Copa Vida

Steve Chang and his wife opened Copa Vida in 2013, building the concept around Chang's own story and a wish to create a place people feel they belong to rather than a straightforward coffee sales pitch. The cafe occupies a historic brick building on South Raymond Avenue in Old Pasadena, near the Rose Parade route.

Copa Vida began small batch roasting its own beans in 2015 after acquiring a Diedrich roaster, and it now runs a dedicated roastery elsewhere in Pasadena as well as this cafe. The company publishes brew guides for the Chemex, Kalita and Hario V60 and offers vegan options and a dog friendly patio, a room built as much for lingering as for a quick espresso.