Perhaps the harbinger of great coffee in Los Angeles, this landmark coffee bar in Silver Lake is the most iconic place to drink a cappuccino in the city. Celebrities sit around on the patio or back bar while the writers of industry wield laptops. The brews and espresso are extremely consistent, and always compelling.

A production of three former Intelligentsia colleagues, Handsome Coffee Roasters is one of the first to feature a full roasting and packaging area behind the front coffee bar. The menu is as simple as it gets, with espresso and various amounts of steam milk, as well as one or two different batch-brewed coffees available each day. Pastries from Proof Bakery round out the offerings.

The newest entrant to Larchmont's prolific coffee scene, the guys behind G&B have made a shiny new gem of a coffee bar featuring various roasters and a swell bar-like setup (instead of lines), where customers belly up the counter and order directly with baristas. The coffee milkshakes are special.

This high-design space features an industrial look that seams perfectly with an outside atrium that's ideal for people-watching along Venice's Abbot Kinney. Espresso and pourover programs are their normal offerings, while the back-bar tends to stretch the bounds of what coffee can be with the form of a special menu that depends on the barista's choice. The tea program is also exemplary, for those inclined toward less caffeine.

There's a reason why this coffee station at Proof Bakery has become a favorite hangout for lovers of espresso and brewed coffee - there's always a rotating list of top roasters available, as well as a constant supply of fresh beans in take-away bags. Roasters include Heart Coffee, Four Barrel, and local roaster Handsome Coffee. And of course everything can be paired with Proof Bakery's amazing baked goods and croissants.

After ending their pop-up at SQIRL, G&B has replanted inside the slowly changing Grand Central Market. Both espresso and filtered coffee are top notch, just like it was at SQIRL, using a multi-roaster system.

Located side by side with the late Amy Pressman's Short Cake, Single Origin serves Santa Cruz's Verve Coffee and pairs them with the spectacular pastries and desserts. Single origin pourover brews start front and center while custom espresso machines and grinders pull swell shots. Delightful ceramic cups and wooden trays allow you to take your drink to any seat in the Farmers Market and people watch.

Featuring Vancouver's highly-regarded 49th Parallel roasters, this Main St. Santa Monica coffee bar puts together pretty latte art with a bright, street-side setting. The quality can be a little bit spotty depending on the barista at the moment, but the iced coffee can be terrific if it's brewed on the spot. A haven just steps from the beach.

A minimalist interior allows the Ritual Coffee program here to shine, with a near reflection of the San Francisco Mission District roaster's original location. There seems to be a good number of laptop users, and parking is ample in the back, making it a good mobile office destination. A pourover program with Hario V60s serve single origin beans while a La Marzocco pulls sweet shots for those more inclined to espresso.

After making a name for themselves at local farmer's markets, Cafecito boasts their own organic, fair-trade beans while embodying the Eastside aesthetic better than anyone - a bit laid back, but still quite delicious. Both the Hoover and Heliotrope locations (just a mile or so apart) capture that "sit all-day in a coffee shop" vibe. The flavor of the roasts tends to be a bit more developed than the newer wave of roasters.

This corner cafe along Little Tokyo uses a number of different roasters to the fullest, but now that they've started roasting on their own with Trystero Coffee, they've upped their game. You can get a cup from the fancy siphon coffee brewer or on La Marzocco espresso machines.

This new entrant to the sunny hillsides of Malibu works in tandem with a local bookshop. Probably the best place for a cup of high quality joe in this part of town.

One of the first to adopt the multi-roaster model in L.A., Commissary occupies a sweet spot along Fairfax Avenue next to famed butcher Lindy & Grundy. The open space allows for plenty of seating while the Coava, Sightglass, and Victrola beans on rotation offer a varied experience every time you visit. Most of the regulars tend to be local TV and movie writers, if that's your crowd.

This mom-and-pop general store is a welcome hangout for this part of Silver Lake, but the Gimme Coffee program is impressive for a store of this type. The outdoor tables are shaded enough to enjoy any time of year.

This newcomer to Santa Monica brews Stumptown Coffee in a simple, elegant space. The decor might be minimalist but the coffee is well-crafted. There have been some complaints about the slightly snobbier service but that's almost expected with coffee that's loads better than anything else on this block.

This Manhattan Beach coffee bar brews Seattle's Caffe Vita coffee beans in a simple but relaxing space just a short drive from the ocean. It's probaly the best place for a cup of joe in the South Bay, even though it's not necessarily walking distance from the ocean. The espresso drinks are high-quality and the cold brew is excellent. The flat white is terrific.

Serving a rotating selection of roasters (though not specified), Balconi specializes in siphon filter coffee, an impressive technique that's a sight to behold. The espresso drinks are pretty good too, with cute designs etched into every cappuccino or latte. The decor's a little funky and oddball inside, giving it a local flair, but the baristas are good at what they do.

Taking a modern Italian approach to coffee, Caffe Luxxe brews darker roasted coffee that holds well to large amounts of steamed milk, which is why the latte is the most popular beverage here. They are now roasting their coffee beans for their retail locations, which tends to focus on Westside locales Brentwood and Santa Monica.

This cute shop in Westwood only serves espresso drinks by committed baristas using Seattle's Vivace. The espressos tend to be a little more bitter and stronger than other places, with baristas packing in more than twenty grams per shot. Baristas are on point with great milk stretching. The cappuccino is the drink to get. Grab a cup and relax on the outdoor patio with the mismatched IKEA furniture.

This Latin-inspired string of coffee houses maintains a high standard despite incorporating unique flavors such as horchata with their espressos.

Probably the most requested shop for this list, Coffee Tomo might have one of the more enviable locations in L.A., in the hotbed of restaurants on Sawtelle and Mississippi. The pretzels are fresh and the coffees are passable, though the service can be shaky at times. It's more of a study hall, with expansive tables and laptop users everywhere. The drip coffee is the way to go.

This high-design space in the heart of Silver Lake might have more flash than cup-to-cup quality but the best bets are the espresso based drinks that are best enjoyed sitting on the patio while people-watching.

The too-cool guys at Deus made sure to give the community a place to hang out when they placed a Handsome Coffee-esque espresso bar at the high-end motorcycle and clothing boutique. A cappuccino sitting out on the patio is a terrific way to spend an afternoon in Venice.

This slick new outpost in Hollywood is a welcome relief for those looking to get fine coffee in the area. Using roasters such as Coava, Sightglass, and Victrola, Commissary has a little something for everyone, from espresso and drip coffee.

This outpost by Seattle import Caffe Vita is Silver Lake's hottest new coffee bar. The space doesn't look expansive, but it is, and makes for a great place to enjoy a cappuccino while working on a laptop or hanging out with friends.