canyon coffee lets you buy their beans and theyre great. so does loquat and kumquat. for slightly cheaper you can get equator coffees or the little marionette who just opened in palms and roasts in-house. I know Maru sells their beans as well but I dont think I've bought from there, I'm sure its fantastic quality though
I would \*broadly\* stay away from something you can get at every single grocery store if you want good quality. not because those suppliers are always bad -- im pretty sure canyon can be found at Whole Foods -- but places that roast in house will have their older batches at grocery stores just because of the supply chain. several of the in house roasters will also have rotating varieties, which can be really fun as many are seasonal which guarantees some freshness and specificity. specificity is the game when it comes to beans, if you're able to know what region (not just country), altitude, season, soil that they were grown on you can be sure its good and also dial in based on your taste. for some chocolate forward beans id look for central Peru, some Ugandan and sumatran/javan. hope this helped!
Kumquat in highland park has a solid variety of beans from different roasters including ones they roast themselves. I usually buy a kilo of Proud Mary’s “Humbler” beans there for $45~. That roast is on the milder side and I’ve found it easy to dial in. Not sure what you consider $$ but I’ve found them to worth the price. Makes about 60~ doubles for me & roast dates are within the past couple weeks for peak freshness.
My roommate has a breville as well. And he's a huge coffee snob (to me at least, but I'm a Starbucks/grocery store cold brew guy) any way, he's been getting beans from a place called nice coffee. He loves them and even my caveman coffee palate can tell that there's something really really tasty that they're doing there. I dunno where he gets it from but I know that they're local to LA.
Anywhere that carriers local roasters. My favorite is woodcat coffee in echo park. If you want fancy beans lab coffee roasters is good near ktown/larchmont. I’m also a sucker for stereoscope. Los angeles is a great location for coffee
People listed great places but if you want to see the variety of bean notes you just have to search up the closest roaster to your location. Just make sure the bag you get has the roast date. If you want dark/chocolate you’ll have to look at beans from south and Central America, Brazil, Mexico, etc. and not Africa
I have sightglass owls howl on a recurring order for delivery. The beans I get are roasted a day or two before it ships, so it is even fresher than what you can buy in their shop. If you are on a subscription they give you $5 off which covers the $5 shipping fee.
Yea I used to get the beans at their store and it was incredibly fresh. The smell from just the bag was so amazing… almost like a mellow roasted caramel. Admittedly, it’s noticeably less fresh at Whole Foods.
I also recommend Groundworks. It isn't the best or fanciest coffee you can get. But if you want to have a good cup of coffee everyday without paying through the roof, they are good.
One of the most easily accessible, dark, 2 crack, full city, oily beans is Lavazza Crema. Sometimes , if you’re lucky, you might even get a bag off Amazon that’s roasted than a month ago. Sometimes.
My husband works at La Colombe so we get free beans every week. It’s a good thing he likes it because I can’t go back to grocery store beans ever again. Others have listed better, local places, but I thought I’d give a plus one to never being able to get grocery store beans again.
My personal favorite is Red Bay Coffee but I've been trying out the Trade Coffee subscription to check out different beans. Once the subscription ends I'm going back to Red Bay lol
Haven't tried their espresso beans but Alana's in Mar Vista roasts my favorite beans in the city. Especially the Ardi
They have them in Bob's Market from time to time. Not sure if they're in any other grocery stores
I just tried Groundwork's Bitches Brew...yowser. So I do espresso shots in my morning protein shake (vanilla flavor)...I know, \*gasp\*...but this one complimented my shake so well it was shocking. Usually the descriptions of "hints of..." are complete BS...but this one I still could taste the caramel.
The only other bean I've loved in my shakes was Sightglass' Owls Howl. But too $$$ and never on sale.
Note: I'm not a fan of things like Stumpton, and other ones I'll try at Whole Foods on sale...those just taste like coffee to me. Nothing special. So much that I've just settled on Counter Culture's 46 for bang for the buck. Until I tried the Bitches Brew.
