Next up on my L.A. posts are my favorite coffee shops thus far. If you’re looking to mix up your usual Starbucks/Coffee Bean runs, L.A has a ton of coffee shops to offer. While I still have so many more places to try, here are my top 5 favorites thus far.
1. Philz Coffee. Philz was one of my favorite coffee shops while living in San Francisco and it was one of the spots I truly missed after I moved back to L.A. So when I heard they were opening up their first L.A. store, I was beyond thrilled! They are brand spanking new to Santa Monica (I think the grand opening was less than a month ago). Their most popular drink is the Mint Mojito Iced Coffee (pictured below) which is pure bliss. I would have never thought to pair mint with my coffee, but it works!
2. Blue Bottle Coffee. Another San Fran favorite. I just learned that they opened up in L.A. but have yet to visit the location. They’re super popular up north and in NYC. I typically frequented the Hayes Valley and Ferry Building locations when I was living in S.F.
3. Island Monarch Coffee (“IMC”). Located in a strip mall next to Target, I would never have stopped by this place if it wasn’t for their sign saying, “Rated Los Angeles Best Coffee”. I had the vanilla latte which was perfectly sweetened. Next time I make a Target run, I’ll definitely get my coffee fix here as opposed to Starbucks.
4. Intelligentsia Coffee. The location on Abbot Kinney is typically crowded, but if you’re looking for some strong coffee, this is it. Their chai tea latte is also really good.
5. Bar Nine Collective. Pretty random location, with an industrial-looking building you’d never think was a coffee shop. We stopped by when they had their “soft” opening and were really impressed with how good it was. George sampled the coffee and I sampled an espresso shot, which was surprisingly really smooth. I’ll definitely be back for more.
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