WHY Well-made organic, fair-trade mochas, lattes, teas and chai drinks, tasty food (including vegan options) and interesting music on the stereo. WHAT As you might guess from the name, this place has a sweet, beach-hippie vibe, a devotion to all things organic and sustainable, and friendly, hands-on owners who know how to make coffee properly. [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY The best coffee in the area, not to mention free WiFi, a few choice sidewalk tables and a great location in a secret beach neighborhood in Playa del Rey. WHAT Tanner’s is the community hub for this great little beach village, which has resisted the glam gentrification of neighboring towns. It is serious about [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Perfectly respectable Illy coffee drinks (lattes, americanos), teas and chai in a part of the Valley that is woefully short on indie hangouts. WHAT A fine, all-around coffeehouse with the usual offerings: coffee drinks, smoothies, bagels, panini, free WiFi and, for an extra treat, Belgian waffles. 14310 Victory Blvd., Van Nuys, 818.785.6593, javagroovecoffee.com. Mon.-Sat. [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Lovely pressed panini, Kobe beef burgers and creative salads, to take away or eat here. Try the smoked venison hot dog with Maytag blue cheese cream. WHAT The café next to famed restaurant-supply store Surfas serves predictably chic breakfast and lunch fare, and it’s also a fine place to get food to take away, [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Nice people, good organic coffee, smoothies and chai, copies of the L.A. Weekly and free WiFi. WHAT A bright yet soothing space done in earth tones makes for a comfortable spot to sit with a cappuccino or an iced chai latte. Interesting art-for-sale, too. WHO Writers, artists, friends meeting to chat quietly and assorted [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Wonderful sandwiches (turkey meatloaf, pressed chicken, bacon and brie), lots of prepared salads (the lentil is particularly good), elegant cheese and charcuterie platters and famed cupcakes. WHAT Originally a caterer, Joan McNamara gradually expanded her business into a café, gourmet market and upscale takeout operation, and each facet has met with tremendous success. From [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Great bacon-chili-cheeseburgers, classic burgers sparked with fresh jalapeños and slightly healthier turkey burgers (which we fatten up with bacon). WHAT In a parking lot next to the 170 Freeway is the best burger stand in the Valley, home to fresh, quality hamburgers, crispy skinny fries, good onion rings and tasty chili. 11375 Riverside Dr., [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Tasty, straightforward thin-crust pizzas served by the (large) slice or whole pie, to eat inside or on the patio or to get delivered. Make sure to get a couple of garlic knots, too. WHAT Lots of locals swear by Mamma’s white pizza, but we find it too sweet and prefer the margherita, the shrimp [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Delish sweet-savory teriyaki chicken or beef bowls. WHAT We can live without the Bulldog (a weird fried hot dog served with a teriyaki—Thousand Island dressing), but the small chicken and vegetable bowl makes for a very fine and affordable quick lunch. Eat at the counter or the little patio, or take it to go. [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Really good, salty pastrami; long, thick fries, preferably doused with chili and cheese; and cold horchatas and Orange Bangs. WHAT Sparkling clean, featuring retro graphics and a constant background chant of ‘pastrami burger, pastrami burger,’ this cute little checkerboard place with a grandiose name has preserved the stripped-down ethos of fast food and the [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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