Santa Monica is about to get a double shot of new caffeine competition. Coming-soon signs for Chinese coffee chain Cotti Coffee have popped up on two storefronts: 1353 Third Street Promenade and the corner spot at Lincoln Boulevard and Broadway (1447 Lincoln Blvd.), both currently papered over with teaser signage.
As reported by Santa Monica Mirror, Cotti launched in China in 2022 and is pitching its U.S. expansion as a “comfortable coffee lifestyle,” leaning on fruit-infused coffees, matcha drinks and attention-grabbing value pricing. The Mirror notes that the brand highlights vertical integration, including ownership of roasting and production facilities and a coffee plantation in Indonesia, which the company says helps it scale at high speed.
Where the chain already is
Cotti is already turning up around Southern California. Delivery pages list locations in San Gabriel and Rowland Heights, and a Tustin shop has accumulated dozens of local reviews. Listings on Uber Eats and a separate Uber Eats page show the San Gabriel and Rowland Heights outlets, while Yelp carries photos and reviews of the Tustin storefront. Delivery platforms also list a Cotti in Washington, D.C., signaling that the brand’s U.S. rollout is already unfolding across multiple markets.
How Cotti grew so fast
In company press materials via Business Wire, Cotti credits its rapid growth to an app-driven ordering system, partnership arrangements instead of traditional franchise fees, and a hefty roasting and production base aimed at keeping costs in check. Industry coverage puts the chain’s footprint in the tens of thousands of locations as it pushes into Europe, the Middle East and other regions, reflecting the rapid international growth highlighted in recent press reports.
What Santa Monica can expect
Retail trackers currently mark 1353 Third Street Promenade as "under construction," which lines up with the fresh window coverings, while a city newsletter notes a plan-check filing in the same stretch of the Promenade. Third Street Promenade Occupancy lists 1353 3rd St as under construction, suggesting an early-phase buildout rather than a near-term soft opening. At the same time, hiring listings for Cotti’s U.S. operations show store manager roles around the Los Angeles area, indicating that staffing and corporate support work are already in motion (BeBee).
For now, the only public update is the "Coming Soon" messaging on the Santa Monica windows. With no official opening date posted, the exact launch timeline remains fuzzy, but locals can expect a grab-and-go setup, app-driven promos and introductory pricing similar to Cotti’s other recent openings.
