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| Aquarela Coffee. Photo: @aquarelacoffee, Instagram |
1) AQUARELA
In September 2018, Alex Eliscu Kipling opened SPLA Coffee, a 350 square-foot Brazilian coffee bar on the edge of Chinatown (714 N Figueroa St, Los Angeles 90012). Kipling brought Otávio Shih on as a partner in February 2021, and they rebranded SPLA as Aquarela ("watercolor" in Portuguese). Inspired by the streets of São Paulo, the white-gray concrete and tile interior is still there, while the facade is now bright green and pink.
The short list of specialty drinks includes the traditional Cafezinho, a double espresso extracted over raw sugar; and the Batida, a blended version of the popular Brazil cocktail made with iced coffee, banana, coconut and condensed milk. Noshes include pastries and pão de queijo (Brazilian cheesebread).
Microroasted in Los Angeles, Aquarela's farm-direct Brazilian coffees include the bestselling Se Chama "Fruit Bomb" - the intriguing tasting notes tout gummy bears, rosé and candied plum. The Anaerobic Series currently features Red Bourbon, SL28 and Yellow Catuai varieties. A postcard attached to each bag has a photo and info about the producer.
2) COLLAGE COFFEE
Friends Phill Kim, Eric Pfleeger and Kevin Hockin opened the 200 square-foot Collage Coffee (5106 York Blvd Los Angeles 90042) in 2017. This mod Highland Park spot is a must as much for the coffee as it is for the colorful tilework that graces the interior and exterior. The handmade tiles are courtesy of Faile, a Brooklyn-based artistic collaboration. Order inside (one person at a time) and pick up at the side window. Seating is limited to a couple of tables on the rustic patio and a bench under a tree in front.
Coffee beans are sourced from Ventura-based Prospect Coffee Roasters. Hot drinks are served in ceramic cups made by Kim - a limited number of tumblers and mugs are available at the Collage website. The coffee menu includes the usual suspects done precisely well and a rich cold brew poured on tap. Collage also features Straus Family Organic Milk and The Captain's Daughters Tea.
3) FULL SERVICE COFFEE CO.
"Fill 'er up" at Full Service Coffee Co., which opened in September 2018 inside a restored 1940s Texaco gas station (4450 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles 90004). Pull into the Streamline Moderne space at the corner of Beverly and Hobart, select from the plant-based coffee menu (all drinks are made with oat milk by default), and wait for a barista to bring your to-go order or enjoy at an outdoor table. Fuel up for your morning commute with the Spanish Latte (espresso, cinnamon, coconut condensed milk, hemp milk) or the Chagaccino with espresso, chaga blend, and oat milk.
4) GO GET EM TIGER + G&B COFFEE
Founded by Kyle Glanville and Charles Babinski in 2012, Go Get Em Tiger is one of LA's most acclaimed specialty coffee chains. In May 2013, the award-winning duo opened their first location, G&B Coffee at the historic Grand Central Market (317 S Broadway C19, Los Angeles 90013) across from Angels Flight. The innovative cocktail bar-style service has influenced numerous third wave coffee shops, and G&B continues to be a proving ground for GGET's new ideas.
A month after opening G&B, Glanville and Babinski debuted Go Get Em Tiger in Larchmont Village (230 N Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles 90004). With its long counter, GGET followed on G&B's bar service model and the full kitchen expanded the food offerings beyond the usual pastries. GGET locations have since opened in Los Feliz, Highland Park, ROW DTLA, The Music Center, Culver City, West Hollywood and Santa Monica.
Whether you're at G&B Coffee or a Go Get Em Tiger, be sure to order the Business & Pleasure: shot of espresso, signature fizzy hoppy tea, and housemade almond-macadamia nut milk latte.
5) HILLTOP COFFEE + KITCHEN
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| Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen in Inglewood | Photo: Ed Rudolph |
Along with favorites like the hot drip Slauson House Blend and Lavender Latte (double espresso, house-made lavender syrup, choice of milk), seasonal offerings include the Sweet Potato Latte - double shot of espresso, house sweet potato sauce, and choice of milk, topped with pumpkin spice.
The extensive food options include Hilltop Droptops (Almond Butter, Avocado or Smoked Salmon Toast), Handhelds (the Coffee-Braised Short Rib Grilled Cheese is a must), and Bowls like the hearty Soul Bowl with poached egg, creamy grits, braised collard greens and charred corn.
6) HOT & COOL CAFE
Tony Jolly and Tina Amin opened Hot & Cool Cafe in Leimert Park (4331 Degnan Blvd, Los Angeles 90008) with the mission of offering access to Black-centered arts and culture, plant-based food, and employment opportunities and training, regardless of circumstance. An LA County-certified social enterprise, Hot & Cool tackles food inequity through its Senior Meal Program and its partnership with Los Angeles Community Fridges. In January 2021, Tony and Tina opened a second location, Hot & Cool North at the Vert Apartments in the Valley (6606 Variel Ave #123, Canoga Park 91303).
