Yala Coffee’s Middle Eastern Magic in Studio City
Picture this: a line of people stretching out the door of what looks like a tiny pop-up shop, but it’s actually one of the newest coffee sensations in California. Yala Coffee opened in the summer of 2024 in Studio City by husband-and-wife owners Zain and Marissa Shammas. The minimalist interior was clearly inspired by the Middle East, featuring earthy-colored walls, a woven fabric spread across the front counter and a few seats, promoting a sense of community. What makes this place truly special is their sand-brewed coffee – yes, you read that right. You might be surprised to know that their sand brewed coffee is actually brewed in hot sand behind the counter. Their signature drink features cardamom cream topped with a sugar rim, and they’ve got an orange blossom latte that’s become legendary among locals. Yala Coffee wants to educate Angelenos on the cultural symbol that is Middle Eastern coffee.
Laurel Canyon Country Store’s Bohemian Hideaway
Tucked away in the hills of Laurel Canyon, there’s a place that feels like a time capsule from the 1960s. This hippie bodega is frequented by Laurel Canyon’s residents who don’t want to make the trek over the hill to get their coffee fix. Besides being a convenience store, Laurel Canyon Country store serves coffee and other delicious baked goodies. It is definitely a hidden gem! The whole vibe here is laid-back California cool, where musicians and artists have been gathering for decades. If you’re not familiar with Laurel Canyon, you will pass this place in the blink of an eye, so if you plan to go, keep your eyes peeled. It’s the kind of place where you’ll find yourself sitting next to someone who might just be working on their next album.
Local Fixture’s General Store Charm in Whittier
A hidden gem in the charming city of Whittier, Local Fixture (6728 Bright Ave, Whittier 90601) combines a coffee shop with a boutique retail experience that makes you feel like you’re stepping inside an old fashioned, eclectic general store. You can grab a seasonal drink like their new Brown Sugar Latte, while browsing gifts and goods from local artisans. The space feels like your quirky aunt’s living room – full of treasures and stories, with every corner offering something new to discover. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to stay all afternoon, browsing handmade goods while sipping your perfectly crafted latte. This spot perfectly captures that small-town charm even though it’s technically in the greater Los Angeles area.
Creature’s Plant & Coffee’s Green Paradise in Eagle Rock
Imagine walking into a coffee shop that’s also a jungle – that’s exactly what you’ll find at Creature’s Plant & Coffee. Opened in 2024 in the Eagle Rock neighborhood, Creature’s Plant & Coffee is a coffee shop and nursery, boasting an impressive selection of plants – from small succulents to 5ft indoor plants. The space is warm and welcoming, making it the ideal venue for events and workshops. You can literally shop for your next houseplant while waiting for your cortado to be crafted. The combination of quality coffee and living greenery creates this incredible atmosphere that feels both energizing and peaceful. It’s like having your morning coffee in a botanical garden, and the staff are as knowledgeable about plant care as they are about coffee brewing.
Sisters Coffee Company’s Mountain Town Perfection
Nestled in the shadow of the Three Sisters Mountains in Oregon, Sisters Coffee Company represents everything great about small-town coffee culture. Sisters Coffee Company courtesy of Sisters Coffee Company appears in the best towns ranking for good reason. This isn’t just a coffee shop – it’s a community hub where locals gather to discuss everything from hiking trails to local events. The setting is absolutely magical, with the Three Sisters peaks creating a stunning backdrop that makes your morning latte taste even better. The roasting here is taken seriously, with beans carefully selected and roasted to highlight the unique characteristics of each origin. It’s the kind of place where you’ll find yourself planning your next visit before you’ve even finished your first cup.
Horseshoe Cafe’s Artisan Excellence in Newmarket
Same could be said for for Nori Kozumi at Horseshoe Cafe down in tiny Newmarket, not far from Portsmouth and the coast; Kozumi and wife Sarah moved from the Bay Area a few years back, opening up one of the best small cafe/bakery operations in the state; Kozumi’s precise micro roasts are well worth seeking out. The story behind this place is fascinating – a couple from California’s competitive coffee scene deciding to bring their expertise to a small New Hampshire town. The result is coffee that rivals anything you’d find in San Francisco, but served in a cozy, intimate setting where the owners know your name. Their pastries are made fresh daily, and the attention to detail in both the coffee and baked goods is absolutely stunning. It’s proof that great coffee doesn’t need a big city to thrive.
Wayfarer Coffee Roasters’ Lakes Region Warmth
When Karen Bassett couldn’t find the quality coffee she was used to in the Pacific Northwest, she decided to solve the problem herself. When Karen Bassett moved to the Lakes Region from the Pacific Northwest, she had the worst time finding the kind of coffee she was used to, so she decided to start roasting her own. That was almost a decade and a half ago; today, Wayfarer Coffee Roasters feels like part of the fabric of the area, featuring not one, but two locations, one in Laconia and other just next door in Lakeport. Both are modern without sacrificing the cozy kind of energy you want in a coffee shop in a place where winter tends to be the longest season—Bassett and the now larger crew of people behind the operation roast some of the best coffee in the state, as well. These shops have become gathering places where locals come to warm up during those long New Hampshire winters, and the coffee quality is so good that it’s attracted attention from coffee enthusiasts across New England.
