Downtown Santa Ana has really started to become a hot spot in Orange County with plenty of trendy bars and restaurants opening up. A few weekends ago, I discovered a cute little coffee shop and a neat outdoor bar that I absolutely loved and wanted to write about!
Akshay and I grabbed our friend, Elisa, and decided to have a low key afternoon exploring downtown Santa Ana. The original plan was to check out a cool coffee shop a friend had recommended. However, when we parked the car, we came across an awesome outdoor beer garden! It ended up being a super spontaneous afternoon with a mini photoshoot.
Dear Lacy:
This really pretty outdoor beer garden is located right on Santa Ana Boulevard. It offers beer and wine as well as a limited food menu. Elisa and I ordered the ropa vieja bowl while Akshay ordered a parmesan grilled cheese sandwich. We topped it off with some rose and beer.
While the food is decent, it’s the environment and location that really caught our eye. I love that it is outdoors with extra touches that give it a cozy, friendly vibe. They have cute market lights hanging in the trees along with wooden tables and benches. Plus, right around the corner, there are some spots for Instagram worthy photos! (Akshay’s note: barf.)
Hidden House Coffee:
After our lunch, we headed over to Hidden House Coffee, which is only a 2 minute walk from Dear Lacy. I had just received my outfit from Tyche Los Angeles, one of the brands I’m collaborating with, and wanted to take some photos here. I felt the outfit ended up meshing really well with this coffee shop’s vibe! (Akshay’s note: what does that even mean) I love this two piece set because it’s comfortable and easy to dress down or up.
When we walked in, the atmosphere felt like a mix of hipster and industrial. The interior was spacious and minimalistic, which opens out to a large courtyard with a lot of greenery and red brick. We ordered lattes, a vegan chocolate chip cookie, and an apple crisp. Akshay and Elisa devoured both desserts in 2 seconds.
Afterwards, Elisa and I basically took over the coffee shop with our mini photo shoot.
All in all, it was a super fun, adventurous weekend. If you get the chance, definitely visit these two fun locations!
