The Healthy Bean

:(Now Closed. RIP

Sadly this little coffee shop is now closed. Went once and was very pleased. Too bad.

I was so disappointed to see that this place has gone out of business.
My husband and I always tried to include a stop here whenever we were in the neighborhood. We even kept a couple of novels in our car to trade in for coffees. Because they were so kind as to offer the book for coffee trade, we always bought some delicious pastry as well, and we tipped well.
We loved the calm, inviting environment, and the friendly staff. If I ever see that they’ve opened a new store somewhere (one can only hope!), I will go out of my way to visit!

Such great people work here.
Such great coffee for a decent price.
Not too many people come here, so it’s not too loud.
Perfect for relaxing, catching up on a book, or studying.
Their smoothies aren’t too shabby either :]

Free wifi café with a very zen, peaceful interior. Green bamboo walls, heavy cherry redwood furniture, seems custom made, a few cushy leather couches for reading, a book exchange corner. And of course the beverages…
Low acidity coffee, infused with antioxidants and proteins, lactose free. Me not being a coffee drinker won’t be able to rate the brew. I’ll leave that to my other half :)
I came for the tea and wifi, for a place to do some work on the laptop.
Service was friendly and inviting. They did run out of baked good tho the morning I was in, due to some delivery glitch the day before. But I still give it high marks for attentive service and the ambiance.

I finally tried out the healthy bean today after having driven by so many times!
It’s a pretty great spot for studying because it’s REALLY quiet inside. No music or anything. Very peaceful. Good lighting. Come here if you just wanna get your work done without being bothered.
They also have unlimited FREE WIFI which is definitely a plus!
As for their drinks, their coffee is supposed to be a lot healthier (hence, the name of this shop) because it contains a lot of antioxidants, protein, etc. Tastewise, I just thought it was okay. I tried an iced latte which wasn’t bad and I admit, it did taste cleaner and healthier. But it wasn’t anything I’d crave or want to try again. And my bf’s regular latte just tasted like soy milk. Bleh. They also have a few pastries and desserts in their display but the items seemed pretty limited.

Just a great place to have some coffee or tea. Chill vibe and really nice staff. I like having casual meetings here as well…

Reasons to go here:
1. better coffee than elsewhere (best I have had in the area by far)
2. better baristas (pull, foam, art) than elsewhere
3. nice vibe
4. coffee has antioxidants and protien to make it healthier
Reasons not to:
1. if you are spoiled by snobbee shops in the northwest and SF, it can’t compare
2. their coffee is «healthy» meaning enhanced with whey and antioxidants from «the highest quality laboratories in the nutraceutical industry»… what does that mean???

Quiet, peaceful and bamboo-​ed, the Cost Plus-​style décor provided by this pleasant oasis from the busy, traffic laden intersection of Lomita Blvd and Hawthorne is conducive to reading and web-​surfing,. and plying the old system full of that invigorating caffeine boost.
Flatscreens with either the Discovery Channel and an info channel with weather and breaking news are on either side of the register counter for those too jittery to read.
The delicious and smooth dark brew is deep with no acidity bite like those other brands of brew, though may be a tad bit pricier. Even if it didn’t claim to contain anti-​oxidants, I think on flavor alone, it would be worth the price.
Salads and pastries are also available, as are bottled teas and such.
For hanging out, there are about 6 or 7 tables inside with a long counter against the window facing Hawthorne with about 5 stools. Tables out front and in the back area of the shop are also available along with books and papers to borrow by the restroom.

Atmosphere: I drive 30 mile to Torrance for a meeting once a week and I always stop at The Healthy Bean to kill time. They have a book exchange corner that’s a great little secret: if, like me, you forgot a book and have time to kill, just pick one from the corner, read til you’re content, and put it back when you leave! Or you can use the free wi-​fi if you brought your laptop. Always have seating space, and the air conditioner was on whenever it needed to be (contrary to another post).
The products: The foam on the latte was FABULOUS! Delicious, low acid coffee. I love a thick foam that lasts the whole life of my slow-​sippin’ latte. The following two weeks I got the chai tea latte that was one of the richest tasting chai teas I’ve had. I got to try the white chocolate iceburg as well since the guy made extra and it was SOOO much better than a frappucino.
I always notice their creative (and inexpensive) food and dessert options and am always disappointed when I eat before getting there because I want to try them every time!
I choose to get my coffee in the mug since I hang around and read/​write. You pay for a small but get the full-​size mug!!!
Service: very helpful. Often just one person working at a time though — but it’s never too busy.
Love this place. Wish it were closer to me. (Supposedly have one in Santa Monica??) Or that they were open longer hours.