Full of clove and cranberry undertones with a 70% dark chocolate finish, the house Black Sugar Blend (Tiqoor Siquar) hails from a woman-owned farm in the highlands of Ethiopia. "The Be Cool" is a seasonal cold brew infused with blueberries and raspberries. Every Wednesday at 8:30pm, Hot & Cool hosts The Wonder Years watch parties with free The Be Cool and blueberry muffins. The Vegan Bar Menu includes Cauliflower Wings, Sliders, Nachos Supreme, and the Soul Bowl (plant-based bbq chicken, vegan mac & cheese, garlic collard greens, on a bed of basmati rice).
7) KINDNESS & MISCHIEF
In the successful Kickstarter that helped fund Kindness & Mischief (5537 N. Figueroa St, Los Angeles 90042), owner Monique “Mo” Maravilla envisioned a “people-driven, quality-obsessed, community-centered specialty coffee shop." Located in Highland Park, K&M is easy to spot - look for the eye-catching turquoise facade above the bright red door. (The iconic Chicken Boy statue is on the rooftop across the street.) The double-height interior features a herringbone bar, Leaf & Spine plant pop-up, and the "Mischief Library" - leave a book, take a book.
Espresso-based drinks include seasonal offerings and "The Mischief" - the signature latte is made with house-made vegan chocolate ganache, cayenne and choice of milk. The rotating coffee list recently featured Rose Park Roasters, Onyx Coffee Lab, and Hi-Top Coffee. Pastries include Filipino Treats by K&M barista Dominique Villanueva and vegan donuts by The Caffeinated Kitchen. The veg-friendly breakfast burritos are made by All Good Things and available daily till they're sold out.
K&M is continuing its Fuel the Frontliners program, which invites the community to buy coffee and pastries for delivery to local healthcare workers.
8) LIBERATION COFFEE HOUSE
Located at the flagship Anita May Rosenstein Campus of the Los Angeles LGBT Center (6725 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles 90038), Liberation Coffee House is a 1,600-square-foot café and community space operated and staffed by graduates of the Center’s Culinary Arts program. The three-month program trains LGBTQ youth and seniors from the Center for employment in the restaurant and hospitality industries.
The cafe is named for the first “Liberation House” opened by the Center (then known as the Gay Community Services Center) in 1971, which provided room and board to homeless LGBTQ youth and adults for $1.50 a day. It was the nation’s first facility of its kind. A photo of the 1971 Liberation House is one of numerous black-and-white historical Center photographs exhibited throughout the space.
Designed by LA-based ORA and recipient of the 2020 AIA|LA Interior Architecture Citation Award, the interior is inspired by the art of Keith Haring, with a palette that evokes the rainbow colors of the Pride flag.
Liberation features Verve Coffee Roasters - the Streetlevel blend for drip coffee, Buena Vista dark roast for espresso. The Matcha Latte is made with organic Rishi green tea from Kagoshima, Japan. Pastries are locally-made by Bakers Kneaded, while items like breakfast burritos, sandwiches, wraps, salads, flatbreads and more are prepared by Culinary Arts alums. Revenue from the cafe is reinvested into the Center's programs and services.
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9) LITTLE RIPPER COFFEE
This cozy café in Glassell Park is the perfect neighborhood gathering spot - exactly what Sydney native Rex Roberts and wife Lorena Jurado had in mind when they opened Little Ripper Coffee (4155 Verdugo Rd, Los Angeles 90065) in the fall of 2017. The minimalist interior evokes a bit of a surfside vibe; the exterior has scattered seating in front, a couple of tables at the side patio, and a wooden bench circling a tree.
Coffee is made from La Colombe beans. Do not miss the signature Little Ripper, made with a double shot of espresso and housemade almond milk infused with a choice of lavender, turmeric or chicory.
For "brekkie," choose from toasts like the Smash Avo (avocado toast), Goldie Lox, or A Berry Sexy Toast with almond butter, assorted berries, pistachios, coconut, flaxseed and chia seed, topped with a drizzle of honey and mint sprigs. Jaffles (aka "Australian grilled cheese") include The Classic (cheddar cheese & tomato), Loaded (cheddar, prosciutto, avocado, hot sauce) and the veg-friendly Nutty Nana with sliced banana and nutella.
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| Maru Coffee in the Arts District Photo: @desertedinurban, Instagram |
Opened in September 2016, the original location of Maru Coffee (1936 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles 90027) is a favorite of the Los Feliz locals that queue up along Hillhurst. The name is derived from San Ma Ru - "mountaintop" in Korean. In the Spring of 2018, co-founders Jacob Park and Joonmo Kim opened a second, larger Maru Coffee in the Arts District (1019 S Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles 90021), where they now roast their coffee. Both spaces have a spare, minimalist design with a subdued cream palette and an artistic aesthetic.
Regulars swear by the Cream Top, an iced Americano topped with a thickened vanilla-sweetened cream. Other favorites include the Espresso Tonic, garnished with an orange slice; and the Matcha Latte with ceremonial-grade Ippodo tea from Kyoto.
* Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board.
The Holiday and Travel Magazine
https://theholidayandtravelmagazine.blogspot.com.au
https://theholidayandtravelmagazine.blogspot.com.au
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