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It's National Coffee Day so we thought we'd re-up this great advice from our audience from last year — hours and locations updated throughout. We were happy to see many locations have expanded hours since we first brought you this list.
Whenever I move to a new place, finding a good coffee shop is almost compulsory.
Before leaving El Sereno, I practically lived off Tierra Mia Coffee because the atmosphere was perfect for studying and the horchata frappe filled me with nostalgia.
Frequenting a coffee shop can be like having a favorite bar: The barista will eventually memorize your name, and you’ll get that infamous question — “the regular?” — that lets you know this coffee shop is now your local digs.
If you’re looking for a new brew somewhere in this vast region, here’s where Angelenos say to check out, courtesy of our newsroom's AirTalk show, which airs on LAist 89.3.
Nearby downtown and the Eastside
Burrito Break: “It’s more of a breakfast spot, but they make an amazing Cafe de Olla. Whole milk and half and half pair great with it!” said Claudia from downtown.
Location: 888 W. 7th St., Los Angeles
Hours: Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Note: Burrito Break also has locations at 5th and Flower and St. Vincent's Court.
Holy Grounds Coffee & Tea: “Holy Grounds is a local coffee shop in El Sereno with a welcoming staff and a serene garden space to enjoy your drink,” said Nate from Hollywood. “If you’re looking for extra caffeine, they’ve got a Ojo Rojo with a shot of espresso added to their house brew.” (There’s also a “not-so-secret secret menu.”)
Location: 5371 Alhambra Ave., Los Angeles
Hours: Weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and weekends from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Bloom & Plume Coffee: “Amazing coffee, chill vibes, beautiful cups! It’s a cool, Black-owned business. Had a latte there on the day of my first vaccine shot and it was so good I called on the drive home to tell ‘em it was the best latte of my life,” said David from Eagle Rock.
Location: 1638 W. Temple St., Los Angeles
Hours: Every day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Nice Coffee: “It is just a kiosk with a small counter, but Elliot, the owner, and Alissa, the long-time barista, are the best. We talk dogs, music, theatre, whatever,” said Ruth in Los Feliz.
Location: 555 S. Flower St., Los Angeles
Hours: Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Northeast L.A.
The Village Bakery And Cafe: “During the pandemic they stayed open and were a rallying point in the neighborhood. They know my kids and my dog. I’m so appreciative of their welcoming atmosphere in my neighborhood,” said Emily in Atwater Village.
Location: 3119 Los Feliz Blvd., Los Angeles
Hours: Every day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The San Gabriel Valley
Café de Leche: “Café de Leche in Highland Park and Altadena are great Latino coffee shops. I usually get the cold brew, but the horchata is good too. They have other Latino specialties,” said Maria in Altadena.
SGV Location: 2477 N. Lake Ave., Altadena
Hours: Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and weekends 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
NE L.A. Location: 5000 York Blvd., Highland Park
Hours: Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and weekends 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Ground Up Coffee: “I go there for their wellness tea. It has turmeric, ginger and other things that just make you feel good,” said George from Montebello.
Location: 871 N. Garfield Ave., Montebello
Hours: Every day from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Jones Coffee Roasters: “It's a wonderful hangout, and they grind their own coffee. It's delicious,” said Barbara in Pasadena. (Pro-tip: Many of the KPCC/LAist staff also recommend Jones, which is a five-minute walk from the building.)
Location: 693 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena
Hours: Every day from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Lost Parrot Cafe: “[The cafe] is my favorite. It’s dog friendly and has a great vibe to get you some avocado toast,” said Margo in South Pasadena.
Location: 1929 Huntington Drive, South Pasadena
Hours: Every day from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Rad Coffee: “[It’s a] really good punk rock atmosphere. The coffee is good quality. Very affordable,” said Olivia in Azusa.
Location: 145 Citrus Ave., Covina
Hours: Every day from 6 a.m. to 12 a.m.
Note: Rad Coffee also has locations in Upland, Long Beach (Bixby Knolls), and Riverside.
West L.A.
Mavro Kafe: “I love the vegan matcha drinks, and the owner Nicos is wonderful,” said Michelle from Mar Vista.
Location: 12224 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles
Hours: Everyday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
MillCross: “They make their own cold brews and syrups. Everything is just so artisan. Small little place, but always making up new recipes,” said Grace in Culver City.
Location: 11050 Washington Blvd., Culver City
Hours: Monday to Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The South Bay
The Boy & The Bear: “[It] has fantastic quality coffee. All Colombian, including the owner, which is pretty unusual and very cool. I’m a coffee nerd, and they might have the best espresso in the South Bay,” said Matt in Long Beach.
Location: 350 N. Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach
Hours: Every day from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Note: The Boy & The Bear also has locations in Culver City, Westchester, Pasadena, and Sherman Oaks.
Staff picks from around L.A. County
My colleagues are pretty plugged into L.A. We drive, commute, and savor L.A. everyday. So when listeners sounded-off about their favorites, we couldn’t help but share some of our own. Here are some of the places we love to sip at:
Aspara in San Marino: Kristen Muller, LAist's chief content officer, says the shop has "amazing cinnamon rolls." According to its website, the shop uses organic, fair trade and sustainably farmed coffee, tea and spices, with a focus on women-owned farms.
Location: 2461 Mission St. B, San Marino
Hours: Monday to Saturday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Cos & Pi in South Pasadena: Michael Cosentino, a former senior producer, recommends this spot, a family-owned restaurant and cafe that bills itself as a neighborhood eatery.
Location: 303 Pasadena Ave., South Pasadena
Hours: Every day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen in Inglewood: Aaricka Washington, an associate editor on our How To LA team, suggests visiting here. The cafe and restaurant was created by Angelenos. According to their website, the name is inspired by “climbing our own Hilltops … just like everyone else.”
Location: 170 North La Brea Ave., Inglewood
Hours: Every day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
KAFN in Glendale: Kyle Stokes, who covered K-12 education for us for many years, says it's a "great neighborhood spot well off the beaten path" with some "delicious maple lattes."
Location: 1019 East Palmer Ave., Glendale
Hours: Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Miss Melbourne Coffee in West Hollywood: Nicolas Perez, a former AirTalk apprentice, says: “It was the first coffee shop I tried out when I moved here ... The coffee is good, there’s a nice patio and they have these unique sausage rolls that are fantastic. I find myself going back every few weekends.”
Locations: 1051 Havenhurst Drive and 7326 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood
Hours: Monday to Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Back Door Bakery & Cafe in Tujunga: Melissa DeMund, who is a web developer for LAist, says it has the “biggest selection of savory and sweet pastries I've ever seen, and darn good coffee!”
Location: 8349 Foothill Blvd., Sunland
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Coffee Roaster in Sherman Oaks: Audio Production Engineer Scott Kelly says this place is "the best." It's been in business since 1987.
Location: 13567 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks
Hours: Every day from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
