Day 18: Alfred Coffee & Kitchen
Heading back to the west side (I consider anything past Hollywood the “west side” (many will beg to differ) for me is something that has to be planned. It seems so far! There is always some sort of consolation for my journey though. First of all, the beach! There is also a world of unexplored restaurants and shopping to submerge myself into. There’s also great coffee outside of my “home base”. Alfred is definitely included in that consolation.
They offer three locations to enjoy, two of them are extremely close to one another though. Whichever one you end up at will give you a great experience though. I went to probably the most frequented location on Melrose Pl. It’s in kind of a fancy shopping area, but once you’re here you really feel like you’re just in your neighborhood coffee shop, with a bit of “chic” added. The space is a small two-level cafe. Upstairs has tables, bar stools along the walls, and a fireplace. The walls are a mix of white tile and floral wallpaper. The wall above the stairs that lead to the lower level displays their famous “But first, coffee” logo. Downstairs is the coffee bar, and a few more tables. The other Melrose Location (in the alley) is more of a walk-in coffee shop with a few bar seats and tables outside.
Alfred brews Stumptown coffee (spoileralert: more on that later). They have all your favorite drinks: lattes, capps, americanos, gibraltars, drip… What drew me here however, is their macchiato served in a chocolate coated cone! They call it the “Alfred cup”. I mean, really?! Who can say no to that? For the non-coffee drinkers there’s teas, and Pressed Juicery to sip on (good stuff)! The Brentwood location even has kombucha on tap (because you know, LA). If you’re hungry, you can order salads, sandwiches, and pastries provided by Farm Shop. Yum!
Macchiato perfecto
Day 17: Coffee Colab
When three coffee pros come together, only good things can happen. This good thing is Coffee Colab, which as the name suggests is a collaboration of three LA coffee heads; The Humble Cup, Taza (featured here), and Suits and Knives.
This coffee shop is in a tiny space at the north end of Santee in dtla’s Fashion District. They have teamed up with a few local roasters as well as featuring Suits and Knives for their brews. They keep their menu to a bare minimum (a total of 9 drinks) but do each of them very well. The baristas here are super cool and give you that local coffee shop feel that I love. It’s kind of like the coffee version of Cheers. Feel free to chat it up with any of them, and you’re in for good friendly convo.
All of the items that decorate this place are old, and/or vintage looking. There’s a set of old books, a couple of singer sewing machines, and a old dresser with pistol accents. There is a cozy window seat, a couple of bar stool chairs and more seating outside. Lots of local artists’ work hangs from the walls, while music flows through the speakers. It’s one of the most chill atmospheres I’ve seen for a coffee spot. You won’t find too many people getting the screenplays done here, but contrarily they are more likely socializing with friends. After all, isn’t that what coffee is all about?
Day 16: G&B
G&B Coffee is a small boutique coffee stand in dtla’s changing Grand Central Market. I love that its walk-up service is an easy access spot along my daily pup walk. Depending on the time of day there can be a pretty crowded space at the counter here, but the baristas are pretty quick and attentive.
I only get my coffees to-go here, mostly because I’m with the four-legged child or I don’t have much time on my parking meter. There are seats around the bar if you want to stop for a while though. They select their coffees from the most flavorful and carefully roasted roasters. Their menu contains a few signature drinks like the G&B shake, almond and macadamia capp (with homemade nut milk), and various summer/winter drinks. Getting through all of them would take a while, but definitely worth it! One drink on my must try list is their dark and stormy. It’s just like the cocktail, only sub in espresso for the rum. Doesn’t that sound interesting?!
Day 15: Dinosaur Coffee
This little independent coffee shop in Silverlake is pretty new to the neighborhood. In an area full of trendy coffee shops frequented by the hippest hipsters, Dinosaur Coffee is making quite a name for itself. For starters, they brew Four Barrel Coffee (a San Francisco roasting company), and their decor is Jurassic themed. Not something you come across in your typical cafe.
Even with it’s dino-theme going on, the decor at Dinosaur is very subtle. The menu hangs on a wood fixture that is reminiscent of fossils. The shelves on the wall look like layers of earth in which archaeological digs would occur. The most literal aspect is definitely the t-rex holding a cup of coffee decal on the restroom door!
With plenty of seats and free WiFi, you’re sure to find tons of people working on homework, screenplays, and whatever else people do on their airbooks (I have no idea what they all do). Nonetheless, come and enjoy a treasure in a cup!
I forgot to post this week’s coffee song, so here it is:
“Coffee” by a duo named Sylvan Esso. Enjoy!
Day 14: H Coffee House
Between Silverlake and Griffith Park, there’s a small neighborhood called Los Feliz. In Los Feliz there are tons of shops and restaurants catering to every desire you can think of. One of my favorite spots for coffee there is H Coffee. It’s attached to Home, which is an awesome place to go for breakfast (and probably other meals too, but I’ve only ever been in the morning hours) so try ’em both out!
The coffee at H Coffee is from Counter Culture. Their standard coffee drinks are pretty consistent, as well as their selection of teas. All of their flavored syrups are made in-house too. They have a seasonal drink menu for both coffee drinker and non-coffee drinkers. The pastries here are made by Sugar Bloom, who also sources some of the other coffee spots in this list (Demitasse and Blue Bottle). Their artisan breads come from Bread LA. They also offer a few items made on location like empanadas and frittatas.
What I love most about H Coffee is the decor. The space is in a converted house, and there are a few different rooms to chill out in. There is a fireplace in the main room as well as a couple booths, a bar table and some cozy chairs. The patio is pretty intimate, but quite charming as well. It’s really nice to visit on a warm night and sit outside for some coffee talk. I especially like the light fixtures made from everyday objects like bottles and teacups! It’s really an adorable space that you have to see for yourself!
Bottle light fixtures
Eat. Go. Learn. Live. 