Don’t you love a serendipitous discovery? I recently took a wrong turn and stumbled on a brand new cafe in LA’s Highland Park area. I almost missed it, tucked as it was in an old building with an unassuming storefront. But my keen nose for great coffee and scrumptious pastries has never led me astray, so I double parked the car, jaywalked across the street, and fell immediately in love with Kitchen Mouse.
And indeed, what’s not to love about this little gem? Stepping into the cafe is like taking a trip back in time to a distant past, one in which a cookie dipped in a tall glass milk could solve even your biggest problems. For anyone with cherished memories of lovin’ from grandma’s oven—or anyone who doesn’t have them but wants to make some!—the quaint, welcoming vibe of Kitchen Mouse will fill you with a toasty warm feeling that lasts long after you leave.
Owner Erica has thought of everything in creating her neighborhood ode to home cooking. Touches of mint green accent honeyed woods and white marble counters. Sweet-natured staff bustle about in linen aprons with pink ties, and stacks of mismatched cake plates offset vintage kitchen curios. An impressive cookbook library teams up with a quintet of woven wall hangings to set a scene that is at once kitcshy and undeniably cool.
Then, of course, there’s the food. Kitchen Mouse began years ago as a catering company, so they’ve long since honed their vegan and gluten-free approach to comfort classics. Think tempeh reubens, buckwheat pancakes, and the yummiest chocolate chip cookies to cross my lips in a while. The next time I head to Kitchen Mouse, it won’t be by accident but by indulgent design!
P.S. Got World Cup fever? I’m talking colorful Brazilian style over on the Lamps Plus Blog today!