Los Angeles-based specialty coffee brand Dirty Latte Co. has opened its first brick-and-mortar location. The 800-square-foot cafe is in the 26th Street lobby of the Water Garden office campus.
Founder Guy Blanco launched Dirty Latte Co. in 2022 with a coffee cart. He wanted a coffee experience that felt fun, approachable and different from a traditional coffee shop, with flavors and drinks inspired by his culture and upbringing. About a month after launching, he set up the cart at Water Garden, where he built a loyal customer base.
“Water Garden has always felt like home to us,” Blanco said. “We started here with just a coffee cart, built relationships with tenants and regular customers, and were able to grow alongside the community.”
The company’s signature drink, Ube Leche, is a customer favorite. Matcha drinks such as the Matcha Mami, Strawberry Matcha and Banana Matcha have also become a large part of the brand.
“A brick & mortar location gives us the opportunity to offer the complete Dirty Latte experience every day,” Blanco said.
Dirty Latte Co. arrived at Water Garden during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, the campus marketing team was looking for ways to bring energy and convenience back to the property. The business grew from a cart to a truck and now to a permanent storefront.
“There’s a real warmth and spirit to the experience that people connect with at Dirty Latte,” said Bess Wyrick, marketing director at CBRE. “It also filled an important need as the only dedicated coffee concept at Water Garden.”
Wyrick said the goal is a retail mix that is useful, distinctive and relevant to people who work at Water Garden and live nearby.
“Ultimately, we want the retail experience to elevate Water Garden from a traditional office campus to a vibrant neighborhood destination,” she said.
Water Garden is a 17-acre commercial office park in the Silicon Beach area. Its tenants include Amazon and Sony. More information is available at wg-la.com.
Dirty Latte Co. is open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at 1620 26th St. The full menu and online ordering are available at dirtylatteco.square.site.
Edited by SMDP Staff