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    Groundwork Coffee

    4.0 (518 reviews)
    ModerateCoffee & Tea, Cafes
    Open • 6:00 am - 4:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Groundwork Coffee Takeout or Delivery

    Groundwork Coffee Photos

    GROUNDWORK COFFEE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Hipster
    Casual
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Groundwork Coffee

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    Welcome to Groundwork coffee. #dtla #bnw
    Carl N.

    Groundwork Coffee (est 1990) is a large coffee shop located in the Arts district of LA. GC has other locations throughout the city. They serve coffee, tea, pastries and breakfast. Interior has a rustic feeling given the high exposed wooden beams and brick wall around the shop. Moreover, it's spacious and very relaxing place to start the day. Outdoor patio seats are available too. I came in the morning to check this coffee shop and ended up ordering a medium hot GC Latte. And it was very good. Coffee cups are artful and sturdy. Staff were cordial. Prices were fair. Plenty of street parking. Collectively, this is a nice coffee shop to chill and do work. Overall, I highly recommend this GC shop.

    Joe M.

    Found this place through yelp as I was in the area. Walked in, menu looked good, the place was clean and looked like a nice place to relax, have some food and coffee, just what I expected. However, when I got my food, there was avocado all under the box, my avocado toast was a mess and dis not look appetizing. Couldn't help but to think they were upset I had changed my order to go after initially saying I would be eating in. The barista was kind enough to help clean the box so im willing to give this place another try and update my review, until then, ill keep this posted. As a former worker in the industry, I know people have bad days so I'll be back. Still, give this place a try.

    Ken C.

    Groundwork Coffee has locations throughout southern California; however, their location in Arts District in Downtown Los Angeles was a perfect pitstop for breakfast and a coffee. My wife bought us a Daybreaker breakfast sandwich, which was the surprise I didn't know I needed. It had Bacon and egg with cheese over an English muffin with a harissa aioli. Balanced and flavorful! The mild zing from the harissa aioli really made the sandwich great. To drink, I had a Horchata latte, which was pretty assertive with its Cinnamon flavor. I ate it with a cinnamon roll from Gooey Center Bakery, so I had a lot of cinnamon this morning! Outdoor seating and indoor seating were available and it was, overall, good to hang out before we walked around arts district.

    Harrison W.

    Food: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 4/5 Stopped by to get some snacks to paired with my homemade coffee. I couldn't decide which cake to get so grabbed a couple. The stuff was helpful and explained all the different types of pastries they have. All of them tasted great. I mixed them up so I don't remember which one is which. But my least favorite one would be banana cake. They have a nice out door seating. I will be back to try their coffee next time.

    Dj M.

    I ordered their beehive matcha latte hot and the pumpkin bread and banana muffin Of the two pastries the pumpkin bread was the best, it was so rich in flavor. The beehive matcha was just okay, it didn't really have a strong matcha flavor to me probably from too much milk or a light matcha and the spices were overpowering. There's a lot of indoor seating and it's nice and cozy inside. I may need to try a different drink like coffee instead as their matcha wasn't my favorite. It was pretty empty in the morning so we were helped right away.

    fried egg sandwich and iced mocha latte pictured in the outdoor seating area

    The iced mocha latte was delicious and the fried egg sandwich was off the chain. The staff was awesome. They could not have been nicer or more accommodating. They were really sweet and helpful. The entrance is not handicapped accessible though. There's four steps to get in and give your order and the concrete floor is kind of sloped at the entrance so you have to be careful. The sidewalk in front is kind of crumbly and messed up too-- not necessarily their fault, but it might be important to know if you are disabled. If you order food and sit outside, they'll bring you your order. There's open seating. Normally, when you order coffee or beverages, you carry them to your table yourself, since I was unable to navigate the steps with my crutches, they offered to carry my coffee out with my food order which I greatly appreciated. There is adequate indoor seating but it is all stools and raised tables/chairs. Nothing wrong with that but it doesn't work for some people. There's outdoor seating as well on the side of the building with regular height cafe-style chairs and tables with umbrellas and a pergola overhead so if it's nice weather, and you don't mind sitting outside, that's an option. There's 6 or 7 picnic tables as well. It's a dog-friendly establishment. The atmosphere is very laid back. There are a few families, couples and quite a few solo customers busy on their laptops. They seem to do a lot of business here on a Sunday but the vibe is still chill, not rushed or crowded.

