Intelligentsia could be held responsible for the rise of Los Angeles’s third-wave coffee scene. And the Angeleno is the killer drink that blasted it into mass popularity. Four shots of espresso, ice, milk, and agave nectar (which adds more complex flavors than sugar would). Essentially a sweetened ice latte, but the result is solid.

If the name has you thinking of a Mexican hot chocolate, you are not far off. The espresso is spiked with mole bitters before frothed milk is added, meaning that the molé comes on subtly after the coffee flavor hits your tongue. Furthermore, as it is mole and not ganache, the taste is more savory than sweet. A dusting of spicy paprika gives color to the drink and a rich aroma before each sip.

The hyper-stylized décor of Rubies + Diamonds should tip you off that everything here is done with flare. The rose vanilla latte is a particular example of this. Adding the all-natural rose water and homemade Madagascar vanilla syrup creates an exotic variation of a latte. The rose and vanilla soften the intensity of the espresso in the drink’s heated version, but iced is how the added flavors shine. The vanilla and milk create a creamy base for the rose’s floral notes to stand front and center, while the espresso rounds things out with a kick.

The Business & Pleasure is novel not so much for the two drinks themselves, but for their pairing as a binary. A double shot of espresso is split into two single shots. One is had straight (the Business), while the other shot becomes a cappuccino (the Pleasure). Start with the Pleasure for a sweet, creamy almond macadamia milk cappuccino, then finish with the Business for a velvety, dark chocolate taste. Use the side of the signature Fizzy Hoppy Tea as a palate cleanser.

Few things taste as classically Los Angeles as horchata. And for those of us how grew up with it, many a hot summer day was spent sitting on the curb cooling off with this thick, grain-based drink. So next time the weather is hot (which, let’s face it, can just as easily be in February as in September) and it’s time for an iced coffee, try this nostalgia-ridden, cinnamon-sweetened alternative.

Endorffeine's palm sugar whiskey iced latte evolved from owner Jack Benchakul's love of whiskey, and his experimentation with it in his bi-weekly dessert events. The idea behind the drink was to create a chocolate counterpoint to the vanilla pandan iced latte, but without using actual chocolate — a sort of alchemist's mocha. The result is a well-balanced yet complex latte with notes of burnt sugar and whiskey standing in for chocolate. If you avoid most lattes because they're too sweet, this richly flavored concoction is for you.

Don’t let this non-descript storefront on a primarily Hasidic stretch of Pico Boulevard fool you. Origin excels in showcasing a rich variety of international flavors and dishes. The ca phe sua da is no exception. For this traditional Vietnamese coffee, Origin uses locally roasted, 100 percent organic beans from Alana’s. A small metal filter brews the coffee straight into a cup half-filled with condensed milk, resulting in a photogenic separation of the two. Stir together with the cube of brown sugar provided, and enjoy.

There is no shortage of durian-infused items on Fresh Roast’s menu: a durian smoothie, durian egg waffles, and even durian soft tofu. However, caffeine-fiends will find the durian coffee a particularly interesting option. If aroma is your top concern, it would be best to sip this drink with a plugged nose. As for the taste, the fresh slices of durian fruit sweeten and mellow the in-house roasted, cold brewed coffee.

Cold brewed coffee has a milder flavor than straight espresso, yet more caffeine. Mix with coconut milk (considered by some to be a panacea) and cayenne pepper and you have equal parts juice cleanse and energy booster.

What better way for a coffee lover to cool down after a day at the beach than with the espresso fresco. Equal parts Gaviña espresso and chocolate syrup are topped with a healthy serving of vanilla frozen yogurt. The espresso fresco is as much a dessert as it is a play on an iced mocha.

The shakerato is an Italian classic slowly gaining ground in the States as an alternative to ice-blended concoctions (I’m looking at you, iced latte). Café Luxxe makes a solid version using espresso, milk, ice, and dark chocolate. Air is introduced when the ingredients are shaken together resulting in a frothy final product. And don’t expect a shakerato to be sweet. This drink is known for its dry, intense, yet refreshing flavor. What is more, the dark chocolate adds a hint of smokiness.