Photos by Sandy Liu
For many students, coffee has become an essential part of life. Despite the new Starbucks on main campus, many are still on the search for quality coffee. Malibu’s newest addition — Caffe Luxxe — is an Italian-inspired cafe located three miles from campus.
Nestled in the Malibu Sands Center across from Carbon beach, Caffe Luxxe provides a wide array of options for coffee lovers to rejoice. The owners Mark Wain and Gary Chau shared a passion for European café culture and craftsmanship, according to their website. They decided to quit their corporate jobs 11 years ago to pursue their dreams of owning a neighborhood café together.
“We are known for our Italian inspired artisanal espressos,” manager Kyle Burton said. “One of our most popular drinks is called Shakerato, which is an ice espresso drink with frosted milk and dark chocolate, and we are one of the first cafes to bring this drink into Los Angeles.”
Caffe Luxxe is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Sunday. Soak up the sunrays and enjoy an afternoon with friends on the outdoor patios decorated with bright yellow seating. Customers can also choose to lounge on the leather couch indoors as a cool and trendy music playlist plays in the background. Since there’s no Wi-Fi available, this makes it conducive for some to focus and catch up on school work.
For many coffee lovers, the sourcing of coffee beans as well as the roasting techniques are vital components for a good cup of joe. Caffe Luxxe strives for sustainable practices while offering the best quality coffee for their customers, according to their website.
“Our beans are grown, cared and harvested by farmers we work very closely with,” Burton said. “We try to highlight different regions during different seasons to make sure our customers get the best tasting coffee.”
Even though Caffe Luxxe is known for their artisanal luxury coffee, their prices are comparable to chain coffee shops like Starbucks and Coffee Bean with drinks ranging from $3 to $7. They also sell coffee beans such as house blend and decaf, so customers can recreate their famous espressos at home.
“It has become one of my favorite spots in Malibu,” said junior Jatan Changani. “It’s near campus and has a really nice atmosphere. A great alternative place to study when you’ve been in the library for too long.”
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