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    Cognoscenti Coffee

    4.2 (175 reviews)
    InexpensiveCoffee & Tea
    Open 7:00 am - 2:00 pm

    Cognoscenti Coffee Photos

    Business Info

    COGNOSCENTI COFFEE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for working

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    Recommended Reviews - Cognoscenti Coffee

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    Vanilla latte
    Teresa A.

    The latte was excellent, but the highlight for me was the barista. There weren't many flavor options but the vanilla was tasty (not my normal go to flavor). There was decent indoor seating, along with outdoor seating, too. Lots of cute neighborhood puppies to scratch as well! Super nice dude that shared his life theories--I wish I had asked his name but he's from KC. He seemed to have a great rapport with local regulars, too. I hope KC wins the Super Bowl because of this barista!

    Kislev A.

    So glad COGNOSCENTI COFFEE has a location here in Downtown LA. They have great tasting beans and it shows in their cortado. Their CHAI LATTE is strong and sweet. Fuel for work. Their tea is in bags not loose. They have a long communal table if you wanted to sit down while you're enjoying your drink. Looks like the space converts to a restaurant at night. For the paw-rents there, they have treats for your babies. Staff are quick, accurate and friendly.

    Honey Latte
    Archie R.

    I was able to enjoy a tad before they closed. The customer service process was welcoming. I really enjoy the bagel. It was perfect for a light lunch. The music outside kept the mood of everyone upbeat. Perfect place to try .

    Latte
    Aashal P.

    Enjoyed my vanilla latte! My husband liked the drip coffee he got as well. Cute shop and has a wine bar next to it that is open tues - sat! Good service and friendly staff!

    Mushroom quiche
    Ariel B.

    Great service and amazing pastries!! I'm not a coffee lover so my coffee was just meh (like it hem all), but my friend really liked her honey latte. But the star of the show was the mushroom quiche. The crust was so buttery and flaky! We couldn't get enough. The pastry was great too. Again thst crust. They're doing something right!! Salivating thinking about it now!

    Iced Honey Latte

    Local LA coffee roaster and cafe, sourcing primarily washed coffees. If you are unfamiliar, this type of processing involves many steps and strict quality control, resulting in the most flavorful coffee. Cognoscenti aims to be as sustainable as possible, and provide a great customer experience. They have 3 locations in LA, one of which is also their roastery. This location in DTLA has a minimalist warehouse feel, with lots of natural light, and plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. The baristas were friendly, and knew how to prepare great espresso. My Cortado was exceptional; in fact, one of the best I've ever had. I loved their Iced Honey Latte as well, which was not overly sweet. 10/10 coffee. I dock one star because there were no food options aside from a saran wrapped bagel, and I really wanted a croissant. Even a cookie would have sufficed.

    Amazing Sunday morning at Cognoscenti. They never disappoint
    Margaux C.

    Best coffee in Culver City by far. The pastries are also to die for. I recommend the pistachio pain au chocolat (they call it pistachio croissant, but it is a pain au chocolate). The coffee grounds to buy are also the best in town. I like the Espresso they make in house (I think its "Hoot," or has at least the picture of an own on it), and they can grind it for you to whatever machine you use for your espresso. The interior and exterior design are wonderful, feels like a famous architect designed the building. Dogs only allowed in the back patio. I like to come here to get coffee and a pastry before a long run!

    Nathan U.

    Came for my first time, was greeted by amicable staff. Establishment was clean and the outdoor seating is a great asset. I ordered an iced Chai tea latte, flavor was good, seasoning on the top was interesting but overall pleasant to drink. Ambiance was nice, music was not too loud and plenty of seating indoors and outdoors. Attentiveness to customers from staff needs some work but overall they were friendly. For someone who came from out of the area, parking can be a bit of a pain but there is street parking and public lots to park at within walking distance.

    cappachino
    Mia T.

    i came in this morning and noticed they had unique options for coffee .. i expect someone who works there to be a bit more enthusiastic about the coffee.. i had asked about some of the items on the menu and she didn't like anything so i went with a cappuccino.. and to top it off it's miniature size .. total morning dissatisfaction..

    This breakfast sandwich/bagel is just BEYOND. So, so good. Photo doesn't do it justice.
    Jen E.

    Love thy/my neighbor! Cognoscenti is a cute li'l spot that I may have bypassed one too many times...knowing Starbucks and Dunkin' are just a block away, it's been too tempting to go the basic route, knowing that I'll be shelling out what I feel is for the same thing here. Well, paid my first visit in awhile late last year and was reminded of why it's really worth its while. The latte I got was just divine and I have to admit, worth the extra $ you pay over other chains. You can just taste the difference. But let's talk about their 'breakfast sandwich'...the egg/bacon bagel...it is quite literally one of the best versions I've tasted, ever. I can't explain it. It just tastes decadent without being heavy at all, and the quality of the bagel and the toaster setting they got going on there must be next level! Try it for yourself. The photo I took in no way does it justice. I found this review sitting in my drafts, completely forgot to post. Support your local coffee shop, especially if it's Cognoscenti. Even more important in these times.

    Menu
    Carly R.

    Mild dark and smoky espresso. Love the space here with fun baristas. There are so many coffee shops in DTLA but not many that actually does coffee with knowledge and passion. Well, glad to say I finally found one here! I've been to so many different shops in DTLA but most of them are chained (lost their passion in coffee and more for the business) or just there for people to study/work at. So I'm glad to say I found this charm with baristas that care how they make their coffee! Also this place is spacious and chill, you won't feel to crowded with people working here which is awesome. I will definitely come here more often for their tasty coffee and chill here! Great place!

    Melissa W.

