I try to be as objective as possible when talking about cafes, but everyone has a place where they "drink the Kool-Aid" and my place is Intelligentsia. With that in mind, let me try to convince you that the seriousness with which they approach coffee is completely worth it. Reputation aside, the space of Intelligentsia's Silverlake location is beautiful. I haven't seen many other locations, but it seems like Intelligentsia does their best to create a modern atmosphere while keeping old accents.
The floors are an intricate blue and white patterned tile that contrasts well with their near primary red bean bags. Up above their ceiling is a sleek modern beige wood, unadorned aside from some sparse, but bright lighting. The bar is set in the middle of the room with stools running around an ample wooden counter-top. I really appreciate the surprising amount of seating. between the bar, walls and outdoor tables, but it seems like everyone has to wait a while because it's that popular.
Whether you were a 20-something liberal arts major (myself included) or someone with a career the coffee is what brought us and what keeps us coming back. My Gibralter was on point: Just a bit of velvety steamed milk in a double shot of espresso that tasted deep and nutty. Their cold brew coffee is so buttery and flavorful. I have never had another coffee with such a nice mouthfeel and floral aroma. This alone convinced me to buy a bag of their beans (La Tortuga from Honduras) and they were incredible. I made it with both my v60 and Aeropress and it was such a fragrant coffee: Tobacco, molasses, cherry and even a bit of spicy tamarind. They have a unique vocabulary when describing coffee, using flavors like honeysuckle, poached pear or juniper that I haven't seen elsewhere and I think that level of precision is what puts them apart from other roasters.
Atmosphere: Crowded, Social
Beans: locally roasted
Price: $$
3922 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90029 Google Map
http://www.intelligentsiacoffee.com/
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