Owners Shanita Nicholas and Amanda-Jane Thomas pull espresso shots at their Sip & Sonder coffee shop in Inglewood.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
A Black-owned coffee shop renaissance is brewing in L.A. 25 cafes with all the vibes
When popular sitcoms like “Friends†and “Gilmore Girls†debuted in the ’90s and early aughts, they helped shape mainstream understanding of coffee shops as essential third spaces, places where we can escape the stresses of life and catch up with friends over a hot cup of Joe. However, by featuring predominantly white casts, these shows and others like them sent a subtle message as to who coffee culture is meant for.
Here in Los Angeles, a dedicated group of Black coffee shop owners and roasters are on a mission to make the industry more diverse and inclusive, offering spaces that unapologetically celebrate Black and brown cultures, with coffee programs that involve intentional sourcing from countries like Ethiopia and Brazil.
“[These] are not just coffee shops,†said LaNisa Williams of Barista Life L.A. “These are spaces where amazing things happen. We’re giving back to the community through coffee shops.â€
Head to these coffee shops in L.A., Hollywood, Culver City, Santa Monica and beyond, for great espresso drinks, lattes and pour-overs and options for remote work.
Williams started #BlackInBrew in June 2020 to raise awareness of Black coffee professionals and build community in the wake of the George Floyd protests. Today she consults and provides education and training for many of L.A.’s coffee shops, with an emphasis on uplifting those who have not historically been represented in the industry.
Given that coffee is historically grown by Black, brown and Indigenous people, Williams said there’s an element of reclamation at many Black-owned coffee shops, with an intention of using that foundation to move the industry forward.
Jonathan Kinnard, founder of Coffee Del Mundo in South L.A., places a heavy emphasis on coffee origin education. “We want you to be very aware that coffee is not a European thing. It’s an Ethiopian thing. It’s a Colombian thing. It’s a Guatemalan thing. We take a lot of pride in that, and we need to honor that if you understand the difficulty of labor that goes into these things,†said Kinnard.
The best brews from L.A.’s Black-owned coffee shops include drinks that celebrate Black culture, like lattes named after Cardi B, Barry White and Slauson Avenue.
Compton local Geoffrey Martinez of Patria Coffee Roasters sought to center the surrounding BIPOC-majority neighborhood when opening his specialty coffee shop in 2018. A sign near the register reads: “Patria Coffee is a space intended for Communities of Color to share a safe place, free of criminalization and punitive treatment, that is relational and not simply transactional. We aim to uplift the beauty and richness of our cultural identity while offering a dignified coffee experience and quality, respectful of the existing Compton community structure and understandings.â€
“They’re creating these spaces so that we feel safe,†Williams said. “We need these spaces for us to be able to express ourselves in our own communities … We are empowering ourselves through ownership and breaking generational curses, showing what happens when we take pride in our Black history.â€
Here are 25 Black-owned coffee shops to support across L.A:
Showing Places
(Suni Reid / Auntie’s Coffee )
Auntie's Coffee
Highland Park Coffee
Suni Reid was inspired to start Auntie’s Coffee in June 2020, when they supported local protesters responding to George Floyd’s murder by bringing them food and water. At first they planned on opening a bricks-and-mortar, but when their location fell through, they pivoted to a roving pop-up, with a mission centered around creating BIPOC- and LGBTQ+-centered spaces that are as warm and welcoming as your favorite aunt’s home. Reid is similarly intentional about the coffee served at Auntie’s, working with local roaster Couplet Coffee as well as a family-owned roaster in Temecula, both of which prioritize ethical sourcing and traceable relationships with coffee farmers. Find the Ethiopian roast at their website online or in person at Auntie Beulah’s, a Black-owned biscuit shop in Mid-City. After a successful months-long residency at Be Nice Have Fun gift shop in Highland Park, Auntie’s is taking a pause to work on building out a more permanent coffee bar, but you can still catch Reid at L.A. events by following them on Instagram.
