Best coffee city in the world? Los Angeles

L.A. might not boast the world’s most legendary micro-roasters, bleeding-edge brewing techniques or centuries of coffee tradition. But it is home to countless vibrant coffee shops that are the pulse of our neighborhoods and the foundation of a burgeoning community of cafe owners, roasters and baristas dedicated to excellent brews and service. You can find a great cup of coffee — maybe it’s a perfect pour-over at Endorffeine or a rose-cardamom latte named after Cardi B. at Sip & Sonder — around just about every corner.

In Copenhagen, I visited roasters who are coaxing every nuance of terroir from coffee. In Tokyo, the shops are pristine and the obsession with brewing methods might be unmatched. Seoul’s cafe scene is exploding. Is there a more sublime espresso experience than at a fourth-generation cafe in Rome? In Los Angeles, you can tap into all of this. Buzzy Koreatown coffee bars, Australian-style cafes, expertly pulled espressos, heady café de olla, Vietnames ca phe sua, Turkish coffee service, the Ethiopian jebena buna ritual. Not to mention our espresso martinis (served at a different kind of bar) and even instant coffee made with beans from local roasters.

A renaissance of Black-owned coffee shops in L.A. is pushing to reclaim the origins of coffee, rooted in Black, brown and Indigenous cultures. Our coffee shops are reflections of our communities, sprawling and diverse. And they’re our neighborhood hubs — a place to start our day, park our laptops or geek out over roasting styles. Drink it all in.

Here are essential L.A. coffee stories from The Times Food staff:

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California

Watch: The best Black-owned coffee shops to visit in Los Angeles

A community-led renaissance is brewing at Black-owned coffee shops.

May 11, 2023

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