Obet & Del's Coffee

Ube is the house signature

The drink that explains Obet & Del's fastest is the Filipino Iced Coffee, built with ube oat milk, with the purple-tinged ube latte close behind. The espresso underneath comes from an African pairing of Kenya and Ethiopia, described by the house as bright and chocolatey, and it carries the cortados, lattes and cold brew as well as the flavoured drinks. The non-coffee side has structure too: ceremonial-grade matcha, organic loose-leaf teas, a Thai Town Latte, and a golden milk cappuccino made with turmeric, milk, honey and coconut sugar. Food stays in pastry territory alongside the drinks rather than stretching into a kitchen menu.

The café opened in 2020 as an independent, family-run shop in Thai Town under the motto Coffee + Community. Its name is a tribute to Joshua Oliveros's parents, Obet and Del, who designed the logo decades before the café existed, and he and Heather Knox run it. It is Filipino- and Black-owned, and Eater listed it in its 2025 coffee guide.

A third space, not just a counter

The room is designed to be stayed in. Retro-bohemian styling uses warm tones, nostalgic details and a mix of vintage and contemporary pieces, matching the founders' aim of a welcoming place for neighbours to gather rather than a transaction point. That intent shows in how the café is used, for meetings and long sits as much as for a cup to carry out.

Thai Town gives it a specific setting, and the menu answers back: the Thai Town Latte ties the counter to the neighbourhood while the ube drinks point to Filipino heritage. The community role stays active rather than decorative, with community walks, local artists shown on the walls and collaborations with musicians. A second branch opened in Highland Park in September 2024 under the same neighbourhood-coffee language.

Order the Filipino Iced Coffee first

Start with the Filipino Iced Coffee, the most direct expression of the point of view here: espresso culture filtered through ube oat milk. If you want the same ingredient pushed sweeter and closer to dessert, the ube latte is the next move, and it is one of the café's Los Angeles originals.

For something tied to the address, add the Thai Town Latte. Anyone who prefers a classic cup can stay with the Kenya and Ethiopia espresso in a cortado or latte, or take cold brew instead. Away from coffee, ceremonial-grade matcha anchors the green tea side, the organic loose-leaf teas cover the rest, and the golden milk cappuccino brings turmeric, milk, honey and coconut sugar together in one glass.