Curated
Play interior
Curated

Play

Open
closes 8 PM
Neighborhood
Laguna Beach
Roaster
Multi-roaster
Food
Coffee only

Curator’s note

Nothing is roasted in-house, and Laguna Beach keeps more than a dozen roasters going at once (Sey, Tim Wendelboe, La Cabra, April, Prolog, Nomad, Apollon's Gold, Mame), with four to six sharing the espresso menu at a time, each on its own recipe and pressure profile. It is the first room Play built from the ground up with the layout under its own control, and what it built was a bar that can run six espressos at six different pressures.

The Curated Order
The drink
Volcano Latte

Espresso sweetened with demerara brown sugar and topped with woodfire-smoked sea salt.

The coffee

The model is a rotating guest bar sourced from roasters the founder features long term: Nomad, Tim Wendelboe, Apollon's Gold, Prolog, Sey, and La Cabra among more than a dozen in rotation, four to six sharing the espresso menu at once on unique recipes and pressure profiles. House signatures include a Volcano Latte (smoky sea salt, brown sugar) and a Saffron Cappuccino.

The room

Laguna Beach architect Anders Lasater led this 1,400-square-foot buildout: raw steel, smooth concrete and brick behind the bar, warm wood banquettes inside, covered patio out front. It is the first Play the company drew and built with full control of the layout: after six shipping containers and a 1928 bank, the third attempt is the one where nothing had to be worked around.

The work-test
WifiFastFast, fine for uploads
OutletsPlentyAt nearly every seat
SeatingSpaciousLots of room to spread
NoiseLivelyEnergetic, lively room
LaptopsLaptop-friendlyWelcome anytime

The vibe

Photos

8

People

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