Located in Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles, roughly one hour away from Pepperdine, sits Harucake Cafe.
The cafe resides in a small nook with calming colors and welcoming decorum. From its soft opening in August 2023 with an exuberant menu of cakes and drinks, Harucake has grown to be a popular spot among the community.
Harucake is a South Korean cafe that brings in a combination of beauty and taste with a focus on community. Upon entrance, customers are greeted with a small photo machine with a singular button, which customers are encouraged to press that allows a free photo to be taken and printed immediately.
The walls are frequently lined with families and friends eager to take part in a fun and heartfelt activity, leaving their smiles behind for the next person to see.
Along with a guestbook that further adds to the community aspect, there are many repeating faces. Vivian Li, a frequent visitor of Harucake, shared her love for the strawberry milk cream cake that keeps her coming back.
“I find calm in this place alongside this delicious, delicate cake,” Li said. “I often come to read and research, but this cake is what I dream of.”
Alongside the cakes, there is a wide variety of coffees and matchas on the menu. Ranging from traditional strawberry or banana flavors to creative add-ons such as Honey Einspanner coffee, Harucake has beverages covering all bases.
Sophomore Amariah Socrates spoke highly of her experience at the cafe.
“Trying out new cafes is one of my favorite hobbies, since I’ve always been such a foodie,” Socrates said. “Living in LA for college has given me so many opportunities to try out not only aesthetic, but tasty cafes all around.”
Socrates further explained why she enjoyed the aesthetic and atmosphere.
“I really enjoyed the attention to both,” Socrates said. “I thought that the presentation of everything was so cute and it made the food experience so much better.”
Socrates said she enjoyed the food not only for the taste, but also for the authenticity.
“The food itself was crafted so well and had that Korean cafe taste that is hard to find in the states,” Socrates said.
Senior Catherine Davis visited the cafe for the first time on Sept. 21 after hearing multiple roaring reviews. She said she especially enjoyed the treats and compelling aesthetic.
“I loved the colors,” Davis said. “Everything felt so sweet, welcoming, and so clean and put together.”
Davis said she enjoys branching out of Malibu and definitely plans on returning to the cafe.
“I’m not from here, so I really want to soak up the most of LA that I can before I graduate,” Davis said. “I definitely would come back again with my friends — I really want to try more of their menu.”
Davis shared the importance of branching out, and why this cafe in particular was so special to her.
“I would definitely come back here again,” Davis said. “I really enjoyed the neighborhood too, seeing a lot of families and friends come out on a Saturday morning.”
Harucake is open Tuesday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and noon to 6 p.m. for anyone looking to venture out of the familiar Malibu cafe scene.
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Contact Jade Gonzalez via email: jade.gonzalez@pepperdine.edu
