If you are as hooked on that first-thing-in-the-morning caffeine jolt as many of us are, every day in the U.S.A. is "coffee day." So every coffee drinker has their day, but tomorrow is the day for coffee drinkers. September 29th is National Coffee Day. more ›

In January 2008, devotees of Silver Lake's Back Door Bakery bid a forlorn farewell to their beloved neighborhood café. Owner Deborah Goodale packed up and all but disappeared after she closed up shop, but has since resurfaced in a whole new part of town, with a recently re-opened Back Door Bakery, serving up bakery treats and breads along with coffee and tea to new customers and old in the Sunland area. more ›

In the 1990s, coffeehouse culture found consumers embracing the $3 latte, loitering on mis-matched furniture in dimly-lit rooms where poets, artists, and, of course, writers, sat for hours nursing their espresso. Then came Starbucks, now a multi-national institution, and it holds to this day that, especially in Los Angeles, on any given day a location's tables are laden with the laptops of would-be screenwriters, bloggers, and college students, next to cooling cups of coffee. more ›

People are chatting, drinking coffee, working on their computers--just business as usual at M Street Coffee in Sherman Oaks. And then there's music celebrities Brandy and R Jay, surrounded by three cameraman, talking about respect, music... more ›

Hey, it's National Grilled Cheese Month (you've been celebrating daily, right?), so what better time to visit dessert eatery than now? Syrup Desserts in downtown is a cafe that focuses on lattes, cappuccino, coffees and teas along with a melted chocolate, waffles, crepes, ice cream sandwiches and more. The last page of their menu, however, is where they start mixing it up. more ›

It may not seem possible to read a review of yet another coffee shop on the eastern end of Los Angeles and find something you have not already read a couple of dozen times. Yet somehow there is something new to read because Antigua Coffee House is not just another place to get a caffeine fix. Sure it has amazing coffees, which they roast themselves, teas, and smoothies with a Mayan flavor (they come in three sizes, ce, ome, and yei) and an awesome selection of muffins, biscotti, cakes, and other baked goods. more ›

Laptop: Check. Screenplay notes/freelance deadline: Check. Need for caffeine and WiFi: Check. Now, where to? The Huffington Post's LA site has a piece today giving their picks for the 10 best non-chain cafés or restaurants where writers can open up their laptops and tap away (mostly) happily. The list includes everything from Palihouse to the members-only Soho House, along with Larchmont's Bricks and Scones, Intelligentsia, Abbot's Habit, and Casa del Mar (home of LAist's least favorite brunch). But the list comes with another 10 points: Rules for good behavior that will ensure you don't ruin a good spot for others. Any good writing place you're willing to share that didn't make their list? Let us know! more ›

A late-night coffeehouse is tough to find. One open all night long is even harder. Sure, there are all-night diners like Norms and the 101 Coffee Shop, but true coffeehouses, whether it be one with an eclectic menu, cozy couches, hand-picked teas or other unique tendencies, are sorely needed in Los Angeles. more ›

In a nice addition to Studio City's growing stock of quality eateries, Kings Road Cafe of Beverly Boulevard fame opened its second location on Ventura Boulevard earlier this month. Located just east of Whitsett Avenue, parking is complimentary with the valet, which is shared with the cafe's neighbor, Good Earth Restaurant. more ›

It's good to be the son of a restaurant owner. Miriam Toam's son loved the Jucy Lucy burger trend in Minneapolis so much, he convinced her to experiment and make her own for Mira'le Cafe and Grill on West 3rd Street. Customers gave a thumbs up and now five cheese stuffed burgers are on the menu, whether it be a brie with cranberries, blue cheese with carmelized onions or pepper jack with bacon and avocado. Toam says she can also do it with veggie and turkey burgers by doubling up the patties. She also offers gluten-free breaks and burger buns upon request. The morning and afternoon cafe has been around for just over a year and so far is faring well with Yelpers. more ›

Today marks the opening of Petrossian's first Los Angeles area storefront. It's a cafe and boutique featuring menu items such as a Smoked Chorizo Scramble, a Tsar Cut Smoked Salmon Trio, the always controversial Foie Gras, an interesting grilled cheese made of buffalo mozzarella, tomato, olives and pesto on ciabatta and other meaty and fishy items. The boutique carries items like wines, cheeses, jams, gift baskets and the such. Tonight from 4 to 7 p.m. is their grand opening and starting tomorrow, regular hours (11 a.m. to 9 p.m.) begin. more ›

