The 10 Best Coffee Shops In Los Angeles In 2026

Los Angeles has grown to be one of the best cities in the country for coffee, with more than 100 independent coffee roasters and even more coffee shops. Sure, you can improve how you make coffee at home, but there are always good reasons to visit a specialty coffee shop. You can try a drink you normally can't make at home or perhaps taste a different selection of coffee beans to the ones you already have.

In the age of Starbucks, the local coffee shops in L.A. carve their identities by working with the best coffee producers around the world, roasting their own beans and creating drinks inspired by their diverse cultural backgrounds. This list was determined by a combination of user reviews and national accolades that the coffee shops have received, such as barista competitions or best coffee roaster awards. We also make sure the positive reviews are based on the quality of the coffee and/or coffee drinks. It's not hard to find a good cup of coffee in most neighborhoods in L.A., but here are the 10 coffee shops we think are the best in the city in 2026.

Be Bright Coffee is a roaster and coffee shop on Melrose that has won a lot of awards. The coffee shop opened in 2022, but Be Bright was already roasting coffee, having been named the U.S. Cold Brew Champion in 2021. The owner, Frank La, became the U.S. Barista Champion in 2024. All the national accolades aside, Be Bright Coffee is really a neighborhood spot that's community-minded. There's even a small play area for the kids to use while parents enjoy their daily cup of joe.

Be Bright Coffee roasts its coffee beans on-site every Tuesday. The coffee shop serves the classic espresso drinks, but is also known for its iced lattes topped with cold foam, like the Vivid Cream Latte with brown sugar. There are also always fun drinks that are only available seasonally, like a Strawberry Sichuan Espresso Tonic for the spring.

bebrightcoffee.com
(213) 474-3419
7311 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Many agree that one of the best places to get coffee in Los Angeles is Endorffeine in Chinatown, which is run by former biochemist Jack Benchakul, who brews the coffee himself. Benchakul likes to keep things pure. Endorffeine's menu is short and sweet and it's served without any sugar or sweetener. 

Many say that it's Benchakul's scientific approach to brewing the perfect cup of coffee that makes this spot a coffee destination worth seeking out. In fact, Benchakul was named a James Beard Semifinalist in the Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service in 2026. If that isn't enough, real coffee snobs can head to Endorffeine on Mondays or Tuesdays. Every Monday, Benchakul brews one of the world's rarest coffees as espresso until it's sold out. On Tuesdays, a similarly rare coffee is prepared as pour-over. Be warned, though, it tends to sell out quite early in the day.

endorffeine.coffee
727 N Broadway #127, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Cognoscenti Coffee is one of the city's early players in Third Wave coffee culture, having started as a pop-up back in 2009. It later opened its first brick-and-mortar location in Culver City in 2012 and now has a second location in downtown's Fashion District, which is also where the coffee roasting operations take place. Even 17 years later, Cognoscenti Coffee is still considered one of the best coffee shops in the city. 

The menu at Cognoscenti Coffee is pretty straightforward, keeping to the usual espresso drinks like cappuccino and cortado, but the staff focuses on perfecting those instead, so the drinks are always well-prepared. The only unusual drink on offer here is the Latte Noir, which is made with activated charcoal. Reviews not only praise the great coffee here but also the friendly staff and the relaxing atmosphere of the downtown location.

cogcoffee.com
Multiple locations

Quat is the latest, and most ambitious, coffee shop from the same team that runs Kumquat and Loquat. While Kumquat serves coffee from a curated selection of roasters from all over the world, Quat serves both single-origin coffee and blends roasted by Loquat.

The location can be a little hard to find at first, but once there, Quat has a spacious courtyard where you can enjoy your coffee drinks and L.A.'s beautiful weather. While fairly new, Quat is already getting rave reviews. In addition to espressos and cortados, Quat also has a couple of signature drinks that rotate out, like an espresso topped with mascarpone foam or another with house-made peanut butter foam. Quat also has a private tasting room called Atelier Q, used for special coffee tastings and events. 

kumquatcoffee.com
3033 Dolores St, Glassell Park, CA 90065

Maru Coffee derives its name from a Korean word that means "mountaintop," referring to the fact that it sources coffee beans that are grown at high altitude. It opened its first coffee shop in Los Feliz back in 2017, and has now expanded to three locations in L.A. and a fourth in Brooklyn, and has even made the move to roasting its own coffee. 