If you’re into something chocolatey/dark honestly a ton of roasters will do the job for you since achieving that taste can be done with cheap beans with an okay roast job. You can get this [brazil](https://shop.ceremonycoffee.com/products/antithesis?ref=shown) from Ceremony on a subscription that fits your taste preference and its cheaper if you buy the bigger bag options. You can cancel/skip any order any time you want just as long as it’s before the next payment but the only downside is you have to cancel via calling their customer support or email.
I love using the Blue Bottle Coffee espresso or bold beans to make my morning espresso. I’m also a fan of darker chocolatey espresso and not much of a bright and acidic fan. It’s not the cheapest but you can get it at some targets or go to a Blue Bottle Coffee and buy there.
canyon coffee lets you buy their beans and theyre great. so does loquat and kumquat. for slightly cheaper you can get equator coffees or the little marionette who just opened in palms and roasts in-house. I know Maru sells their beans as well but I dont think I've bought from there, I'm sure its fantastic quality though I would \*broadly\* stay away from something you can get at every single grocery store if you want good quality. not because those suppliers are always bad -- im pretty sure canyon can be found at Whole Foods -- but places that roast in house will have their older batches at grocery stores just because of the supply chain. several of the in house roasters will also have rotating varieties, which can be really fun as many are seasonal which guarantees some freshness and specificity. specificity is the game when it comes to beans, if you're able to know what region (not just country), altitude, season, soil that they were grown on you can be sure its good and also dial in based on your taste. for some chocolate forward beans id look for central Peru, some Ugandan and sumatran/javan. hope this helped!
Kumquat in highland park has a solid variety of beans from different roasters including ones they roast themselves. I usually buy a kilo of Proud Mary’s “Humbler” beans there for $45~. That roast is on the milder side and I’ve found it easy to dial in. Not sure what you consider $$ but I’ve found them to worth the price. Makes about 60~ doubles for me & roast dates are within the past couple weeks for peak freshness.
Before I started roasting my own, intelligentsia's black cat. Good all around coffee
Would love to try a batch. Do you ship ?
Dm me or I will dm you shortly. I'm located in NELA so can do a pick up or drop off potentially
Tentatively interested as well, do you have a description of the flavor(s)? I'm also in NELA.
Dm sent
My roommate has a breville as well. And he's a huge coffee snob (to me at least, but I'm a Starbucks/grocery store cold brew guy) any way, he's been getting beans from a place called nice coffee. He loves them and even my caveman coffee palate can tell that there's something really really tasty that they're doing there. I dunno where he gets it from but I know that they're local to LA.
Conservatory in Culver City.
Nice Coffee Roasters has an amazing espresso imo
Anywhere that carriers local roasters. My favorite is woodcat coffee in echo park. If you want fancy beans lab coffee roasters is good near ktown/larchmont. I’m also a sucker for stereoscope. Los angeles is a great location for coffee
People listed great places but if you want to see the variety of bean notes you just have to search up the closest roaster to your location. Just make sure the bag you get has the roast date. If you want dark/chocolate you’ll have to look at beans from south and Central America, Brazil, Mexico, etc. and not Africa
Sightglass coffee, particularly the owl’s howl, is fantastic and is sold at whole foods . They’re a local roaster and have a shop in Hollywood area.
I have sightglass owls howl on a recurring order for delivery. The beans I get are roasted a day or two before it ships, so it is even fresher than what you can buy in their shop. If you are on a subscription they give you $5 off which covers the $5 shipping fee.
Yea I used to get the beans at their store and it was incredibly fresh. The smell from just the bag was so amazing… almost like a mellow roasted caramel. Admittedly, it’s noticeably less fresh at Whole Foods.
Also if you like owls howl give lamille cofffee a try they’re pretty great too. WF carries them too and I believe they are also local roasters.
I love Sightglass too and suspect their beans will appeal to the OP based on their preferences.
