The Spot Cafe & Lounge - Culver City, California

Jeffrey T.

I came here because my bike broke the other day that I'm traveling on foot between council districts and I got dehydrated. Unfortunately, the menu is not actually posted on the Google page. I was excited to hear they have boba, however, I'm reactive to dairy. I asked the cashier if I could get a latte with vegan milk and they could add boba and he said yes. I also asked how many patrons were inside and he said nobody at that time, which is good for me because I'm afraid of maskless people. I was really happy to see that the cashier is wearing a mask because it is still a pandemic.

Unfortunately, the other person there who might be the owner kept saying they weren't a vegan restaurant. It didn't make sense until he started explaining about Not being able to prevent dairy contamination. So I'm going to hope that that's what he meant to not just that they are refusing to make dairy free drinks. I'm really disappointed because I had hoped for a latte with vegan milk with boba added, and their menu says that they have vegan milk, so I'm hoping that he was trying to express about not being able to prevent drinks from being contaminated as opposed to refusing to make vegan versions of the drinks.

Lactose intolerance runs in my family and I learned last year that I do react even to trace amounts of dairy after having dairy contamination incidents under the Inside Safe Program. I have a lot of gut issues so can be hard to pin down what's causing symptoms, and I learned while trying medication last year that I essentially have such low level pain and inflammation that it was hard to notice, and while taking said medication and during situations leading up to taking that medication I found out that I did react even to even trace amounts of dairy where the inflammation which subsided immediately flared up (Think stomach pain, bloating, joint pain...)

Ultimately, I ended up ordering an ice cream tea which is exactly what I needed. Something liquid and cool as I have a several hour walk today in the heat. I am also reactive to carbs so this is probably the better option, although I really would have liked to have had a bubble tea as I rarey get to enjoy one.

I appreciate their honesty. Most people wouldn't hear "vegan" and then worry about lactose intolerance or cross contamination. Depending on how deep you get into it, there is stuff like not using aluminum because it contains pig parts and not using white sugar because it's been bleached with bone char. Most people don't think about trace amounts of animal products winding up In the final product.

Nancy A.

Lovely local coffee shop. Atmosphere is delightful and welcoming. Sit and chat with friends or work on your laptop. The music is always good. The owners are super friendly. Wide selection of food from bagels and pastries to boba, panini and ice cream. This place is a local gem!!!al A few parking spaces available behind the shop and 20 minute parking at the curb in front. There are a couple of tables outside on the sidewalk if you’d like to people watch while you sip your latte. Favorite spot of cyclists taking a break from the Ballona Creek bike path. Middle School and High School friends tend to stop by after school as well.

Hope J.

Love this little spot great vibe and coffee. Very friendly staff my new go too for coffee!

Bye bye Starbucks!

Samay S.

Kekoa is a guy that works there. Unfriendly, rude. Food and coffee are okay though. Decent service would go a long way.

Nathan B.

They don’t do breakfast burritos anymore but they have good lattes and empanadas.

Bruce M.

Amazing food, amazingly cheap, amazingly kind. Only downside is coming when the schools just let out, it gets swarmed. Otherwise, amazing.

Suthasinee H.

Wonderful coffee shop near apartments 😊 We love and enjoy this place

Erika N. S. S.

Awesome local spot! They have milk tea / slushies with boba and all of the regular coffee stuff and pastries from an outside baker.

Plenty of seating indoors and outside.

Lots of kids come by with their friends to get boba, otherwise it’s mostly empty inside.

Would love to come back for some more work time!