This is the first California coffee shop I’m writing about on the blog. I grew up in Southern California, but I never really explored the coffee shop scene until recently. So I’m excited to kick things off with the Freelance Coffee Project.
Brief Background
Freelance Coffee Project is a California-based coffee shop with just one location in Newport Beach.
When it opened in 2022 in Newport Beach’s industrial district, Freelance (I’m going to start saying Freelance for short) was the first roastery and tasting room in Orange County that focused exclusively on single-origin coffees (the only other coffee shop I’ve been to that does this is Savaya Coffee Market in Tucson).
The founders, Nat and Jeremy, are musicians, artists, and entrepreneurs. I really felt like their artistic background showed in the shop’s design and philosophy: it’s a space where people can gather and pursue their passions. We’re all on our own separate paths, but this coffee shop is a place where those paths intersect.
Décor: 8/10
What jumps out immediately is the greenery. The outside of the shop is covered in plants and leaves, and that nature vibe continues inside.
The layout is one of the most interesting I’ve seen in a California coffee shop. Even though it’s split into four or five distinct rooms, the space still feels open because most of the walls are glass. You can see into every section, which makes it feel less like separate rooms and more like one connected space.
Here’s how I’ll explain the layout:
For this mini-tour, I’ll start on the west side of the coffee shop, which is where the main entrance is.
Room 1: The Coffee Bar
This is the centerpiece and where you order your drink. The bar itself is made of wood and marble.
The room feels very modern and organic with the hanging plants.
Once you grab your drink, you realize the space kind of opens up. Because of all the glass walls and panels, you can see the other rooms. This sort of pulls you in to checking out the other parts of the coffee shop.
This is also where most people were studying!
Room 2: The Freelance Lounge
The second room is a dimmer and cozier room with a fireplace. It’s not really a study space. It feels more like a hangout spot where you can sit with a bunch of friends and chat. The vibe is more relaxed compared to the main bar.
Room 3: The Garden Room
There’s a garage door that can roll up and let the sunlight come in, so it feels super bright compared to the others.
There are a lot of hanging plants and big leaf plants, so it feels like you’re almost in like a mini garden.
In my opinion, this room is a hybrid between the first two rooms because it’s cozy enough to hang out like the lounge area but bright enough to double as a nice study spot.
Rooms 4 and 5: The Coffee Workshop
Room 4 is more of an office, while Room 5 is the roastery and prep space. These have a workshop/industrial vibe—rolling carts, big workbenches, and a feel closer to a mechanic’s garage than a typical café roastery.
Coffee: 8.5/10
I haven’t been to many independent specialty coffee shops that put labels on their disposable coffee cups. So I gotta say props to the shop for doing that. I’m pretty sure it’s expensive, but it adds a nice touch to the experience of drinking their coffee.
I ordered the Vanilla Latte, which was excellent. Smooth, balanced, and paired with their house-made vanilla syrup (subtle but perfect). They used single-origin Brazil beans for the espresso, and it all came together really nicely.
Freelance’s coffee menu is simple and straightforward.
Pastries: N/A
I didn’t get any pastries here. They have their own donuts. It looked like they had other pastries too, but they were sold out. If I came earlier and hungry, I would definitely grab a pastry!
Productivity: N/A
I didn’t study here myself, so I can’t rate productivity firsthand.
That being said, I saw a number of people studying here, so there’s clearly some productivity vibe that the coffee shop offers.
The only catch is the seating. For such a spacious shop, there aren’t that many tables. Rooms 1 and 3 work fine for studying, but Room 2 is just a bit too dark.
Parking: 10/10
There’s a parking lot right outside the shop. If it’s full, you have plenty of street parking.
I’m glad I found the Freelance Coffee Project. Between the unique room layouts, the nature vibe, and the solid coffee, it’s definitely a spot worth visiting. If I’m in Newport Beach again, I’ll be back! Hopefully you’ll get a chance to stop by and check it out too!
