Update, 6/17/06: Don’t live in Los Angeles? Check out this national list.
Want fair trade coffee by the cup? Check out these options, arranged by Los Angeles neighborhood. All options have SOME fair trade beans, but not all are fair trade certified. I’ve tried to consider commitment to fair trade practices, certification, locality, organic/shade grown concerns, and other issues (quality, yumminess, service, etc.).
Feel free to comment or email with your suggestions for additions, omissions, and revisions. For a list of LA spots where you can buy fair trade coffee to brew at home, go here.
Eagle Rock
Auntie Em’s Kitchen. 4616 Eagle Rock Blvd. 323.255.0800. I haven’t been here yet, but this yummy mom-n-pop restaurant serves fair trade Taylor Maid Farms Coffee.
Fatty’s & Co. 1627 Colorado Blvd. 323.254.8804. I haven’t been here yet, but I hear this veggie restaurant — with daily wine specials — serves Supreme Bean’s fair trade blends.
Hollywood
Caffe Etc. 6371 Selma Ave. @ Cahuenga. 323.464.8824. 7 am - 11 pm everyday. Caffe Etc. offers organic, fair trade coffee from Thanksgiving Coffee, yummy paninis and salads, and free wifi :)
Karma Coffee. 1544 N. Cahuenga Blvd. M-F, 8 am - 11 pm; Sa-Su, 9 am - 11 am. Comfy couches where you can hang out for hours drinking organic, fair trade coffee :)
Lou. 724 N Vine St. Los Angeles. 323.962.6369. Mo-Th 5 pm-11 pm, Fri-Sat 5 pm-12 am, Su closed.
This restaurant offers coffee from Monkey & Son — a 100% fair trade and organic company — as well as some organic wines and dishes.
Groundwork Coffee. 1501 N. Cahuenga Blvd. 323.871.0107. Mon-Thu, 7 am - 9 pm; Fri, 7 am - 11 pm; Sat, 8 am - 11 pm; Sun, 8 am - 9pm. Ethically sourced coffee (not yet fair trade certified), roasted in LA :)
Los Angeles, Downtown
Groundwork Coffee. 2 locations: 811 Traction Ave. 213.626.8650. Mon - Fri, 7 am – 8 pm; Sa - Sun, 8 am - 8 pm.; 108 W. 2nd St. #107. 213.620.9668. 7 am - 7 pm daily. Ethically sourced coffee (not yet fair trade certified), roasted in LA :)
Java City. 330 S. Hope St. Los Angeles. 213.613.1525.
This Cali-headquartered chain has a bunch of fair trade certified blends, and has a store in downtown LA.
Los Angeles, @ USC
Go here for all the deets on fair trade options at USC.
Los Angeles
Buzz Coffee. A cute coffee shop with free wifi and decent food that serves Groundwork Coffee.
Mani’s Bakery. 519 S. Fairfax. 323.938.8800. In addition to healthy, yummy food, Mani’s serves Groundwork Coffee.
The Coffee Cellar. Inside Mama’s Hot Tamales Cafe. 2124 W. 7th St. @ Alvarado. Mo - Su 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. The Coffee Cellar has a number of fair trade certified blends, and is part of a nonprofit program of the Institute for Urban Research and Development.
Noah’s Bagels at 8985 Venice Blvd. and 250 N. Larchmont Blvd. also brews a fair trade blend, Tribeca Blend, on a daily basis.
Mar Vista
Venice Grind. 12224 Venice Blvd. Los Angeles. 310.397.2227. Venice Grind offers Groundwork Coffee (see All Over), pastries from local bakeries, and free wifi.
Miracle Mile / Fairfax
Mani’s Bakery. 519 S. Fairfax. 323.938.8800. Yummy and healthy baked goods, tofu scrambles, and fluffy organic pancakes in a deli-like setting with organic Groundwork coffee :)
Studio City
Coffee Fix. 12508 Moorpark St. 818.762.0181. Supreme Bean tells me this place brews only SB’s fair trade certified coffee :)
Venice
Groundwork Coffee. 2 locations: 3 Westminster Ave. 310.452.2706. Mon - Fri, 6:30 am - 7 pm; Sat - Sun, 7 am - 8 pm; 671 Rose Ave. 310.396.9469. Mon - Fri, 6:30 am - 7 pm; Sat - Sun, 7 am - 7 pm. Ethically sourced coffee (though not fair trade certified), roasted in LA :)
Fig Tree’s Cafe. 429 Ocean Front Walk. Venice. 310.392.4937. 9 am - 9 pm daily. This place is right on the Venice boardwalk, and has an eco-friendly, sustainable menu in addition to organic Groundwork coffee :)
West Hills
Higher Grounds Cafe. Rosies at the front of the gym, Chaminade High School campus, 7500 Chaminade Ave. 818.371.4818. Tue and Thu, 7 am - 7:45 am. This coffee shop is on the campus of Chaminade College Preparatory, and is run by students. The cafe serves only fair trade, organic coffee.
