I love a cute coffee shop, but there aren’t really any in my neighborhood within walking distance. Until now, that is! 1802 Roasters in Cypress Park has been roasting their own beans just down the street from me for a while, but previously had only been available for purchase at farmers markets around LA. They’ve been working to open a brick and mortar spot, even hosting weekend pop ups in their parking lot while construction on the cafe was still underway. The beautiful space is finally ready, thank heavens, and although they’re still only open on weekends (for now!), stopping by for a coffee has quickly become one of my favorite weekend morning activities. 1802 Roasters sources some delicious beans- from Guatemala to Peru to Costa Rica, and roasts them fresh on-site. I highly recommend picking up a bag to take home so you can get your fix during the week as well. My standard order of an Americano with steamed oat milk always hits the spot, and the pastries, sourced from Frog’s Bakery and Farmshop, are fresh and delicious as well. I’m partial to the pistachio morning bun, vegan almond croissant, and pumpkin ginger muffin! Yum! Definitely stop by next time you’re looking for a top notch coffee on the east side.
nomad
Food always plays a big role in any vacation we take- I might even go as far to say we plan trips around eating (perks of being a #chefswife)! On our recent travels to Portugal and Morocco, I have to admit I was most looking forward to the food in Marrakech! After doing some research on local spots in the Medina, I knew I definitely wanted to visit Nomad. The restaurant serves simple, modern Moroccan cuisine with a focus on fresh, local produce. I loved their updated take on traditional dishes, as well as global dishes infused with a Moroccan twist. There's truly something for everyone here, with plenty of options for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike!
Nomad opened a few years ago in an old carpet store just off the famed place de épices, and has a lovely rooftop terrace overlooking the square. You can even see the beautiful Atlas Mountain range during certain times of the year! My husband and I sat outside for lunch and enjoyed a truly fresh and flavorful meal- what a wonderful start to our trip it was! The lamb tagine with prunes and spices and the Moroccan affogato (I got mine with sweet pumpkin & saffron ice cream!) were highlights for me, but everything we ate really impressed us to be honest. Click through the photos for more details of each tasty dish. It was hard not to come back to Nomad for all our meals after this one, but we knew we wanted to see more of what Marrakech had to offer. I will definitely be back on my next trip, as I still think fondly of our perfect al fresco lunch!
