Are you a freelancer with an assignment due tomorrow morning? Are you seeking a burst of energy before a wild night on the town? Whatever the case, you’re in desperate need of a cup of caffeine—and possibly a croissant. You need a coffee shop that’s open late.
Alas, late-night coffee shops are so rare that they’ve almost become an object of myth. You’re far more likely to hear someone muse, “I just had a great business idea—a coffee shop that’s open at night!” than you are to stumble upon a late-night coffee shop during an evening stroll. Nevertheless, there is hope. LA may not be “the city that never sleeps,” but it does have a few cafes that are especially well suited for those who prefer to keep a vampire’s hours. (Most of them offer an assortment of munchies, too.) We’ve rounded up the best of them here:
Most Menu Variety: Alcove
Neighborhood: Los Feliz
Hours: 9:00 AM - 10:00 PM Sunday-Thursday; 9:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Maybe you don’t just want a coffee, maybe you also want a buffalo-chicken wrap… and a cocktail? Look no further than Alcove. This cafe, housed in a historic building with vines crawling up its brick exterior, boasts a bar (alliteratively called Big Bar) as well as a full-service kitchen. No matter what mood you’re in, you can’t go wrong here. If it’s nice out, sit al fresco and watch the fairy lights twinkle in the trees.
Additional accolades:
Best outdoor seating area
Best vegetarian options
Best selection of artisanal chocolates
Best for a Work Sesh: Cafe Mak
Neighborhood: Koreatown
Hours: 11:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Cafe Mak doesn’t even open until 11 AM–off the bat, you know it doesn’t cater to morning people. Nestled among high-rises, parking garages, and office buildings, it truly feels like a hidden gem. The interior is a bit like Narnia: one room leads into another until you find yourself wondering, How big is this place anyway?
If you’re the kind of person who’s most productive when surrounded by other hardworking people, you’ll love it here: you’ll spot laptops on almost every surface. Each table is equipped with a buzzer that summons a waiter, so you won’t have to interrupt grind time with repeated trips to the counter.
Additional accolades:
Most spacious
Best nooks and crannies
Best of the Westside: Bohemia
Neighborhood: West Hollywood
Hours: 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM weekdays; 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM Saturday/Sunday
But Coveteur, you whine, I’m on the Westside! All of these places are way too far from me! Never fear; Bohemia has got you covered. You’ve actually lucked out, in this case: Bohemia may be smaller than some of the other locations on this list, but it has the cutest, coziest vibe, with velvet loveseats, checkered tile flooring, and plants galore. It’s also a practical choice if you want to work for a few hours: power outlets abound, and the menu includes a variety of dishes (pork dumplings, anyone?), so you won’t have to step out to grab a bite.
Additional accolades:
Best dog spotting
Best to-go snacks
Wild Card: Figaro Bistrot
Neighborhood: Los Feliz
Hours: 8:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Ok, so Fig isn’t technically a coffee shop. It’s a French restaurant. But its menu offers such a great assortment of hot drinks and sweet treats that we can’t help but recommend it. (Seriously, so many sweet treats—there’s a bakery with cakes, pies, and macarons gorgeously arranged behind glass.)
If you’re planning on hanging out for a while, we recommend the room with the plush red chairs. Bring a few friends and pretend you’re in an Enlightenment-era salon.
Additional accolades:
Best indie sleaze playlist (broadcast at a respectable volume)
Cutest neighborhood (Skylight Books and the Los Feliz 3 are staples)
Best Happy Hour menu
Writer’s Paradise: Stories Books and Cafe
Neighborhood: Echo Park
Hours: 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Courtesy of Stories Books and Cafe
If you’re polishing the latest draft of your novel or outlining your next Substack post, Stories is the spot for you. Here, you’ll find yourself surrounded by writing inspiration ranging from poetry to theory to academic classics. Once you start coming here regularly, you’ll feel as if you’ve been inducted into a cult. It’s no wonder that the shop has nearly 20,000 followers on Instagram, many of them proudly flaunting Stories bumper stickers on their cars.
Additional accolades:
Best chance of running into your favorite author
Best event curation (check out the back patio for readings and performances)
Tried and True: Urth Caffe
Neighborhoods: Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, WeHo, DTLA, Pasadena
Hours: Check individual locations
Courtesy of Urth Caffe
I personally take comfort in the fact that I’m never too far from an Urth Caffe. When I first moved to the West Coast, I frequented the Santa Monica location. In my travels around the city, I was surprised to stumble upon additional Urths in Beverly Hills, WeHo, Downtown, and even Pasadena. If I found myself craving a cup of tea or a bagel and saw Urth’s familiar green awnings in the distance, I knew exactly where to go.
Urth is a classic LA locale, around since the ’80s. Whenever I stop by, I’m reminded that I’m in the “City of Angels,” a place like no other. The speakers play ballads that conjure up visions of Old Hollywood. The patrons chatter about screenplays and self-tapes. I curl up by the fireplace, and everything feels right.
Additional accolades:
Wildest people-watching
Yummiest chocolate cake