{"id":294528,"date":"2026-09-26T15:12:11","date_gmt":"2026-09-26T15:12:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/294528\/"},"modified":"2026-09-26T15:12:11","modified_gmt":"2026-09-26T15:12:11","slug":"how-to-have-a-perfect-philly-day-according-to-zoe-tanner-the-brains-behind-lorettas-viral-lattes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/294528\/","title":{"rendered":"How to have a Perfect Philly Day according to Zoe Tanner, the brains behind Loretta\u2019s viral lattes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Zoe Tanner\u2019s handiwork is immediately recognizable: Cloudlike cold foam puffs flecked with sprinkles that adorn the lattes at Loretta\u2019s, the Society Hill cafe at the epicenter of Philly\u2019s little treat boom.<\/p>\n

When Bloomsday<\/a> and Green Engine Coffee Co<\/a>. co-owners Zachary Morris and Kelsey Bush opened Loretta\u2019s at 410 S. Second Street in 2024<\/a>, its menu of nostalgia-driven pastries \u2014 fudgy Cosmic Brownies<\/a> and flaky pop-tarts<\/a>, to name a few \u2014 was all anyone could talk about<\/a>. Now, lines snake out of the periwinkle storefront on weekends as customers wait for a taste of Tanner\u2019s seasonal lattes, which have racked up thousands of views on TikTok<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Loretta\u2019s sells about 200 specialty lattes on a busy day, Tanner estimates. <\/p>\n

This September, Tanner spent hours in Loretta\u2019s basement making bite-sized uncrustables to top the coffee shop\u2019s PB&J latte<\/a>, which comes with Concord grape syrup and a peanut butter cold foam. In May, the drink du-jour was a black-raspberry-maple concoction<\/a> topped with a nutty tahini whip and sprinkles shaped like spring flowers. Next month, Tanner is whipping up a banana latte decorated with pretzel rod ghosts<\/a>. Proceeds from each of creation have gone to local charities such as ACCT Philly and the Eagles Autism Foundation.<\/p>\n

\u201cSay what you want about the girls that come in from Instagram, but they\u2019re making a difference by buying a drink,\u201d Tanner said. \u201cThat matters to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tanner, 31, serves as the operations director of all three of Bush\u2019s and Morris\u2019 businesses, splitting her days between training staff, managing inventory, and developing latte recipes. Barista-ing at Loretta\u2019s, however, is the best part of her job.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love connecting with people,\u201d said Tanner. \u201cAnd coffee is so cool because it goes through so many processes to get into your cup, but everyone who touches it is really important, from the grower to the roaster to the barista.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ZoeZoe Tanner pipes marshmallow whip onto a speciality latte at Loretta’s, a coffee shop in Society Hill.Jessica Griffin \/ Staff Photographer<\/p>\n

Tanner, who moved to Philly in 2015 from a small town in Maryland, fell into coffee by working at Starbucks<\/a> while attending the University of Valley Forge. After, she worked her way up from a barista at La Colombe\u2019s Dilworth Park location to account manager for the local coffee chain, where she was responsible for convincing mom and pop shops to use the brand\u2019s products. She started at Loretta\u2019s when they opened. <\/p>\n

The job fuels Tanner\u2019s second career as a self-made musician who writes, records, and mixes all her music. This fall, Tanner will release her fifth album as Mommy Rockstar Bitch<\/a>, the grunge persona that has helped Tanner find power in her role as the self-proclaimed \u201cmom friend.\u201d <\/p>\n

Tanner said working at Loretta\u2019s keeps her grounded like the novelist Charles Bukowski, who kept his job as a mailman<\/a> during his early days as a writer. It\u2019s also brought her unexpected fame. <\/p>\n

\"ZoeZoe Tanner practices guitar in the living room of her apartment in Olde Kensington.Rowan Ohara<\/p>\n

\u201cI was running in Fishtown<\/a> the other day when a group stopped me and were like, \u2018Can we take a picture with you? You\u2019re the Loretta\u2019s girl,\u2019\u201d Tanner said. \u201cNever did I think coffee would be how I build my brand.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, how does Philly\u2019s most famous barista spend a perfect day in the city? It involves sharing human food with her dog, running a half marathon, and mixing music from her home in Olde Kensington<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I generally wake up at 5 a.m. with my dog Barrett \u2014 a 6-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer \u2014 barking at me to give him pets. I automatically smile; one of my biggest accomplishments in life is that he\u2019s so well-behaved because GSPs are such a tough breed.<\/p>\n

After a quick morning walk with Barrett, I\u2019ll head to a 6 a.m. Heated Power Strength yoga class at Monarch Yoga<\/a> in Kensington. I go without having any coffee, which is so unnatural for me, and then when I get out, I feel so awake and alive. The music is also so upbeat and fun for a strength class, but since it\u2019s a yoga studio, [the instructor] still gives us a spiritual concept to focus on.<\/p>\n

\"TannerTanner likes to share food with Barrett, her 6-year -old German Shorthaired Pointer. His favorites include banh mi from Ba Le and pizza from Pizzeria Beddia.Jessica Griffin \/ Staff Photographer<\/p>\n

Next, I\u2019ll grab Barrett for a long walk that\u2019s mostly about him being the center of attention. People might say that I\u2019m a bad dog mom for this, but I share my food with him. <\/p>\n

