Menotti's Coffee Stop

Oh my god. I wish that I could drive to Menotti's Coffee Stop everyday and get a cup of coffee and a sweet. Any kind volunteers that would like to drive me?

Menotti's is a individualistic and tasteful cafe located in Venice. It's close to the beach, so next time you decide to have a beach day, make a stop at Menotti's.

Menotti's is not your average coffee shop. To roast their coffee they use Four Barrel coffee, a great roaster that roasts beans from all around the world. Not only do they have great tasting coffee, but their latte art is spectacular. The barista that was helping me has won awards and has a Instagram dedicated to his latte art (Check out his Instagram: @nicely85). They also play old classics on their vintage record player and have the most adorable turquoise espresso machine.

While I could go all day telling you what I love about Menotti's, I'm just going to name a few.

1. Secret menu

This was my favorite part of the shop- their secret menu. Most coffeeshops do not have a secret menu, so I thought this was unique and cool. The drinks on their secret menu all looked so good I couldn't decide. If it was up to me,  I would have ordered everything off the secret menu.

2. Drinks

WOW.... my drink was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. I got a vanilla (excuse my French) bullshit, which is basically their version of a vanilla latte. The vanilla syrup used in my drink was homemade, not out of a bottle, which made the drink even better. The vanilla bullshit is a drink on the secret menu and is a perfect combination of both bitter and sweet.

3. Cookies

So, on my drive there, I looked Menotti's up on Yelp. I saw a comment about their chocolate chip cookies and it said that I had to get one....and that's exactly what I did. When I bought their cookie, I knew I made the right choice. It was homemade- 'nuff said- but it was gooey in the center, crispy on the outside, and chocolatey all around.

4. Baristas

I had never been to coffee shop where the baristas were so welcoming, social, and kind until I went to Menotti's. The barista whose Instagram is listed above was the one working that day, and his nickname is Nicely. Why? Because he so nice. He made lots of friendly conversation with me, and gave me a free drink (of course I could not refuse... it's a free cup of coffee). The drink was delicious; it was some sort of espresso tonic with orange zest. Basically, it was tonic water, a shot of espresso, and orange zest. Usually, I am not a big fan of orange in my coffee, but this drink was so interesting that I didn't even mind the orange.

Some good news regarding Menotti's. It has been open for about 3 years, and because they are doing so well, they are opening another shop. WOOHOO!

Overall, Menotti's is a special shop. The staff is kind, the drinks and food are scrumptious, and the atmosphere is beautiful. Thank you Menotti's for a fantastic cup of coffee that made my day, hope to be back soon.

Address: 56 Windward Ave, Venice, CA, 90291

            

Photos taken by me

Proof Bakery

Proof Bakery is one of my favorites cafes in the Glendale area. It is in upcoming hip area of Atwater Village. They bake everything themselves and get their coffee from multiple roasters. The shop itself is quaint, has very limited seating, and no wifi. This is not the place to work, but is the place to grab a quick bite and chat with your friends. If you are going to visit Proof Bakery, I suggest going with a small amount of people because there is always a line out the door and nowhere to sit.

If I could choose two words to describe Proof Bakery's fresh made pastries, it would be: unbelievably scrumptious. They offer so many choices from sweet to savory. I stood in line for a good 15 mins before I could see the pastry case and try to choose from the overload of mouthwatering fresh baked goodies. After limiting my choices to just a couple of things, I thinks I made a good choice. I ordered the most delicious breakfast- a slice of fresh brioche bread with grilled asparagus and tomatoes drenched in melted cheese. Sweet tooth me also got a canelé and a couple of chocolate chip cookies.... just in case I got hungry on the car ride home.

Their coffee was another story- not too sweet and not too bitter. I ordered an iced latte which just mind-boggling. I can't describe how good it was, which basically means you need to get in your car, drive to Proof Bakery, and get a cup of coffee. I finished my cup of deliciousness before getting in my car, and was seriously debating whether or not to go back in line and wait so that I could order another cup of coffee. I can speak for my stomach, and I can honestly say that my stomach was definitely more than satisfied when visiting Proof Bakery.

