Nature’s Brew (2316 S. Union Ave. Los Angeles, 90007; 213.741.9393) is a new coffee shop and kitchen from Daniel and Robert Kronfli and Executive Chef Lior Hillel (Bacaro LA, Paladar Underground, and Kronfli Bros.), opens its doors in the USC neighborhood on Saturday. Designed as a local spot for you to socialize, the eatery features an opening dining room and lounge area with comfortable couches and tables, an exposed brick wall, and light wood fixtures. Nature’s Brew rustic design embraces the neighborhood with large floor-to-ceiling windows in the front, providing a view into bright, open space, hardwood floors, and vaulted ceilings. Next to the kitchen is the light wood paneled counter where you order. You’ll want to grab a spot and use their free wi-fi and electrical outlets for your computer/phone. The brick wall will be used as an art gallery to display the work of local artists from the surrounding area.
Chef Hillel (Jean Georges in New York), worked with the Kronflis to create a menu elevated classics with local, seasonal ingredients for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Coffee beverages like lattes, mochas, macchiato, blended and iced espresso drinks feature grounds from both Intelligentsia and Pasquini. Breakfast items include made-to-order egg sandwiches, house-baked breads and pastries baked twice a day, including muffins, scones, and croissants, that are available throughout the day. The Kronflis and Hillel also developed the Nature’s Brew juice menu, offering the option to “create your own juice” or signature blends with combinations like watermelon, orange, lemon, and cayenne and cantaloupe, carrot, ginger, and lemon, as well as smoothies made with mixed berries, pineapple, apple juice, and agave.
For lunch and dinner, choose from gourmet sandwiches, including the Braised Short Rib served on a choice of Nature’s Brew bread with pickled red onion, arugula, mint cilantro, walnut pesto, and sriarcha aioli, and farmers market salads with seasonal vegetables, like the Chef’s Chopped Salad made with tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, pumpkin seeds, sprouted mung beans, and kale tahini dressing. Sandwiches and salads are also available for grab-and-go a refrigerated case close to the counter.
Unique to the Nature’s Brew menu are Hillel’s signature “meals in a bag,” a twist on a dishes “en papillote.” The nutritious “bags,” available during lunch and dinner, offer a choice of protein, including chicken, salmon, or fresh fish, steamed with a choice of one starch like quinoa, whole rice, cracked wheat or red rice, which is then topped with one housemade butter, such as harissa and cured lemon, or basil and sun-dried tomato.
Serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and coffee Monday-Sunday 6:30 am-10 pm.