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(Bill Addison / Los Angeles Times)
Bloom & Plume Coffee
Historic Filipinotown Coffee Pastries Breakfast/Brunch
Looking to bring the luxury experience of his floral design business to Historic Filipinotown, Maurice Harris opened this cafe adjacent to his flower shop to deliver a small indulgence: good coffee and good conversation. A neon sign, violet walls and floral arrangements brighten the space and encourage creative flow. Just a short trip from Echo Park Lake and the Echo Park Tennis Courts, you’ll find a house-made mocha, vanilla latte or refreshing honey lavender lemonade.
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(Astrid Kayembe / Los Angeles Times)
Bohemian House of Espresso + Chai
Downtown L.A. Coffee Teahouse
Farah A. Hagar opened his cafe in 2019 to help people find community in the bustle of downtown L.A. The shop is an eclectic escape with vintage decor: a penny-farthing bicycle, plants, 1960s-style televisions and mismatched furniture. Bohemian uses single-origin beans from Ethiopia, and the signature menu item is the camel milk cortado, which utilizes the low-lactose, nutty and mildly salty milk of camels. Hoping to bring the depth of flavors native to his Somalian homeland, Hagar offers non-espresso lattes including mint matcha, house-brewed chai and a coffee alternative with ground date seeds.
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(Danielle Dorsey / Los Angeles Times)
Cafe Ruisseau
Santa Monica Coffee
Named after owner Edward Ackah-Miezah’s first daughter, Cafe Ruisseau opened in 2016 in a partially covered cabana in burgeoning Playa Vista. The Santa Monica location came a year later, with a gallery featuring local artists, a selection of potted plants and bright yellow umbrellas with scalloped fringes. Sitting as an island in the center of the coffee shop is a selection of Cafe Ruisseau roasts, all named after iconic Black albums, movies and celebrated figures. In honor of beloved Lakers player Kobe Bryant, the Mamba is a medium roast sourced from Ethiopia and Colombia with notes of apricot, blackberry jam and chocolate. The coffee menu spans classic drinks as well as options like a golden milk latte with turmeric, with alternative milks available at no extra cost. A third location is now open in Beverly Hills.
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(Coffee and Plants)
Coffee and Plants
Pasadena Coffee Vegan
After learning how unsustainable the coffee industry can be, singer and philanthropist Leona Lewis and business partners Dennis Jauch (who’s also her husband) and Achraf “AC†Sekhiri opened a plant-based coffee shop at Old Town Pasadena’s buzzy One Colorado. Coffee and Plants is Lewis’ venture into environmental advocacy through the medium of coffee. The trio opened a second location in Studio City last spring.
Live plants and flowers adorn the pink shop walls, and succulents are available for purchase. On the menu, you’ll find the Rose Bowl latte, a floral nod to the neighborhood. Rose-hibiscus, lavender and vanilla syrups are made fresh in-house with minimal ingredients, in line with Lewis’ promise to not serve anything she wouldn’t consume herself. For every 100 cups of coffee sold, Coffee and Plants plants a tree in partnership with the National Forest Foundation.
Live plants and flowers adorn the pink shop walls, and succulents are available for purchase. On the menu, you’ll find the Rose Bowl latte, a floral nod to the neighborhood. Rose-hibiscus, lavender and vanilla syrups are made fresh in-house with minimal ingredients, in line with Lewis’ promise to not serve anything she wouldn’t consume herself. For every 100 cups of coffee sold, Coffee and Plants plants a tree in partnership with the National Forest Foundation.
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(Terell Johnson / LaCreate Space)
Coffee Del Mundo
Vermont Knolls Coffee Vegan
Jonathan Kinnard opened Coffee Del Mundo in 2019 to combine his love of travel and community. Take a trip to Nicaragua with the sweet Cacao Blanco or to Vietnam with the award-winning Cafe Da, a cold-brew coffee with vanilla and condensed coconut milk. On the walls, flags from Argentina, Nicaragua, Ethiopia and Kinnard’s native Belize offer pops of color that reflect the rich ethnic diversity in South L.A. Kinnard hopes to use the shop to educate people on the origins of coffee and pre-colonial dairy-free diets.
