Location: 111 N Reino Rd, Newbury Park, CA 91320 Hello again coffee lovers! We are back from the past and now moved on to the present time. Thank you guys again for coming on my journey in Santa Cruz, but it is now time to go back to LA, well specifically Ventura county xD. I went to Ragamuffin Coffee Roasters after hiking with my sister and my girlfriend in Agoura Hills, and I always want to eat or grab something to drink after a nice hike. I rarely come out this way so I was curious as to what the area had to offer in terms of third wave coffee. Out comes Ragamuffin only a couple of miles away from the hiking trail. This shop is unique in its personality and surprising to find a gem in an area where you wouldn't expect much. Here are my thoughts on Ragamuffin Coffee Roasters! Ragamuffin is located in a shopping center next to a Trader Joe's and hard to notice since their sign is just a banner on top of their doors. This place has a lot of personality when you first walk in. The general decor of the shop is something similar to a large living room with cute shelving, some framed pictures and a mural of the world map. You can tell the owner of this place is a huge Patriots fan because near the back of the shop is a window lined with different kinds of the team's jerseys. Most of the people here when I visited all seemed like they were working on their laptops except for two older gentlemen talking outside and a couple of friends talking in the corner near the front door. It is a pretty mellow place and an awesome spot to meet up with some of your friends or family as there are ample amounts of seats in the store while being pretty spacious. I heard that during the weekends a lot of families come here with their children just to hang out while having brunch. The music in this store isn't too loud, barely audible but just enough noise so it isn't awkwardly quiet. The store is well lit has a lot of industrial lighting with exposed ceilings which makes the store seem more spacious than it actually is. As their store name suggests, Ragamuffin roasts and packages their own beans but also sells mugs and street wear with their logo on them. My favorite was the denim hat they have and I really dig their denim and leather aprons they don while working. I'm kind of bummed that they don't sell their aprons because I would be all over them irregardless of the fact that I don't wear aprons often (>y<). Their aprons would make me want to wear it just because I can wear it. They also have a full kitchen where they offer mainly sandwiches and pastries for lunch and breakfast. As for their drinks, they offer the usual coffee drinks as well as teas. They do not offer smoothies anything of that sort here but do have chai lattes which is popular with certain crowds. No matter what tickles your fancy, they have a wide selection to choose from and will most likely be able to prepare your favorite latte or tea with any popular syrups. As for me and with any new place I try, I went for their espresso drinks (they didn't offer any cold brew (☍﹏⁰)。) I got a latte this time as it was the safest to use to judge their technique in my opinion. I loved the owner's latte art! He did a normal tulip but was somehow able to create a little heart off to the side next to the tulip. That was the first thing I saw and enjoyed the attention to detail he added. If you look at the picture, you can see that the way he aerated the milk was perfect with tightly packed micro-foam and filled to the brim. Now for the taste. I believe they use Califa Farms Almond Milk if you so choose to have your latte with almond milk but I went for the usual whole milk. Maybe it was the way he aerated the milk or something else, but this latte was not as heavy as usual lattes that I get. The milk was sweet and smooth but it did have the consistency of whole milk. I was thoroughly surprised at how delicious this latte was. As you guys have read in my previous posts, I prefer cappuccinos because I don't like the heaviness of a latte, but I wouldn't mind ordering another latte at Ragamuffin. The espresso is also well balanced and perfectly complimented with the sweetness of the milk. Neither the espresso nor the milk overpower each other and work with each other to create a magnificent taste. Definitely one of the better lattes I have had. I normally don't have sweetened espresso with syrups such as vanilla or caramel so I wouldn't be able to judge at how much sweeter the drink will be with them added. Another positive experience at a new place in an area I rarely visit. Crazy to know that despite thinking that a certain area will have nothing special to offer, you find a gem and use it as a little secret spot you can show your friends if you're ever in the area. My experience at Ragamuffin is the epitome of why I go out and try new coffee shops because you know they will have their own unique style of making coffee that will stick with you forever. Discovering new spots such as this place is always a treat for me because I love sharing my experiences with my friends and often take them to these places. Overall, a great place offering great coffee.
Atmosphere and Decor: 8/10 Coffee: 9/10 Recommend: Espresso with milk
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Coffee SenpaiJust an Otaku who also loves his coffee. Grab some coffee and watch anime with me ٩(θ‿θ)۶ Blog is currently on hold. Sorry for the inconvenience ._.
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