Raised By Lions Coffee

Even in a region so densely packed with coffee shops that one can hardly go two blocks without finding another option (or two), we still occasionally wonder aloud how we hadn’t visited a specific place before. That was our feeling immediately after our first sips and bites at Raised By Lions Coffee, which we somehow passed by in a Tustin plaza for two years without spotting their locally distinctive coat-of-arms logo or name, then finally visited after several months of working through other places in our backlog. Founded by three friends who love Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and work in real estate and construction, Raised By Lions roasts and sells its own coffee, as well as offering drinks, pastries, and sandwiches seven days a week, 6am-6pm weekdays or 7am-5pm weekends.

Contrasting with other Tustin cafes such as the beautifully decorated Morning Lavender and budget-focused Cotti Coffee, Raised By Lions sits in the middle on both aesthetics and value: white tile, red bricks, and dark wood are attractively accented by gold and silver RBL logos. While its most basic drinks (drip coffees) start at $3.50 and espressos can be had for $4, most popular drinks are in the $5 to $7.50 range, with cold brews and cold foams pushing up the prices. Seasonal and “staple” drinks tend to be the most eye-catching and pricey ($7-7.50) here, including vanilla bean espresso, cinnamon toast latte, and strawberry matcha available on our visit, with black sesame notably out of season. Pastries (croissants, cookies, danishes, and muffins), bagels, and breakfast sandwiches range from around $5 to $12.