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(Danielle Dorsey/Los Angeles Times)
Dam Good Coffee
Mid-Wilshire Coffee
Right around the corner from Sonoratown on San Vicente Boulevard, Dam Good is a cozy shop that catches your eye with a big red heart inscribed with “I Love Coffee†in “I Love Lucyâ€-style script on the exterior. Owned by Joshua Mock, the shop is decorated with Pan-African colors, including the menu where teas are described as “The Red,†“The Black†and “The Green.†Drink options include drip coffee, Americanos, cappucinos and specialty lattes like the Dam Good Latte with vanilla, white chocolate, caramel and chai, with the option to add a shot of Chaga. The lemonade menu is perfect for kids or those who want to skip the caffeine, with flavors such as peach, cucumber, vanilla and charcoal-pineapple. Pastries, toast and a Dam Good peanut butter and jelly sandwich round out the food menu.
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(Astrid Kayembe/Los Angeles Times)
Dubb's Organic Coffee Blends
West Hollywood Coffee
When Wali Muhammad opened Dubb’s Organic Coffee Blends in 2022, he knew he found his calling. Near quaint Laurel Park and with foot traffic from Fountain Avenue, Muhammad’s favorite part about his West Hollywood location is that he gets to pour coffee for folks from all over the world.
Muhammad has been around the L.A. business block a couple of times, but what has uniquely prepared him for this independent venture was Coffee and Kush, a food truck dispensary that offered coffee and cannabis. After the business shuttered, Muhammad kept pouring into his love for coffee, even adding a CBD-infused roast with anti-inflammatory properties.
The house oat milk honey latte adds a touch of sweetness to the toasty espresso brew. Breakfast and brunch noms — including a stuffed French toast, waffles, and breakfast sandwiches — are made to order. The breakfast burrito with turkey sausage, fresh bell peppers, seasoned potatoes and a dash of Tapatio is one of the best in the city and can be made vegan by request. Dubb’s roasts two types of beans: Power is a dark roast with chocolate notes and Glazed Donut is a sweeter medium roast that’s perfect for a black coffee lover who enjoys a hint of vanilla.
Muhammad has been around the L.A. business block a couple of times, but what has uniquely prepared him for this independent venture was Coffee and Kush, a food truck dispensary that offered coffee and cannabis. After the business shuttered, Muhammad kept pouring into his love for coffee, even adding a CBD-infused roast with anti-inflammatory properties.
The house oat milk honey latte adds a touch of sweetness to the toasty espresso brew. Breakfast and brunch noms — including a stuffed French toast, waffles, and breakfast sandwiches — are made to order. The breakfast burrito with turkey sausage, fresh bell peppers, seasoned potatoes and a dash of Tapatio is one of the best in the city and can be made vegan by request. Dubb’s roasts two types of beans: Power is a dark roast with chocolate notes and Glazed Donut is a sweeter medium roast that’s perfect for a black coffee lover who enjoys a hint of vanilla.
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(Danielle Dorsey / Los Angeles Times)
Flowerboy Project
Venice Coffee
This coffee and gift shop appears like an oasis on busy Lincoln Boulevard, with a smattering of sidewalk tables and a spacious interior. Run by head gardener and creative director Sean Knibb, along with flower and visual director Stella Shirinda, the neighborhood bodega invites customers to choose their own adventure with a selection of fresh and dried flowers that can be bundled into a bouquet or purchased as single stems; curated items like journals, candles and even a stylish Flowerboy apparel line; and a coffee shop that’s housed in the far corner of the space, with a simple menu of coffeehouse staples, plus a few original drinks like the Dirty Rose Girl (rose latte) and Lavender Boy (lavender latte).
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(Astrid Kayembe/Los Angeles Times)
Goodpeople
Sawtelle Coffee Breakfast/Brunch
Between the bold azure storefront, artists like Chief Keef blasting from the speakers and a bright pink neon sign in the window that reads “Polite reminder: Coffee comes from Black + Brown countries,†Goodpeople is hard to miss.
