the semi-tropic semi tropic echo park los angeles demitasse roasters coffee cafe alcohol beer wine brunch sprudge

While the LA neighborhood of Echo Park doesnโ€™t fall short on independent cafe offerings, there hadn’t, until recently, been a coffee shop in the area catering specifically to the 21-and-older crowd. This is where The Semi-Tropic fills that void. The new cafe/bar hybrid sits on a block dominated by music venue The Echoplex, Lolipop Recordsย store, and a Taco Bell/KFC drive-thru, no less. Itโ€™s a strange, but interesting mix.

The Semi-Tropic came about when owners Dan Finley and Eren Magri wanted a place where they could serve alcoholic drinks in addition to quality coffee. The idea of serving coffee alongside beer and wine beverages creates a โ€œcommunity resourceโ€ of sorts, says Finley. Locals are able to drop by, get their usual drink, and listen to music. And music is a big part of The Semi-Tropic. โ€œWe wanted to create a space with a really good sound system, so we needed to be in a place where people truly appreciate music. Echo Park is an artistic neighborhood with a lot of musicians, so it made sense for us,โ€ says Finley.

the semi-tropic semi tropic echo park los angeles demitasse roasters coffee cafe alcohol beer wine brunch sprudge

Acoustics and sound do matter in a cafe playing music. Many coffee shops donโ€™t give much thought to these elements, but when youโ€™re sitting in a cafe for a long period of time, it really is something influentialโ€”if the sound is bad, itโ€™s noticeable. The Semi-Tropic goes above and beyond with their custom sound system. Equipped with speakers from Ojas Speakers in Brooklyn, the music comes through two speakers with amplifiers from the 1960s that use vacuum tubes, creating a warm sound. Theyโ€™re set up like a stage where the music comes through just one side of the cafe, almost like youโ€™re listening to a home stereo. The speakers are meant to generate a bright, vintage sound from the repurposed equipment.

the semi-tropic semi tropic echo park los angeles demitasse roasters coffee cafe alcohol beer wine brunch sprudge

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the semi-tropic semi tropic echo park los angeles demitasse roasters coffee cafe alcohol beer wine brunch sprudge

Walking into The Semi-Tropic in the daytime, you can expect to see mostly coffee drinkers. The custom-blended coffee is roasted locally by Demitasse forย a rich, chocolatey, earthy coffee flavor. Espresso beverages are made on their La Marzocco Linea Classic. Being a bar, itโ€™s not surprising that they also have a few creative coffee drinks on the menu.

One of the more popular drinks, espresso tonic, is made with tonic water and an espresso shot poured on top, creating two layers of a cooling beverage. Then, a lemon twist is added to top it off, finishing this refreshing, stimulating pick me up. Adding to espresso offerings, thereโ€™s also a bitter mocha. Made with unsweetened cocoa, itโ€™s a welcome change from the usual sugary mochas.

the semi-tropic semi tropic echo park los angeles demitasse roasters coffee cafe alcohol beer wine brunch sprudge

the semi-tropic semi tropic echo park los angeles demitasse roasters coffee cafe alcohol beer wine brunch sprudge

For food, Finleyย tells me, โ€œthe biggest seller, naturally, is our avocado toast, but itโ€™s a really good avocado toast. There are two layers: guacamole, then whole slices of avocado, which is then topped with cilantro, jalapeรฑo, and lime that create a sort of taco flavor.โ€ The Mexican-influenced avocado toast is joined on the menu by a churro waffleโ€”essentially a waffle made with churro batterโ€”a big hit offered day and night. They also have tamales, and a cheese board to complement their wines.

When the sun goes down, The Semi-Tropic transforms into a bar, or โ€œwine bar mode,โ€ as Finley says. The espresso machine is shut off and itโ€™s time for the hard drinks. Pouring both draft and bottled wine, the cafe looks to offer tasty, value winesโ€”something for everyone, really. You can get a half liter of a white or red for around $15, and in addition to the more affordable wines, you can choose to splurge on various sparkling wines, or even champagne. The Semi-Tropicโ€™s mission is to find good, interesting wines that wonโ€™t break the bank. The beer menu follows suit, with a variety of value beers and cider.

the semi-tropic semi tropic echo park los angeles demitasse roasters coffee cafe alcohol beer wine brunch sprudge

the semi-tropic semi tropic echo park los angeles demitasse roasters coffee cafe alcohol beer wine brunch sprudge

In the future, The Semi-Tropic hopes to obtain a full-alcohol license to be able to create more experimental drinks and cocktails. In the meantime, you wonโ€™t be disappointed with their already impressive menuโ€”day or night.

The Semi-Tropic is located at 1412 Glendale Boulevard, Los Angeles. Visit their official website and follow them on Twitter andย Instagram.

Tatiana Ernst is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and photographer. Read more Tatiana Ernst onย Sprudge.

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