Anyone who lives on or just off Santa Monica Blvd between the streets of Fairfax and La Brea knows great joy and equally great frustration. It is a tremendous area to live in, centrally located, rent controlled West Hollywood, quiet side streets, a plethora of parks and supermarkets and even the honest to goodness one up on Wal-Mart, Target. But while Melrose to the south and Sunset to the north flourish with cafe's, restaurants and other places to satisfy hunger, Santa Monica Blvd remains inexorably silent. more ›

The front doorway of a restaurant and cafe in Valley Village caught fire this afternoon, but was quickly knocked down by the LA Fire Department in eight minutes after the first 911 call. Cafe Eilat, a kosher gourmet coffee shop and full bakery with sit down service, was already closed today in observance of the Sabbath. more ›

For almost a year now, a small corner storefront near Sunset and Vine has taunted neighbors and office workers as they pass by. "Coming Soon!" the sign reads at The Farmer's Kitchen, a Selma Ave./Morningside Ct. space owned by the non-profit Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles. When it finally opens (which they hope could be in a year, construction just started) it will be a permanent extension of the Hollywood Farmers' Market and hold cooking classes while being a neighborhood "farm fresh" cafe with an emphasis on assistance and nutrition education to the low-income population. more ›

Bettina Korek and her For Your Art crew did it again -- another fantastic art opening slammed with people. Actually, they have been sizzlin' hot all weekend with the first LA Art Weekend (with more events today), which has highlighted some of the city's newest gallery spaces including last night's opening of Royal/T, the nation's first Japanese "Maid Cafe," and the pop up Storefront for Architecture and Art on Friday. Royal/T is a shop, an art space and a cafe all in one. Tea service will begin sometime soon, but in the meantime, enjoy the photos below. more ›

Soul Vegetarian opened up last summer in the nightclub space, but quickly closed a couple months ago. Not to fear, however, Jewel, who owns the building, continued the short lived soul food vegan restaurant near the corner of Pico and Crenshaw. "I've been a vegan for twenty-some years," she said, "and it was a dream of mine to open up a vegan restaurant." Soul Vegetarian (not to be confused with Vegisoul on Jefferson) finally filled that void last July, but when it closed down, she didn't want to let it go, so she hired Soul's chef and opened up Vegan Village Internet Cafe. more ›

LA Mill finally (soft-)opened its "boutique" in Silver Lake last Friday and we were lucky to get there in time to sample the goods -- for free. The space is impressive but the environment -- almost pretentiously over the top. But let's discuss the coffee: more ›

One of the things I love most about LA is the depth of its cultural diversity. I don’t love the fact that it’s so segregated, but I appreciate the fact that in contrast to the outsider view that LA is simply a vapid, endless string of cookie-cutter communities, every neighborhood has its own character and identity (witness our Neighborhood Projects). Which means that no matter what you’re into, you can find a place that... more ›

Vegan and vegetarian restaurants are starting to become one of the regulars among sushi and Thai joints across Los Angeles neighborhoods. And on Thursday, Silver Lake got theirs with Flore Vegan Cuisine (additionally, Intelligentsia Coffee opened yesterday one block north). Veggies are rejoicing to once again eat owner and Chef Miranda's cuisine after selling Tierra Cafe last year in Downtown (which is still open under new management). She has now brought forth a vegan restaurant... more ›

Just about every time I'm winding my way over the hill into Hollywood I pass by Solar de Cahuenga at the corner of Franklin and Cahuenga and think, "Man, I need to check this place out." Back when I lived just a hop, skip, and a jump (aka three blocks) from the cafe's corner there was no cafe there to speak of. Then again, there was no such thing as WiFi to speak of,... more ›

I’m in Burbank frequently and often find myself very preoccupied with finding a good lunch place. I’ve exhausted all the places on San Fernando near the Burbank Media Center and usually I just want a good sandwich that isn’t in sub form (although Santoro’s Italian Cold Cut is a favorite) or isn’t something from Porto’s (again, another frequently visited spot). Across from Porto’s I’ve found what seems to be an anomaly in Burbank: a... more ›

Pete’s Café is truly an enigma in the downtown dining scene, which seems to birth a new establishment every 30 to 40 seconds these days. While living in the Little Tokyo Lofts during 2005, I was introduced to this funky little restaurant nestled into the corner of 4th Street and Main by super-neighbor and self-appointed Mayor of Downtown Los Angeles, Shawn Mitchell. Since then, I have eaten more Hellman Burgers, drank more Stella, and... more ›