In Los Angeles, Alfred has long cemented itself as the city’s coffee authority, the place where caffeine meets cool. With an outpost in Austin and a couple of international branches as far away as Kuwait City, the brand continues to expand its signature aesthetic with Alfred Encino; a new 1,500 square foot addition at 16911 Ventura Boulevard, LA.
Completed earlier this year and designed by Studio Sucio, the latest branch channels the spirit of a reimagined 1980s shopping mall atrium, recast through a pastel dreamscape of lavender tiles, tropical greenery and sunlit openness.
The design transforms what was once an interior-facing space into a bright, open-air social hub. Large expanses of glass carve the building into two halves, connected by a low, wide island that stretches from the street-facing terrace into the café’s core. Clad in soft lavender tile and punctuated by cube planters overflowing with lush foliage, the island doubles as both a visual centrepiece and communal meeting point, a place for friends, freelancers and caffeine devotees to mingle beneath a round, bubble-like skylight.
Inside, a timber-beamed ceiling, hempwood shelving and matte tile finishes form a textured backdrop for the café’s sculptural layout of steel and tile. Classic Alfred hallmarks abound: vivid blue glass details, frosted wall sconces and shelving lined with coffee and cult merchandise. Custom tables featuring licensed Venturi Scott Brown patterns and monochrome chairs by Grand Rapids Chair Company add a sharp graphic note, echoing the checkerboard base tiles underfoot. The overall effect balances nostalgia with refreshing forward-thinking, a playful collision of retro mall nostalgia and West Coast modernity.
The tiles, drawn from the Isabella line by Design and Direct Source, complete Studio Sucio’s precise visual work, creating an aesthetic that feels effortlessly Californian. With its blend of design-led detail and neighbourhood sensibility, Alfred Encino is rich in unpretentious style and yet another reminder of why Alfred remains LA’s most stylish caffeine pedlar.
Alfred Coffee Encino Photography, Noah Webb and Meghan Beierle-O’Brien.
