A guide to DTLA coffee spots

Downtown Los Angeles offers a variety of coffee shops perfect for studying, catching up with friends or grabbing a cup of joe on the go. Here’s a small sampling of the hottest spots for your next trip downtown.

LOIT Cafe

301 W. Olympic Blvd., Ste. CDE

Los Angeles, CA 90015

Hours:
Mon-Sat: 8 a.m. — 7 p.m.

Sun: 9 a.m. — 7 p.m.

The grind: LOIT serves up Counter Culture coffee, a brand based in North Carolina focused on quality and sustainability. In addition to coffee, it also serves teas, quiches, toasts and sandwiches.  

The cream: One of LOIT’s stand-out features is its Black line — a charcoal-colored collection of drinks that match the store’s color scheme. The interior is minimal in color but ample in class. Along one wall is the coffee bar, which is perpendicular to wide, black-marbled tables with outlets. By the floor-to-ceiling windows on the other end are a few smaller tables, where Gatsby-esque black chairs gather in an arrangement perfect for conversation. The shop’s playlists vary greatly; some Saturdays feature nothing but The Smiths, while others are chock-full of baroque classical or today’s top EDM tracks.

The roast: LOIT is adjacent to a clothing store of the same name, with a collection of many popular brands such as Comme des Garcons, Acne Studios and A.P.C.

Public transportation: Hop onto Downtown Dash Line F, which circles USC’s campus and drops riders off in the heart of downtown. Get off at the Figueroa & Olympic stop. It’s a 10 minute walk through the FIDM campus’ public park space.

 

Blue Bottle Coffee

300 S. Broadway

Los Angeles, CA 90013

Hours:

Mon-Fri: 6:30 a.m. — 6 p.m.

Sat-Sun: 7 a.m. — 7 p.m.

The grind: Located across the street from Grand Central Market, Blue Bottle Coffee is a Bay Area staple that has found its way to Southern California, as well as the East Coast and Japan. Its beans are roasted by hand.

The cream: This particular location has an entrance that will take customers through the famed Bradbury building, recognizable for its appearance in movies  like “Blade Runner” and “(500) Days of Summer.” Inside, the space is bright and open, with high ceilings and recessed lights that contribute to a calm ambience.

The roast: Because of the nature of chain coffee stops, the way the coffee is prepared will vary from location to location. Downtown Los Angeles’ Blue Bottle is popular because of its location near Grand Central Market. On some days, it may be difficult to snag a seat, but the cafe compensates with long communal tables paired with white wooden-legged chairs.

Public transportation:Metro Line 81 will take riders from the street corner across the Galen Center (Figueroa Street and Jefferson Boulevard) to Hill and 4th streets just around the corner.

 

Verve Coffee Roasters

833 S. Spring St.

Los Angeles, CA 90014

Hours:

Daily: 7 a.m. — 7 p.m.

The grind: Grown and roasted in the Santa Cruz mountains, Verve Coffee Roasters brings some Northern California greenery to its location with an exterior living wall complemented by wooden sidewalk chairs and tables. It also sells branded mugs and other brewing equipment.

The cream: Verve’s ambiance differs from many other downtown coffee shops because its theme is reminiscent of the outdoors. Every surface is wood, and long, hanging bare bulbs provide lighting similar to the warmth of natural light.

The roast: Verve is very popular, and while there is plenty of seating, it can be hard to find outlets for a long study session. The outside seating is taken up quickly, and it is not ideal for work — the tables are at an ergonomically awkward height for any purpose other than to set a cup of coffee on.

Public transportation: The cafe is a few blocks southeast of LOIT Cafe and four blocks southwest from Blue Bottle Coffee, and can be accessed from either the Downtown Dash F or Metro Line 81.

Tilt Coffee Bar

334 S. Main St., #1

Los Angeles, CA 90013

Hours:

Mon-Sat: 7 a.m. — 7 p.m.

Sun: 9 a.m. — 6 p.m.

The grind: From streetside, Tilt Coffee Bar resembles a giant glass box, with a large metal flower suspended above the entrance like a net. Its founder has competed three times at the World Latte Art Championship, and it serves beans from Portland-based Heart Coffee Roasters.

The cream: Tilt has a sparse menu, but the prices fall on the cheaper side of Los Angeles coffee — an espresso costs $3 and a cafe latte $4.50. They are known for their Korean-influenced cloud mochas and lattes, which contain delicious dollops of cream floating atop a creamy espresso base.

The roast: Tilt is located in the middle of an apartment complex. It is slightly difficult to find, and is a deceivingly tiny space, until one ventures around back where there is more seating and an adjacent room with outlets and Wi-Fi. It can also be difficult to find street parking, though there are paid lots in the area.

Public transportation: Located in the northern part of Downtown, Tilt is a little more difficult to get to from USC’s campus. Dash Downtown F can get riders part of the way there, with a transfer to Metro Line 733 at Figueroa and Venice streets. Line 733 will drop riders off right in front of Tilt at Main and 4th streets.