Founder Chuck Herrera was tired of the “pretentiousness and performance†around craft coffee and instead wanted to lead with “genuine hospitality†and “let people be who they want to be.†It shows. Upon entering, Kimberly Bardales-Bonilla, the shop’s managing barista, introduces you to the shop, asks you about your day and helps walk you through the menu. The coffee bar leads down a hallway to an expansive, dog-friendly patio with turf and colorful seating.
The brunch menu has all the staples like avocado and lox toast, as well as L.A.-inspired takes like the beef bulgogi-stuffed K-Town burrito and the vegan Abbott Kinney bowl. Goodpeople is unapologetically brash in its naming conventions, such as “The Notorious Vanilla Bullsh*t,†a latte with espresso, your choice of milk and house-made smoky vanilla bourbon syrup that’s dusted with cinnamon. There’s also “F*ck the 405,†a decadent caramel and chocolate espresso blend, which shines in the ube-sweetened “Dirty Dee†named after co-owner and Herrera’s wife Dee Von Kauffmann.
Founder Chuck Herrera was tired of the “pretentiousness and performance†around craft coffee and instead wanted to lead with “genuine hospitality†and “let people be who they want to be.†It shows. Upon entering, Kimberly Bardales-Bonilla, the shop’s managing barista, introduces you to the shop, asks you about your day and helps walk you through the menu. The coffee bar leads down a hallway to an expansive, dog-friendly patio with turf and colorful seating.
The brunch menu has all the staples like avocado and lox toast, as well as L.A.-inspired takes like the beef bulgogi-stuffed K-Town burrito and the vegan Abbott Kinney bowl. Goodpeople is unapologetically brash in its naming conventions, such as “The Notorious Vanilla Bullsh*t,†a latte with espresso, your choice of milk and house-made smoky vanilla bourbon syrup that’s dusted with cinnamon. There’s also “F*ck the 405,†a decadent caramel and chocolate espresso blend, which shines in the ube-sweetened “Dirty Dee†named after co-owner and Herrera’s wife Dee Von Kauffmann.
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(Astrid Kayembe)
Harun Coffee
Leimert Park Coffee
Harun’s minimalist space draws customers who come to collaborate and enjoy views of historic Leimert Park Plaza through panel windows in the open seating space. The coffee shop displays Black artwork, sells clothing from Harun International lifestyle brand and hosts regular community events, exemplifying the “It takes a village†mentality. Opened by music executive and South L.A. native Aaron Chace “Chace Infinite†Johnson in 2018, Harun serves coffee beverages as well as smoothies and vegan pastries with names like Unity, Superpower and Vital. You’ll also find espresso beans for sale, sourced from the Sidamo region of Ethiopia.
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(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen
Inglewood Coffee Breakfast/Brunch
Co-owners Yonnie Hagos, Ajay Relan and Issa Rae teamed up to create Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen, a place for dreamers and doers to find “creativity, community and connections.â€
From the straight-up Slauson Drip to the complex Matcha Chata, Hilltop has an extensive drink and food menu to give you fuel to climb that hill and reach your goals. At any Hilltop (there are also locations in View Park-Windsor Hills, Eagle Rock and downtown L.A.), you’ll find people in business meetings and interviews and students giving virtual presentations, making it a prime destination for remote workers. At its newest location at Los Angeles International Airport’s Terminal 7, you’ll find travelers and crews fueling up for departing flights. Of course, when you work hard, you must brunch hard. Hilltop’s downtown location now offers a full brunch service with 2-for-1 mimosas, plus chicken and waffles, steak and eggs and a salmon benedict.
From the straight-up Slauson Drip to the complex Matcha Chata, Hilltop has an extensive drink and food menu to give you fuel to climb that hill and reach your goals. At any Hilltop (there are also locations in View Park-Windsor Hills, Eagle Rock and downtown L.A.), you’ll find people in business meetings and interviews and students giving virtual presentations, making it a prime destination for remote workers. At its newest location at Los Angeles International Airport’s Terminal 7, you’ll find travelers and crews fueling up for departing flights. Of course, when you work hard, you must brunch hard. Hilltop’s downtown location now offers a full brunch service with 2-for-1 mimosas, plus chicken and waffles, steak and eggs and a salmon benedict.
