When we visited Nader Kaiser’s new Marina restaurant a few days back, the house was empty. We were early. Way early.
“We open at five,” he explained. (It was about noon.) As we walked through the empty eatery chatting and imagining our soon-to-be dinner experience, he offered Republik, his hugely popular coffee house just a quick stroll away.
“Let’s go there,” he smiled. “I want you to see it.”
Hugely popular or not, it was new to us.
Think about everything you love about Starbucks—the familiarity, the range of coffees, the quick service, and yes, the Wi-Fi, and bring it up a few notches.
From the elegant interior and furnishings to the comforting and now-familiar post-Covid outdoor dining, Republik offers an elevated coffee house experience, from a regular coffee to a designer brunch.
The coffee menu itself is inviting— just a quick peek at the favorites reveals the Black Vanilla Latte, with activated charcoal, espresso, bourbon vanilla syrup, and milk; the Lavender & Oat, with Housemade honey lavender syrup, espresso, and frothed oat milk; the Cardamom Oat Latte, with its housemade crush cardamom syrup, coconut condensed milk, espresso, oat milk; the Sea Salted Hazelnut Cappuccino, with espresso, hazelnut, sea salt, steamed milk; a seasonal Pumpkin Latte with Espresso, Pumpkin Puree, and steamed milk. Whew.
There are no frappuccinos to be found anywhere. Just coffee people with a love and appreciation for the bean.
I was barely seated when host/manager Jose “Cuervo” Cardoza produced a perfectly brewed cortado coffee for me.
“Aren’t you hungry?,” Kaiser smilingly told me, rather than asking. “You need to try our French Toast.”
I was no one to be arguing, and he knew it.
The French toast at Republik is egg-battered brioche topped with mixed berries, Vermont maple syrup, sugar powder, cinnamon and mascarpone whipping cream. It is just as delicious as the thoughts you have right this second as you read this.
But while I waited for the French toast, someone must have alerted someone, because in short order, more food arrived.
First was the Avocado Toast—with cage-free 7-minute egg, Hass avocado mash, goat cheese, radish, extra virgin olive oil, cherry tomato, toasted country bread, followed by the Salmon Cucumber Toast, with natural smoked salmon, Persian cucumber, capers, onion, cream cheese, and country bread. A grilled wrap whose name now escapes me, and was eventually devoured by my neighbor, completed the sudden foodfall.
I went from famished to full in record time. As life should be.
All of this consumed in a vaguely luxurious environment of music, laptops and the smell of brewing coffee, Republik is the type of place you’ll likely be going out of your way to visit.
Because, there is coffee, and there is coffee. There is a coffee house and there is Republik. And the difference is dramatic. Add an extensive lunch and brunch menu, and this could be your new favorite coffee/work hang.
Republik also offers live music on weeknights. Of course they do.
French toast. Avocado toast. Avocado Salmon toast. Coffee. You’re already craving all that now. Our work here is done.
Republik is at 854 East Green Street. Pasadena, CA, (626) 529-3714. hello@republikcoffee.com.
