our story
✳︎
our story ✳︎
Still Building,
Still Dreaming.
We started Viva Café with something simple: family, flavor, and a belief that culture should be felt, not just remembered.
For decades, a father cooked Oaxacan food across Los Angeles, carrying recipes from home into every kitchen and community he served. His work fed people, while preserving language, tradition, and identity. His daughter grew up in that world, then built a career as an educator, shaped by the same roots but moving through a different path.
Three years ago, they decided to build something of their own. Not just an ice cream shop, but a space where Oaxaca shows up in unexpected ways—through flavors like tejate, mamey, and mezcal, through names in Spanish and Zapotec, and through ingredients that are real and intentional.
It’s where generations meet, blending what’s been passed down with something new.
Our Mission
Bring Oaxacan-inspired flavors to life in a way that feels vibrant and honest, creating joyful experiences that honor culture and community.
A Letter From Our Founder
To Our Community,
I was raised in Central Los Angeles, in a neighborhood shaped by families from Oaxaca, including our own. It’s a place where culture lives in everyday moments through food, language, and the way people show up for each other. Growing up, that environment meant everything to me.
Over time, I started to notice how easy it is for those parts of our culture to fade into the background, especially for younger generations trying to navigate different worlds. Our culture became less visible and less present in daily life.
Viva Café comes from that feeling.
This shop is a way of honoring where I come from and the community that raised me. It’s a thank you and also a statement that we’re still here. Through flavors inspired by Oaxaca, through names in Spanish and Zapotec, this space is meant to hold something real.
For those who grew up with these flavors, I hope it feels familiar. For those experiencing them for the first time, I hope it opens the door to something meaningful. Thank you for being part of this, for showing up, and for supporting us these past three years. We’re just getting started.