Those who’ve missed Wes Avila’s breakfast burrito have a reason to celebrate this weekend: The Guerrilla Tacos chef is launching a new coffee shop that’s bringing it back.
Avila’s egg, cheese and bean-packed breakfast burritos began as a special, then evolved into a morning-only option, and after they disappeared from the menu entirely, the restaurant received so many calls that the team knew they needed to make a return. Tomorrow they’re back in all their glory at Guerrilla Cafecito, the coffee shop situated next to Guerrilla Tacos in the Arts District.
Expect a full espresso bar—including lattes, cappuccinos, espresso pulls and drip—with beans sourced from Cognoscenti Coffee, and, of course, those breakfast burritos, all available from 8 to 11am daily. To start, the burritos are the only food you’ll probably find there, but the team is experimenting with a pastry program that could follow.
The vibe is quick and casual, but a dozen patio seats will give you a place to perch, should you want to enjoy that burrito alfresco and ASAP.
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Cafecito fills the space of the former Base Coat Nail Salon and served as a way for Avila and the restaurant to pivot—like so many others have had to do—when Governor Gavin Newsom shut down indoor dine-in service last week. According to managing partner Brittney Valles, the staff spent weeks prepping to reopen under the new state and county restaurant safety guidelines, then drafted the café’s concept within hours of hearing the news.
But Guerrilla Cafecito isn’t just a pivot; it’s also a return to Valles and Avila’s roots. “I was in specialty coffee for a few years and Chef Wes and I met and ultimately became partners because of specialty coffee,” Valles says. “It has totally always been part of us.”
The café isn’t all Guerrilla Tacos has been up to recently; in addition to its massive quarantine taco packages (complete with toilet paper) and themed dinner kits, Avila’s taco shop also relaunched the patio area for dine-in and is currently working on a new private dining room—all of this exciting, but there’s no beating the excitement of that burrito’s return. After all, it is one of the best breakfast burritos in L.A.
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Guerrilla Cafecito opens Friday, July 10, at 704 Mateo St. Hours are 8 to 11am daily.
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