Goodbye, Plain Coffee Chains! These Are the Best Los Angeles Cafés to Feast Your Eyes On Right Now — and Their Cuppas Are Pretty Good, Too

As an Italian-born, London-based writer, there have been moments where I struggled to understand where people's enthusiasm for the latest "specialty coffee" shop opening stemmed from. After all, even today, in Italy coffee remains — at least primarily — a home affair, a ritual so rooted in individual family preferences, traditions, and routines that even the most sophisticated café in the world would fail to compete with. But coffee shops aren't exclusively about the hot beverages and freshly baked goods served within them. The best Los Angeles cafés are a striking example of how these destinations represent the beating heart of their cities' communities.

When it comes to the best coffee shops in Los Angeles, CA, specifically, it is hard to ignore how much of the City of Angels' happy-go-lucky, relaxed charm, vibrancy, and creative pulse has infiltrated the aromatic rooms of these busy cafés. Together with responsibly sourced blends and mouth-watering, golden viennoiserie, the bespoke art installations and irreverent interior design that collide in Los Angeles' coffee bars make them a noteworthy stop for travelers sojourning at one of the best Los Angeles hotels and die-hard Angelenos alike.

Elevating their delicacies and brews with soulful palettes, unexpected accents, and bold décor choices, the best cafés in Los Angeles offer a refreshing way to discover the city. Kickstart your itinerary with our selection of LA coffee shops below.

1. Verve Coffee Roasters — Arts District

500 Mateo St #102, Los Angeles, CA 90013, United States

As far as the best Los Angeles cafés go, it doesn't get any more California cool than Verve Coffee Roasters' hypnotizing flagship in the city's Arts District. A team effort led by founders Ryan O'Donovan and Colby Barr, architect firm Howard CDM Design, and Design, Bitches studio, this sun-filled spot holds a mirror up to the breeding-with-inspiration atmosphere of Los Angeles' creative district. Emerging from the eternal legacy of mid-century modern furniture and the region's sprawling nature, this characteristic coffee shop lets the latter in through sculptural plants, vertiginous wooden ceilings, and an earthy, organic palette. At once laid-back and extraordinarily crafted, this Verve Coffee Roasters location is sure to attract design-minded tourists, locals, and remote workers with its immersive flair.

Known for its focus on ethically sourced, high-quality coffee beans and artisanal preparation techniques, Verve Coffee Roasters' offerings straddle the full breadth of the café culture spectrum, bringing everything from fruity and chocolatey espressos to matchas and seasonal specials, without ever compromising on its locally sourced, delicious baked goods.

2. Equator Coffees — Culver City

8900 Venice Blvd. #105, Culver City, CA 90232, United States

Nothing is more actual in the design world than modern retro décor, and Equator Coffees' Culver City flagship, inaugurated two years ago and covering a total surface of 1,400 square feet, is a fine, captivating manifestation of this trend. The brainchild of Kelly Patry, this Space Age design-informed hotspot is one of my personal favorites in this curation of the best Los Angeles cafés, and it's not just because of the Louis Poulsen's vintage PH 5 pendant lights scattered throughout it. In true industrial interior design style, the space abounds with iron, wood, and metal accents, from its ceiling all the way to its seating areas. But it is the bold, diner-like juxtaposition of muted reds and aquamarine tones that makes this destination even more fascinating — much like traveling back in time.

Developed in collaboration with local artisans, this Culver City coffee bar draws equally from California's coastal vibes and Equator's Bay Area origins to deliver a fascinating experience, punctuated by colorful surroundings, whimsical design choices, and high-quality, sustainably produced specialty coffee drinks.

3. Maru Coffee — Santa Fe Avenue

1019 S Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90021, United States

Verve Coffee Roasters isn't the only establishment to inject fresh energy into Los Angeles' Arts District. Quite the contrary, Maru Coffee, another one of our favorite coffee shops in LA, has carved itself a place in the city's hip scene thanks to its winning fusion of Japanese aesthetics, modern industrial interior design, and award-winning coffee. After launching their first, original location in Los Feliz in 2016, co-founders Jacob Park and Joonmo Kim have continually pushed the boundaries of coffee culture through carefully sourced beans, meticulous brewing methods, and a love of minimalism that spans everything from their cups to their brand identity.

Characterized by essential lines, neutral tones, and organic, raw materials, Maru Coffee's Arts District flagship absorbs passersby in the soothing yet inspiring ambiance that sets Los Angeles apart from other American cities. Informed by wabi-sabi principles, its décor accentuates the authenticity of the industrial frame within which it rises (think concrete floors and exposed beams), while simultaneously making everyone feel instantly at home. Try their single-origin drip coffee for a sensory journey to regions like Ethiopia, Kenya, and Colombia, or indulge in an iced oat latte for a comforting break.

