Late one recent Friday afternoon I met with Asher Luzzatto and Emily Davenport at their new multipurpose cafe, Hyperslow. Despite being tucked away on a side street just off busy South Fairfax, word of mouth and a strong social media presence have helped Hyperslow get off the ground since opening in June. Luzzatto mentions that the reception has been amazing despite the advertising. “We are focused on building a real community,” Luzzatto says, “not one that wavers with fashion. The coffee draws in a lot of people who end up practicing yoga and meditation with us.”
As coffee shops go, Hyperslow is very LA. Besides the superb organic, locally roasted coffee, the studio attached to the cafe offers yoga and meditation classes. This is what Davenport and Luzzatto envisioned as their urban oasis—“a place where life slows down, where the music is relaxing, where the people are friendly, where the yoga and meditation classes are accessible to all, where the stresses of city living fade into the background,” as Luzzatto says.
The cafe is in one of the busier spots in the city, close to both the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and touristy shopping center The Grove. In such a high-traffic spot, Hyperslow’s laid-back vibe will put you at ease. The cafe section is big and open, brightly lit by large windows, and with plenty of seating and tables it’s one of the best working spots in the area. Davenport and Luzzatto’s personalities are apparent throughout the interior. “We owned almost all of the furniture and art in the space,” says Luzzatto. “Whatever we did not already own, we built.”
Coffee is made via Klub espresso machine, Curtis drip brewer, or Hario pour-over. All of it comes from Alana’s Coffee Roasting Company, which custom roasts to Luzzatto and Davenport’s taste. Upon a recent visit, the beans on the bar were from Papua New Guinea, Colombia, and Ethiopia. Hyperslow also offers juices, kombucha, teas, and cold brew. Healthy food options include chia seed pudding, yogurt parfaits, probiotic coconut yogurt, cold-brewed steel-cut oatmeal, superfood cereals, and vegan pastries.
Davenport and Luzzatto say they have been amazed by the community’s reception so far. People coming in to take classes congregate at the cafe, and a community is beginning to take shape. In the future, the Hyperslow team hopes to host a regular music series, along with workshops, tastings, and even offering the space for late-night creative meetups.
Tatiana Ernst (@TatianaErnst) is a Sprudge staff writer based in Los Angeles. Read more Tatiana Ernst on Sprudge.
