Delicious coffee? Check.

Enchanting Victorian Goth decor? Check.

Friendly staff? Check.

Generous power outlets and free WiFi? Check.

We experienced this at Burnt Umber, a unique, family-owned, operated specialty coffee shop featuring Stereoscope Coffee in Garden Grove, CA. They’re currently in “quiet open” with daily limited hours from 8 AM – 2 PM.

There’s no official signage yet, but you’ll see a hanging banner listing Burnt Umber and Petals & Poison, the reservation-based tea room slated to open in August 2023. I’m excited to try their Afternoon Tea, but until then, I’ll continue to visit for their delicious lattes.

The family (2 sisters, Nyah & Jená, and their parents) have a decades-long passion for coffee and High-Tea. They’ve visited and studied 100+ coffee and tea houses to craft their special shop with Victorian Goth aesthetics. Their service was warm, and their dad checked on us multiple times to ensure we were okay while working on our laptops. 

First Impressions & the Decor

When you first walk in, you’ll see the ordering counter with bright smiles to greet you. The sweet mom helped us decide on our drinks.

Since it’s currently in soft opening, not all decor is displayed (from what I saw in videos, there are typically black tablecloths, etc.). I would’ve liked the overhead lighting to be dimmer to add to the goth ambiance. 

There are gorgeous large paintings on the walls that remind me of Haunted Mansion (but way prettier), and I overheard that a family friend painted them. The overall color scheme and the paintings really tie everything together beautifully, though. There were already visitors dressed up to the theme to take pictures in the Victorian chairs in their photo op area. 

Plenty of seating is available indoors and outdoors (covered). We spent a few hours there working, and the number of power outlets available was very useful. 

The Drinks

The most popular drinks are the Chocolate Covered Strawberry Latte and the Scarborough Faire Latte, which feature housemade rosemary syrup.

I made a mistake while ordering, so mine is very unique. Reading the menu, I was only looking at the Signature Lattes side and didn’t say the full name of the drink, which resulted in confusion when I picked it up.

Originally I ordered a hot Matcha Latte, but I wanted the Rococo Matcha Latte with the strawberry-infused cold foam. Normally the Rococo version is served iced, but Nyah was so sweet to add the toppings to my hot drink.

I loved my drink and appreciated the unsweetened ceremonial matcha rich in flavor, enhanced by the strawberry-infused foam. The Pocky was useful to use to swirl the drink!

My husband ordered the Scarborough Faire Latte, which he enjoyed a lot. The flavor is hard to describe, but the rosemary syrup adds a nice grassiness to the drink, making it unique. 

You can tell each drink was made with care. It almost has a craft cocktail feel but in caffeine form!

Here’s a look at the available Signature Lattes: (Hot: $5.50 / Iced $6)

• Lavender Fields Latte – Housemade lavender syrup
• Scarborough Fields Latte – Housemade rosemary syrup
• Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Latte – Housemade chocolate-covered strawberry syrup
• Rococo Matcha Latte – Ceremonial Matcha, Strawberry infused cold foam, strawberry crumble & Pocky
• Harvest Moon Latte – Nutmeg, brown sugar, orange bitters
• Moon Over Bourbon Street Latte – Bourbon syrup with a nutty, toffee-like finish
• Vanilla Bean Latte – Housemade vanilla bean syrup

Burnt Umber also has special add-ons for select hot lattes like hand-smoked infusion, which I want to try on my next visit. Food-wise, they have pastries (the cinnamon roll seems to be very popular), a Monte Cristo sandwich, and Avocado Toast.

Overall, the care I saw put into the drinks, the taste, and the friendliness of the staff was phenomenal. Especially for a soft opening! 

Burnt Umber is located at 12752 Valley View St Ste N P Q in Garden Grove, CA, and is currently in soft opening with daily hours of 8 AM – 2 PM. Stay updated on their hours and more pictures via their Instagram and Yelp. For updates on Petals & Poison tea room, follow their Instagram.