Call it what you will – a basic beverage for the autumn season or one of the most brilliant marketing ploys the coffee world has ever seen. We’re talking about the humble yet inspiring pumpkin spice latte, which signals the beginning of fall with the same enthusiasm as an afternoon of apple picking. Still, there are a ton of other autumn-esque beverages beyond this classic that can be associated with this time of year; with independent L.A. coffee shops currently churning out some of their own more delicious takes – from Chinatown to Santa Monica City, mom-and-pop cafes are juicing fresh pumpkins, simmering small batches of kabocha or hand-grinding spices.
Indeed, “pumpkin spice” is one of the first things to come to mind when we experience the first cool breeze of fall, but we’re encouraging you to skip the mega-chain blends that lack any artisanal flair and stop by the following Woodland Hills shops for the best autumn-time beverages.
Barclays Coffee and Tea, located at 8976 Tampa Avenue in Northridge, was established in 1973 by folks with over 40 years of experience, turning this once-humble shop into a premiere coffee and tea experience with a specialty selection in high-quality products – as well as the depth of knowledge in the sourcing, roasting, and brewing of coffees and teas. For something different this fall season, try Barclays’ Chocolate Roast, Vanilla Nut Roast, or Hazelnut Roast, all accompanying a comprehensive menu that includes Dragon Blend, Good Fortune Blend, Goddess Blend, Nuevo Giorno, Jamaica Blue Mountain and many other options. Open Sunday through Thursday from 7 am to 6 pm and Friday/Saturday from 7 am to 7 pm.
Porto’s Bakery and Café, located at 3614 West Magnolia Boulevard in Burbank, has become famous as of late for its Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte, a medium-roast espresso made from Arabica beans with pumpkin pie spices and whole milk served over ice – but that’s not the only sweet autumn treat Porto’s offers around this time of year. Try the Iced Dulce de Leche Latte, a medium-roast espresso also made from Arabica beans with Porto’s signature dulce de leche, sweet vanilla, and whole milk over ice, or the Hot Pumpkin Spice Latte, sure to bring a smile to your face if you’re into all things fall. Porto’s also offers an Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte as a new recipe by the bakery’s artisans, consisting of organic matcha green tea with steamed whole milk and a touch of sweet vanilla over ice. Open daily from 6:30 am to 8 pm.
10 Speed Coffee, located at 23504 Calabasas Road in Calabasas, is the original and flagship location, which opened in 2013; the shop remaining part of Pedalers Fork, where all coffees are micro-batch roasted. Boasting a full bar and restaurant, service/sales bike shop, and a yoga studio, this is 10 Speed Coffee’s most immersive and versatile location, yet at the heart of the 10 Speed Experience is the interplay between the cycling and active lifestyle communities – whether coming or going, beginning or ending an adventure or getting a little work done in a dynamic and inviting environment, 10 Speed Coffee is your local base camp. Choose from a myriad of beverage choices, including cold brews, nitro, espressos, macchiatos, cortados, cappuccinos, Americanos, lattes, and espresso tonics. Open daily from 6 am to 3 pm.
Laidrey Coffee Roasters, located at 18600 Ventura Boulevard in Tarzana, remains the first female startup roastery café in the San Fernando Valley, bringing you the highest-quality specialty coffee from around the world. With quality guiding every aspect of the Laidrey process, the artisans at this shop perfect every roast to highlight the unique and rich flavors each one has to offer once the coffee arrives at the door. What’s more, Laidrey rotates its organic coffees seasonally, partnering with passionate coffee farmers who sustainably harvest crops and hand-pick each coffee cherry – year-round, the brand features seasonal coffees from all over the world to bring you the best coffee during its most fruitful season. Open Monday through Sunday from 7 am to 5 pm.
Blue Bottle Coffee, located at 20929 Ventura BoulevardSuite 26, was born on a vow insisting that its founders would only sell coffee within 48 hours of roasting – getting it into the hands of customers quickly so that they could enjoy the ascent to peak flavor. For Blue Bottle, it’s about fanatically sampling each coffee to determine the precise days on which it will achieve that peak flavor so that, for example, the delicious Hayes Valley Espresso sings on days four through seven. Blue Bottle is now applying this precision to its whole beans, so you and your family can experience the coffee at the absolute summit of deliciousness. Open daily from 6:30 am to 6 pm.
The Coffee’s Crib, located at 21725 Califa Street, opened its doors in April of this year and immediately embarked on a cultural journey through a cup. The family-owned café, helmed by first-generation Mexican-Americans with Veracruz roots, infuses each cup with heritage, all products organically grown, harvested, and roasted in the very lands where coffee first bloomed in Mexico in the 18th century. Ready for a unique spin on fall-flavored coffee beverages? Give the Coffee Crib’s Honey Cinnamon Latte a try and indulge in the delightful flavor combination of honey and cinnamon; this perfectly balanced drink exudes just the right amount of sweetness and spice to make it the perfect pick-me-up for any time of day. Open for private events.
Enigma Coffee, located at 18663 Ventura Boulevard Suite 112 in Tarzana, offers premium beverages freshly roasted in L.A. in small batches for the best quality. Still, the brand’s history is perhaps the most fascinating aspect of its existence: beginning as an escape room entity, the owners of Enigma Coffee went through quite the long “puzzle maze” until they evolved into a coffee-roasting operation. Because espresso machines are a magnifying glass about flavor, Enigma believes a good espresso should have a variety of balanced notes, from full-body flavors like dark chocolate combined with mid-range frequencies of stone fruit and berry to the right amount of high-end citrus injections. Open Monday through Friday from 7 am to 4:30 pm and Saturday/Sunday from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm.
Re Coffee, located at 9225 Reseda Boulevard in Northridge, describes itself as a “minimalist coffee shop” offering “specialty coffee and more,” as well as signature cream-top drinks and the “town’s best desserts.” It’s here that you can reconnect with the small things that make you want to get up in the morning, all while recharging with premium coffee and receiving the courage to believe that you are deserving of everything you desire. Put succinctly, Re Coffee redefines bold, flavorful organic roasts with signature unique flavors in Northridge as a modern café with Korean-style top-cream beverages and Canyon coffee beans. Open daily from 8 am to 7:30 pm.
As autumn sweeps in with its crisp air and vibrant foliage, it brings a delightful array of seasonal flavors that warm the body and soul. For coffee enthusiasts across Woodland Hills, fall is a time to indulge in rich, spiced, and comforting beverages, and we are certain the shops on this list are a great starting place to do so.
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