    Karina C.

    I got the caramel latte coffee hot and my son got the same but cold. Both were so good. The lady was so sweet and helpful with a nice smile. The coffee looks so cute, lots of people not loud at all. You can sit and enjoy a good conversation and great organic coffee. The best is inside the LA Auto Show.

    Horchata Cold Brew
    Sophia B.

    The perfect place to get some work done All the employees are super inviting and my order is ready in seconds. My usual is the Horchata Cold Brew ‍

    The Fried Egg Sandwich and a Matcha
    Kylie T.

    I've stopped by a few times to work with some friends on the weekends in a writing accountability group. I love this spot because of the loft area seating, the overall relaxed atmosphere, strong coffee options (groundwork does NOT miss on any of their drinks), and abundant food menu! The fried egg sandwich is really good and very fresh. I'm a sucker for a good matcha, but their cold brew is also so solid I'm torn between which to order each time. There seems to be ample space to sit and enjoy the space kind of regardless of when I've stopped by. Parking isn't too bad either - for a while the meters on the street weren't working and the text to pay app also wasn't online, so I've been able to park for free the past few times I've stopped by. This spot is so solid!

    Pumpkin Latte 8 oz
    Martin D.

    The location is ideal that is nice to walk around and has plenty of local eats, shops and businesses that surround the coffee shop. Plenty of seating inside, with a 2nd level that allows you to work in comfort. I like this coffee shop solely for the ambiance

    Vanilla and caramel Latte with oat milk
    Sherree G.

    The coffee and almond croissant were actually really good -- no complaints there. The space has a great vibe, and most of the staff seemed upbeat and friendly. Unfortunately, the one person who helped my daughter and me created a pretty uncomfortable experience. When we ordered, the gentleman who took our order was cold, condescending, and didn't offer even the smallest smile. His tone felt more like "what do you want!?!" than "how can I help you?" -- not ideal when you're spending your time and money at a place. I asked about getting both vanilla and caramel in a drink, and instead of kindly explaining options, I was met with a dry "you can't have both," then a reluctant "sure" when I asked again. It just felt unnecessarily rigid and unwelcoming. Meanwhile, I noticed he was laughing and joking with others behind the counter while preparing our drinks -- so the friendly energy is there, just not extended to everyone equally, I guess? Overall, the food and drinks deserve a solid 5 stars, but I'm taking off one star for the poor customer service experience. A small shift in attitude -- even just a smile -- could've made all the difference.

    Vivi D.

    Love their food and their chipotle potato's! Their drinks are decent, nothing special but they'll do the job! Def coming back.

    Matcha Latte - 12 oz. & Horchata Cold Brew - 16 oz
    Amy Y.

    Coffee: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 5/5 The horchata cold brew is so good here. It's such a unique drink that I haven't tried anywhere else (although I will say I'm not the biggest coffee drinker) and the combination of cinnamon, creaminess, nuttiness, bitterness is so good. It's pretty strong. I'd come back here just for this drink. The person taking my order actually recommended this drink and you can even sample it. The matcha was good but didn't stand out to me. Service is great, both the person taking my order and making my drink were very nice. Ambiance is cozy, there's an upstairs floor where there are ample tables to study or chill. There's also seating outside. Parking is not great but you can definitely find something. The space inside is pretty big and not too crowded. I really enjoyed the vibes of this coffee shop.

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    Page 1 of 13

    Ask the Community - Groundwork Coffee

    Are there power outlets ? How is parking?

    Are they currently open for indoor dining? Specifically for studying/working?

    They are not, which was very annoying to learn

    Does Groundwork's have specialty Holiday drinks?

    Is it dog friendly?

    Hi asked the lady at the counter and she said that you can bring your dog, but you have to keep it outside. I hope it is helpful

    Is the wifi password protected? Is it fast & reliable?

    There is a password they provide to customers, and it is both fast and reliable.

