This place is great. The coffee is good. The beans they sell are fresh and great. The pastries are good. There's seating. There's parking. The people who work here are super nice and remember regular customers' orders. No notes. It's perfect. Go.
龔振勝
I wanted to look for a place that serves coffee and a pastry, that was open before 10am, and this place was just the spot I needed! Situated right next to the historic Kim Sing Theater! Sure there's the Starbucks around the other side of the hill, but I was there the other day, and I wanted to try something that's not a chain. Really interesting place. No place to sit down inside, just a table or two outside, but not a lot of places to sit down. Best place to take away your stuff, but not to sit-down really. Still though, I tried their Saboutage coffee, and it was really nicely spiced! Really good! Went well with their chocolate cake!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Muslima Tasbolat
the best coffee I’ve ever had in LA
Tatsu Ikeda
Fantastic coffee. Friendly service!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cafezinho
Steven Dykeman
Cool little spot. You can sit out on the sidewalk and enjoy a coffee and a small bite. The coffee is a bit unique with a nice flavor. I had an almond croissant. It was good. I should have tried the cheese bread bites since they are unique. Next time. The young lady taking orders is friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Lazzuly M.
Meu Povo, Preste Atenção/ My People, Pay Attention: This is THE best coffee I have ever had the privilege and honor to try. Half of the ownership is Brazilian while the other half loves Brazil enough to make it complete. When I tell you this is the face of coffee, believe me. The team works diligently and meticulously on sourcing the most quality beans and flavors by frequent trips to Brazil and it shows. They have special anaerobic coffees that have flavors and create experiences like no other. Best drip coffee I have ever had HANDS DOWN. The staff are always so kind, so knowledgeable and the community built around this location is full of Passionate Coffee Lovers who are LOYAL! I live in the Bay now but am a proud born and raise LA giiirl who will visit Aquarela every single day I am in LA (lucky for me my brother lives a stones throw away from them) and tell every single person I know who visits LA to DROP INTO THIS CAFE. There really is nothing like Aquarela. If you're less into pour overs their cappuccinos are EXCELLENT, and my brother loves their drink called "sabotage". They have smoothies for my non caffeinated cuties and on the weekends they have "Pão de queijo" traditional Brazilan cheese bread and "Coxinhas" Brazilian chicken croquettes. Brazilians and Non Brazilian alike LOVE this place. But as a Brazilian I am particularly fond of and proud of our people for showcasing the best of what we got. Obrigada Aquarela.
Francesca M.
One of our favorite coffee shops in the area. Located in a super convenient location with lots of street parking, this coffee shop is always great and consistent. The oat milk latte is fantastic and the baked goods are equally great. Highly recommend!!!
Lynn O.
Best Brazilian coffee shop in town! I wouldn't call myself a coffee connoisseur, but I do like my coffee strong, rich, and not too sweet. Their specialty coffees are made with two shots of espresso and light on sweeteners, so you can still taste the flavors of the beans. I got the Saúde Latte (hot) and absolutely loved it! With a subtle hint of orange and cinnamon, everything blended together so smoothly. My friends got the Sabotage (iced), and that was more like a mocha, but also not too sweet. That's their fave. They ran out of the pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread), so I got the blueberry scone. I usually eat half a pastry and save the half for later, but this scone was so soft and buttery, I couldn't resist devouring it all at once! I forget the name of the French bakery they get them from down the street. While waiting for the coffee, we sat inside and reveled in the adorably furnished room with colorful pillows and plants. Even the bathroom is cute and pink! The baristas were incredibly nice and made great recommendations! I will be back when I'm in the area!!
Samantha H.
love the coffee here and the latte with orange notes. also they weren't kidding their chocolate cake was so moist and delicious!!
Kelly S.
Cashier was so nice and recommended me a great drink! It's hard to find GOOD coffee in LA. This was on par with Seattle coffee.
