In my hometown
of San Diego,
there is a
mile-long
stretch of
street that
contains not one
or two but seven
Starbucks
coffees. You can
walk out on to
the front steps
of one and see
the front steps
of another, a
literal coffee
cup’s throw away
from each other.
In times like
these, for a
home town coffee
shop to stay in
business it has
to be something
really special.
And Los
Souls Café
is no exception
to that rule.
The shop itself
can be a bit
difficult to get
to, but once you
do find it, it’s
like the getting
to the chewy
middle at the
center of a
tootsie pop. The
décor is a mix
of traditional
and industrial,
as you’ll notice
when you walk in
through the big
iron front door,
complete with
peephole. The
café is housed
in an old bank
building and has
kept its
original tile
floor to
represent the
past, while
pieces from
local artists
hangs on the
wall to reflect
the present.
The menu is
always being
added to and
offers quite a
lot of variety;
from simple
grilled chicken
salad or a
Pisces (tuna)
melt, to a basil
pesto turkey
sandwich or a
humus wrap.
Whatever you
choose to order,
make sure you
don’t skip
dessert.
Everyone seems
to have a
different
favorite,
because
everything on
the menu is
absolutely
mouthwatering,
especially the
Cookie Monster:
a freshly baked
triple chocolate
chip or Reese's
peanut butter
cup cookie
topped with
vanilla or Ube
ice cream. YUM!
They also have
unique coffee
like their Red
Pill which is a
shot of espresso
and coffee. Or
their Soul Drip
which is their
House coffee
sweetened with
condensed milk
and half n half.
If you don’t
like coffee,
their smoothies
earn raves as
well. They offer
interesting
combos like Pom
Mang, which is
peanut butter,
chocolate, and
bananas or the
afore
mentioned,Ube (a
purple yam) ice
cream topped
with toasted
rice.
This is a great
place to
metaphorically
put your feet up
and get comfy.
The interior is
large and
inviting. They
offer books and
board games for
customers to
borrow, and a
wide range of
special events
depending on the
night of the
week: check the
website for
info.
Next time you
find your
“soul-f” lost in
downtown, why
not wander in
and see what you
can find.
-
Rebecca
Blumer
Where:
Lost Souls Café: Harlem
Place Alley, 124 W 4th St, Downtown