I\u2019m not even embarrassed by this because Barrett has good taste: When we go on long runs, we always stop at Ba Le Bakery<\/a> in South Philly for a lemongrass and beef banh mi, and when we walk down Frankford Avenue, he will literally yank me across the street for Huda Burger<\/a>. I even gave him a Pizzeria Beddia<\/a> birthday party. I promise he\u2019s a healthy dog.<\/p>\n

Anyway, on our long walks we will either stop at Rival Brothers Coffee<\/a> for a short Americano and so Barrett can look out the window, or C\u00e0ph\u00ea Roasters<\/a><\/a> to split a fried chicken sandwich. It\u2019s funny because I used to joke about never wanting to be a regular somewhere, but now I walk into these places and it feels like I\u2019m talking to my siblings. It\u2019s a beautiful way to start my morning.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe inside of C\u00e0ph\u00ea Roasters in Kensington, where Tanner and her dog Barrett are regulars.Monica Herndon \/ Staff Photographer<\/p>\n

After also feeding Barrett real dog food, I head down to Loretta\u2019s to clock in for a shift. On a perfect day, work involves barista-ing a little bit, doing latte research, and filming content for social media.<\/p>\n

All of our specialty lattes involve a specialty syrup and cold foam, and they take about three iterations each to get right. I love it because I feel like I\u2019m in a lab, trying to find the right balance of fun and sweetness without just serving people sugar just because it looks pretty \u2026 [Kelsey Bush] and I are both very anti-unicorn frappuccinos<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"AsAs director of operations at Loretta’s, Zoe Tanner says the best parts of her job include working on latte recipes and barisa-ing.Jessica Griffin \/ Staff Photographer<\/p>\n

At some point, I will stop for lunch. I\u2019m in a protein era right now, so I like to order the Emma, which I equate to Loretta\u2019s version of a chicken Caesar salad wrap. I also love our Rice Krispie treats. They\u2019re just perfectly done. Packaged Rice Krispie Treats are always so dry. <\/p>\n

It is officially time for me to go on a long run \u2014 13.1 miles at minimum because I\u2019m a distance diva.<\/p>\n

My go-to route is river-to-river: I\u2019ll run from my apartment to Penn Treaty Park, down to the Headhouse Shambles, across South Street to Schuylkill Park<\/a>, up to the Philadelphia Museum of Art<\/a><\/a>, and back.<\/p>\n

While I\u2019m running, I like to listen to a lot of my raw mixes to get a sense of what needs work, but if I\u2019m trying to have a really blissful run, I\u2019ll listen to Dean Blunt<\/a> or Sade<\/a>. If you run by the river and put on Sade, you\u2019ll feel like the hottest person in the universe. Trust. <\/p>\n

\"TannerTanner likes to run along the Schuylkill River, the Delaware River, and through Penn Treaty Park.TYGER WILLIAMS \/ Staff Photographer<\/p>\n

I also like to think of my runs as quests. I will deliberately only bring my phone and headphones so I\u2019m forced to stop for the things I need to keep going, like a snack or electrolytes. It\u2019s fun because it helps me get to know the city better, even after more than a decade \u2026 I think people get tired of Philly because they don\u2019t chew down on it enough.<\/p>\n

Running this way has also made me a public bathroom expert because peeing, of course, is always part of the quests. My hot tip: Never count out a Whole Foods.<\/p>\n

After my run, I like to get dinner and drinks with my friends.<\/p>\n

Our go-to is Monk\u2019s Cafe<\/a>, which I recently learned might be haunted? I typically order the Thai curry mussels, a Saison, and fries.<\/p>\n

I know there\u2019s a lot of discourse about Monk\u2019s having the best fries<\/a>, but I want to make clear that I do NOT play that game. Fries come in all shapes and sizes, and they\u2019re all good. I would never body shame a fry. It\u2019s like trying to say a basketball player is more athletic than a football player. How could you?<\/p>\n

\"AA pot of mussels in Thai curry broth at Monk’s Cafe.Craig LaBan<\/p>\n

If we want to have a less chill night, my friends and I will go to Johnny Brenda\u2019s<\/a> \u2014 I had my first ever legal drink there, and they make a great steak. For a more chill night, we like to eat at Ph\u1edf 75<\/a><\/a>. I want my pho with dark meat chicken and all the fixings \u2014 jalape\u00f1os, bean sprouts, cilantro, Sriracha, Hoisin. Barrett, of course, will probably have a piece of the chicken.<\/p>\n

I like to end my day with music, either by practicing with my band or mixing my album, which reminds me a lot of coming up with drinks for Loretta\u2019s since both start with me asking the same question: What can I do to make this thing pop?<\/p>\n

Sound mixing is so similar to food and beverage because it\u2019s very easy to sense when you\u2019ve done too much and need to pull back. Things often taste and sound the best when they\u2019re at their most natural.<\/p>\n

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.<\/p>\n

\"Beatrice<\/a><\/p>\n

I’m a food writer who covers how trends are reshaping Philadelphia’s dynamic food scene, from the growth of Philly’s restaurant merch to why venture capital-backed chains can’t stop coming to our city. I also cover labor dynamics \u2014 and changes to the workplace \u2014 within the hospitality industry. <\/p>\n