    View All 7 Questions

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    Tilt Coffee - Tastes as good as it looks

    Tilt Coffee

    4.7(836 reviews)
    0.7 mi•Downtown
    •$$

    I don't typically stray from my usual drip or pour over, but I happened to be in the area and…read moredecided to give Tilt Coffee a shot -- and I'm so glad I did. I went with their Iced Cloud Cinnamon Foam latte, and it did not disappoint. The latte is infused with maple-flavored milk and finished with cinnamon, and the combination is absolutely delightful -- ice cold and bursting with flavor from the first sip to the very last. What really sets Tilt apart, though, is the staff. They go above and beyond for every customer, and you can genuinely feel the care they pour into their craft and their service. Whether you're a coffee purist or just looking to try something new, Tilt Coffee is absolutely worth a visit. They just earned a new fan!

    Tried Tilt Coffee for the first time today while I was in the area…read more The shop is a very small coffee bar tucked between a few buildings, so there isn't a dedicated parking lot, but street parking was easy enough to find (for reference, I came at 11am on a Sunday). Seating is limited, though they do offer a few outdoor tables and a bench inside while you wait for your drinks. The service was great. The employees were friendly, welcoming, and the overall atmosphere was relaxed and enjoyable. As for the coffee, it unfortunately wasn't my favorite. I tried the Cloud Latte and found it a bit too thick, lacking the smoothness and flavor I was hoping for. I also tried the Cinnamon Cloud, which was smoother but still tasted fairly bitter to me. Coffee preferences are subjective, of course, but the flavor profile just didn't quite hit the mark for me. That said, I enjoyed everything else about the experience and would be willing to come back and try a few different drinks from the menu. The service and ambiance were definitely highlights of the visit.

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    Tilt Coffee
    Tilt Coffee
    Tilt Coffee

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    Rok Coffee and Tea - Matcha duo

    Rok Coffee and Tea

    4.4(887 reviews)
    3.9 mi•Harvard Heights
    •$$

    Rok Coffee and Tea had been on my list for a while and I finally got to try it during our recent…read morevisit to LA! My son also recommended it, even though he had never actually tried their drinks. LOL. It was one of his friend's favorite cafes so I was really looking forward to going. Unfortunately, we couldn't find the right time to stop by until toward the end of our trip. I'm so glad we finally did though because I'm now in love! Rok instantly became one of my favorite cafes in LA. If I had tried their drinks at the beginning of our trip, I honestly would have gone back every day until we left! They have so many interesting drink combinations. This time, I tried the Earl Grey Matcha Duo. I love both Earl Grey and matcha but I wasn't quite sure how well they would pair together until I took my first sip. OMG, it was sooooo good!!! The balance between the Earl Grey flavor and the matcha was perfect. No wonder they've been recognized as one of the best places for matcha in the U.S. They also use Uji matcha which made me even more excited to try it. Our first visit to Rok was only two days before we left LA and I liked it so much that I had to have it one more time before we went home. On the morning of our flight, we got up a little earlier just so we could stop by and get their drinks before heading to the airport! I got the Earl Grey Matcha Duo again while my husband and son both tried the Lotus Einspanner. My son has never been a coffee drinker so I was surprised that he wanted to try one. I honestly expected him not to finish it but he LOVED it! He did tell us later that the caffeine really got to him, though. LOL. There really isn't a cafe in my area that does matcha drinks well so I was especially happy that I got to enjoy such good matcha during this trip. Rok has definitely become one of my must-go cafes in LA and we'll absolutely be back the next time we visit!

    Earl Grey Matcha Duo (10/10) - genuinely the best earl grey matcha i've ever had the earl grey and…read morematcha balance is perfect where it is 60% earl grey and 40% matcha Mango Coconut Matcha (7.5/10) - very refreshing and tastes amazing on a hot day but my only complaint is that the mango pieces are too big to fit on the straws that they have so you end up having bits of mango stuck to the bottom and getting stuck on your straw Matcha Macadamia Cookie (5/10) - the matcha flavor is there but it's very dry and messy to eat and I would not recommend spending $5 on it Parking - there's a parking structure connected but it can be very hard to find parking and street parking is difficult to find as well and you might need to drive a block or two to get a good spot Seating - there's not a lot of seating since it is very busy so I would recommend staying outside if it is packed inside

