Hi, my name is Ryleigh, and I would consider myself a coffee shop enthusiast. The key word “shop” because although I function purely on caffeine, the delivery and ambiance of the surroundings can make or break a coffee for me. So to start off strong, I will list and recommend my favorite coffee shops in Orange county.

My all-time favorite coffee shop is Moongoat. It’s in Costa Mesa and it’s the size of a small department store. As soon as you walk in, you can see how happy everybody is sitting and working inside. This Moongoat sparkle-fills each and every person inside, and creates a productive and warming environment. I spend way too many hours here doing homework, talking with friends, and spending alone time. Not to mention the valet drivers are super cute 🙂 The BEST coffee to get here is called a “churro latte” but make sure it’s iced and with almond milk! My friend Maddie Canfield shares this love for Moongoat with me. She says that “My favorite coffee shop is Moongoat because it is the perfect environment and has the best coffee, and it makes for a great place to study! My usual order is an iced vanilla latte!”

Coming in as a close second for my favorite, is a shop called “Work In Progress” on the border of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach. This coffee shop not only has an amazing iced latte, but the interior designer poured her heart and soul into this place. Get it, poured, like coffee? Hahaha! Work In Progress, (or WIP for short) brings a very warm aesthetic to it. Neutral colors fill the room alongside delicious coffee and pastries.

There are two ways to go when finding a chai in Newport Beach, and those two ways are Alta coffee or C’est Si Bon. Both offer irresistible iced chais’ (with almond milk of course) and bring 2 different vibes. Alta holds one of the best chais AND breakfast burritos, but C’est promises an amazing chai and the best deli sandwiches around! You can’t go wrong with either.

2 more coffees to review! This next place is actually in Dana point right on Pacific Coast Highway, so it’s a beautiful drive down! The Dana shop is called JC bean, and I recommend either the caramel macchiato or the warm chai and you guessed it, both with almond milk! And last but not least, my favorite Vietnamese coffee I’ve ever had is located just outside of Tustin, in the Irvine marketplace called BLK dot coffee. This shop is small, but filled with life. The employees are so nice, and the shop is filled with families waiting for their coffee.

My coffee obsession didn’t start on my own, my friends helped me get here! My best friend Caroline Carvellis’ go-to order is “an iced caramel macchiato with whole milk specifically from Peet’s coffee on 17th” she also notes how she should be drinking almond or oat milk since she’s lactose intolerant but she chooses to drink whole milk instead. So with those coffee recommendations. I encourage you to use some spare time this week to go try some new drinks!