After many visits, I rate the coffee mediocre. Nothing better then your franchise operation, and yet with the same price points. How do you really know it’s organic too. They do offer free wi-​fi but the major downside to all this is… NO A/​C. I never once stepped in (not even in the summers) where they had the AC on. It’s stuffy in there.
The crew is a bit lazy. Just part time workers that don’t really clean the tables.

Antioxidants AND protein? Amazing! I love the coffee, smoothies, and organic food offerings.
Outstanding customer service and free wi-​fi.
This is my favorite coffee shop in the South Bay!

The Healthy Bean is perfect for those that would like healthy meal choices, and organic coffee. It is also perfect for those with sensitive stomachs since the coffee is low acid. The small tables, seating up to four are ideal for small group study; however, please note that the establishment is located on an intersection that is busy for the majority of the day. Healthy Bean offers free WiFi for those who like to have a cup while working.

I ordered their smoothy and it was HORRIBLE! I just wanted a fruit smoothy similar to Jamba which it sounded like it would be but then they added some whipped vegan cream. I don’t want any cream… vegan or not. Also, the smoothie itself just didn’t taste good.

So I’ve been coming to the place since they first opened about two years ago. It’s a thriving small business with another location in West Hollywood. The owners of this franchise are very nice, and come to the store often to check out what’s going on. Also, they employees are very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu and the coffee they serve.
While prices are a little higher than other coffee houses (starbucks, coffee bean, etc), it is expected from a small-​business that serves all-​organic, fair-​trade coffee. Their drinks are overall pretty good and their drink and pastry menu is rather extensive (includes smoothies, coffee drinks, iced-​coffee/​blended drinks, frozen yogurt, etc.) The free wifi is also convenient and fast. There are also a good amount of electrical plugs for the laptops if needed.

mmm coffee! who doesnt love the smell of coffee? they have organic coffee for you health nuts & alternative non coffee drinks for those who arent fans of caffeine. my favorite drink is the green tea iceberg! YUM!
this little joint is great if you have to do homework and you know you wont get anything done if you stay at home. this place has FREE wifi :] and that just makes everything better– now doesnt it?
only thing that kinda blows about this place is that it closes kind of early– but either than that the employees here are really personable and the atmosphere is nice! im crossing my fingers hoping that they open one in orange county soon! :]

This place is amazing. I did not taste such a great coffee elsewhere. I should admit that their coffee is the best, healthy and delicious. I come here almost everyday just to relax and drink my daily cup of coffee. The staff is very friendly and helpful. They have free wi-​fi, which works great for me.

A cuppa joe that will give you 5 grams of protein along with the caffeine jolt? Bravo! I had time to kill before a meeting and stopped in for the morning pick-​me-​up… black, no cream, no sugar. Nice café with tasty coffee that’s good for you, gotta love it!
BTW: The chocolate espresso bean «appetizer» is a nice touch!

Who wouldn’t want to try a place that has healthy coffee?!?
It’s your typical coffee shop except they have healthy snacks and a fridge stocked with other healthy drinks like Purple, Honest Tea, etc.
I got an iced vanilla latte with regular milk. The coffee flavor was smooth and there was a hint of vanilla flavor. It was pretty good except there was a little bit too much milk. Since it was my first time I’ll forgive them for that and come again. I’ll order something without milk and see how it turns out. And the drink came with one coffee flavored chocolate bean! Yum!
Oh and they have a stamp card. Buy 10 and get one free.
They claim that their coffee is «hand selected, organic, and Fair-​trade certified Arabic coffee beans from Ethiopia, Sumatra, and South America that are carefully roasted, ground, and infused with high levels of antioxidants and whey protein in their patented, start of the art process» and that «one 12-​ounce serving of Healthy Bean coffee contains the combined antioxidant power of one cup of green tea, one cup of grape juice, and one cup of pomegranate juice and ¹⁄₈ cup of wild blueberries, and as much protein as a hard-​boiled egg.»
I hope what they claim is TRUE.

Coffee is the only addiction I will never give up, one cup in the morning and the other after lunch everyday forever. Oooo gawd I am so excited about this new coffee joint. I’ve been watching them build this place day after day on my commute to and from work. Now they’re open! I stopped in on Sunday and again yesterday for a double vanilla latte. I must say the freshness and flavors reminded me of my visit to the Kona plantation in Kauai. It is definitely a deviation from the over roasted lack luster and bitter Star Bucks.
The only down fall is slightly higher prices as with anything organic.