Address: 3156 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039

Photos taken by me

Brū Coffeebar

Hello, coffee lovers!

So this coffee shop is my all time personal favorite- but I'm a little biased. See, Brū Coffeebar in Los Feliz is my mom's shop. In 2011, she created Brū Coffeebar, an independent artisanal coffee shop. Anyway, I decided to stop by Brū and share with you what I love about it.

1. The Neighborhood

The Los Feliz area is an artsy location filled with art, thrift shops, and cafes. One of my favorite things to do in the Los Feliz area is to grab a cup of coffee from Brū, go to Skylight Books (the local beautiful bookstore), thrift shop, take what I would like to call "artsy" pictures, and people watch. Over the many times that I have gone to Brū, I always see a celebrity like Kristen Stewart or Laura Prepon. Who knows- maybe you'll spot Chiara Ferrangi who is always in the Silverlake area.

2. The Art

Hung all around Brū are pieces of art created by local artists. Every couple of months or so, Brū finds a new artist to feature in the shop.

3. The Drinks and Pastries

Brū has some pretty unique drinks from their Lavender Lemonade Sparkler to Iced Arancio to Dirty Root Beer Float. My all time favorites are the coconut green tea and ginger latte. Don't even get me started on their pastries. The brownie is my favorite- it's decadent and choclately- need I say more. Brū offers a variety of pastries from their Actions Cookies to their Sugarbloom pastries delivered daily.

4. The COFFEE (the most important thing)

So, the real reason why we are all here- the coffee. Brū gets its coffee from a roasting company located in San Fransisco called Ritual. Brū has an assortment of coffees from all around the world that they offer. The coffee offering changes weekly at Brū; one week they will offer a coffee from Kenya and the next they will offer coffee from Costa Rica. If you are not a coffee person that's perfectly fine because Brū has many teas to share including a variety of green teas, naturally decaffeinated rooibos teas, and wellness teas.

Every Friday Brū has a free cupping where you can try coffees from all around the world that each have a distinct taste. Brū also offers classes on how to brew better coffee at home every Thursday at noon. In this class, the baristas of Brū teach you how to use the Chemex, the pour-over method, and many more techniques on how to improve your coffee.

Overall, Brū is the perfect place to grab a cup of coffee on your way to work, chat with an old friend, or start writing that book that you've always wanted to write.

To see more info about Brū and their story click on the link: http://www.brucoffeebar.com

So basically what I am saying is stop whatever you are doing at this very moment, get in your car, and go to Brū Coffeebar and get a cup of yummy in your tummy coffee- Got it?

See you later- going to drink more coffee at Brū :)

Address: 1866 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90027

Photos taken by me

The Coffee Roasters (of Sherman Oaks)

This adorable hidden coffeeshop on Ventura blvd made my day. The Coffee Roaster, which is celebrating its 30th birthday soon, is a tiny independent shop located in Sherman Oaks. I would call it a hidden LA gem because that's what it is. The Coffee Roaster is so underrated, and I think that's what I love most about it. When I walked into the shop, I felt a sense of comfort. It's a cozy environment with a sense of intimacy and community. The staff immediately welcomed me in and asked what I would like to order. You could tell the people dining at the shop were regulars because they seemed in their element; they were talking so casually and relaxed to the staff.

At The Coffee Roasters, they roast numerous types of coffee beans from all around the world. You can buy bags of cultured coffee beans and several different kinds of brewing accessories. As for their menu, they have a large assortment of drinks to choose from, as well as, snacks. They have the typical snacks- croissants, cookies, muffins-, but they also have homemade zucchini and banana bread.

Their seating is limited; there is a small counter area inside along with a table and a couple tables outside. This is a fabulous place to hang out with a special friend and just talk for hours or to bring your laptop and write that huge paper that you're dreading to do and are in need of a large cup of caffeine.

What did I order?

