Bakery and cafe Santa Canela, which opened earlier this year in Highland Park, is a pastry destination that really embodies Los Angeles. It’s not just the LA-shaped churros or the racks of fresh pan dulce that scream Angeleno (although those help). Founder and baker Ellen Ramos curates a rotating menu inspired by the city and her own Mexican and Salvadoran heritage. The sleek, mid-century modern interior — which features a marble bar and soft Mexican tunes playing — feels particularly right for this already very cool neighborhood.
Santa Canela offers Mexican-style coffee drinks that are sweet and milky but still pack an espresso-fueled punch. The burnt cinnamon latte offers a complex bittersweet flavor, while the cafe de olla leans more sweet with the warming flavor of panela, or raw cane sugar. You can also order horchata with or without espresso.
There’s very minimal seating at Santa Canela. Options include a couple sidewalk tables and tiny bar seating, but it’s best to take your coffee and baked goods to go.