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(Bill Addison/Los Angeles Times)
Hooked Venice
Venice Coffee
If there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that Christopher “Nicely†Alameda has better coffee and music taste than you. Don’t fight it, just ride the craft coffee wave while Deltron 3030 plays on vinyl in the background. After over 20 years of working in the coffee industry, Alameda opened Hooked in 2021 as a daytime operation in Dudley Market. Inspired by the restaurant’s fresh fish menu and natural wine program, Alameda found it fitting to add a natural coffee program.
The convivial beach cottage tucked behind the Venice Boardwalk is bright and welcoming, much like Alameda himself. He has a passion for the craft that permeates the high energy of the space and finds that naturally processed coffee invites “more authentic†conversation around tasting coffee. When you dip one of their flat oat cookies into a homemade Heilala vanilla latte, the fruity notes of the coffee still cut through.
The convivial beach cottage tucked behind the Venice Boardwalk is bright and welcoming, much like Alameda himself. He has a passion for the craft that permeates the high energy of the space and finds that naturally processed coffee invites “more authentic†conversation around tasting coffee. When you dip one of their flat oat cookies into a homemade Heilala vanilla latte, the fruity notes of the coffee still cut through.
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(Danielle Dorsey / Los Angeles Times)
L.A. Grind Coffee & Tea Bar
Mid-City Coffee Teahouse
In 2018, the arrests of two Black men who were waiting for a business associate at a Starbucks in Philadelphia sparked Vanessa Punche into action. Refusing to support the corporate coffee chain any longer, she bought a truck and turned it into her own mobile coffee operation, tapping a local roaster and sourcing single-origin beans from Cameroon. L.A. Grind quickly grew a following, which allowed Punche to open her two-story space at the corner of Redondo and Pico in Mid-City. The coffee shop is a vibrant reflection of Black culture in L.A., with art that celebrates landmark streets like Slauson Avenue and portraits of homegrown artists like late rapper Nipsey Hussle. L.A. Grind hosts a slew of events, including cooking classes and intimate concerts.
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(Astrid Kayembe/Los Angeles Times)
Lou, the French on the Block
Burbank Coffee Pastries Sandwich Shop
Former French basketball player Laurent “Lou†Correa is truly the man on the block. Each weekend, patrons enthusiastically line up on Riverside Drive for coffee and pastries. Correa opened the shop in 2016, intending to bring a casual French cafe experience to L.A. with flaky croissants, baguette sandwiches and classic espresso drinks. French-style sidewalk seating is an ideal place to people-watch, converse with friends or decompress after the week.
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(Astrid Kayembe/Los Angeles Times)
Mingles Tea Bar
Inglewood Teahouse
We’ve got quite the list of coffee shops here, but where are all the tea lovers at? Hopefully, on their way to Mingles Tea Bar. Opened by owner Lara Curtis in 2015, the shop feels like it was decorated by an eccentric aunt with bright yellow and teal walls, eclectic furniture and a mix of sarcastic and earnest signage that says, “I’m not responsible for what my face does when you speak†and “Life is better when you’re laughing.†Curtis likens her energizing tea room to the bar in the ’80s sitcom “Cheers.†“How cool is it to have a place where everybody in the community just comes and hangs out and knows everybody’s name?†she said.
Mingles boasts a collection of 48 caffeinated and non-caffeinated premium loose leaf teas, such as the full-bodied Earl Grey Créme and the floral Peace tea made with chamomile, lavender, rose petals, rosehip and bright pink peppercorn.
Mingles boasts a collection of 48 caffeinated and non-caffeinated premium loose leaf teas, such as the full-bodied Earl Grey Créme and the floral Peace tea made with chamomile, lavender, rose petals, rosehip and bright pink peppercorn.
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(Joel Barhamand/For The Times)
Obet & Del's
Los Feliz Coffee
“100% Black-owned and 100% Asian-owned†is how founder and lifelong Thai Town resident Heather Knox and her partner, Josh Oliveros, describe their vibrant Thai Town coffee shop. Earth-toned, ’70s-style stripes line the walls, and afternoon light bounces from floor-to-ceiling windows across exposed brick, painted tiles and light wood booth benches. Named after Oliveros’ parents (Robert and Delia), the two owners honor the city they love with drinks such as the Thai Town latte and the Thai tea with star anise and cardamom. They also preserved the signage from previous tenant Thai Town Marketplace; beneath it they sell locally made items from BIPOC creators, including zines, trinkets, teas and more.
