This Downtown Lobby Might Be the Most Gorgeous Place to Drink Coffee in LA

Matthew Kang is the Lead Editor of Eater LA. He has covered dining, restaurants, food culture, and nightlife in Los Angeles since 2008. He's the host of K-Town, a YouTube series covering Korean food in America, and has been featured in Netflix's Street Food show.

There’s an amazing new place to drink coffee in Downtown Los Angeles and it’s completely hidden from plain view unless one knows where to look. Tucked into the amazing and redesigned lobby of the CalEdison Building in the heart of Downtown LA’s Financial District, this glorious Art Deco space now houses Nossa Familia Coffee, which hails from Portland, Oregon. The Brazilian-style coffee bar will officially open on September 15, though anyone who works in Financial District can pop in now for a quick coffee from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

What else differentiates Nossa Familia? They have some classic takes on the way Brazilians drink coffee, like the cafezinho, essentially a short Americano that usually comes sweetened (and it can be upon request here). While they do source beans directly from their family-owned farms in Brazil, Nossa Familia also offer single origin coffees from Kenya, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Ecuador.

Rising Realty Partners along with designer Rios Clementi Hale Studios worked to restore the lobby and the landmark building built in 1931, which has 17 different kinds of marble and mural work from Hugo Ballin. This spectacular lobby space has plush seating and fast, free wifi for anyone looking to get a quick morning coffee break nearby. The only challenge might be for anyone driving here, as parking is either costly or difficult to find on the street. And for something to accompany the coffee, there’s mini Donut Snob fritters for that extra sugary kick.

Nossa Familia Coffee. 601 W. 5th St. Los Angeles, CA