I was on the way to a different coffee shop and passed by aquarela. The baristas saw me and my bf walking past and immediately said hello even though we werent going there. That immediately caught our attention and made them memorable to us. After getting our coffee somewhere else my bf was less than impressed with his, so I recommended we try aquarela since it's on the way back and we were both happy we did. Not only do the baristas LOVE what they do but they're more than happy to explain things and gave the BEST customer service I've had in years. Now for the coffees we got the sabotage and the batida both were good ! I like the spice from sabotage and the banana flavor from the batida it reminds me of the nostalgia of a nesquick drink. I love flavors like that! The shop is very small so it'd be easy to miss driving, but I'm so happy we didn't. I honestly can't wait to go back because not only do the people have such beautiful vibes, but they make a pretty great coffee too.
Vladimir G.
This is my all time favorite coffee shop. From the best service I've ever had at a coffee shop, high quality of drinks and coffee, and seeing their coffee producers highlighted. You can tell the baristas really care about serving you the best they can, and are super passionate when it comes to explaining anything coffee related. The space is really cute as they have both inside and outside seating now. Everyone is super friendly and it's the reason why I keep coming here (besides their obvious seriously amazing coffee).
fun laughs g.
They're wonderful. I haven't left a yelp review in years, but I dusted off the account to support these folks. They've become a fixture of a lost block of LA - a strangely romantic spot where the traffic flies off the edge of downtown toward the freeway and terra incognita. And in this in-between space, with the old-school chinatown residents, new-school younger artists, and cititzens-in-between of every race and style, these folks serve delicious coffee. Like delicious... well-sourced, well-made, interesting coffee - bravo. The Brazilian ethos of the shop infuses the aesthetic and the spirit as well - and the spirit is what inspires me write this. Just to name a few of the wonderful dedicated baristas - Joanna, Bree, Lee, Orian, Maira - who make the place so fun, so welcoming, and still so funky. I hope you, dear reader, get to be served by them one day. Finally, the owners - Alex and Otavio - make the watermelon-colored magic happen. Thank you to all. Reader, enjoy!
Tommy Sugimoto
Fantastic service and great coffee! The inside is very welcoming and cute as well!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Drip Coffee
Brody Rodriguez
Lee and Brie are the absolute best!! They are super welcoming and accommodating!! I loved my almond pastry and Cafe Saude Latte!! Definitely will be coming back and Brazilian coffee really is amazingly unique!
This place is great. The coffee is good. The beans they sell are fresh and great. The pastries are good. There's seating. There's parking. The people who work here are super nice and remember regular customers' orders. No notes. It's perfect. Go.
I wanted to look for a place that serves coffee and a pastry, that was open before 10am, and this place was just the spot I needed! Situated right next to the historic Kim Sing Theater! Sure there's the Starbucks around the other side of the hill, but I was there the other day, and I wanted to try something that's not a chain. Really interesting place. No place to sit down inside, just a table or two outside, but not a lot of places to sit down. Best place to take away your stuff, but not to sit-down really. Still though, I tried their Saboutage coffee, and it was really nicely spiced! Really good! Went well with their chocolate cake!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
the best coffee I’ve ever had in LA
Fantastic coffee. Friendly service!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cafezinho
Cool little spot. You can sit out on the sidewalk and enjoy a coffee and a small bite. The coffee is a bit unique with a nice flavor. I had an almond croissant. It was good. I should have tried the cheese bread bites since they are unique. Next time. The young lady taking orders is friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Meu Povo, Preste Atenção/ My People, Pay Attention: This is THE best coffee I have ever had the privilege and honor to try. Half of the ownership is Brazilian while the other half loves Brazil enough to make it complete. When I tell you this is the face of coffee, believe me. The team works diligently and meticulously on sourcing the most quality beans and flavors by frequent trips to Brazil and it shows. They have special anaerobic coffees that have flavors and create experiences like no other. Best drip coffee I have ever had HANDS DOWN. The staff are always so kind, so knowledgeable and the community built around this location is full of Passionate Coffee Lovers who are LOYAL! I live in the Bay now but am a proud born and raise LA giiirl who will visit Aquarela every single day I am in LA (lucky for me my brother lives a stones throw away from them) and tell every single person I know who visits LA to DROP INTO THIS CAFE. There really is nothing like Aquarela. If you're less into pour overs their cappuccinos are EXCELLENT, and my brother loves their drink called "sabotage". They have smoothies for my non caffeinated cuties and on the weekends they have "Pão de queijo" traditional Brazilan cheese bread and "Coxinhas" Brazilian chicken croquettes. Brazilians and Non Brazilian alike LOVE this place. But as a Brazilian I am particularly fond of and proud of our people for showcasing the best of what we got. Obrigada Aquarela.
