Best Coffee Spots in Los Angeles

Thanks for stopping by. This blog is JD’s place to update and talk about his favorite coffee spots in Los Angeles.

I will break it down to more specific areas below. I will also update this list as I find new spots so be sure to check back every now and again.

While I will always take into account atmosphere, cost, etc. My main decision making factor on what to include below is based purely on taste and quality. I LOVE coffee. Not anything fancy. Just a well roasted, well brewed, coffee taken black. So single origin availability is a must to make this list. Also, pour overs are nice. But I’ve found lots of spots that just have a great single origin drip coffee available. I’m not here to discriminate as long as it’s a good cup of coffee!

Enough rambling. Let’s dive in!

LONG BEACH

1. Rose Park Coffee Roasters - Downtown Long Beach
   There are 2 other locations in Long Beach. One on 7th St. in the North Alamitos Beach area and another downtown on the corner of 8th & Pine. The downtown location on Ocean Blvd is my personal go to though. This is also close to where we live so it’s where I pick up my beans for most of my home brewing. You’ll find fresh roasted coffee being stocked up every Monday at each location. They always have a good variety of washed, natural, and some off the wall processed coffees. Their drip coffee is usually available in two single origin choices and is always spot on. I don’t know how they do it, but their drip coffee is always better than anything I can brew at home. The staff at this location is always super helpful and happy to talk about the available beans. As far as atmosphere they have a good amount of space for working and also an entire adjacent outdoor area with tables. So you can grab a cup of coffee and enjoy the sun for a bit.

2. Stereoscope - 2nd Street in Belmont Shores
   Ok, so it took me a minute to stop and try this place. But wow was it worth it once I did! They are what I would consider a single origin mecca. There is always a line here and I’m not 100% sure half the people in line realize what they are providing to them. This is where you go to get those high end single origin coffee’s that you don’t often see elsewhere or are paying a premium to order online. A pour over is $6 but when consider the quality of bean you are getting. It’s actually a steal compared to most coffee spots. The last time I was in there they had an Ethiopian Geisha bean available. If you don’t know much about coffee beans, no worries! They have a very detailed menu describing the current bean lineup. And by detailed I mean probably the most detailed I’ve ever seen. So it’s fun for the novice or more serious coffee aficionados alike. The pour overs are always spot on. I wouldn’t expect anything less from a spot that obviously has so much appreciate for good coffee beans. This location has limited seating, and it’s usually taken up by folks waiting. So I wouldn’t plan on setting up shop here to work. But it’s 1000% worth stopping here for coffee and then walking around 2nd St. There are a few other locations scattered across LA & OC as well so regardless of where you are. It’s worth seeing if you have a Stereoscope nearby.