Motorcycles, Cats and Bricks: LA Coffee Houses in December

I have visited over 15 Los Angeles coffee shops over last few months and am amazed by how different each one is. Here are descriptions of seven coffee shops I visited in December to help you choose where to grab your next cup of Joe:

Largest variety of places to set up shop
Bricks and Scones
403 North Larchmont Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90004
What I like best about this coffeehouse is the variety of areas to work or relax.  Depending on your mood you can be on the tree-shaded patio out front,  upstairs hidden away in one of many nooks, or in the communal room in the back relaxing on a couch. They also have a good-sized food menu.

Great breakfast burritos
Cofax Coffee
440 N. Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
I think half the people came here for the breakfast burritos and the other half for the coffee. The burritos which are one of the only things on the food menu are really good. This place was very busy. It is not a place to sit down and relax as there's minimal seating and a sign that says there is no Wi-Fi "Pretend it's the 90's." It is really a place to grab your drink and burrito and explore the cool shops in the area like Ripndip and Supreme across the street.

Oreo on top
Coffee by the Books
509 E Walnut Street
Pasadena, CA 91101
This is a small place with friendly servers who seemed to know many customers by name. They have a rewards program which tends to be hard to find in your independent coffee shops. I had a delicious Oreo blended coffee beverage. It even had an Oreo cookie on top.

 
Most unique vibe
Deus Ex Machina
1001 Venice Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291
Part motorcycle apparel shop that sells surfboards and part coffeehouse, this locale was definitely unique with a fun vibe. The music was a mix of jazz, classic rock and new age. The coffeehouse extends from inside the store through a big opening in the back wall that led to a nice size patio. Most of the seating was around large communal tables which seems to be a trend I am noticing more and more. While our drinks were good, my acai bowl was amazing.


Quaint coffee shop in South Pasadena

Kaldi's Coffee & Tea
South Pasadena, CA 91030
Very laid back coffee shop across the street from the tree-covered South Pasadena library. Crowd was primarily locals getting their daily cup of Joe. There are few tables and couches inside and a few tables and chairs outside. If so inclined you can take your coffee and sandwich across the street and sit on a bench or on the grass under the giant trees surrounding the South Pasadena library. Nice place to a take a load off.

Most potential for entertainment
Open Space Café and Theater
457 N. Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Just up the street from Cofax, this little coffee house is full of surprises.  Not only does it have the usual drinks, but great looking pastries and a community room in the back that hosts comedy shows, speakers, musicians and more.

Most high-end coffee shop
Verve Coffee Roasters
8925 Melrose Avenue
West Hollywood, CA 90069
People here were dressed very well here, perhaps because it is on the border of Beverly Hills. Verve has a very sleek coffee bar and really nice outdoor patio. It was busy when I went on a Friday afternoon and the only space left to sit was along a long outdoor banister that overlooked Melrose. The seating turned out fine as I was able to  watch people come and go and find a question about love.  (See photo) My Kenyan coffee was good, but I couldn't figure out why the almond milk was bubbling to life.

Great Day Santa Monica

Santa Monica is an amazing place to visit for a day or a weekend. From the pier, amusement park rides, 3rd Street Promenade, movie theaters, restaurants, street performers and of course the great sandy beach, there's something for everyone.

 

Everything is close to each other with parking structures throughout the area. We parked in Lot 6 on 2nd street: free first 90 minutes, then $1.00 for every hour thereafter. Not bad if you're headed out only for a few hours.

 

Restaurants run the gamut of cuisines and price. As my son and I were eager to get to the pier, we stopped for a quick bite at Stefano's Pizzeria. They primarily sold pizza by the slice, which I'm sure is one reason why there were a number of high schoolers here. Their outdoor tables are also great for people watching as it was right on the corner of Arizona and 3rd.

From here we walked south on the Promenade past the dinosaur statues, stores and a street magician then through the Santa Monica Place open air mall.
 

Then we joined the throngs of people and headed to the pier on this glorious sunny 75-degree January day. From the top of Ocean Boulevard you have to walk down a long ramp to the pier itself. At the top of the ramp were two sets of street performers. One set was a pair of guys wearing a Trump mask and the other a Kim Jong-un mask who were posing for pictures with tourists. The other was a music dance troupe.

 

On the pier is the historic merry go round, restaurants like Bubba Gump Shrimp, lots of vendors and musicians. I particularly enjoyed watching two young women sing while their father played a ukulele. There were also fishermen on the pier and people swimming in the water. From the pier, are great views of Santa Monica beach and Malibu to the north. Looking south is Venice Beach  and the hill of Palos Verdes.

 

After walking to the end of the pier and passing a sign that said "66 End of the Trail",  we headed back to the car. We stopped at an intranet coffee shop and picked up a good smoothie for the hour and a half long drive to go 15 miles back home. Traffic from Santa Monica to anywhere in L.A. after 4:00 is a tough.

 

A great day out in Santa Monica!