WHY So you can be greeted by your own personal barista.

WHAT When this offshoot of the Chicago-by-way-of-Silver-Lake coffeehouse opened on Abbot Kinney, you’d have thought the Obamas themselves were pulling espressos from the Synesso machines. Coffee geeks walk into this light-filled industrial space and begin hyperventilating at the sight of the Mazzer grinders and array of contraptions, from Siphon to Chemex—but the gentle guidance of their personal barista soon calms the feverish excitement. Said baristas escort each guest through the space, guiding him or her to the station that best suits his or her desires (espresso, brewed, pressed). Yes, it’s dreadfully precious, but the coffee is damn good. Seating is on uncomfortable stadium-style benches.

WHO The sort of people who can argue about whether the overtones in a particular brew suggest cherries or tamarind.