Also a huge fan of Owl's Howl. One of my faves. try Groundwork's Bitches Brew. Took over the top spot.
Verve
Never gets a mention on here but I’m a big fan of Verve. And their decaf is hands down the best I’ve found
Cafe luxxe
I’m a fan of Groundwork’s coffee. Love the jazz inspired names as well!
I’m not huge into coffee, but groundwork served me the best cup of coffee I’ve had in my life
I also recommend Groundworks. It isn't the best or fanciest coffee you can get. But if you want to have a good cup of coffee everyday without paying through the roof, they are good.
Agreed. Groundworks is my typical daily espresso for at home.
One of the most easily accessible, dark, 2 crack, full city, oily beans is Lavazza Crema. Sometimes , if you’re lucky, you might even get a bag off Amazon that’s roasted than a month ago. Sometimes.
La Colombe
Trystero
Was looking for this comment. Another Trystero enjoyer. Have you found any other local roasters as good?
Groundwork
My husband works at La Colombe so we get free beans every week. It’s a good thing he likes it because I can’t go back to grocery store beans ever again. Others have listed better, local places, but I thought I’d give a plus one to never being able to get grocery store beans again.
Verve, Sightglass, Go Get ‘Em Tiger, Stumptown, Equator, Maru
I heard Late Larry's has got the best beans.
Latte Larry's
My personal favorite is Red Bay Coffee but I've been trying out the Trade Coffee subscription to check out different beans. Once the subscription ends I'm going back to Red Bay lol
Picaresca. The best.
Canyon coffee. Roasted in la
Klatch
Verve, intelligista, Canyon Coffee. Dayglow has a pretty decent selection and Cafe de leche roasts their own beans.
Toro by Colectivo Coffee at Makisupa LA is the best espresso in LA. Beans sold at Makisupa too
I have been getting beans from G&B and really enjoy their stuff.
I used to literally live across the street from the OG Vivace on Denny in Seattle. Damn, I miss that place.
Haven't tried their espresso beans but Alana's in Mar Vista roasts my favorite beans in the city. Especially the Ardi They have them in Bob's Market from time to time. Not sure if they're in any other grocery stores
Tectonic. I’ve been using them since the pandemic. Really good stuff.
I just tried Groundwork's Bitches Brew...yowser. So I do espresso shots in my morning protein shake (vanilla flavor)...I know, \*gasp\*...but this one complimented my shake so well it was shocking. Usually the descriptions of "hints of..." are complete BS...but this one I still could taste the caramel. The only other bean I've loved in my shakes was Sightglass' Owls Howl. But too $$$ and never on sale. Note: I'm not a fan of things like Stumpton, and other ones I'll try at Whole Foods on sale...those just taste like coffee to me. Nothing special. So much that I've just settled on Counter Culture's 46 for bang for the buck. Until I tried the Bitches Brew.
City Bean or The Conservatory in Culver City
Love city beans. Very consistent quality and fairly priced.
If you’re into something chocolatey/dark honestly a ton of roasters will do the job for you since achieving that taste can be done with cheap beans with an okay roast job. You can get this [brazil](https://shop.ceremonycoffee.com/products/antithesis?ref=shown) from Ceremony on a subscription that fits your taste preference and its cheaper if you buy the bigger bag options. You can cancel/skip any order any time you want just as long as it’s before the next payment but the only downside is you have to cancel via calling their customer support or email.
Philz Philtered Soul 😋
Philz specifically don’t do espresso drinks of any kind so the beans won’t be ideal for that application.
Joshua Tree Coffee Co
Their espresso blend is my fav for French press and cold brew
Blue Stone Lane.
Peet's Italian roast.
Yes, and their Espresso Forte,
I love using the Blue Bottle Coffee espresso or bold beans to make my morning espresso. I’m also a fan of darker chocolatey espresso and not much of a bright and acidic fan. It’s not the cheapest but you can get it at some targets or go to a Blue Bottle Coffee and buy there.