Dirty Latte Co. has turned its coffee cart into a permanent shop at the Water Garden office campus in Santa Monica.
The 800-square-foot café opened in the 26th Street lobby at 1620 26th St., as first reported by the Santa Monica Daily Press. It is the brand's first permanent location.
Founder Guy Blanco launched Dirty Latte Co. in 2022 with a coffee cart. He built the brand around flavors inspired by his culture and upbringing. He aimed for something fun and different from a traditional coffee shop. About a month after launching, he set up the cart at Water Garden, where he developed a loyal following among office workers.
"Water Garden has always felt like home to us," Blanco told the Daily Press. "We started here with just a coffee cart, built relationships with tenants and regular customers, and were able to grow alongside the community."
Dirty Latte Co. first arrived at Water Garden during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the campus marketing team was looking for ways to bring energy and convenience back to a property that had emptied out. The brand grew from that cart to a truck and now to a permanent storefront. Blanco said a brick-and-mortar location gives the brand the chance to offer what he called "the complete Dirty Latte experience" every day.
The café's signature drink is the Ube Leche. Matcha options including the Matcha Mami, Strawberry Matcha and Banana Matcha have also become a large part of the brand's lineup.
Water Garden is a 17-acre commercial office park in the Silicon Beach area. Amazon and Sony are among its tenants. Bess Wyrick, marketing director at CBRE, which manages the property, said Dirty Latte Co. filled an important need as the only dedicated coffee concept on campus. Wyrick said the goal is a retail mix that serves both the people who work at Water Garden and residents who live nearby.
The café is open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at 1620 26th St. The full menu and online ordering are available on the company's website.
