Dear Food

Alfred Coffee: An Insta-Famous Iconic LA Cafe

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Episode notes

But first, coffee. That’s not just a cute Pinterest quote, it’s the trademarked tagline of this week’s guest, Josh Zad, who is the CEO and Founder of LA’s iconic Alfred Coffee. Josh is an architecture and design nerd, and he intentionally infused his eclectic personality into the creation of his coffee shops and tea rooms. You have most definitely seen pictures of people gleefully posing with their fancy drinks at one of his fabulously outfitted cafes. Hear how social media helped turn this coffee shop into a global tourist attraction. 

What’s in this episode:

  • Is it Alfred, or Alfred’s? Josh spills the literal tea. 
  • How social media made this cafe a tourist destination 
  • How Instagram played into the design and creation of the cafe experience 
  • Yes, they really do own that phrase “But first, coffee”
  • The Pink Drink - who made it first? We say it was Alfred.
  • Can you guess the secret ingredient in the Pink Drink?
  • The most popular drinks at Alfred Coffee and Tea 
  • What makes their Iced Vanilla Latte world-famous? 
  • Do you know what boba is? I just learned: it’s tapioca. 
  • Wait until you hear the celebrities that have visited Alfred coffee 
  • HINT: Presidents drink Alfred coffee 
  • The famous TV show that shot an episode at Alfred. It will make you want to Curb Your Enthusiasm … how’s that for a hint? 
  • Larry David wears silk socks. Josh shares the whole story. It’s classic. 
  • How does the owner of a famous coffee shop take his coffee? 
  • Why coffee is pandemic-proof
  • And much more!

Links from the show: 

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