Finding or even knowing about a cafe called GiorgiPorgi in Downtown Los Angeles is a hard feat. For one, their Instagram account is private. Two, thereโs no sign out front suggesting thereโs any cafe behind those frosted glass doors. Three, you might not happen to wander by unless you’re milling aroundย Skid Row. You’ve kind of got to know about itโit’s like a secret coffee cave.
Walking inside the narrow, concrete cafe, you’re surroundedย byย vibrant green, live moss lining the entrance wall, all the way up to the ceiling. When youโre ready to order, you may be confused by aย menu that offers only three-letter abbreviations. Clear, plastic bar stools are lined upย alongย the bar and a formless, wavy light fixture hangs above. There isn’tย much in the way of seating, but it adds to the intimacy to seeย your drinks being made only a few inches from you. Designed by Salsa Verde and Dope Holdings, the entire atmosphere of GiorgiPorgi is minimalist, meant to be solely a place to enjoy coffee.
Almost everything inside GeorgiPorgi is grey (or green),ย but the shop’sย stark white, customizedย La Marzoccoย FB70ย machine stands out in the sleek, moody darkness. Serving mainly Flying Goat Coffee, with a few other roasters like Suits and Knives and Madlab Coffeeย making the occasional appearance, you can get caffeinated with an espresso drink, or a Kalita Wave or Hario V60 pour-over brewed atopย their customized clay brewer cage.ย Theirย Shakerato,ย a beverage made up of shaken espresso, milk, and ice, is a frothy iced latte of sortsโperfect for a summerโs day. Italian owner Giorgia Nasuti added the drink to the menu after wanting to recreate the ever-popular Italian drink she will assureย you is at every bar in the Old Country.
For treats, youโre welcome to a selection of doughnuts, butย itโs really all about the coffee. Nasutiย and co-owner Chris Grotjahn emphasize that the ultimate focus is โabout living coffee”. And asย the coffee is the star, every beverage comes showcased in a custom ceramic cup designed by Eunbi Cho. Thick, grey cups with a slight tilt hold the longer drinks, while espressos are served in conical, buff clay shot glasses secured in clay stands. Other similar custom serveware isย also used.
So far, GiorgiPorgi has attractedย a fair amount of visitors purelyย by word-of-mouth. The owners are a secretive pair, hoping to lure coffee lovers in with a unique experience. Grotjahn says, โWe are people in a room doing our damn best to give you an authentic espresso experience, nothing more, nothing less.โ Rather than livingย vicariouslyย online, as is so common for brands these days, Nasuti and Grotjahn insist you come to see themย in real life. As they signed an email to me, quoting the immortal words of Kanye West: โThis ain’t no fashion show, muthafucka we live it.โ โ
Tatiana Ernst is a Sprudge staff writer based in Los Angeles. Read more Tatiana Ernst onย Sprudge.
