Little Osaka’s most ambitious specialty coffeehouse declares its intentions at the door: With a red, Dietrich roaster and canvas coffee bags that greet you upon entering, you know that they take coffee seriously here. Coffee beans are roasted in-house and baristas live up to the billing with a La Marzocco GB/5 espresso machine and a four-cone pour-over bar. Signature beverages include the Tomo Latte—tomo translates as "friend" in Japanese—sweetened with condensed milk, as well as non-coffee drinks such as the sweet potato latte and red bean latte. Other unique items include housemade pretzels—crab claw-shaped breads baked with stringy mozzarella and offered plain or filled with flavors like sweet potato, cheese or red bean.
Tired of the Westwood Village scene? Venture to these stellar coffee shops in West LA instead, where you can indulge in a cup before feasting on ramen or sushi from one of the nearby Sawtelle Boulevard hot spots. Seriously: it's time to ditch that boba.
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