This story is a part of The Hollywood Reporter’s annual Next Gen issue. Read the 32nd annual Next Gen list of rising executives here.
Like astrological signs, a coffee shop — and inclination to stand in line at said coffee shop — can say a lot about a person. Heading from east to west, we’ve read the tea leaves (or, ahem, coffee grounds) to divine what your Los Angeles caffeination destination reveals about you.
LaMill (Silver Lake)
Never one to sit still, you know that this perennial has the best espresso with the closest proximity to the Silver Lake Reservoir. You are ready to walk and talk like you are a side character in an Aaron Sorkin drama.
Maru (Los Feliz)
You are either a people-watcher or glutton for punishment. Either way, you will never be disappointed by this hotspot. Yes, the weekend line can stretch halfway down Hillhurst, but you’ll be rewarded with a Gen Z and/or Alpha explaining to confused parents what a “cream top” is.
Maru is a favorite of Gen Z and the least favorite of anyone trying to walk down Hillhurst.
Chelsea Archer
Community Goods (West Hollywood)
You are a very good friend/cousin/aunt/host because the most likely reason you are willing to wait an hour for a matcha and whatever “breakfast sliders” are is because the out-of-towner visiting you for the week has been scoping this place out on TikTok.
Verve on 3rd (Beverly Grove)
A classic for a reason: It is centrally located and never egregiously packed. It’s the little black dress of L.A. coffee shops, if that little black dress had the most useless parking lot you will ever see in your life. You worry suggesting it for a mid-afternoon meeting spot makes you look uninspired. It may, but it also makes you practical.
La La Land (Santa Monica)
You are a sucker for branding. This small chain may not be the city’s best coffee — or even the best offering on Montana Avenue — but its bright yellow cups give you the serotonin boost (in addition to the caffeine kick) that will get you through the morning.
Primo Passo (Santa Monica)
For the unintentional Sunday thrill seekers, this cup of coffee comes with the added activity of dodging a steady stream of weekend run clubs that have a tenuous understanding of sidewalks, shared public spaces and common decency.
This story appeared in the Nov. 5 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
