When driving down Adams Avenue, it’s good to remember that the Starbucks located inside Vons isn’t the only place to get coffee. Broke Girls’ Coffee Bar has only been open for four months, but this small, independently owned coffeeshop is definitely worth a visit.
If life feels as though it’s flying by too fast, this is the place to slow down. Upon entering, customers are surrounded by olive-painted walls and wooden bar tabletops that create an earthy feel. The experience is enhanced by a quiet radio playing music by The XX and The Killers, purple sparkling seat cushions and blackboard menus written in rainbow chalk. Though there was only one worker behind the counter when I visited, the service was fast, friendly and flexible to accommodate customers’ desires.
In addition to homemade quiches and pies, Broke Girls’ Coffee Bar specializes in locally roasted cold brew and pour-over coffees that offer rich flavors. Gluten-free and vegan menu options are readily available as well. Patrons come to relax and stay to enjoy their orders after a long day’s work or to catch up with friends, whether it’s inside the small shop, out front in the windowed bar area or behind the shop in a garden with backyard plants and mismatched patio furniture.
The food and drink options are rather plentiful, and a price range that varies from $1 to $5 per item allows the bar to live up to its name. Hot drinks on the menu include a house brew, Americano and latte coffees, espressos (with macchiato and con panna options), tea from a local tea house and cocoa. Cold beverages branch out more with choices of iced tea, soda (including Italian) and Vietnamese iced coffee in addition to regular cold brew with added shots, whip or syrup. A scoop of ice cream can be added to any drink to create any type of float the customer would like.
The food on the menu can satisfy a stomach hungry for either a snack or dinner. Oatmeal is served with brown sugar, nuts and fruit. The impressively tasty Greek yogurt is topped with fruit and granola. Sweet cravings can be satisfied with chocolate banana, peanut butter, apple, key lime and raspberry cheesecakes and pies, while those in the mood for savory can go for taco, veggie, Chicken Little or bacon pies and quiches. The strawberry banana bliss, purple carrot cake and “cookies in the raw” all appeal to the gluten-free crowd.
According to the Broke Girls’ Coffee Bar official website, this restaurant is a place “where coffee and artistry collide.” Any day of the week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., it’s a great spot for getting away from the chaotic college scene without putting a major dent in that college wallet.
All photos by Monica Linzmeier.
