I visited Taco Bell’s first Live Más Café to see how its specialty drinks and vibes felt. I found myself pretty impressed.
Michelle Stansbury
I visited Taco Bell’s Live Más Café in Chula Vista, California. It focuses on specialty drinks.
From blended coffees to fruity refreshers, most of the drinks were tasty and a great value.
I wish there were more customizations, but I’d go back — and I’m glad this concept is expanding.
I’m a fan of grabbing a Taco Bell Cravings Box for a quick lunch, but I wasn’t sure what to expect when the fast-food chain debuted a “café” version of its brand.
In December, Taco Bell opened its first — and currently only — Live Más Café just 15 minutes from me in Chula Vista, California. It’s Taco Bell’s new drink-focused concept, centered on an expanded menu of coffee drinks, refreshers, and shakes.
You can still get a Crunchwrap or Cheesy Gordita Crunch in these spots, but the real draw is the beverage lineup, with drinks like caffeine-packed fruity refreshers and frozen concoctions topped with churro crumbles.
Recently, Taco Bell announced plans to open 30 more Live Más Café locations across Southern California and Texas by fall.
Curious to see if this already-expanding concept is all that great, I finally visited in person. Here’s what Live Más Café was like.
In terms of exterior, it looked like any other Taco Bell.
Michelle Stansbury
From the outside, this location looked like a regular Taco Bell.
The main signage was the standard Taco Bell name and logo, and only a few window decorations alluded to the fact that this was a Live Más Café.
I suppose it makes sense as this used to be a stand-alone Taco Bell that’s now operated as a hybrid concept (and now still owned by the same franchisee).
The differences seemed clearer once I stepped inside.
Michelle Stansbury
Once I entered, the Live Más Café branding seemed clear. This didn’t look like any other Taco Bell I’ve visited.
Instead of seeing lots of the brand’s signature dark purple, the interior was overtaken by a bright-lavender design that looked fresh and new, accented with white subway tile.
The convenience and design felt very Gen Z.
Michelle Stansbury
The funky-yet-minimal designs and artwork and color palette combined with the ample digital-ordering kiosks made this location feel modern and like it was designed for (or by) Gen Z.
The five digital kiosks — three in front of the Live Más Café area and two in front of the typical Taco Bell food section — also made ordering quick and easy.
Though the café was busy, especially around 2:30 p.m. after the nearby high school let out on the first day of class, the kiosks ensured there was rarely a line to order during my visit.
The location also has a drive-thru, which never seemed to get too crowded during my visit.
Since my ordering kiosk was right in front of where the “Bellristas” (Taco Bell’s name for the baristas) were preparing beverage orders, I had no problem getting information on what was in each drink.
I asked for recommendations, since it was my first time there, and found the team to be friendly and knowledgeable about the drink menu and specials.
I started with the Strawberry Matcha Chiller, which was the most visually interesting of the beverages.
Strawberry Matcha Chiller
Michelle Stansbury
The medium Strawberry Matcha Chiller looked beautiful.
The creamy matcha drink tasted a little earthy but not too intense, nicely complemented by strawberry syrup and topped with whipped cream.
It felt like an unexpected combination, but I found it to be delicious and unique.
The Strawberry Churro Chiller had some crunch.
Michelle Stansbury
The Strawberry Churro Chiller was a standout for its texture, as it had churro crumbs on the top and in the bottom of the drink.
The drink’s strawberry flavor was more of a nostalgic, artificial taste — like Nesquik — than a fresh fruit flavor, but it was still delicious.
Though the cinnamon-sugar churro pieces added a fun crunch, I think it would be easier to drink this if they were fully mixed in instead.
The Cinnabon Caramel Latte Chiller felt like a dessert.
Taco Bell Cinnabon Caramel Latte Chiller
Michelle Stansbury
The Cinnabon Caramel Latte Chiller was topped with additional cinnamon-infused caramel sauce, but the flavor was too subtle for my taste.
Creamy and sweet, it was more like a milkshake than a morning pick-me-up.
