Since opening in 2011,ย Cafรฉ Demitasse has grown into of Los Angeles’ more prominent coffee roasters. Itsย locations on the Westside and in Little Tokyo wereย joined recently byย newย outpostsย in mid-Wilshire and Hollywood, and theย expansion has similarlyย made Demitasse’sย offerings bigger and better.
Theย newest location, situated in the heart of Hollywood, is the most ambitious of the bunch; the only Demitasseย to serve alcohol and a variety of food beyondย the regular pastry options, itโs a dining destination inside your regular coffee shop. This location also boasts an on-sceneย Probat roaster, one of the first things you notice when you walk into the cafe, giving patronsย a peek at one of the most intimate aspects of the coffee-making process.
Bobby Roshan, founder of Demitasse, decided to open the location in Hollywood when he realized the neighborhood was “exploding right nowโ in terms of new businesses. Hollywood is โan underserved area that appreciates specialty coffee thatโs approachable. Thereโs definitely a lot of room for coffee,โ says Roshan.
The coffee itself is roasted on a bi-weekly basis to ensure freshness, and your drink of choiceย willย be expertly made on a La Marzocco Mistral, which Roshan purchased secondhand after getting a tip about theย sale. โThey donโt make these anymore, but itโs such a beautiful machine, almost like a work of art,” he says. “I always wanted to own one.โ Besidesย coffee and tea, wine and beer are expertly curated by importer/distributorย Return to Terroir. The wine selection is natural-minded, while the beer is mostly from local and California breweries.
The food at the new Demitasse is not your standard cafe fare. Sure,ย there are pastries and treatsย as you’d expect, but throughout the day you can also indulge your gourmet side fromย three different menus. In the morning, you can start the day withย a simple bowl of Greek yogurt and granola, or something heartier, like theย pork belly plated with a perfect coddled egg, garbanzo beans, chimichurri sauce, and buttered sourdough toast. Atย lunch, you can choose from an assortment of salads, and sandwiches. Everything is delicious, but if you really want to try the best of what Demitasseโs Hollywood spotย has to offer, you haveย to stop by for dinner.
The globally inspired dinner menu has some of the best food in the area. From seared octopus to scallops, hamachi crudo with avocado mousse, and a Portuguese-inspired cod dish, youโre getting delightful, unexpected plates that will make you forget youโre sitting in a coffee shop. Created by chef Jeff Lustre (who has cooked for Demitasse’s pop-ups), the cuisine is based on what he’s picked up on his travels. Roshan mentions that Lustreโs Filipino background plays a role in his food creations, but he also draws onย having spent time in โSpain, Hawaii, and China.โ
The menus are seasonal and โchange very often,โ according to Roshan. Being right next to the Hollywood Farmers’ Market, one of LAโs largest, makes it easy to experiment with local produce. โWeโre trying to feature a seasonal ingredient that ties all the menus together,” he says. “Right now blood orange is a big part of the menu, a blood orange syrup we make fresh. For coffee, we have the blood orange-nutmeg latte. On our alcoholic [menu], we have the blood orange-sake swizzle.โ The fruitย also features in such menu items as the breakfast potato pancakes, lunch’s fennel soup, and dinnerโs hearts of palm salad. โBlood oranges are almost out of season, so soon weโll have a whole new menu, and we’ll be changing the latte as well.โ Also, look out for Demitasse Hollywoodโs happy hour menuย (stillย in the works), along with events like coffee cuppings, classes, and tasting menus.
Soย things are looking bright and running smoothly as the Demitasse team getsย in the swingย of running a full kitchen program. As Roshan says, โItโs an exciting time to be in LA.โ
Tatiana Ernst is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and photographer. Read more Tatiana Ernst onย Sprudge.
