Connection, conversation and community: each mug tells a story, inviting locals and visitors alike to sip, savor and share. Walk in through their square-glass doors, and you’ll find plenty of seating options to relax and enjoy your drink. The Mugs, an ambient café nestled in the Northwood Town Center next to Zion Market, is a popular after-school hangout for Northwood students worth a visit.
Since its opening in October 2023, The Mugs has offered a variety of services, from hosting candidate meet-and-greets and PTSA meetings to providing high school students a perfect study spot. The Mugs is all about building connections over coffee.
“It’s like a calm sort of casual cafe experience,” senior Jane Wang said. “I feel like we do that pretty well where you can come in, order your drink and stay for three to four hours and there’s nothing, no one’s really going to bother you.”
Despite being a part of a small franchise extending in Fullerton and Diamond Bar, most of their seasonal menus are crafted by their own baristas and the store owner. This fall season, The Mugs Irvine has now added new pumpkin-themed items to their menu: the classic Pumpkin Spice Latte and its twist, the Pumpkin Spice Foam Coffee, topped with pumpkin cold foam. Meanwhile, fan favorites like the Sriracha Croffle and Tiramisu Latte continue to shine as year-round staples.
The diverse tables in the lobby, ranging from two-person tables to four-person work spaces in a glass room and lounge chairs in the corners, provide customers with their best-fit working spaces.
The Mugs is always looking to interact with their regular customers, and is responsive to customer feedback.
“Something that we want to work on is direct customer feedback rather than just through reviews where someone puts a review and that’s their feedback,” morning supervisor Bradley Klein said. “I want customers to feel that they can augment the drinks that are already there.”
If the drinks and studying aren’t for you, Mugs is hiring for an opportunity for students to gain experience as a barista. The glass rooms are also available for reservation for a $20 fee to host a private party.
“It’s also one of the only cafes that are open for this long, so it’s really nice as a student who wants a place to lock in afterschool for a few hours,” junior Emily Hill said.
The Mugs on 4840 Irvine Blvd #111, Irvine, CA 92620 is open from 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday and from 7 a.m.-9 p.m. on Sundays. Since it has become a popular study spot for local students, Klein recommends students to come in the early weekend mornings to secure a table.
