Did I move to Orange County for the coffee scene? Well, not consciously, but if I knew of all the gems waiting for me I would’ve moved much sooner. that probably would have been enough to influence my cross country move. 😂

Most days, I find myself in a coffeeshop. Whether that’s working remote, adopting it as my “mobile office” for the day or simply exploring a sweet little shop in my spare time, this is your girls happy place.

One of the first things I do when I’m headed somewhere new is research the best local spots then arrange my route around that…as one should right?? 😉 Any road trip I go on should more appropriately be called “a coffee tour”. I can’t be the only?!  It’s not uncommon for a friend to text me saying they’re traveling to ______ and want to know if I had any coffee recs.  I’ve got an ever growing list of shops all along the east coast that I love, so it’s been fun finally getting to add some west coast favorites to it!

As I’ve been making Orange County home over these last several months I’ve gotten to try out a lot of rad coffee shops in the area, so I decided to create a “local’s list”; A coffeeshop guide for all you friends passing through OC looking for an Instagrammable coffeeshop moment or a sweet aesthetic to appreciate! Southern California has an ABUNDANCE of coffeeshops, so this list could be a mile long, but today I wanted to hone in on the vibey-est spots (in my opinion) that you don’t want to miss while traveling through! So for all my coffeeshop lovers always on the hunt for—> the. best. spot. in. town.

This one is for for you.

Alright sunshines, who is ready to coffee crawl through OC? Let’s get to the good stuff!

Sur Coffee

 

Say hello to your favorite Coffee spot off El Camino Real. Whether you’re shopping on Del Mar or coming in from a surf down by the pier, Sur Coffee is sure to be your next move. 😉 It’s a San Clemente favorite and a daily staple for your girl!

Bear Coast

 

Another San Clemente spot locals love! One of my favorite things about living so close to the beach has been starting my mornings walking the beach trail down by the pier to Bear Coast Coffee. Do we end that walk with a bear coast cold brew? Why yes we do. 🌴✨

WIP – work in progress

 

This one may have my home design heart the most. ✨ There is just something so satisfying about a well designed space and I’m all over this neutral dream boat of a coffeeshop. Located right near the LAB anti-mall, Work In Progress fits in with the rest of neighborhood. Artsy with that fresh neutral aesthetic we all know and love. 🌼

Neat

 

I wish I lived closer to neat because I just *know* this would quickly become another staple spot in my line-up. A stand-out to me every time is how incredibly KIND the Neat team is. They love people so well there and make you feel like family which pairs so well with their thoughtfully designed space which makes you want to make it your home. 😉

DayDream

 

Oh DayDream, you magical spot you! There really is something special about it. Imagine a rad Surf shop with top notch coffee. ✨ It’s so fun doing computer work from here and taking little breaks to browse their little gift shop + beautiful surf boards.

Herst

 

If you’re visiting Newport beach and strolling through Lido Marina Village you have got to make a coffee stop at Herst! I got to do a brand shoot there in the beginning of the year and it was so fun getting to check out this space!! It has so much charm and everything looks delicious. 🍰😋

Freelance

 

Newport is filled with some of the best coffeeshop gems in my opinion, but this spot feels one of kind.  Freelance Coffee Project opened up this spring and I finally got a chance to check out their shop with my girlies. I haven’t seen a space like this before and I love the thoughtfulness that goes into their branding and design.  My personal fav –> I love that they make unique in house syrups to pair with their drinks. 😋 I don’t usually branch out too much with my coffee order but their orange iced latte with oat milk was the perfect little pick me up on this hot day. Oh and the cutie glass cups they came in? We’re a sucker for those too.

Coffee Dose

 

Killer coffee isn’t all they’re serving up, this is the ultimate vibe check. I first heard about Coffee Dose at a wedding I photographed earlier this spring. They had a coffee bar set up right as you entered the ceremony (talk about wedding of my dreamsss) so you can bet I was sipping on an iced oat latte while capturing some vows too! 😉 Since then I had meaning to check out their shop, they have multiple locations but the ultimate shop (in my humble opinion) is at 2675 Irvine Ave, Costa Mesa.

 

If you wanna tuck this list away for your next coffee shop visit in Orange County, save it for later by clicking on the Pinterest logo on any photo above!

 

Xoxo, Hannah

 

 

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS YOU MAY ALSO LOVE:

“San Clemente Living | 10 Spots I’m Loving!“

“A Sur Coffee Senior Shoot“

“How To Make Your Engagement Session Unique“