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Nestled in the vibrant USC Village at 3096 McClintock Ave, Cafe Dulce offers a delightful café experience blending fresh, thoughtfully crafted dishes with a youthful, lively atmosphere. Known for its inventive coffee creations and a menu that marries classic comfort with unexpected twists, this bustling hotspot has quickly become a favorite among students and locals alike.
The menu at Cafe Dulce is an enticing tapestry of flavors—whether you find yourself craving a hearty Breakfast Burrito filled with smoky bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, roasted potatoes, and zesty pico de gallo, or a light and refreshing Mango Jicama Chicken Salad tossed with herbroasted chicken breast, roasted peanut vinaigrette, and vibrant greens. The sandwiches, like the Spicy Chicken sandwich layered with tender chicken, house slaw, provolone, and a sweet chili kick, or the Breakfast Sandwich with creamy cheddar and black forest ham between house-baked milk bread, consistently deliver bold satisfaction with every bite.
For pastry lovers, Cafe Dulce is a treasure trove. The bakery delights range from the delicate Green Tea Donut and decadent Oreo Cheesecake to an impeccable Tiramisu that melts on the tongue and a moist, rich Chocolate Cake that feels like a comforting indulgence. The Iced Blueberry Matcha Latte and the Dulce Latte stand out as signature drinks—sophisticated, smooth, and perfectly balanced with just the right touch of sweetness. Customers note the high quality of the matcha in particular, praising the well-made oat milk blend that elevates each sip.
The atmosphere at Cafe Dulce mirrors the pulsating energy of USC Village. While the indoor space can feel cozy and a bit lively—sometimes noisy due to the cafe’s popularity—the outdoor seating offers a refreshing option to enjoy your meal basking in the Los Angeles sun and gentle breezes. You’ll often find lines here, particularly during peak hours, but the service remains efficient, with some drinks prepped in advance to keep the flow moving fast.
What truly sets Cafe Dulce apart is this combination of culinary creativity and communal vibe, where fresh ingredients, generous portions, and thoughtful pairings come together to satisfy both the palate and the soul. Real patrons rave about the generous Pastrami sandwich, the uniqueness of the Peanut Kale Salad sprinkled with fresh herbs and crumbled peanuts, and the overall freshness of the bread that crowns their sandwiches. Whether you're grabbing a quick caffeine fix or settling in for a flavorful meal, this cafe invites you into a world where every bite feels carefully curated and every sip warmly welcomed.
In essence, Cafe Dulce at USC Village is not just a cafe—it’s a flavorful retreat where taste, quality, and community pulse in harmony. For those seeking a dynamic spot with lively energy and impeccable eats in the heart of Los Angeles, Cafe Dulce promises a return-worthy experience every single visit.
The hottest spot in USC village! We got Pastrami sandwitch, matcha latte and Hong Kong tea latte, the sandwitch is delicious !! full of meat and the portion is big. The space inside the store is small and noisy, it's better eat outside, enjoying the sun and breeze. I tried the breakfast burrito before, it's tasty too! Definately would come back and try different meal next time. Love Dulce as always <3
Coffee was good but you can't serve macchiato in 16 ounces cup. Big no no. The place has many pastries. Expect long lines usually. There are some good sitting spots inside and outdoors.
Cafe Dulce sandwiches and salads just hit different!!! I ordered the Spicy Chicken sandwich, which had herb-roasted chicken breast, tomatoes, house slaw, provolone & sweet chili sauce, and the Peanut Kale salad, which had fresh herbs, serrano, roasted peanut vinaigrette & grated reggiano. Everything was so fresh and delicious, especially the bread on the sandwich!!!! I appreciated that they had plenty of vegan options for my vegan friend, and can’t wait to come back and try other ones. The line was worth the wait, and it wasn’t terribly bad. Went fairly quickly for a weekend crowd and food came out fast. The music inside was too loud for conversation, but there is a patio area and the food and service were excellent!
I got the pastrami burger. It was amazing my friend got the pesto chicken sandwich and she liked her food as well. The Matcha is delicious and well-made with oat milk. I think they use pretty high grade Matcha. The salad was interesting with a pear on top but the pastrami sandwich was absolutely amazing and so flavorful Maybe I was just hungry, but it was so good. The ambience is really nice. The seats are comfortable plenty of seating areas indoor and outdoor the music is pretty interesting and the service is spot on.
Obviously a popular spot for the area. The queue is always long but move rather fast as I noticed most people were ordering matcha latte (I’m no exception) and they have premade it in a big dispenser so they get the orders out the door very quickly. Matcha was very tasty, though on the sweet side, which I’m not complaining about. Coffee here isn’t exceptional but it gets us going. Breakfast burrito was very yummy with egg, potato, bacon, etc. inside - very flavorful. The coffee shop gets busy so the seatings are hard to come by but we got lucky and got a table outside which was a bit chilly but very nice with the university atmosphere.
The food: Green Tea Roti is what my friend and I came here for. It was pretty good, although it did not have that matcha flavor, which, for me, was a good thing, as I don't like matcha-flavored anything but my friend was a bit disappointed, lol. The service: The line runs out the door and they explicitly ask people to line outside so as to avoid the inside to get too crowded, I think that's a fantastic ideas as the outside has near limitless space (this Cafe Dulce is nested inside the USC Village, so there's PLENTY of room to make a line even almost half a mile long, lol. The atmosphere: it was ok, I did like that one column that's full of stickers, it's very hipster and fits the criteria of being part of a vibrant and active college campus such as USC.
The food is all good I’m sure you would be satisfied with anything on their menu, good place to grab food not horrible pricing for LA. However the service is very minimal but understandably, Cafe Dulce is always packed. So if you are looking for a sit down place this isn’t the one, this is great for to-go food or sitting outside in the village. They have amazing matcha and great options for anyone with a dietary restrictions with Vegan and gluten free options.
Wait can be long at lunch time Food and drinks are worth it! Reasonably priced as well Matcha is sweet but great! Iced pumpkin latte was also nice just one size only :| Kale peanut salad is AMAZING. that SAUCE