Coffee in Cool Places: 2 Hidden Gems in Los Angeles
Warehouse lattes and an espresso bar in the trunk of a car—there’s more to L.A. coffee than meets the eye.
BY EMILY JOY MENESES
ONLINE EDITOR
Featured photo courtesy of Getty Images
If one thing is true about the Los Angeles coffee scene, it’s that it’s constantly growing. Regardless of how saturated the coffee industry can feel here at times, there are always new places popping up—and there will always be a crowd of customers ready to line up to try a new spot with something unique to offer.
While L.A. is home to plenty of big names in coffee, today, our focus is on the gems in unexpected places: the spots that may take a little extra time to find, but are that much more worth it.
Kissaten Corazon
Warehouse raves have long been a part of Los Angeles’ underground culture, but now, it seems the city has entered the era of “warehouse coffee.” Kissaten Corazon, a coffee shop tucked within the warehouses right outside of the Arts District, is the type of place that you want to keep to yourself; this cozy, speakeasy-inspired café is the perfect place to hole up on a rare rainy day in L.A.
Walking into the coffee shop feels like stumbling through a portal into the past. Vintage furniture, including a piano, dimly lit chandeliers, and velvet curtains adorning the walls, make this spot feel like a quiet, jazz-filled oasis at the epicenter of the city.
Founded by Dominic Abat, who visited his first kissaten (traditional Japanese coffee shop) on a trip to Tokyo back in 2023, the shop is the perfect blend of Eastern and Angeleno culture. Standout menu items include the Kissa soda float and cantaloupe milk matcha, along with a selection of wine and pastries from nearby Cuban bakery Cafe Tropical.
The good news is that the space is expansive, with ample seating both indoors and outdoors, making this the perfect place to bring a book and stay awhile.
Caffeineicide
Caffeineicide started out as a pop-up espresso bar in the back of Daniel Arteaga’s car, and it’s since evolved into a way for Daniel to share his love of coffee—and L.A.—with locals of Echo Park, Highland Park, and the San Fernando Valley.
“Serving out of the back of my car come from pure necessity. I didn’t have money for a cart and wanted to be mobile,” Daniel told Barista Magazine. “I’ve always had interesting ideas for dialing espresso and recipes for syrups, and I’ve never been able to do it for myself, just (for) shops I’ve worked at. I hit a point in my life where I needed to pour all of my energy into myself.”
Since first launching Caffeineicide, Daniel has transitioned to a table set-up, making appearances at record shops in the Valley, or on the sidewalk along Highland Park’s York Boulevard. In a city where street vendors are a foundational part of the culture, Caffeineicide feels like a love letter to L.A.’s roots—just tricked out with cool coffee gear, like San Remo’s eye-catching YOU espesso machine.
Key menu items include a latte named simply “Vanilla,” made with oat bourbon vanilla cream, bourbon vanilla-infused Demerara sugar, toasted and powdered Tahitian vanilla bean pods, and Tahitian vanilla spots. “This is truly something special,” Daniel says about the drink.
Daniel also speaks on how he hopes to see the L.A. coffee scene not just grow, but deepen—in a way that feels more authentic and appreciative of the craft. “I see shops operating day to day with no real vibrancy or energy. I see and have worked with so many owners who see coffee as a cash grab and who don’t actually make drinks,” he says.
“The reaction from the community has been amazing,” Daniel adds. “People see and taste what we’re doing, and the fact that we pop up in front of a Starbucks makes it that much cooler.”
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Source: Barista Magazine