best coffee shops to get work done on the westside (los angeles)
Originally published July 18, 2019. Updated February 12, 2020.
As someone who works remotely, I spend the majority of my time in coffeeshops. Even before I started working remotely, I preferred coffee shops to my home, the library, or anywhere else – there’s something about the ready availability of food, the bustling background noise of other people, the feeling of being around people yet with no one to bother you while you delve into work, the good coffee/tea… the list goes on and on.
I’ve made it my mission in every city I live in to find the best places to work; I’ve done the work of compiling it all in one place so if you ever need a handy guide, a comprehensive list to look at if you’re traveling here, or are just curious, plop a bookmark on this page :)
Santa Monica
The Hive
Pros: Strong wifi, great food, large location, many outlets
Cons: Expensive
Parking: Street
Loyalty program? No
Capital One Cafe
Pros: Strong wifi, conference rooms you can call or work by yourself in, has food/snacks, lots of outlets and seating, 50% off drinks if you have a Capital One card
Cons: None
Parking: Street, parking structures (there’s one nearby you can park for 90 minutes for free)
Loyalty program? No
Lo/Cal Coffee
Pros: Strong wifi, great coffee (Stumptown), Art of Tea tea, gluten free/vegan baked goods, decent number of outlets + seating, unsweetened almond milk and matchas (!)
Cons: Small space (but there always seems to be seating!)
Parking: Street, in the park across the street
Loyalty program? No
Funnel Mill
Pros: They really care about the quality and art of making tea and coffee, lots of seating and outlets, no talking on phones inside (can also be a con if you have calls / meetings), strong wifi
Cons: Only can use credit cards for purchased over $10; otherwise it’s cash or debit
Parking: Street
Loyalty program? No
10 Speed Coffee
Pros: A lot of seating and outlets, large and comfortable space, amazing ambiance, free refills on drip coffee for here
Cons: Not a lot of gluten free food (just a raspberry tea cake)
Parking: Street parking, garage
Loyalty program? No
Philz
Pros: 3 words: mint mojito coffee
Cons: Gets crowded quite easily
Parking: Street parking, garage (first 90 min free for most of them around here)
Loyalty program? No
Groundworks Coffee
Pros: Food options, indoor seating (Venice location)
Cons: Personally, I think the coffee is a little overpriced for the taste (drip coffee), but the nitro is good; lack of outlets
Parking: WFM parking lot (for the one connected to WFM 365), street (Venice location), street (Santa Monica)
Loyalty program? Yes
Goodboybob
Pros: Great coffee, strong wifi, homemade almond milk
Cons: A little hard to find (you have to go into this hidden lot and it’s all the way at the end), not that many outlets, $$ even for LA
Parking: Street
Loyalty program? No
Bulletproof Cafe
Image courtesy of Bulletproof Cafe via Yelp
Pros: Keto food, bulletproof coffee (duh)
Cons: Limited seating inside, can be hard to find parking
Parking: Street
Loyalty program? No
Venice
Barry’s Bootcamp Flex Lounge
Pros: Strong wifi, smoothies, you can work right after you take class, parking!!
Cons: Kind of awkward because even though they market it as a place to hang out and work, it’s usually just Barry’s employees that work / hang out there
Parking: Huge parking lot in the back
Loyalty program? No
Tom’s
Pros: Lots of seating (there’s a huge outdoor space in the back), good mission
Cons: Not a lot of outlets or food options
Parking: Street
Loyalty program? No
Marina del Rey
The Boy and the Bear
Pros: Great coffee, ample seating and outlets
Cons: Not many food options
Parking: Street
Loyalty program? No
Le Pain Quotidian
Pros: Dietary-restriction-friendly food
Cons: So, so, so expensive. Unless you just get coffee, in which case you get a free refill. Lack of outlets.
Parking: Parking garage (free), lot (free)
Loyalty program? No