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(Astrid Kayembe/Los Angeles Times)
ORA
Leimert Park Coffee
A shift from its previous iteration as Hot and Cool Cafe, ORA reflects owners Tony Jolly and Tina Amin’s vision of becoming the premier coffeehouse in Leimert Park. Updated with floor-to-ceiling windows that allow for an abundance of natural light, ORA lets coffee and conversation fill the minimalist space. Brewed using Ethiopian beans that Jolly roasts himself through his Crenshaw Coffee Company, the rich cherry and caramel flavors shine through in each cup. The coffee shop’s commitment to community is apparent in the design of the space: longer tables, lounge couches and a stage for weekly performances and open mic nights. ORA even provides a physical bookshelf for The Wake Up Shop, an online retailer who specializes in books about Black history and liberation, policy, urban planning and children’s books.
In its new digs, ORA’s drink menu returns with classics like the Barry White latte with blueberry syrup and white chocolate, and adds fresh pressed juices. The menu has been reworked to be entirely vegan with whole ingredients. Find a savory flavor profile in the Groovy bowl cooked with brown rice, toasted kale, shredded cabbage and mushrooms, dressed with a spicy BBQ sauce and nutritional yeast.
In its new digs, ORA’s drink menu returns with classics like the Barry White latte with blueberry syrup and white chocolate, and adds fresh pressed juices. The menu has been reworked to be entirely vegan with whole ingredients. Find a savory flavor profile in the Groovy bowl cooked with brown rice, toasted kale, shredded cabbage and mushrooms, dressed with a spicy BBQ sauce and nutritional yeast.
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(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Patria Coffee Roasters
Compton Coffee
Patria Coffee Roasters is a homey haven with all the classics at an affordable price. Patria, which means homeland in Spanish, honors owner Geoffrey Martinez’s Guatemalan heritage and the places in which coffee is grown. The shop sources beans from Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Uganda, and roasts in Compton near the coffee shop. Try the café de olla or dip one of the delicious chocolate chip cookies in an Ibarra Mexican mocha for the coziest combination.
The shop features art that highlights the diversity and legacy of resistance in Compton, hosts community events, sells items from local artisans and has partnered with the Free Black Women’s Library as a place where people can donate and borrow radical texts. Located across from Renaissance Plaza and the Compton Towne Center and right next to Wilson Skatepark, it’s the perfect place to stop for energy to start your day.
The shop features art that highlights the diversity and legacy of resistance in Compton, hosts community events, sells items from local artisans and has partnered with the Free Black Women’s Library as a place where people can donate and borrow radical texts. Located across from Renaissance Plaza and the Compton Towne Center and right next to Wilson Skatepark, it’s the perfect place to stop for energy to start your day.
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(Astrid Kayembe)
Silverback Coffee
Downtown L.A. Coffee
Sensing trouble on the horizon, Jack Karuletwa’s parents moved their family out of Rwanda years before the Rwandan genocide. In January 2023, Karuletwa opened Silverback Coffee in the Financial District of downtown L.A. with a mission to help rebuild Rwanda, the land of the silverback gorillas. A percentage of revenue from the shop is donated to organizations that build schools and provide services to those who were widowed or orphaned as a result of the genocide. Karuletwa also has partnered with the Rwandan government to ensure the protection of the native silverback gorilla.
Here, you’ll find staple coffee drinks and a variety of beans, all grown on small farms in Rwanda and roasted sustainably in Northern California.
Here, you’ll find staple coffee drinks and a variety of beans, all grown on small farms in Rwanda and roasted sustainably in Northern California.
