Much like other locals I know, I was pretty bummed when Augie's Coffee Roasters closed its doors in July, 2020. They were a coffee staple in Claremont for years. However, when I got word that Iron & Kin Coffee would be taking over the newly vacated space, hope had been restored. A new coffee shop in the Claremont Packing House? Yes, please! This is exactly what I need in my life; more coffee!
"Iron & Kin is a curated specialty coffee shop and roaster with cocktail and culinary inspired lattes," says Joshua Avila, Owner and Founder. In fact, Iron & Kin is 100% built on Joshua's love for coffee and community and as he explains on Instagram, “I get so much life and joy from contributing to someone's well being whether it’s big or small”. Well, now my heart strings are being tugged. I asked him You can read more about Joshua here.
Equipped with the background history and anticipation of this new Claremont Packing House novelty, I decided to pop in for Iron & Kin's grand opening on September 12. It was a smoke-filled Saturday morning (darn those California fires) but that didn’t deter me nor the spirits of Iron & Kin employees because the experience I had on their opening day can be described in two words: “nailed it”.
Coffee & Vibes
I walked into the Claremont Packing House unsure of what to expect but much to my surprise and relief, there was a line out the door! So many people came to support their grand opening waiting happily and patiently for their turn to order. When I saw the “Coffee & Vibes” sign outside the shop and heard “Harvest Moon” playing in the background, I knew this was my new favorite spot. I was already sold with whimsical coffee signs leading into the shop, enticing chillwave background music, open space with a simple and clean feel, the sound and smell of freshly ground java, and diligently focused baristas mixing up fresh looking lattes.
I ordered a pour over coffee (Market Price of the day was $4), a rich and fruity Ethiopian blend, and drank it black because that’s how coffee is meant to be (in my humble opinion, of course). I also tried their standard latte which was made to perfection. The temperature was just so with a perfect velvety texture. Specialty lattes came both hot and iced with flavors like honey, mocha, chai, matcha, and chaga. My favorite discovery of Iron & Kin is they sell breakfast burritos which is the perfect complement to a rich cup of java. Sadly, they were sold out by the time I got there, but now I am on a mission to go back and try it!
Affirmation Lattes
Their menu is broken up between coffee, lattes, and affirmation lattes. Wait, what’s an affirmation latte?! Well let me tell you. Their affirmation lattes are cocktail and culinary inspired lattes with their own unique ingredients, and they’re called Kind Hearted, Peaceful, Worthy, Courageous, and Vibrant. Unique ingredients range from figs and cardamom to black pepper and chipotle! Definitely for the food adventurers at heart.
We’re so excited to serve the Claremont community and provide a space that welcomes everyone. Our hope is to create an environment where strangers become friends and friends become family. So, breathe deep, sip slow, savor kinship—we’ll take care of the rest. (Joshua Avila, Owner and Founder of Iron & Kin)
Text a friend and check out Iron & Kin and make it part of your weekend coffee routine. All the info you need is below.
Iron & Kin
Photography Credits: All photos were taken by the author of this blog.