One of our favorite coffee shops in the area. Located in a super convenient location with lots of street parking, this coffee shop is always great and consistent. The oat milk latte is fantastic and the baked goods are equally great. Highly recommend!!!
Best Brazilian coffee shop in town! I wouldn't call myself a coffee connoisseur, but I do like my coffee strong, rich, and not too sweet. Their specialty coffees are made with two shots of espresso and light on sweeteners, so you can still taste the flavors of the beans. I got the Saúde Latte (hot) and absolutely loved it! With a subtle hint of orange and cinnamon, everything blended together so smoothly. My friends got the Sabotage (iced), and that was more like a mocha, but also not too sweet. That's their fave. They ran out of the pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread), so I got the blueberry scone. I usually eat half a pastry and save the half for later, but this scone was so soft and buttery, I couldn't resist devouring it all at once! I forget the name of the French bakery they get them from down the street. While waiting for the coffee, we sat inside and reveled in the adorably furnished room with colorful pillows and plants. Even the bathroom is cute and pink! The baristas were incredibly nice and made great recommendations! I will be back when I'm in the area!!
love the coffee here and the latte with orange notes. also they weren't kidding their chocolate cake was so moist and delicious!!
Cashier was so nice and recommended me a great drink! It's hard to find GOOD coffee in LA. This was on par with Seattle coffee.
Restaurantji Recommends
I was on the way to a different coffee shop and passed by aquarela. The baristas saw me and my bf walking past and immediately said hello even though we werent going there. That immediately caught our attention and made them memorable to us. After getting our coffee somewhere else my bf was less than impressed with his, so I recommended we try aquarela since it's on the way back and we were both happy we did. Not only do the baristas LOVE what they do but they're more than happy to explain things and gave the BEST customer service I've had in years. Now for the coffees we got the sabotage and the batida both were good ! I like the spice from sabotage and the banana flavor from the batida it reminds me of the nostalgia of a nesquick drink. I love flavors like that! The shop is very small so it'd be easy to miss driving, but I'm so happy we didn't. I honestly can't wait to go back because not only do the people have such beautiful vibes, but they make a pretty great coffee too.
This is my all time favorite coffee shop. From the best service I've ever had at a coffee shop, high quality of drinks and coffee, and seeing their coffee producers highlighted. You can tell the baristas really care about serving you the best they can, and are super passionate when it comes to explaining anything coffee related. The space is really cute as they have both inside and outside seating now. Everyone is super friendly and it's the reason why I keep coming here (besides their obvious seriously amazing coffee).
They're wonderful. I haven't left a yelp review in years, but I dusted off the account to support these folks. They've become a fixture of a lost block of LA - a strangely romantic spot where the traffic flies off the edge of downtown toward the freeway and terra incognita. And in this in-between space, with the old-school chinatown residents, new-school younger artists, and cititzens-in-between of every race and style, these folks serve delicious coffee. Like delicious... well-sourced, well-made, interesting coffee - bravo. The Brazilian ethos of the shop infuses the aesthetic and the spirit as well - and the spirit is what inspires me write this. Just to name a few of the wonderful dedicated baristas - Joanna, Bree, Lee, Orian, Maira - who make the place so fun, so welcoming, and still so funky. I hope you, dear reader, get to be served by them one day. Finally, the owners - Alex and Otavio - make the watermelon-colored magic happen. Thank you to all. Reader, enjoy!
Fantastic service and great coffee! The inside is very welcoming and cute as well!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Drip Coffee
Lee and Brie are the absolute best!! They are super welcoming and accommodating!! I loved my almond pastry and Cafe Saude Latte!! Definitely will be coming back and Brazilian coffee really is amazingly unique!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Croissant, Drip Coffee, Iced Latte