The Diamond Espresso Menu Is More Creative Than You Think

A coffee stand in Long Beach doesn’t look like much from the outside. There is no exposed brick, simple signage, or baristas in matching aprons who can remember all the oat milk options. But—and this is where things get interesting—the menu makes it seem like someone really thought about what people want to drink.

After a change in ownership, Diamond Espresso is now called Diamond Delights. It has been quietly building a loyal following. Not because it looks good or has a cool social media campaign, but because the drinks are good and the people who make them seem to care. It is not as common as it sounds.

When it comes to specialty drinks, the Diamond Espresso menu leans in a way that feels personal instead of planned. It’s made with dark chocolate, coffee liqueur, and cinnamon, and it has its own small group of fans. An everyday customer says it’s his favorite place to eat in Long Beach, and you can tell he’s not exaggerating. People have stopped at the Hazelnut Turtle—chocolate, caramel, and hazelnut—on a whim and then written about their trip months later. That kind of word-of-mouth doesn’t just happen.

One more thing is the Atomic Bomb. That one makes it hard not to stop. It costs $6.50 for fourteen shots of espresso, and you can choose between white water or regular espresso in any flavor. It depends on how your afternoon is going whether this is great or too much. That being said, the fact that people order it says something about the place’s spirit.

The seasonal items show that the kitchen, or at least the blender, has some goals. A Honey Vanilla Shaken Espresso with breve and salted honey, a Maple Butter Latte with butterscotch and sweet cream, and a Blueberry Delight with white chocolate were added to the spring menu. The Snickers Cold Brew also made the list. It sounds like it might be too sweet, but it works, so there you have it. The Supermom Breve, which has coconut and lavender in it, sounds strange on paper but tastes great in a cup. That’s what most good coffee drinks do.

The Fluffy Bunny, which is made of marshmallow, salted caramel, and white chocolate, has become a brand name. Customers talk about it with the same excitement they save for their first trip abroad or a meal they didn’t expect. Getting to know the barista seems to be a part of it too. People say that the staff at Diamond Delights is friendly in a real way, not just for show. Customers who come back often can tell the difference.

The desserts might not be as good as they could be. The Baileys Affogato has vanilla ice cream, espresso, and a pour of Tiramisu Baileys. It’s the kind of thing that shouldn’t be on the menu but is. You might not expect a coffee stand to make something as fancy as the Chocolate Tiramisu Cheesecake with Espresso Buttercream. That goal is probably not fully realized for every batch, but the goal is there.

With its banana, Breakfast Essentials, white coffee, peanut butter, and whole milk, the Breakfast Buzz is in a class by itself. It’s kind of like a coffee drink but not quite, and it tastes pretty good. People who have reviewed the food have also said nice things about the fast service and friendly staff. This suggests that the experience stays the same even when the order is big.

Diamond Delights is still getting better. The new owners are adding to the page, posting weekly deals, and trying to become known as the best coffee shop in town through hard work instead of just branding. It’s still not clear if they’ll make it, but the Diamond Espresso menu that they took over and are clearly adding to gives them a good chance.