Two drinks are introduced to Latinos when they are (truthfully) far too young: their first sip of beer, sneaked to them at a family party by one of their tíos
or tías, and their first sip of a warm cafecito.
Whether your first sip was a café de olla, black coffee, or the morning-suitable milkshake (frappuccino,) these hot and icy drinks can give you the pick-me-up you need for the day. Their flavors are more than just sweeteners with catchy names; if made right, they can also evoke memories and nostalgia.
Lucky for us, Los Angeles has more than a handful of Latino-owned coffee shops and restaurants that offer what some might consider some of the best-tasting caffeinated drinks in the city—from Picaresca Barra de Café in Boyle Heights, serving drinks like El Pino, a double shot of espresso with rosemary and chamomile syrup, to Gusto Bread in Long Beach and their ever-popular atole latte, which comes with heirloom maíz ganache.