A recently published LA Weekly Blog published
a “definitive list of the ten best coffee shops in
L.A., period”… that is, according
to them. We at Con Ciencia Coffee couldn’t disagree more. This in no way means
that Con Ciencia Coffee believes the list produced by LA Weekly is inaccurate.
Instead, Con Ciencia Coffee believes that special considerations and
distinctions should be made when ranking coffee companies. For that reason Con
Ciencia Coffee will rank what it believes to be the better coffee companies in
Los Angeles. Unlike the aforementioned list
published in LA Weekly, these rankings are not “definitive”; we recognize that
this decision is highly subjective.
The coffee scene in Los Angeles is
evolving ever so quickly so consider this a chronological snapshot. Recognizing the ever-changing quality of the
LA coffee industry, Con Ciencia Coffee will not make extensive arguments on
behalf of anyone on our lists, instead we will invite coffee consumers to visit
these shops for themselves. We will rank
the top three in each of the following categories: “Coffee Shops”, which consists
of coffee companies that roast their own beans; “Roaster”, which compares the
quality of various coffee companies that roast coffee; and “Coffee Bars”, which
are coffee companies that do not roast their own coffee (and therefore offer
coffee roasted elsewhere). When
considering Coffee Shops, we considered uniqueness, ambiance, menu offering and
quality of the product served. We ranked
the top three Roasters based on the consistent quality of their offering
without considering their particular retail operation. Coffee Bars were judged on
the basis of being distinctive regardless of the coffee roaster that they offer.
Before we commence Con Ciencia Coffee would like to extend warm holiday wishes
to the entire coffee community, especially coffee consumers at large. So, here we go: Coffee Shops
1. Intelligentsia Coffee
Their arrival in Los Angeles in 2006 was revolutionary;
it was the birth of the coffee renaissance that Los Angeles is currently under.
Intelligentsia Coffee (or “Intelli” to coffee aficionados) remains the most
reliable coffee shop for great coffee and a great ambiance to enjoy it in.
Their baristas aren’t always friendly but this is overcome by their professionalism
in coffee preparation.
www.intelligentsiacoffee.com
2. Tierra Mia Coffee
Beyond being the only Latino player in the Los
Angeles coffee scene, Tierra Mia Coffee prevails over many of its shortcomings
and earns this spot by being the only third wave coffee shop brave enough to
combine quality coffee with a signature menu.
www.tierramiacoffee.com
3. Handsome Coffee
Sure their coffee shop isn’t open to the public but
those brave souls that have ventured to the corner of 6th and Mateo
have found a coffee speak-easy whose baristas and coffee are amongst the best
in all of Los Angeles.
www.handsomecoffee.com
Coffee Roasters
1. Handsome Coffee
Handsome Coffee steals this spot from Intelligentsia
because it’s run by three Intelli alums and has the advantage of roasting in
small batches.
www.handsomecoffee.com
2. Intelligentsia Coffee
Intelligentsia Coffee is probably the only coffee
roaster in the U.S. able to roast in large batches while consistently producing
high quality coffee.
www.intelligentsiacoffee.com
3. Cafecito Organico
Cafecito Organico is found in numerous coffee shops
in Los Angeles for a reason: they are a very deserving roaster with
wide-appeal.
www.cafecitoorganico.com
Coffee Bars
1. Café Demitasse
Cafe Demitasse is new in Los Angeles and is characterized
by its distinct location in the heart of Little Tokyo, upscale interior and especially
by its innovative recipe. We recommend
the “Icy Minty Cubano”.
www.cafedemitasse.com
2. Spring for Coffee
This shop’s location is its biggest advantage
because there isn’t any other quality coffee bar found anywhere near it in
Downtown Los Angeles.
www.springforcoffee.com
3. Fix Coffee
Residents of Echo Park are fortunate to have a
quality coffee house in their backyard-- literally. Fix Coffee is hidden away inside a
residential area in the Echo Park area. It
also offers very unique coffee recipes courtesy of an unspoken menu; all you
have to do is ask.
www.fixcoffee.com
