Maru Coffee

My wife wanted me to come with her to check it out. Somewhat new in the warehouse district and it's hidden on Santa Fe street. It doesn't stand out like Starbucks and if you drive too fast, you'll miss it, but once you find it & go in, you'll see a lot of people with lots of coffees on the table. This place tastes just like any other fancy coffee shop. But if you love coffees and you want to try a new place, you gotta check it out. The service was really nice.

I was pretty excited to try this place. They seem to have some intentional efforts to make great coffee. It wasn’t what I thought it was going to be. Pretty good though. 3.5 stars. Pour over decent. The cortado was a little sour. The space is a little small but that’s not to abnormal for great shops. Just part of it.

Overall ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐（5/5) Environment ⭐⭐⭐⭐½☆ Very beautiful space, but crowded. Parking is difficult. Drinks ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ • Cream Top ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ Well-balanced and easy to drink. The coffee is slightly acidic, and the cream is smooth without being overly sweet. • Iced Breve Macchiato ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ My absolute favorite. The coffee aroma is rich and intense, and it pairs perfectly with the cream. Will I come back? Yes. I’d come here specifically for the macchiato. After trying it, my friend and I liked it enough that we ended up buying coffee beans to take home.

Maru is one of those cafés where the coffee details and the vibe line up exactly how you want them to. They are pulling flat whites on a custom Mavam setup with a light to medium roast Ethiopia and Colombia blend that tastes bright, clean, and a little fruity, without ever feeling sour. The milk is textured just right so you still taste the coffee, not just warm foam. The room has this calm, slightly cinematic feel, and the Titanic music playing softly in the background weirdly works, like your own little movie moment with coffee. Their croissants are sourced from Sugarbloom, which already tells you they care about quality. The pastry is flaky and light, and when you break it open, the strawberry jam style filling looks beautiful and actually tastes as special as it looks. Paired with the flat white, it turns a quick coffee run into a small ritual I would happily repeat.

One of the best coffee roasters in Los Angeles. I always stop by and get beans and a cold brew when I’m in the area. The baristas make great recommendations. Last time my friend got a sparkling lemonade and it was cool to see them slicing the lemon and making the drink from scratch. Also very tasty I usually park on the street or around the corner on Sacramento St. near the City Club Bar.