My favorite drink ended up being the popular Mexican Mocha Latte Chiller.
Mexican Mocha Latte Chiller
Michelle Stansbury
The Mexican Mocha Latte Chiller is one of the best-selling drinks, according to the Bellristas I spoke to. It was also my favorite of the beverages I tried.
The Mexican chocolate syrup in the drink had a cinnamon flavor, and the proportions felt just right in this rich coffee drink. Plus, the added whipped cream and drizzle of syrup on top made this feel like such a special treat.
One of the newer offerings let me down a bit, but other customers seemed to enjoy it.
Pink Lemonade Frost
Michelle Stansbury
One of the newest additions to the Live Más Café is the Pink Lemonade Frost, referred to as the “Pink Drink” by the Bellristas.
The flavors of the beverage were too strong for me — I felt it was overpoweringly sugary and tart. However, the drink seemed to be a hit with the customers when staff passed out free samples.
I was also able to order Agua Refrescas, which aren’t exclusive to the café.
Strawberry Passion Fruit Agua Refresca
Michelle Stansbury
Agua Refrescas are one of the few Live Más Café drink options you can try at regular Taco Bell locations.
The Strawberry Passion Fruit Agua Refresca was one of my favorite beverages I tried, with freeze-dried strawberries that made it feel elevated, like a mocktail.
I liked how light and refreshing the drink was, and the green-tea base gave a good amount of caffeine for an after-lunch pick-me-up without making me too jittery.
There’s also an option to order the drink with lemonade instead of green tea for a caffeine-free treat.
All in all, I’d say the drinks were a good value.
Strawberry Matcha Chiller, Strawberry Passion Fruit Agua Refresca,Cinnabon Caramel Latte Chiller.
Michelle Stansbury
Each medium-sized drink cost me between $3.49 and $5.29, which felt reasonable considering the size and level of presentation.
None of them seemed overpriced to me, considering the portion sizes seemed generous and most of the drinks felt special or similar to a dessert, like a milkshake.
The value was definitely there. Prices seemed on par with — if not a bit lower than — what I’ve seen at similar beverages at chains like Starbucks or Dunkin’.
There weren’t special bites for me to try, though the location has Taco Bell’s full food menu.
Michelle Stansbury
Unfortunately, I didn’t see any exclusive café-style bites. However, the restaurant serves the full menu of Taco Bell fare, from Crunchwraps and Doritos Locos Tacos.
The novelty is low, but this offers convenience for anyone mixing food and specialty drinks into one stop. It also caters to Taco Bell fans like me who want a splash of something new alongside my favorite Chalupa Supreme.
I’d say Live Más Café has a little room for improvement on its drink menu.
Michelle Stansbury
After a few minutes at the Live Más Café, I realized what was missing — an espresso machine.
I was surprised a café-style concept wouldn’t have one and, upon asking, was told that all the coffee drinks are made with “supplied coffee” instead.
That didn’t diminish the taste of the drinks, but it does remove some options for customizations and classic coffeehouse orders, like cappuccinos or lattes.
Given how quickly the drink orders were served, I’m guessing the lack of customization was intentional to maintain the speed that people expect at a fast-food restaurant.
All in all, I’d absolutely come back — and with a sweet tooth in tow.
Michelle Stansbury
The Mexican Chocolate Latte Chiller alone is worth a repeat trip, and I could see myself grabbing an Agua Refresca during a midday slump.
If Taco Bell keeps expanding this concept and fine-tuning a few things — like offering more customizations and amplifying the exterior branding — I could see it becoming a legitimate contender in the growing beverage industry, especially for Gen Z.
The low price points of the drinks make Live Más Café a fit into their beloved “little treat culture” with fun, novelty beverages that can be made a part of the daily routine of this generation.
Although large coffee chains like Starbucks continue to expand its trendy, non-traditional offerings in an attempt to capture younger customers, Live Más Café has a fresh perspective that feels like it’s being built specifically for Gen Z’s taste and preferences.
