Copa Vida

Old Pasadena has its humble share of boutique cafés, but Copa Vida offers the entire gamut of coffee and tea experiences: A $2-a-cup honor bar during morning rush hour, traditional counter service, an upscale slow bar experience and live music on weekend nights. Oh, and did we mention brunch? The front section of the clean, bright space views the enchanting Castle Green, while the side room offers a more conversational-yet-intimate environment anchored by a dark wood mailbox cabinet, a leftover from the space’s days as a wine club (owner Steve Chang plans on repurposing the unit for a bean and leaf membership club). Behind the counter, Frank La and Sam Hong (Café Dulcé Pop-Up) manage a fleet of sleek contraptions that offer tastes to match their looks, particularly with a lever pull of the refreshing teas on tap—standouts are the floral Ti Guan Yin and the tastes-like-Christmas Endurance.