Short N’ Sweet Pop-Up Cafe review by Sabrina Carpenter

Depending on who you ask Sabrina Carpenter Short and sweet was the album of the summer (if you ask me, that honor goes to Charli), and with the album debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200, viral videos for the singles “Please Please Please” and “Taste,” the near-ubiquity of espresso (I couldn’t get to an Uber, a gym, or a store this year without hearing it blaring from the speakers), no one can deny that 2024 has been the best year of Sabrina’s career.

Even though summer is over, if you’re a carpenter – what Sabrina affectionately calls her fanbase – Sabrina has fed you. For her Short ‘N Sweet tourSabrina is making headlines and filling social feeds with her fun, light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek show, her kitschy meme-worthy merchandise, and a series of pop-up takeover cafes that have reached New York City, Chicago, and this weekend, Los Angeles.

Open from November 15 to 17 between 9am and 7pm, the LA Short N’ Sweet Cafe will be presented at Melrose’s Verve Coffee Roasters (a solid coffee shop in its own right) and will offer limited edition merchandise, a full Sabrina-inspired menu and all kinds of staged photo opportunities that seem straight out of a Sabrina Carpenter music video. The popup was created in collaboration with Cash App, which we only mention because using the app gets you a 30% discount on a single transaction.

We headed over to the Short N’ Sweet Cafe to give you all the details on what to expect.

What is the atmosphere?

Sabrina Carpenter is the vibe. Cute outfits, perfect makeup, prepare your poses – I showed up to the pop-up with what I thought was a great outfit, but I felt a little underdressed considering all the superfans and influencers dressed to impress.

What we’re trying to say is don’t let fitness get you down; you might visit a coffee shop in the middle of the day, but almost everyone is dressed like they’re going to the club afterwards.

The Menu

As a coffee connoisseur, I was deeply impressed by the menu, which included a variety of delicious iced and hot lattes named or inspired by songs and lyrics by Sabrina Carpenter. The menu also includes several pastries, but unfortunately these were not available during the preview event.

I tried two drinks, the Honeybee Draft Latte and the Heartbreak Jamaica. The Honeybee contained a blend of lavender, honey, espresso and milk, and had a floral and herbaceous flavor that floated beautifully over vibrant roasted coffee notes.

The Heartbreak Jamaica couldn’t be more different, despite being frozen. The drink contained hibiscus and coffee cherry, providing a flavor that was well balanced between spicy, sweet, floral and bitter tasting notes.

I honestly wanted to try the full menu, but after the two drinks I was buzzing with caffeine.

The Merch

The merchandise was typical concert fodder: shirts, bags, hoodies, socks and coffee mugs, but everything is very, well, Sabrina. For example, one shirt had a graphic print of lace lingerie on a plain white T-shirt. It’s a sleep shirt that can go either way, which feels kitschy and very much in line with the Short ‘N Sweet aesthetic.

Prices for the merchandise go as low as $15 and as high as $80.

The photo ops

Aside from the menu, the real draw of the pop-up experience are the photo ops. There are several stage setups with vintage-inspired furniture reminiscent of the ’50s and ’60s, making it feel like you’re starring in your own Sabrina Carpenter video.

But in my opinion, it’s the more naturalistic sets that use the Verve coffee shop architecture that look the best. Posing in front of a Sabrina-adorned backdrop on a lip-shaped sofa is one thing, but sitting on beautifully paved steps while drinking coffee as the sun suits you perfectly? That’s straight up Gossip Girl Blair Waldorf shit.

All in all, the Short ‘N Sweet Cafe offers a lot for die-hard fans of Sabrina Carpenter, and a good enough menu that even non-fans will find something to like.

The Short ‘N Sweet Café can be found at Verve Coffee Roasters at Melrose, 8925 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90069.