Blacktop Espresso Bar in Downtown LA was founded by Tyler J. Wells, one of the trio who founded Handsome Coffee Roasters (recently acquired by Blue Bottle Coffee). As Tyler told LA Weekly, "Since the beginning, I've always wanted a little 200 foot espresso bar, something truly European, where people can stop in and have a drink, a little two minute bright spot in their day, and go on to whatever's next."
That is exactly what he has created in Downtown's flourishing Arts District - a place for the community to gather, enjoy a delicious cup of espresso or their famed cold brew coffee, chat with friends, and continue on with their day. This is not a place to bring a laptop and "pretend to be working." The minimal outdoor seating is comprised of tree stumps and small benches (there is no wifi).
We stumbled upon Blacktop recently and had the pleasure of meeting with the manager, Ryan Judd. He works with a great team of baristas to create a welcoming atmosphere, delicious bites (open-faced sandwiches), and superb coffee every day.
At No Tox Life we make our facial and body soaps using the traditional cold-process method, meaning we make it entirely from scratch by combining oils (the acid) with sodium hydroxide, also known as lye (the base). The resulting chemical reaction converts these substances into a new, stable material known as soap.
Some soap makers use animal fats or palm oil as the base of their bars. We use 100% vegan and sustainable oils - olive oil, rice bran oil and coconut oil.
In the multi-step soap making process we added cold brew coffee, cold brew coffee grounds, charcoal (activated hardwood charcoal powder), espresso fragrance oil with a hint of mocha and vanilla, and sprinkled coffee grounds on the finished bars.
Our newest No Tox Life body bar is crafted entirely using cold brew coffee & coffee grounds from Blacktop. It is an exfoliating bar (one of our heaviest scrubs), with a zing of firming caffeine to wake up your skin. It is an ode to artisan craftsmanship, community and damn good coffee.
The Blacktop Coffee Cold Brew Bar is
available online and at our
weekly markets.
