Intelligentsia Coffee

Doug Zell opened this Sunset Junction room in August 2007, Intelligentsia's first cafe outside Chicago, sited alongside longtime neighbors the Cheese Store of Silver Lake and Cafe Stella. The blue and white Granada tile counter and Carrara marble bar became a template widely copied across third wave cafes nationally, an aesthetic that started here rather than arriving fully formed.

Direct trade sourcing has anchored the roastery since 1995, and the shop has since extended into ready to drink territory with a canned Oat Milk Latte, evidence of a brand built on rigor rather than a passing trend. Outdoor patio tables line Sunset Boulevard, and pet friendly seating keeps the neighborhood feel intact despite the shop's national profile.