    Photos
    Rok Coffee and Tea - Strawberry shortcake matcha, Chestnut latte, Mango matcha

    Strawberry shortcake matcha, Chestnut latte, Mango matcha

    Rok Coffee and Tea - Matcha Duo

    Matcha Duo

    Rok Coffee and Tea - Matcha duo, lotus einspanner

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    Matcha duo, lotus einspanner

    MEMORYLOOK - Brown Sugar Hojicha Einspanner and Matcha Latte

    MEMORYLOOK

    4.1(1.4k reviews)
    3.6 mi•Koreatown
    •$$

    So MemoryLook is a little expensive, BUT honestly the prices offset the cost of parking which is so…read morehelpful in K Town. And they are so sweet and do not rush anyone, you can stay here as long as you want. My friends and I WFH so we decided to Work From MemoryLook (WFML) one day together. I'm glad we did! Great pastries in the morning, i had the cremme brûlée donut which had tons of filling, and the pea foam matcha latte which was fantastic. And I had an EXCELLENT chicken Chipotle wrap at lunch that was recommended to me by the gentleman working at memory look. I'm not certain where these wraps are made. Another gentleman would bring them from the building in the same complex. I LOVED my wrap. They have a ton of seating outside too but there aren't any outlets out there so it's harder to WFH out there unless you're fully charged. But was great for separate meetings we all had to attend. The photobooth was fun but we were so thrown off by it taking 8 photos, we had no idea how many poses we would have to come up with hahaha. I would definitely come back here anytime!

    This was my second time visiting Memory Look. They have plenty of seating options both indoors and…read moreoutdoors, which is definitely a plus. Parking is also pretty convenient with a good amount of spaces available. When I visited, though, there weren't many desserts on display. For drinks, they don't offer a double matcha option, but you can order a matcha latte with Einspänner cream instead. The drink itself was good, although I found the prices a little higher compared to other matcha spots I've tried. Service was on the slower side, and it took a while for the drinks to come out. The staff were okay, but not particularly friendly. (+) Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, convenient parking (-) Pricier than other matcha spots, slower drink preparation, and no double matcha option

    Photos
    MEMORYLOOK - Strawberry cream puff

    Strawberry cream puff

    MEMORYLOOK - Matcha Einspanner

    Matcha Einspanner

    MEMORYLOOK - Matcha einspanner

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    Matcha einspanner

    Kokoro No Coffee

    Kokoro No Coffee

    5.0(17 reviews)
    0.2 mi•Little Tokyo, Downtown

    What an absolute treat in the Japan Town area! Not too far from the center, just a short walk away…read moreis Kokoro No Coffee- a pop-up coffee shop at Aloha Cafe. I stumbled across their Yelp page when I was visiting from out of town and checked the Instagram for their hours on a Saturday afternoon and was happy to see they were open! I am a sucker for pop-up coffee shop/cart concepts so I had to check it out. The pop-up is easy to find, it's outside facing into the parking lot, and they had a cute A-frame sign out by the street side. There was no line, and I ordered and sat down at one of the tables out front. The service was so warm, and I believe the shop is owned and operated by one man on his own! He was an absolute delight to meet, and he brought my matcha latte to me at the table when it was prepared. He suggested I get the cream top on it, and boy was that the perfect recommendation. I would say I'm a little bit of a matcha fiend... I think I got a matcha latte at 3 different places this day... and this one far surpassed the others. I think it was one of the best matcha lattes I have ever drank to-date. It was perfectly green, the matcha quality was phenomenal, both taste and look-wise. The texture was just right, perfectly creamy with barely any grittiness. The cream top only added to the drink, and didn't take away from the matcha flavor at all, which I feel like has happened at other places for me. I'm dreaming of this matcha latte days later, and need to go back to Kokoro No Coffee as soon as I am in town again. This was a spectacular find, and I hope this spot gets all the love it deserves! There is truly nothing like a great business ran by a great person and you can tell there's so much intention put into this concept. Highly, highly recommend and I could not sing praises more!

