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Here’s a new take on an old idea: third wave, locally roasted coffee, but delivered by bicycle. That’s the framework behind Bicycle Coffee on Santa Monica Blvd. in East Hollywood, which seems to have opened late last year. The diminutive storefront sits just steps from that Chuy Bravo taqueria, in an otherwise relatively unheralded part of town. It’s a main thoroughfare for local riders though (Safety Cycle is around the corner on Western), making it a prime target for the coffee and cycling set. UCB's nearby Inner Sanctum Cafe might be a better all day option for the laptop crowd, but it's a bit of a pedal by bike.
Bicycle Coffee is apparently the first Southern California outpost of a popular Northern California operation based in Oakland, with locations as far-reaching as San Francisco, Castro Valley, and Campbell, near San Jose. But whereas most of those shops double as daily cafes, Bicycle Coffee LA seems to mostly be a local roaster delivering beans by pedal.
There are weekend hours at the cafe space, though — Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. — where in-the-know locals can drop in for growler refills of cold brew, which is kept on tap next to a small pourover bar. And if you’re looking to just pick up some beans without having to meet someone in a Spandex suit, look for Bicycle Coffee’s beans around town at places like Lassen's in Echo Park.
It's a small, quiet coffee operation, so for all the details you'll have to check out their Instagram.
Bicycle Coffee LA
5427 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90029