Get us in your inbox

Search

15 drinks every Angeleno should try

Cocktails, coffee, juices—here are the 15 signature drinks that make up LA's drinking culture

Written by
Erin Kuschner
Advertising

Ask an Angeleno what their go-to drink is, and you may hear "green juice" as often as "Moscow Mule." What does a signature LA drink even mean? Judging by the storied history of certain cocktail bars, the latte art that fills our Instagram feeds, and the fact that juice seems to run through our veins, it means there really isn't one drink that embodies LA. Instead, we found 15. Whether you're looking for an afternoon pick-me-up at LA's best coffee shops or imbibing at a famed watering hole, here are the drinks you should order as a bona fide Angeleno.

How many have you tried? Fill out our checklist here.

Have you tried these signature LA drinks yet?

  • Restaurants
  • Californian
  • South Park
  • price 3 of 4
The idea of drinking spiked milk might not appeal to everyone, but this drink, which has garnered critical acclaim across the country (it won Esquire's 2014 Cocktail of the Year award) is a universal hit. Made with multiple kinds of rum, bourbon, Batavia Arrack, absinthe, green tea, a smorgosbord of spices and clarified milk, it's enough to make you forget your lactose concerns. $16
  • Bars
  • Pubs
  • Central LA
  • price 2 of 4
There's a reason Tom Bergin's calls itself The House of Irish Coffee. The Fairfax pub serves the absolute best iteration of this drink in LA, with Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey, simple syrup and dark roast coffee as the base, and chilled Irish cream serving as the proverbial cherry on top. Sláinte! $8
Advertising
  • Restaurants
  • Steakhouse
  • Hollywood
  • price 3 of 4
The history at Musso & Frank Grill is palpable—everyone from Alfred Hitchcock to Kevin Costner has mosied through this Hollywood hot spot—but you don't have to be a star to try their famed martini. More than 800 of these beauties are stirred, not shaken, on a Saturday night, topped with two olives and only a splash of vermouth if requested. If you aren't already a martini drinker, this version will make you an immediate convert. Starts at $10
  • Bars
  • Gastropubs
  • La Cañada
  • price 3 of 4
The largest gin bar in the world is right in our own backyard (La Cañada Flintridge), where more than 200 bottles of the clear spirit line the walls. For a memorable (or, you know, not, depending on how much gin you drink) experience, try a flight, including the bar's own Flintridge Native Botanical Gin. $15-$36
Advertising
  • Restaurants
  • Mexican
  • Silver Lake
  • price 2 of 4
There are a lot of great micheladas in town, but the Diablo version might be the most unique. Choose your beer, then top off your pint with a savory popsicle made with tomato juice, lime, chilis and spices. Dunk. Repeat. $3 per popsicle, plus the cost of beer ($6-$7)
  • Restaurants
  • Coffee shops
  • Downtown Historic Core
  • price 2 of 4
Whether you pick up LA's best known cappuccino at G&B Coffee or Go Get Em Tiger, you'll automatically have a new standard by which to judge all other cappuccinos in LA. Charles Babinski and Kyle Glanville crafted this caffeinated beverage made with almond-macadamia milk, with the inclusion of dates to up the sweet factor. Order a cup, sit back and enjoy. $5
Advertising
  • Bars
  • Cocktail bars
  • Downtown Historic Core
  • price 3 of 4
First, it goes without saying that if you haven't yet been to The Varnish, you should go to The Varnish. And if you go to The Varnish, you should order the Old Fashioned. Bourbon, Angostura bitters, a sugar cube and a splash of club soda is poured over a block of ice, to be enjoyed slowly in the surrounds of LA's most revered bar. $13
  • Restaurants
  • Seafood
  • Sherman Oaks
  • price 3 of 4
If it seems a bit gimmicky—well, it is. The oyster luge at Tipple & Brine (it's not on the menu, but you can ask for it by name) draws people to the Valley for its kitsch factor, but it's also a must-try if you've never slurped up Scotch in your oyster shell. Sip a little bit of oyster brine, a small taste of Bowmore 10 Year Scotch, eat the oyster, pour the rest of the Scotch in the shell, then knock it down the hatch. $9
Advertising
  • Restaurants
  • American
  • Culver City
  • price 2 of 4
When The Corner Door's talented head bartender Beau du Bois crafted the Mezcallin, a spin on the traditional Penicillin, he created a drink that uses pineapple gomme to complement mezcal's smoky flavor. The result: a highly creative, complex cocktail that has left regulars enamored with the drink since 2012. $12
Love it or hate it, juice cleanses aren't going anywhere; as a LA denizen, you're more than likely going to encounter someone talking (complaining?) about their juice experience. Just accept it. If you haven't tried a cleanse yet, head to your nearest Moon Juice, Pressed Juicery, Clover, Earthly Juices or wherever you hear the sound of a blender, then hunker down for a couple days. At least this way you'll have an opinion on the manner. More money than juice should ever cost.
Advertising
  • Restaurants
  • Contemporary American
  • West Hollywood
  • price 3 of 4
The Church Key's Odd-er Pop resembles the popsicles of your youth more than a boozy beverage, but don't be fooled: each pop contains a three-ounce cocktail, ranging from a "Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" (lemon drop) to a "It's Not Easy Being Green" (appletini). Head bartender Devon Espinosa has come up with plenty of creative concoctions here—canned Bloody Marys, anyone?—but these pops frozen with liquid nitrogen are his signature mark. $11 per pop
  • Bars
  • Cocktail bars
  • Los Feliz
  • price 2 of 4
Named after Ray Buhen, Tiki-Ti's founder, the tiki bar's most popular drink was made by pure accident. In 1968, Buhen put the wrong syrups in an Anting Anting, and was about to throw it away until a customer said he would drink the cocktail anyway. Today, the drink is made with Tiki-Ti's "super secret flavor," plus botanic liquers, passion fruit and dark Coruba rum. The moral of the story: Make mistakes, then drink 'em. $9
Advertising
  • Restaurants
  • Scottish
  • Atwater Village
  • price 3 of 4
Tam O'Shanter was slinging Moscow Mules long before everyone was ordering the ubiquitous copper mug full of liquor. Their version, made with Cock & Bull ginger beer, is a little spicy, a little sweet, and affordable enough to knock back a few before digging into the pub's fish and chips. $7
  • Clubs
  • Silver Lake
  • price 2 of 4
The namesake drink at The Thirsty Crow includes "magic" on its list of ingredients, and we are here to confirm that, yes, it's downright magical. Crafted by head bartender Cooper Gillespie, the refreshing cocktail features Old Overholt rye whiskey, maraschino, lemon and ginger beer, and so perfectly embodies the Silver Lake neighborhood it resides in. $12
Advertising
  • Restaurants
  • Mexican
  • South Park
  • price 2 of 4
The El Cholo Margarita has presided as a classic LA drink in all of its uncomplicated glory since 1967. Made with El Cholo margarita mix, 1800 tequila, Cointreau and a bit of egg white, its one of the smoothest variations in town. So order a few, OK? $9
Recommended
    You may also like
    You may also like
    Advertising