Pleasantly surprised to discover quick, cheap and shockingly edible food at Esso Cafe in Beverly Hills. Menu | Esso Cafe – All-Day Seasonal Café in Los Angeles It’s on the corner of Brighton Way and Bedford and looks like a Starbucks – i.e., not particularly inviting.
A friend had mentioned that the food was good, but I was highly skeptical until I tried it myself. So far have tried the lox toast, which was elevated by decent bread and freshly chopped dill, and a to go tuna sandwich, also elevated by decent bread and some nice crisp cucumbers layered in with the tuna salad.
Based on what I have tried, someone is definitely at home in the kitchen in a way that you don’t usually find in a Starbucks-type establishment. They also have a version of Khachapuri, but I haven’t tried it.
I’m not a coffee drinker, so didn’t try the coffee. I did try an iced unsweetened matcha and while I really don’t think it is the “ceremonial ” grade they tout on their website, it was definitely decent and cuts above the matcha concoctions you find at other places around town.
If you have an appointment in Beverly Hills, this place is much cheaper than Erewhon with the advantage of avoiding the Erewhon tourists.
Thanks for the head’s up. Is there seating or is it elevated grab and go? Or maybe order at a counter and then find a seat for a quick meal? The website didn’t have photos of the restaurant, and I didn’t find them on IG.
Really wanted to get a whole pizza for judging this place , but it was just me so I was already gorging. The pickin’s were slim at the time of day I was there …
I had told the counter guy to gently warm it, my mistake, it probably could’ve used a little more crisp. But the flavor was fantastic. Dough quite tasty, just right amount of chew.
TAQUERIA FRONTERA
This was my first time to this location. The meat was incredible (LOVE the heat!!) but something in there was an absolute salt bomb. The meat has so much flavor I took out a piece and didn’t detect a ton of salt so something else that they put in there was insane. But of course I ate it and just took an extra blood pressure pill when I got home.
@cjla There is very much seating, indoors and outdoors at Esso Cafe. I’m not in love with the aesthetic of the place – very stark white and antiseptic looking and looks like done on a real budget – but the seating is comfortable enough. I resisted trying it for awhile because of the aesthetic, but I’m often in the area and, as I said, I was pleasantly surprised.
They have a limited grab and go case where I got my tuna sandwich the other day, but otherwise you order at the counter, they prepare it in the kitchen and bring it to your table.
@cjla Esso is definitely not a destination dining place and maybe not even worth it if you are on the other side of Beverly Hills, but I think is definitely worth it if you are in the Western stretch of the Triangle and if price is a consideration. What I have had at Esso I found better than at what I think of as its Beverly Hills competitors: Faregrounds, Comoncy, Energy Life Cafe, even Le Pain Quotidien. I haven’t been to Judi’s Deli lately, which was closed for quite a long time.
I was in Beverly Hills recently for an appointment and was starving afterwards and wanted to pick something up and I considered the Erewhon hot bar and thought nah, I don’t want to spend close to $30 for takeout food and to brave crowds as well. Then I thought Shake Shack and I thought nah, yeah it’s cheap but I don’t want a 900 calorie bomb. I ended up being perfectly happy with my grab and go tuna sandwich from Esso.
They are trying to do Hermosillo style carne asada. Hecho a mano corn and flour tortillas. Still a little understaffed, but you can order various cuts rare, medium etc, which I appreciate. Night I went they had flank and chuck eye plus chorizo.
Best bite was the costra, made with quesillo, not pictured. Reminded me of Mexico.
amazing
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