The coffee beans you choose aren’t just an ingredient—they’re a coffee essential that can transform your entire brewing experience. Seriously, it’s a horrible feeling to take your first sip and the coffee doesn’t taste… good. With so many choices out I have compiled some of my favorite brands I’ve tried myself in the 3 years I have lived in LA. Whether it’s the roast level, the right flavor profile, or looking for a trustworthy brand with quality sourcing, the quality of the beans is what truly elevates every cup. The brands I am featuring today are dedicated to exceptional flavor as well as ethical practices. Make sure to share your enthusiasm and newfound discovery as the end of this post.
Oh an also– I have included a few sub-sections under each coffee brand to make it easier to read. That way you can “Brew with Purpose” (pick a roast and flavor profile you prefer) and “Sip with Impact” (support the coffee brands that give back to people and the planet). Share in the comments how this article impacted you!
My Favorite 10 Coffee Beans Essentials:
1. Alana’s Coffee Roasters
Have you visited Alanas yet? Alana’s has the most beautiful courtyard, perfect for getting some work done or catching up with a friend in the lovely SoCal weather. Located in the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles, Alana’s Coffee Roasters is known for its small-batch roasting process, ensuring all their coffee is incredibly fresh! Their variety of micro-lot roasts makes them a coffee essential that you have to go buy!
Brew with Purpose:
Origin:
They ethically source their beans from regions like Ethiopia and Colombia, where altitude and soil composition give the coffee its bright, floral, and fruity flavor profile.
Roast Level:
The roast levels tend to be medium to highlight the bean’s natural flavors.
Sip with Impact:
Sustainability:
Alana’s is a community-focused shop that emphasizes eco-friendly practices, using compostable packaging and working to reduce their carbon footprint. They source their beans directly from farmers and make their syrups in-house, keeping their powders simple and low in sugar.
2. Blue Bottle
If you are looking for premium specialty grade coffee, Blue Bottle Coffee is a must-try. With 99 locations in the United States, China, and Japan, Blue Bottle Coffee is a name synonymous with artisanal, essential coffee. I really appreciate their Kaizen methodology as an artform for coffee. Directly from their website: “This idea of ‘good change’ or ‘continuous improvement’ drives our team to keep daily records of their tastings, always chasing better, more delicious, more consistent coffees.”
Brew with Purpose:
Origin:
Their Abbot Kinney location offers a range of single-origin beans in rotation, often sourced from countries like Ethiopia, Kenya, and Guatemala.
Roast Level:
Known for their lighter roast profiles, Blue Bottle brings out the complex acidity and fruity undertones of their beans.
Sip with Impact:
Sustainability:
The founder James Freeman says “[We] treat sustainability as a constraint that could make our coffee perhaps more delicious. That constraint was the skeleton I built the company around, and it built a lot of creativity.” Blue Bottle Coffee’s three main sustainability efforts are: sustainable sourcing, waste and emissions reduction, and community care. They aim to achieve zero waste and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2024, and support local communities through responsible practices.
For more details, visit their sustainability page.
3. Intelligentsia Coffee (Abbot Kinney)
Intelligentsia is famous for its pioneering role in direct trade coffee for over 20 years.
Brew with Purpose:
Origin:
When you visit the Abbot Kinney location, you will find coffee beans meticulously sourced from farms in regions like Peru and Rwanda.
Roast Level:
With a focus on lighter roasts, they bring out the vibrant citrus and berry notes in their coffee.
Sip with Impact:
Sustainability:
Outlined in their “Quality by Design” initiative, each step of their supply chain designed for long-term ecological and economic impact. As pioneers over the last 20 years in direct trade coffee (a model focused on building strong, transparent relationships with coffee farmers), they ensure the highest quality beans and offer fair compensation to the farmers. This partnership promotes both premium coffee and sustainable practices, with a commitment to ethical sourcing that guarantees exceptional flavor and supports responsible farming methods.
Learn more, visit their Direct Trade Page.
4. Demitasse (Santa Monica)
Demitasse is a micro-roaster. They are known for its small, meticulous, batches of coffee that emphasize precision and quality. What makes this cafe a coffee essential is that other than excellent coffee, they are also a certified green cafe located in Santa Monica, meaning they offer a variety of discounts and programs like Bean refill where if you bring a refillable coffee canister, they’ll give a dollar off of their 12oz bag. One thing I noted about this location is their coffee bar featuring brewing techniques like siphon brewing and Kyoto-style cold brew. Go try it out!