4. Café Kitsuné

3814 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026, United States

Many of the best Los Angeles cafés have one thing in common: they act as a bridge between two cultures. That's the case of Café Kitsuné, the hospitality wing of the "multifaceted Paris-meets-Tokyo brand" Maison Kitsuné — a holistic lifestyle label active across fashion, music, and coffee culture. Situated next door to the house's Silver Lake boutique, this recently opened hotspot, conceived by co-founder Masaya Kuroki, stands out for its cheerfully nostalgic feel. Mimicking the spirited atmosphere of an old-school market, it is filled with hand-painted murals by Californian artist Jeffrey Sincich, which capture the bountiful vibrancy of nature.

Casual and quirky, Café Kitsuné reinvents the traditional Parisian café and wine bar through a Japanese lens, as manifested by the Shoji-inspired screens and clean-lined furniture that inhabit the space. From life-enhancing espresso-based drinks and French pastries to houjicha lattes and signature Nipponese cookies, its menu, too, exists at the collision between two worlds.

5. Laveta Coffee

318 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026, United States

Since I started writing about design, I have become increasingly fascinated with brutalist interiors, particularly when their seemingly bare essence clashes with the warmth and intimacy they still manage to unleash within a given space. That's the case at Echo Park's Laveta Coffee, another unmissable destination for décor and coffee lovers alike. Its linearly drawn stone and wood furnishings, sculptural lighting fixtures, and flowerbeds strip indoor-outdoor living of all frills to conjure the beauty of simplicity. Powered by the Andante Coffee group under the leadership of co-owner Steve Hyun, this one-of-a-kind hotspot also grants walkers the opportunity to soak in the brimming-with-talent neighborhood's cinematic views while sipping hot drinks on its outdoor patio.

Renowned for its award-winning, Filipino-inspired ube latte, mixing smoky espresso, ube flavoring, and sweet, condensed coconut milk into a lilac explosion of taste, Laveta also makes equally moreish toasts, with the avocado and prosciutto ones as its standouts. One of the hippest, best coffee shops in Los Angeles, it deserves to be given a go, and I can't wait to do so when I am next in town.

6. Fleurs et Sel

5300 W Adams Blvd STE 100, Los Angeles, CA 90016, United States

When it comes to ranking the best Los Angeles cafés, aesthetics, coffee, and pastries are all equally important, which is why I couldn't help including Lara Adekoya's artisanal bakery Fleurs et Sel in this roundup of the top LA coffee bars. A fruit of the COVID-19 pandemic, the business started as a cookie company during the shutdowns, at which time Adekoya honed in on her love of cooking and community. Independently owned and run, today Fleurs et Sel focuses on the small-batch production of French-inspired sweet treats, including cookies, croissants, and seasonal pastries, all re-envisioned with an uplifting, Californian twist.

Not only do Fleurs et Sel's offerings embody Adekoya's passion for nourishing, high-quality baked goods, but its interiors, drenched in a soft tone of pink and pairing an accent marble wall with softer surfaces such as wood cabinets and sleek, plaster countertops, are as beautifully crafted, playful, and creative as they are welcoming.

7. Canyon Coffee

1559 Echo Park Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90026, United States

Not far from fellow coffee trailblazer Laveta in the northeast end of Echo Park, Canyon Coffee is another one of the best Los Angeles cafés for atmosphere, food and drinks offer, and design flair — starting with its red-brick, instantly iconic industrial façade. First established in 2016 by co-founders Ally Walsh and Casey Wojtalewicz, a couple in work and life, Canyon Coffee has rapidly grown into a favorite among the area's brew aficionados, and that doesn't surprise me. Committed to ethically sourced, single-origin blends, the duo turns to coffee as a means of nurturing their shared passion for travel and sharing it with others in the form of piping hot, pour-over and espresso cuppas.

The ambiance of the space is, needless to say, just as evocative. Wrapped by floor-to-ceiling iron windows and situated at the corner of a buzzy street junction, Canyon Coffee's interiors pair Scandinavian design-style woody surfaces with quirky accents (see the cute, spherical pendant lights) and a selection of pastel-hued wall art gently sat on their shelves. Blessed by the Californian sun and informed by the creative spark of Georgia O’Keeffe's Ghost Ranch, American minimalism pioneer Donald Judd, and 1960s, the timber-drenched, architecture community hub known as Sea Ranch, this dynamic coffee bar doesn't fall short of inspiration.

Hungry for more culinary and design inspiration? Don't miss out on the best Los Angeles restaurants for a multisensory gastronomic experience, and keep an eye out for more of our LA-centric itineraries to savor everything the City of Angels has in store for you.