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(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
Sip & Sonder
Inglewood Coffee Pastries
Opened in April 2019 in a vast space that peers out on a spirited Market Street in downtown Inglewood, Sip & Sonder was forced to shut down less than a year later due to the pandemic. Owners Shanita Nicholas and Amanda-Jane Thomas successfully pivoted to in-house roasting, and today they serve Sip & Sonder coffee at two locations, including a kiosk outside of the downtown Music Center with a third location coming to Downtown Disney’s Parkside Market, where they’ll serve Caribbean-inspired bites in addition to the usual lattes. They’ve released six roasts to date, including their newest blend Kismet, a dark roast with beans from Brazil and Colombia. Taste them in house brews like the Cardi Rose latte with cardamom and rose. They also offer pastries from Sugarbloom Bakery, including a matcha doughnut and savory croissants.
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(Dave Maziarz)
Super Domestic Coffee
Culver City Coffee Breakfast/Brunch
Culver City native Brandon Jackson grew up working in his grandfather’s coffee shop and always knew he wanted to open a cafe of his own. In 2018, he and his wife, Kelly Jackson, opened the first Super Domestic in downtown Culver City. With “coffee and community†as the shop’s driving ethos, Jackson makes a point to support local causes. Part of the proceeds from a drink called Scouts Honor, embellished with cinnamon Teddy Grahams, is donated to Culver City Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops. Both Super Domestic locations (a second is in the Culver City Arts District at 8545 Washington Blvd.) operate as cycle shops, featuring house-roasted beans, hats, mugs, riding gloves and more. Jackson and his wife also own a surf-centered coffee shop in Venice called Mañana Coffee.
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(Astrid Kayembe/Los Angeles Times)
TRO Coffee
Glendora Coffee
Just a few blocks from Azusa Pacific University, TRO Coffee is a prime daytime study spot. The shop shares a floor with Union Cowork so the energy is buzzy and focused. TRO sources its beans from local roasters Bevel Coffee in nearby Monrovia and Das Güd in La Mirada. Patrons can buy Bevel beans along with books from local authors and bowls from potters. The Glendora coffee shop offers standard cafe fare like drip coffee, espresso and cappuccinos, with chocolate chip cookies, blueberry scones and butter croissants as snacks. But the counter’s mainstay is its house-made sweet and spicy baklava syrup, which adds depth to the fruity Ethiopian roast.
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(Astrid Kayembe)
Undergrind Cafe
Beverlywood Coffee Breakfast/Brunch
Livening up a stretch of Robertson Boulevard near Hamilton High School is this coffee shop that husband and wife Ron and Rachel Sazon opened in 2015 after a successful crowdfunding campaign. The cafe embraces post-third-wave coffee culture with an array of flavored lattes, along with a full menu of breakfast items. There are classic coffee drinks for the purists, as well as an “I Dream of Lattes†menu with innovative creations like a Tiger Island latte with chocolate, coconut and chai. Pair your drink selections with dressed-up bagels, burritos, biscuits or shrimp and grits, then take it all to-go or park it in the cozy, sunny interior or on the umbrella-dotted sidewalk patio. Around the corner, the couple also owns Undergrind Raw, a smoothie and pressed-juice cafe.
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(Astrid Kayembe)
Watts Coffee House
Watts Breakfast/Lunch
L.A.’s oldest Black-owned coffee shop doubles as a full-service diner, though an order of coffee still guarantees you free refills as long as you’re at your table — a true coffeehouse relic. The breakfast and lunch menu features scratch-made dishes like bone-in country ham steak with fried apples. Chef and owner Desiree Edwards makes all items fresh upon receiving your order, so be patient and take in the neighborhood history that’s mounted on the walls. You’ll spy a banner celebrating the Lakers’ 2001 NBA championship victory, framed concert posters from iconic Forum shows and signed headshots of celebrity clientele like Samuel L. Jackson and Earvin “Magic†Johnson.
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Updates:
12:29 p.m. Feb. 29, 2024: This guide was originally published on February 23, 2023. It was been updated with new information, including the removal of Lazy Rose Cafe, Tribute Coffee House and Hot and Cool Cafe. New points of interests were added, including Auntie’s Coffee, ORA, Dam Good Coffee, Dubb’s Organic Coffee Blends, Goodpeople, Mingles Tea Bar and TRO Coffee.