Brew with Purpose:
Origin:
Their beans often come from small farms in places like Costa Rica and Guatemala, focusing on single-origin coffees.
Roast Level:
The roast levels vary but often stay in the medium-light range, bringing out the natural sweetness of the beans.
Sip with Impact:
Sustainability:
Demitasse is proud to promote sustainability practices through local partnerships, responsible sourcing, and single-use waste reduction. They roast their coffee in small batches to minimize waste, use direct trade to ensure ethical sourcing, and prioritize relationships with local producers and eco-friendly suppliers. Their cafes also take significant steps to reduce waste, such as eliminating single-use plastics and offering compostable packaging.
Learn more under Who We Are.
5. Stumptown
Sometimes you want a neighborly coffee brand that feels more authentic, so Stumptown coffee is a definite coffee essential! A brand born from Portland Oregon, Stumptown believes “Coffee is about Pleasure”. Highlighting the dedication and celebration of coffee from the first sip of expertly crafted coffee to honoring the producers who go the extra mile to bring it to life. Stumptown’s focus on quality, ethical sourcing, and craftsmanship makes it a go-to spot for those seeking a rich, flavorful experience—especially if you’re looking for some of the best cold brew!
Brew with Purpose:
Origin:
Their origins include Ethiopia, Colombia, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Indonesia.
Roast Level:
They offer a good range of roasts, but primarily medium roast. This means they have bold flavor profiles that often feature deep rich notes, such as chocolate, caramel, and stone fruit.
Sip with Impact:
Sustainability:
Sustainability is core to Stumptown’s mission, with a strong commitment to direct trade and fostering long-term partnerships with coffee growers. By building transparent, lasting relationships, they ensure ethical sourcing and environmental responsibility. By purchasing the highest quality beans, they provide fair compensation and support for the farmers who cultivate them.
Learn more under Out Story.
6. Groundwork Coffee
Coffee essential #6 that you need to try next—Groundwork Coffee. Groundwork coffee is the must have for certified organic coffee. What is certified organic? Let’s just say it is a specific standard only achieved through a very challenging process and continuous strenuous recertification. Groundwork is about hard work and being kind. A phrase that you’ll often hear is “from the ground up,” reflecting their mission to support the community through coffee. They use the medium of coffee to share stories of tenacity and resilience by encouraging people to apply for jobs, overcome challenges, and support their families. With numerous locations across Los Angeles and availability in many grocery stores, Groundwork is easily accessible.
Brew with Purpose:
Origin:
Their beans are certified organic and fair trade, sourced from diverse regions like Peru, Mexico, and Ethiopia.
Roast Level:
Groundwork is known for their dark roast profiles. Their beans offer robust, earthy flavors with a hint of earthy notes with hints of dark chocolate, smoke, and spice.
Sip with Impact:
Sustainability:
Ever heard of a Regenerative Organic Certified company? Groundworks is one of the first of its kind (according to their website). Regenerative coffee puts an emphasis on improving the health of the environment as well as farming practices. This mission aligns with the values of this blog, where we both want to improve the health of the planet.
Learn more at Regenerative Organic Certified
7. Coffee Connection
Coffee Connection is one of the best cafes to chill at in LA and has SUCH BEAUTIFUL architecture. Not only are the coffee beans they offer a coffee essential, so is their community synergy. It was one of the first coffee shops I fell in love with when I came to LA. It was previously a church and has this rustic charm, characterized by its exposed brick, large glass windows, and greenery everywhere. There is a ton of natural lighting, including an open, airy space with a relaxed, community-oriented vibe.
Brew with Purpose:
Origin:
With a commitment to fair trade practices and community building, their beans come from small farms in places like Guatemala and Ethiopia.
Roast Level:
The roast levels vary, but the medium roast is a favorite, offering a balance of smooth chocolate and subtle fruitiness
Sip with Impact:
Sustainability:
Coffee Connection, a non-profit cafe, actively gives back to its local community through its synergy. Coffee Connection donates a portion of their profits to community initiatives such as ALEX’S LEMONADE STAND FOUNDATION in the fight against childhood cancer, FASHIONED FOR FREEDOM and SAVING INNOCENCE in the effort to rescue & restore child victims of sex trafficking in Los Angeles, and more.