    Got there at 9am and ordered drinks. Friendly service and delicious coffee beans. Great pop up…read morespot to support located at Aloha Cafe in little Tokyo! I could see some outdoor sitting option to wait or enjoy coffee being helpful, yet currently it is only take out with paper and plastic cups available.

    Photos
    Kokoro No Coffee
    Kokoro No Coffee
    Kokoro No Coffee

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    Rny Coffee Studio - Pour over

    Rny Coffee Studio

    4.5(509 reviews)
    4.3 mi•Koreatown, Wilshire Center
    •$
    Free WiFi
    Grab-and-go

    Nice coffee shop in K-Town. There's valet parking available in the shared plaza, though the plaza…read morewas pretty busy when we visited. I really enjoyed the coffee here. Lots of interesting choices. The drinks were well balanced and not overly sweet, so you could actually taste the coffee instead of having it covered up by syrups or other flavors. The coffee itself was smooth, with no harsh or overly bitter aftertaste. I also liked that the flavors complemented the coffee rather than overpowering it. Loved the honey lavender matcha and peanut coffee. The drinks were beautifully presented too, so they looked just as good as they tasted. Overall, a really enjoyable coffee experience and definitely a place I'd come back to try more drinks.

    i visited RNY coffee studio on a friday afternoon and was pleasantly surprised by how mellow and…read morerelaxed it felt compared to other cafes i visited in ktown! the cafe created a great space for heads down work and casual conversation. there is one unisex restroom, stable wifi, and plenty of seating, including chairs at the counter connected to the coffee bar and a large sofa. the hojicha i ordered seemed promising with its deep, rich color, but it ended up being a bit too milky for my liking. 7/10 valet parking in the plaza was available, but i opted for metered parking.

    Photos
    Rny Coffee Studio - Espresso

    Espresso

    Rny Coffee Studio - Berry crunch latte

    Berry crunch latte

    Rny Coffee Studio - Special Menu

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    Special Menu

    Archives Of Us - Tiramisu cream top, matcha cream top

    Archives Of Us

    4.5(554 reviews)
    0.9 mi•Downtown
    •$$

    What a cool cafe hidden in Chinatown! You get a nice viewpoint of downtown with lots of seating all…read morearound. Their matcha was well-made and tasted rich, but not too bitter. The Spicy Miso Carbonara is not shy on the spiciness, but its creamy sauce keeps me coming back for more! It can be busy on weekends but I think the trip is worth it! There is parking validation under the apartment buildings, and the elevators make it easy to access. Hope to visit again soon and try more items from the menu.

    Another day another coffee exploration. This time I ended up in the downtown LA area and was…read moreexcited to try Archives of Us. Parking wise - there was an entrance to turn into that leads to an underground area. Keep in mind if you go this way, there is two elevators that you need to take to get to the shop, which is located at the 2nd floor. When I tried to pay before leaving, I had some issues with my credit cards accepting the payment at the station. On the way out, there was a worker that was able to help. I went on a weekend at peak hours so it was expectedly busy. It was a particularly hot day so had to settle for their outdoor patio. There was a wait to order. American Express is accepted here. There were a few things I got during my visit. Banana Cream Tiramisu Latte was the drink option; it was sweet and felt like it balanced the coffee well. However, I didn't feel like it stood out enough to go out of my way for it again. Wagyu Egg Sliders and Poke & Chips were the food options that I picked. The drink came out within a few minutes but the food took ~ 20 minutes before they brought it out. Both of the food items felt okay and not anything special as well. The poke was slightly lower on the list because they use tuna; could have been better with salmon. Overall, it was a pretty meh experience. WiFi is available, so it could be a working spot for those that need it. Tables were dirty given the volume of customers they had. I wanted to grab some coffee beans and they were out of stock at the time. The initial atmosphere seemed nice, so perhaps I should consider coming back on a less busy day.

    Photos
    Archives Of Us - Matcha Einspanner

    Matcha Einspanner

    Archives Of Us - Iced matcha + orange mint latte

    Iced matcha + orange mint latte

    Archives Of Us - Orange mint matcha / Banana cream matcha

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    Orange mint matcha / Banana cream matcha

    Groundwork Coffee - coffee - Updated September 2026

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