    Cute little trendy downtown coffee shop next to Soul Cycle, below the LEVEL building. Just with those two establishments, you know it's gotta live up to the hype! They offer some food there and even make simple syrups from scratch! Came for a meeting and seating can be close proximity to others but not a big deal. I ordered a cup of coffee which you can get for "here" or "to go." If you have it "here" they give you unlimited free refills!!! Then when you are ready to leave, you can get a refill in a to go cup. The coffee was smooth and tasty. And that unlimited refill and filled up to go cup def makes the price worth it!

    Banana bread

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    1 year ago

    Got a hot americano and it was good for the price. Cozy vibes inside and good outdoor seatings. I'll be back.

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    1 year ago

    Cute little spot, great coffee, friendly staff. Good place to sit and do some work/study.

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    3 years ago

    Great maple coffee! Cute place, super nice staff. Will be back! Dog friendly. Nice outdoor seating.

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - Cognoscenti Coffee

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    Alibi Coffee

    Alibi Coffee

    4.5
    (289 reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$

    I was headed to dinner at the fabulous Holbox, but driving there from Hollywood at rush hour is…read morenever a good idea. So I looked for a coffee spot closer to the restaurant at which I could do some work. Alibi Coffee is only 10-15 minutes from the restaurant, which made it a good candidate--and off I went. It sits on the corner of Washington and Raymond Avenue. While there's one-hour parking on Washington, Raymond seems to offer unlimited parking (other than street cleaning days)--the friendly, helpful barista directed me over there. Inside, it's a tranquil, clean and comfortable environment that mixes contemporary touches with brick industrial vibes. I'm in my cream top era, so I decided to get their Trademark Cream Top Latte, which uses cold brew and house made cream with a hint of brown sugar. The drink was smooth and not too sweet and, all in all, extremely enjoyable. Next time, I might try the Salted Caramel Cream Top Latte. I was warned it was a bit sweeter, but I'd like to see for myself. Wi-Fi seems solid, and there are plenty of outlets (yay!), so this was a great work spot. I'd definitely return anytime I needed to be in this area.

    D E L I C I O U S!!! Silky smooth cream and coffee with no acidic aftertaste. I don't like my…read morecoffee sweet and this is the perfect balance. Espresso with cream to counter the bitterness simply divine. This cup of coffee brought me so much joy! If you're in the area give them a try! This might be my new favorite shop!

    Photos
    Pastry
    Pastry
    Inside
    Inside
    Pastry, HONEY LAVENDER LATTE, HONEYCOMB SUGAR LATTE

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    Pastry, HONEY LAVENDER LATTE, HONEYCOMB SUGAR LATTE
    Stagger Coffee

    Stagger Coffee

    4.5
    (824 reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$

    My friend said this was her favorite matcha spot in town so you know I had to stop by when I was in…read morektown. Similar to much of ktown there isn't that much parking but they have valet if you wanted to post up a bit and enjoy. Be warned that even on a weekday this place is packed. However, they have a good system and even with the lines I got my drink within 5 mins. Shocking as i've seen this taken 10 mins + at other places. I was pleasantly surprised by the space as it had a good amount of seating and while the outdoor space next door isn't officially theirs, people seem to use it as well so it opens up the space. I got their strawberry match since it is the season and it did not disappoint. The strawberry jam was tasty and not too sweet. Also got the double matcha to wake me up even more and I enjoyed it. I did see a lot of others getting their jasmine matcha so I will need to get that next time!

    The double matcha here is very good. It's the right level of sweetness and there's a vanilla (?)…read moretaste that distinguishes it from other matchas I've had. My only gripe is that the cups are small for $7.75 (see it side by side next to motiq's $7.50 matcha) and they don't fill up the cup if you ask for light ice which is an annoying business practice as it would cost them 1 cent to add a tiny bit more cold foam or matcha Edit: the matcha was too strong and kept me up all night

    Photos
    Double matcha and matcha latte
    Double matcha and matcha latte
    Double matcha
    Double matcha
    Matcha Lattes (1/2 Sweet)

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    Matcha Lattes (1/2 Sweet)
    DAMO

    DAMO

    4.5
    (1.2k reviews)
    3.0 mi
    $$

    My new favorite spot for decadent matcha and hojicha drinks!…read more The cream top on the hojicha einspanner was so creamy and thick, and it was also the perfect level of sweetness. The strawberry matcha einspanner was also yummy and had a great presentation The space is pretty small but there are a few seats available. The line was around 20 minutes long on a Saturday afternoon. Like most spots in ktown, the parking lot is limited and you'll likely need to find street parking, but it is definitely worth the hype!

    This was our last stop of our mini cafe tour when leaving LA and headed back home. We came…read moreshortly after opening, so there was plenty of parking and it wasn't crazy crowded yet. Upon entering the place is clean, sleek, and modern. We were greeted right away. I already knew I was leaving with 2 drinks for the drive back home. I ordered: 1. Cold brew vanilla: Delicious, I love that tou can see the vanilla cream on top. This was definitely what I needed to wake me up. 2. Matcha einspener: I tasted this and immediately loved it when leaving the store. I saved it for last. It was so light and refreshing. I could easily drink it all day if they had a bigger size lol. I was hoping to try the seasonal mango cream matcha, but sadly it was gone. 3. Pastries: I wanted to try the sampler but I don't thinking they had it yet. I tried one of the cinnamon pastries. It was soft and very cinnamony. Overall, it was a great experience and I'll be back soon.

    Photos
    Matcha einspinner
    Matcha einspinner
    Matcha Einspener | Strawberry Matcha
    Matcha Einspener | Strawberry Matcha
    Chestnut Einspänner

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    Chestnut Einspänner

    Cognoscenti Coffee - coffee - Updated June 2026

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