8. Starbucks
Unlike my other recommendations, this is one corporation that has historically been long dedicated to sourcing quality beans. Mentored by Alfred Peet himself in 1971, the founders of Starbucks want to introduce the U.S. to the rich flavors of arabica beans. What began as a small coffee shop at Pike Place Market, Seattle, has evolved into a global chain known for its wide range of handcrafted espresso drinks and whole bean blends, like PikesPlace and Dark Roast.
Brew with Purpose:
Origin:
As an expert myself, they have coffee beans ethically sourced from Latin America, Africa, and East Asia. You can scan the QR codes on any bag to track the exact origin.
Roast Level:
Starbucks offers 12 roast profiles you can purchase in most US stores. From Light roasts (such as Veranda, Green Apron, etc), Medium Roast (such as Pikes Place, Guatemala Antigua, etc) to Dark Roast (such as Sumatra, Italian Roast, etc), Starbucks has a coffee for you. The flavors range from the bright acidity of their light roast to the smoky richness of their dark roast.
Sip with Impact:
Sustainability:
They source their beans through the Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E.) program, which emphasizes fair trade, environmental sustainability, and economic stability for farmers. Starbucks also actively reduces its carbon footprint through reforestation projects, responsible water use, and transitioning to recyclable and compostable packaging, as part of their multi-decade commitment to complete by 2030.
Which you can read more about at Sustainability and Planet.
9. Maru
Maru Coffee dedicates itself to simplicity and precision, and their beans reflect that. By the time you reach this coffee essential after trying all my other cafe recommendations, you’ll be ready to try Maru. They lightly roast their single-origin offerings, like the Finca Santa Cruz from Guatemala, to highlight the floral and citrus notes inherent in the beans. Maru also deeply commits to sustainability, emphasizing ethical sourcing practices and environmental stewardship in every step of their coffee production.
Brew with Purpose:
Origin:
Maru Coffee sources beans from regions like Guatemala, Ethiopia, and Colombia. They offer high-quality single-origin beans and specialty crafted blends. For example, the Finca Santa Cruz from Guatemala is lightly roasted to highlight the floral and citrus notes of the beans.
Roast Level:
Primarily light to medium roasts, designed to highlight the natural sweetness, fruity, and floral notes of the beans. Each roast brings out the unique flavors of its origin while maintaining balance in the cup.
Sip with Impact:
Sustainability:
Maru ensures economic sustainability by emphasizing transparency, ethical sourcing practices, and long term partnerships with farms.
10. Counter Culture
If you haven’t tried a subscription service yet, I highly recommend Counter Culture Coffee’s subscription service. They’ve been featured in Bon Appétit, Delicious, and Food & Wine, proving their expertise in the coffee world! Known for their education-first approach, Counter Culture offers an incredible depth of knowledge about sourcing, roasting, and brewing. Whether you’re new to coffee or an enthusiast, this is a coffee essential for anyone.
Brew with Purpose:
Origin:
Counter Culture Coffee sources beans from many regions including but not limited to: Colombia, Ethiopia, and Central America. For example, their popular Big Trouble blend features beans from Los Vascos, Colombia, offering a rich, well-balanced flavor profile.
Roast Level:
Counter Culture typically offers roast levels ranging from light to medium. For example, Big Trouble delivers a smooth body with flavors of almond, black tea, and carob, balanced by a subtle citrusy acidity.
Sip with Impact:
Sustainability:
Coffee Culture emphasizes their transparency and sustainability in their 2023 Transparency report. This report details clear data on how much they pay farmers and their efforts to maintain direct, long-term relationships with them. Additionally, they are a certified B Corporation, holding themselves accountable to high social and environmental standards.
You can read more in their 2023 Transparency Report.
Conclusion:
Whether you’re a seasoned coffee enthusiast or just beginning your coffee journey, these trusted picks will take your at-home brewing to the next level, all while helping you make a positive difference with every cup you enjoy. If you are not located in Los Angeles, there are several brands I listed with locations outside Los Angeles and California (such as Starbucks locations or Counter-Culture’s online subscriptions). These top 10 brands offer more than just incredible flavor—they’re your gateway to ethical sourcing and meaningful community impact.
Comment below which place you checked out first! How did you like it? What coffee did you try?