Well typical me ordered an iced latte- which was splendid. It tasted like coffee ice cream and I didn't want it to end. I also got a piece of zucchini bread that the original owner bakes, along with a piece of decadent chocolate cake (If you can't tell already- I have a major sweet tooth). Both sweets were mouth-watering.

I definitely know that I will be coming back here, especially to do work, relax, or just to grab a fine cup of coffee with a slice of homemade zucchini bread.

Address: 13567 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

Photos taken by me

Red Window

This is one of my new favorite coffee shops! Red Window, a tiny one person shack located on traffic filled Ventura Blvd, has outstanding drinks and pastries. Red Window makes all their drinks with one small sink and a coffee machine, using Four Barrel Coffee for their drinks.

They have spectacular pastries. They sell out fast, but when I went some of the best ones were there. Some of their pastries include a huckleberry maple glazed doughnut, salted caramel pull apart bread, campfire cookie, and cheese sage croissant. The campfire cookie is interesting; it's a cookie with chocolate chips, marshmallows, and rice crispy- a big calorie load, but definitely worth it. The drink that I got was cold brew coffee mixed with chicory, sweetened with milk and over ice. I think that it tastes like Häagen-Dazs's coffee ice cream, but with a little bit of bitterness. I also got the salted caramel pull apart bread and the cheese sage croissant, which were both full of flavor. They also have a happy hour where all drinks and pastries are each $2.50, which is great because I do not mind paying $5 for a rich cup of coffee and a heavenly pastry.

The nice thing about Red Window is that it is very convenient. If you are shopping in Studio City, getting your hair done at the Dry Bar next door, in a rush to pick up your kids, or haven't had your usual 7th cup coffee of the day, you will get your coffee in 5 minutes top. You can either roll up into the driveway and order or park your car on the street; either way, you'll get your small cup of joe.

Address: 12953 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604

Photos taken by me

                                               

Barista Society is New to Society

If craving a cup of coffee while in the Topanga area, go to Barista Society. Barista Society is coffeeshop stand in the Topanga Village, Westfield’s new shopping and dining complex. They use their own coffee, but also sell Stumptown Coffee. The shop also has punch cards that you can take in order to get a free beverage after buying 10 drinks. They offer a variety of different drinks, some known and others that I've never heard of. Some known drinks offered are their: pour ver coffee, iced americano, and iced green tea. Some of unique drinks they sell: sweet casanova, iced blended chocolate charlie, and s’mores latte.

Don’t even get me started on their sweets, for they all look amazing and are mouthwatering. My favorite is the Strawberry-Nutella skronut. One word- Heaven. I had a iced vanilla village latte, which was excellent, and the Strawberry-Nutella skronut topped it all off. Overall, Barista Society is a superb coffeeshop and I enjoyed their coffee and skronuts.

The look of the shop is modern- all glass, white marble, wood, clean-cut. Seating is not offered inside or outside the shop, but the Village provides a handful of seating areas within. There are long community tables with chairs, individual tables and chairs, and my favorite, the relaxing straw couches.

Barista Society: 6220 Topanga Canyon Blvd #9060, Woodland Hills, CA 91367

Photos taken by me

Welcome

Welcome coffee addicts!

I am an Angeleno who LOVES coffee- plain and simple.

My parents upheld the "no drinking coffee" rule for as long as they could, but someday it had to be broken. I haven't been drinking coffee for a long time, but I'm already addicted. I love going on adventures all around LA and scoping out the all the hip coffee shops.

Living in Los Angeles, you easily have access to coffee, and there are many corporate coffeeshops like Starbucks, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, and Pete's Coffee & Tea. While those are all your average cup of joe, nothing compares to all the amazing independent shops around town. In this blog, I go to marvelous shops in LA and indulge in multiple cups of heavenly coffee. I'm going to let you all in on the secret and not so secret, but adorable shops of LA. Some shops may be a bit pricey, but at the end of the day, that tiny shot of espresso was worth it.

Enjoy, but first coffee.

- Lauren (the girl with coffee in her veins)

#fortheloveofcoffee