulce around the table while my grandma pours me a hot cup to dip my concha in.
The incorporation of Mexican culture has seeped through downtown Santa Ana for decades but has slowly transitioned from traditional to modern cuisine. As a coffee enthusiast, I have ventured out to try 5 Latinx owned businesses and their signature drinks. The selections ranged from childhood classics to new flavors of Mexican candy lattes to horchata combinations.
As exciting as it is to see business owners push their roots back into Santa Ana, I set out to taste and rank these businesses based on two things: their signature drink and value. Here’s my rankings:
#5: Maz Café con Leche
608 N Lacy St
Maz Café con Leche’s Mazapan Latte had a bold taste of peanuts masking the bitter taste of 3 espresso shots. The flavor resembled Skippy’s peanut butter and the nuts inside felt like a choking hazard. For $7.54 this cup of coffee was not worth it, the drink was not enjoyable and it feels like it was only made to become the next trendy beverage. The iced coffee is a concoction of crushed peanut candy mazapan, chopped nuts, hazelnut, a triple shot of espresso, and a dark roast. Although it was powerfully sweet, the iced beverage was soft and silky before reaching the bottom of the cup with candy and peanut crumbs awaiting.
Owner Beverly Espinoza opened Maz Cafè con Leche 10 years ago during the development of the renaissance plan, established to redevelop the surrounding communities. The coffee shop is an explosion of the perfect instagram feed aesthetic with enough space for people to finish up their work and enjoy a sweet treat.. The original candy is quite delicious but the flavor mixed in a cup of coffee is not enjoyable to all.
#4 Café Cito
400 W Fourth St.
The first sip of Café Cito’s iced café de olla punched my tastebuds with its overwhelming taste of bitterness. For $6.45, this latte was unpleasant to drink due to its bland flavor and unsweetened taste that clenched onto my tongue. As a strong coffee lover, the dark taste of black coffee was present but still not as sweet as I would have liked.
Located across from Café Cultura on 4th street, the shop offers a unique selection, from café de olla inspired drinks to house matcha beverages. Café Cito is the sister company of Suavecito Pomade, inspiration derived for the shop as founders Edgar and Denisse noticed that the early morning car shows they attended lacked a quality coffee vendor.
#3 Corazón Café
811 N Main St.
Corazón Café’s buñelo shaken espresso is infused with a light roast made with a café de olla syrup inspired by the flavors of cinnamon sugar from a fried dough fritter. The taste of cinnamon blended with the brew perfectly, tasting perfectly infused with spices, creating a distinct aroma in your mouth. The drink was For $7.95, the cup of coffee is charged with caffeine and leans toward the bitter side for those who don’t want something as sweet.
Vanessa Pozzobon, owner of Mission Bar, began the business by selling coffee in her bar and decided a year later to open Corazón Café. Since the opening of the shop, Tiktok and Instagram foodies have raved over the store’s decorations and themed beverages. Corazón Café located on Main & 9th St. is across from the Orange County School of the Arts in a bright red-orange building. The inside offers a calm setting to study or hangout with friends.
#2 Café Cultura
324 W 4th St #B,
Café Cultura’s iced horchata latte consists of a taste of cinnamon so strong that it masks its taste of horchata. The soft hints of caffeine and milky cream make this drink delightful with the topped decoration of cold foam, cinnamon, and almonds. The special blend of beans imported from Chapas, Mexico consists of notes of rich chocolate cinnamon, citrus, and spices. For $8.24, the cup of coffee has a good flavor and has a creamy mixture making it #2 on the list.
Café Cultura, located in the historic West End Theater, celebrated its 10th year anniversary this July and has since continued to express their creativity in the modern culinary scene. Inside Café Cultura is a sit down restaurant that has plenty of space to sit or relax on a couch. The restaurant gets busy on the weekends for their brunch but is chill during the weekday for a place to have a chat or finish some work.
#1 Hood Coffee
1002 E 17th St.
I tried Hood Coffee’s horchata and Vietnamese fusion iced coffee and it was so strong that it gave me a nice boost of energy for the rest of the day. The horchata and vietnamese iced coffee created a balance of sweetness that masks the powerful caffeine rush. For $6 this drink is totally worth your buck. The horchata has the rich taste of cinnamon and creamy rice milk. Hood Coffee strives for good quality, providing unique flavors at a great price.
Located inside the Lincoln Pacific Plaza, Hood Coffee is set up directly outside of D.F. bakery. Hood Coffee began 2 years ago as a pop up outside of the bakery but due to its popularity, the coffee stand still runs strong. This small business has grown due to the explosion of popularity on TikTok and foodie Instagram forming lines of people ecstatic to see what the hype is really about. The pastry and drink menu vary on seasonal/limited items with their hours ranging from 6:30 am to 1 pm.
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