The Stockyard Coffeehouse’s Latino Soul in Chicago
The Stockyard Coffeehouse brought excellent options to the Bridgeport neighborhood. I used to live in Bridgeport for numerous years, and the cafe scene seemed nonexistent until the Stockyard came around. The cafe is Latino-owned, so you’ll find many Latino-inspired coffees like Mexican mochas, horchata lattes, and dulce de leche lattes. They just put a new latte on the menu made with mazapan (a nut-flavored Mexican treat). I’ve loved all the drinks I just listed; the mazapan one is something else. This isn’t just a coffee shop – it’s a cultural bridge that brings authentic Latin American flavors to Chicago’s working-class Bridgeport neighborhood. They’ve recently become super popular for their creative, seasonal coffee flights. The space feels like a warm hug, and the coffee flights let you taste multiple Latino-inspired drinks in one sitting.
Estate Coffee Company’s Family-Owned Excellence in San Antonio
Located near downtown, this small-batch coffee roaster and espresso bar is one of the best coffee shops in San Antonio. They pride themselves on working with family-owned importers to source the best coffee beans possible. Estate Coffee Company roasts in-house and provides a robust wholesale coffee program to their patrons. The shop itself is an adorable space to stop by for a latte. There’s a small bar at one end of the rectangular cafe, and the rest of the space is filled with tables and chairs. It’s simple and modern, but what matters most is that the coffee program here is really top quality. The focus here is entirely on the coffee itself – no gimmicks, no fancy decor, just expertly roasted beans prepared by people who really know what they’re doing. It’s the kind of place that converts casual coffee drinkers into true enthusiasts.
Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters’ Grand Vision in Westminster
There’s really only one way to describe the massive Westminster home of Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters, newly launched inside one of those modern town center developments cropping up all over the country—grand is the word you’ll be looking for, all high ceilings and so many windows and the finishes du jour, with so many places to sit and muse and drink coffee and socialize, or get work done, if we still do that in coffee shops, post-pandemic. Honestly, it’s a tiny bit difficult to imagine this as the same socially-conscious, forward-looking operation that only a few short years ago was limited to a small tasting room in front of their roasting plant in Lakewood, just around the corner from Casa Bonita. Not that Denver-area coffee fanatics (a spoiled-for-choice bunch) have ever struggled to locate one of the finest roasters in the time zone; these days however, with three shops in total, word is spreading. This place shows how a small-town coffee roaster can grow while keeping its soul intact.
Slow by Slow Coffee’s Mountain Time Excellence in Boise
Don’t try to stump head barista Ryan Cheatham, coffee evangelist at Slow by Slow Coffee in Boise, one of the best multi-roaster cafes on Mountain Time—he’s probably tried every roaster you can think of, and probably a few more you haven’t. This shop represents the growing sophistication of coffee culture in smaller Western cities. Ryan’s expertise is legendary among coffee enthusiasts, and he’s created a space where you can taste coffees from roasters across the country without leaving Boise. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, but the coffee knowledge here is serious business. It’s the kind of place where you’ll learn something new about coffee every time you visit, and where even experienced coffee lovers find themselves impressed by the depth of knowledge and passion on display.
Cafe Girasol’s Pandemic Success Story in Boyle Heights
In Boyle Heights, Café Girasol started as a small home espresso setup during the pandemic. Now, it’s a lively coffee shop on Cesar Chavez Avenue. This place represents the resilience and creativity of small business owners who turned pandemic challenges into opportunities. What started as a necessity – making coffee at home during lockdowns – evolved into a neighborhood institution. The transformation from home setup to bustling coffee shop tells a story that resonates with so many small business owners who pivoted during tough times. The coffee here carries that bootstrap spirit, made with care and served with the kind of genuine hospitality that only comes from people who truly understand what it means to serve their community.
Horizon Line Coffee’s California Dreams in Des Moines
Back in 2016, before the spreading of the gospel became nearly commonplace, Cal Poly grads Brad Penna and Nam Ho looked around the crowded landscape and decided to open the shop of their dreams not in the Los Angeles area, but rather halfway across the country in Des Moines. Back then, you might have wondered how Horizon Line Coffee, the most charming little SoCal-style cafe, all light and bright and home to one of the warmest welcomes in town, might play in a relatively no-nonsense Midwestern city. The answer? Exceptionally well. There are plenty of California-powered cafes in cities scattered across the country nowadays, but this one—where they’ve been doing their own roasting for quite some time now—remains a fine model to follow. It’s proof that great coffee culture can transplant successfully anywhere, bringing a bit of California sunshine to the Iowa heartland.
Did you expect to find such amazing coffee in these unexpected places? These hidden gems prove that the best coffee experiences often come from the most surprising locations, where passion and community spirit matter more than fancy zip codes.