Westwood
Noah’s Bagels. 10910 Lindbrook Dr. Brews a fair trade blend, Tribeca Blend, on a daily basis.
Puzzles Café. Near Sproul Hall on the Hill at UCLA. This eatery serves fair trade coffee and organic tea and healthy vegetarian food alongside typical fastfood options.
For other SoCal cities including Brentwood, Burbank, Claremont, Culver City, Santa Monica, visit the list of fair trade coffee shops in California.
March 2nd, 2006 at 10:11 am
It may be worth mentioning that Jones Roasting in Pasadena is a fully integrated coffee supplier. They work directly with growers and even own their own plantation. They supply coffee to a number of shops as well (including the CalTech and JPL coffee).
March 2nd, 2006 at 11:28 am
Thanks for the tip! I found their website, and will get in touch with them to find out more. It looks like they don’t serve coffee by the cup though… I’ll need to find out who they sell to in the LA area that may offer it by the cup.
March 2nd, 2006 at 12:50 pm
The website is probably not up-to-date. They changed locations (up a block) roughly a year and a half ago specifically because they wanted to offer coffee drinks retail. They do indeed sell by the cup now.
March 4th, 2006 at 10:30 am
Hey Siel,
Synergy Cafe in Culver City only sells Groundworks Coffees. I don’t see them on your list!
Rainy
March 4th, 2006 at 4:43 pm
I just added it — Thanks :) You know, I’ve yet to stop by there! I’ll have to try it out –
March 28th, 2006 at 12:44 pm
Sierra Madre Congregational Church is opening a coffee shop in Sierra Madre (on Sierra Madre Blvd by Baldwin Ave) in the next month, and they will be selling almost exclusively, Jones Coffee.
April 6th, 2006 at 6:42 pm
The brand new Coffee Grind in Mar Vista (on Venice near Grand View) is great (my new favorite place) and I am pretty sure they use Groundworks. I can’t be 100% sure but worth checking out.
Re Peets this month they are giving away free coffee beteen 1-3 pm to celebrate thier anniversary :-)
jean
April 8th, 2006 at 6:27 pm
Trying to add Coffee Grind, but I can’t find the address… Any idea what it is?
May 26th, 2006 at 7:26 am
Caffe Etc in Hollywood (corner of Selma & Highland) also sells only fair trade coffee. Yummy food too! I think they also have free wifi.
May 27th, 2006 at 5:51 am
Thanks for the recommendation! We’ll have to catch up over a cuppa there one of these days :)
June 3rd, 2006 at 4:23 pm
not 100% sure, but i think 18th Street Cafe in Santa Monica (west of 18th on Broadway) also serves up Groundworks coffee. no free wi-fi, but is a cell-phone free environment when you need to get your serious screenwriting done (not a screenwriter, but i do eavesdrop!).
July 30th, 2006 at 8:50 pm
Yes — 18th def. serves Groundwork Coffee! Thanks for the tip :)
August 6th, 2006 at 12:01 pm
FYI: Caffe Etc in Hollywood is at the corner of Selma & Cahuenga (not Highland).
August 7th, 2006 at 5:34 pm
Thanks James :) I actually went to check out Caffee Etc today. Yum tuna melt!
October 20th, 2006 at 10:34 pm
another Groundwork Coffee place: Infuzion Cafe, 1149 3rd St. in SM, just north of Wilshire & the Promenade. other features: organic teas, free wi-fi w/ purchase, and asian-style drinks- you can get your boba/jelly/fruit tea fix here.
October 20th, 2006 at 11:28 pm
Thanks for the tip! I’ll add it to the list toute de suite –
September 26th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
just wanted to let you know that Peet’s Coffee and Tea (a handful of LA locations) has a Fair Trade certified blend called (appropriately enough) “Fair Trade Blend”.
They also have a certified organic blend called “Gaia Organic”.
These are coffees that are on regular rotation on their “coffee of the day” menu as well as available for purchase.
September 29th, 2007 at 11:08 am
At USC, Peet’s has its fair trade blend brewing all the time. Wish it were the same for all its stores –
October 18th, 2007 at 9:48 pm
hi, i work in downtown LA at a cafe called “organic to go”. all of our coffee is fair trade and organic, and we offer both drip coffee and full espresso coffee service. we also have locations on wilshire, at beverly center, in orange county, and woodland hills.