Tierra Mia Coffee is a hard charging specialty coffee chain from community-minded owner Ulysses Romero. Romero debuted in South Gate in 2008 and expanded to neighborhoods like Huntington Park, Pico Rivera and downtown Los Angeles. Tierra Mia took over Echo Park’s Downbeat Café in 2013. The dapper glass-fronted coffee bar fit seamlessly into the neighborhood. The space on busy Alvarado Street features a handsome wood motif and marble bar. Framed photos depict coffee farmers at origin. Yes, Tierra Mia also serves flavorful coffee drinks.

Tierra Mia Coffee has developed several Latin-influenced specialty beverages in the past six years. Horchata Latte is one of my favorite drinks, but it couldn’t compete with their Mocha Mexicano ($3.95). This caffeinated riff on a Mexican hot chocolate features espresso whisked with hot steamed milk, raw sugar, ground chocolate, and warming cinnamon. They source chocolate from Guadalajara and incorporate roasted peanuts. Tierra Mia’s mocha Mexicano doesn’t have any chile kick – some do – but espresso and milk help the drink reach just the right balance. The frothy mocha Mexicano sips quickly and leaves sweet sludge at the bottom of the mug, which you may be tempted to scrape up with a spoon. I did.