Beyond the subtle scent of coffee beans and the warm glow of the minimalist interior of Tustin’s newest cafe, Caffe In Coffee Roasters, lies a delectable plethora of beverages that represent the integral aspects of the cafe’s journey: a sweet success, its painstakingly developed recipes and owner Jay Lee’s experience as a Korean small business owner.
Caffe In Coffee Roasters had its soft opening on Aug. 19, marking the establishment of the business’s second location after its first location in Anaheim. Its official hard opening is yet to be determined, but will occur within this month.
“We’re still trying to learn about this area,” Lee said. “I want to know more about who’s coming in and what they like. But I’m surprised by the popularity. Seven or eight days after our soft opening, it got busier, especially on the weekends. I think it’s because of social media.”
Thanks to influencers, the cafe has quickly become a hot spot for studying, socializing and simply enjoying a cup of coffee.
“I really liked the interior of the cafe,” senior Romi Medina said. “It’s nice and small and has an overall welcoming vibe. Plus, the owner and staff are all really nice. Their drinks are very good too—I really enjoyed the green grape ade and strawberry latte.”
While Caffe In Coffee Roasters sources its pastries from local small bakeries, all of its drinks are house-crafted. Specifically, the cafe specializes in its cream-top drinks, which are drinks with a layer of foam on the top, inspired by Korean-style cafes. The Vanilla Madagascar Cream-top is Lee’s pick– a smooth and silky latte. All of the Madagascar Vanilla flavored drinks in the cafe are craft drinks: drinks with each ingredient made from scratch. The beans are house-roasted, the cream is hand-made and the syrup is harvested from madagascar vanilla beans.
“I went to Korea two years ago, and I was surprised to see a lot of coffee shops have their own cream-top coffee,” Lee said. “I thought ‘Oh, this would be a hit here!’, so I brought it and made my own recipe. I tried every single drink, and experimented.”
Lee spent an entire week before opening to make individual drinks and perfect her recipe. Her expertise came from an unexpected teacher: YouTube videos from seasoned home café creators.
Aside from Lee’s innovative and meticulous approach to brewing beverages, her Korean identity plays a significant role in the cafe.
“I moved here around twenty years ago after being born and raised in Korea,” Lee said. “I grew up here as an immigrant and a small business owner. First generation immigrants have a hard time settling here—I saw this with my family. I learned a lot from my family’s small restaurant in Koreatown, and I helped them out a lot.”
With Lee’s childhood experience in small businesses, hard work and a unique yet delicious menu, Caffe In Coffee Roasters comprises the perfect recipe for a promising cafe.
Caffe In Coffee Roasters is located at 2512 Walnut Ave, and is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the weekends. To keep up with the café’s upcoming endeavors, check out their instagram: @caffeincoffeeco.