Many consider Maru Coffee to be the top coffee shop in L.A. whether its for the single origin pourovers or for the Cream Top, which is an iced long black topped with Maru's signature cream. Maru offers three different espresso blends covering a range of flavor profiles, so customers can choose based on their preferences. On warmer days, the espresso tonic, garnished with a dried orange wheel, is a refreshing pick-me-up. Coffee aside, people also love Maru Coffee for the minimalist design of its coffee shops. 

marucoffee.com
Multiple locations

Verve Coffee Roasters originated in Santa Cruz, California, but the roastery has expanded to multiple locations, including four in the Los Angeles area. It's known for its approach to working with coffee producers, working directly with growers, championing sustainability, and even providing coffee seedlings to farmers at no cost. All this led to Verve being named Roaster of the Year by Roast Magazine in 2024. 

Verve offers a rotating selection of single origin coffees as well as some fun seasonal drinks. Not only that, Verve's coffee shops have a modern aesthetic that people like, as well as plenty of seating whether you're coming to meet a friend or get some work done. Some of the locations also serve a full food menu with items like açaí bowls and avocado toast. The coffee, food and atmosphere combined make Verve a go-to spot for many customers.

vervecoffee.com
Multiple locations

Stereoscope Coffee started its business as a roastery back in 2013 before opening its first café in Buena Park in 2015. Many agree that Stereoscope makes some of the best coffee around and it's easy to see how the company has been able to expand to five locations in L.A. and even open a sixth store in Seoul. 

Stereoscope Coffee's menu can satisfy pretty much any type of café-goer. Serious coffee drinkers have several options for single-origin coffee and the pourovers impress even self-professed coffee snobs. On the other hand, those who like sweeter drinks can go for the Spanish latte or the signature latte with cream top, which receive equally good reviews. There's also a selection of different ceremonial matcha for the non-coffee drinkers. In fact, not only is Stereoscope considered one of the best coffee shops, it's only rated as one of the best spots for matcha drinks in the city.

stereoscopecoffee.com
Multiple locations

Dayglow opened its first coffee shop in Silver Lake back in 2018, and now has four locations around Los Angeles, one in Chicago and another in Brooklyn. Dayglow's self-professed mission is to curate coffee. Indeed, Dayglow started out by not roasting its own coffee beans, but carrying a large selection of beans from various roasters all over the world. In 2022, however, it launched its own roastery based in Massachusetts, which, of course, supplies all Dayglow locations.

Customers say that Dayglow has a surprisingly large selection of coffee beans given the small size of the coffee shop. Beans aside, though, many customers come to try the unique and seasonal specialty drinks. Some of these drinks combine coffee with surprising ingredients like Japanese melon. The Warhol 2.0 seems to be a crowd favorite, made with condensed coconut milk, bourbon vanilla, spices, citrus and topped with a coconut cloud. 

dayglow.coffee
Multiple locations

Mandarin Coffee Stand and its second location, Mandarin 2, are unique in Los Angeles because they specialize in highlighting coffee beans from China alongside other great coffee roasters around the world. The house espresso, for example, is a blend of beans from China's Yunnan province and Ethiopia. 

Mandarin Coffee Stand is owned by an Asian woman who previously worked as a barista at Intelligentsia, and she wants to showcase how coffee production in China has vastly improved over the years. Both Mandarin's locations are in Pasadena and local coffee lovers agree that Mandarin serves up some of the best coffee in L.A. 

One of Mandarin's signature drinks is the Gui Hua latte which is a hot latte with osmanthus flower honey, cardamom bitters, and oat milk. It's praised for its combination of spice and floral flavors. Another combines espresso with rooibos milk tea, and there's always a seasonal drink on offer.

mandarin-coffee-stand.square.site
Multiple locations

A newer edition to the Los Angeles coffee scene, Picaresca started its journey inside a mini mall in Boyle Heights, moving to a larger location at the end of 2023 before then opening a second one in 2026. Picaresca roasts its own coffee weekly and sources beans primarily (though not exclusively) from Latin America including Mexico and Guatemala. Some consider it as one of the best coffee roasters in L.A. right now.

As a Latinx-owned coffee shop, Picaresca's signature drinks are drawn from traditional Mexican drinks, like the cafe de olla latte, Mexican mocha, and tamarind espresso tonic. Both the cafe de olla latte and Mexican mocha are made with a syrup that incorporates cinnamon, anise, orange peel and brown sugar. Picaresca has quickly become a neighborhood favorite. Both locations serve breakfast items like chilaquiles and breakfast burritos, and they get quite busy during weekend brunch hours, so plan accordingly. 

barrapicaresca.com
Multiple locations