Nourishing the Creative Mind at Literati Café
Monday, August 1, 2005 9:59
“Nourishing the Creative Mind”
Literati (lit’-er-ah’-tee) pl. n
1. The literary intelligensia
2. Cultured: educated
I’ve driven by this intriguingly named coffee house a number of times, always wanting to see what it’s like inside but never with a good enough reason to park and get a cup of joe…until recently.
After a great meal, my epicurean partner in crime suggested we get some coffee and mentioned that he knew of a Starbucks or a Peets Coffee nearby. Call me quirky, call me a coffee snob, call me a nonconformist - but if given a choice, I’d prefer to give my money to an independent, mom-and-pop kind of place rather than the multi-billion dollar Starbucks corporate monster. So, I was pleasantly surprised when he then recommended the Literati Café.
I was immediately drawn to this coffee house as I walked through the door. Menu items were written on chalkboards above the counter, and the place had quite an organic simplicity to it. Black and white photographs, book jackets, author bios, and city photographs lined the walls. Crossword puzzles and pencils were plentiful, next to the straws and creamers; and multiple copies of the day’s LA Times were available by the counter.
My vanilla latte was made to perfection - frothy, smooth, and soothing. Definitely the BEST coffee I’ve ever had! [Their coffee is made from pesticide-free, shade grown coffee beans to save the rainforests.] A great spot for coffee and conversation, getting inspired, reading and writing - the Literati Café is definitely worth the stop.
Literati Café
Street: 12801 Wilshire Boulevard in Brentwood (corner of Bundy)
T: 310.231.7484
By Kristy (see more of her posts). A native of the city, kristy loves to discover new sites, new eateries, new things to do in her online journal of finding the best of la.
Dylan says:
August 1st, 2005 at 10:15 am
i’ve always wanted to try this place. i practically drive by it everyday. parking does seem thinly sparse though. coral tree has good coffee too. thumbs down for starbucks.
PeggyArcher says:
August 1st, 2005 at 10:34 am
Oo… I love giving corporate coffee the proverbial finger.. I’ll certainly check the place out as well!
SoCalorie says:
August 1st, 2005 at 10:39 am
Despite the face that this is nowhere near any of my regular routes I’ll try it soon.
bellafey says:
August 1st, 2005 at 11:40 am
I’ve had so-so experiences at Literati. Their food is always yummy (especially their daily soups), but they used to be a little mean about people staying for longer than a few hours. Last time I was there, they had signs up telling people not to stay to long. Maybe this has changed since Literati II opened next door.
A.
Dylan says:
August 1st, 2005 at 12:17 pm
has anyone tried literati II? my friend knows the owner and said it was kind of pricey there…
BestofLA says:
August 1st, 2005 at 12:42 pm
I’ve never been to Literati II and would be curious to know if it’s worth it to go. Looks a little foo foo for me, but I do love their coffee house which is more my style.
A friend also shared with me that she had some not-so-nice experiences at Literati for studying for a few hours there. Personally, I haven’t seen the sign about not staying for too long. Generally, I’ve gone later in the evening and have stayed for about an hour or two at the most. The times I’ve been, the barristas and servers have been very friendly to me.
Does anyone know of a good book club that’s somehow tied in with food? (Either meeting over food or about food…?) I’m always looking for good reads too.
Greg Samsa says:
August 1st, 2005 at 12:58 pm
I really like their shimp risotto. It’s really well made and drizilled with this sweet balsamic vinegar reduction. REALLY GOOD!
BestofLA says:
August 1st, 2005 at 2:28 pm
Thanks Greg for the recommendation. Since I love shrimps, I’ll have to try the risotto!
SoCalorie says:
August 9th, 2005 at 5:39 pm
I went this weekend and found 45 minute warnings on the tables. I liked the food, it was passable, but it seems like a watered version of Urth. Even the company’s logo — the evergreen coloring and curvy font — looks ripped off from Urth. Is that an unfair estimation? Was Literati first? Nonetheless Literati blows the roof off both Coffee Table and Alcove.
BestofLA says:
August 9th, 2005 at 6:28 pm
I have yet to go to Urth but hear that it’s the best coffee chain around (according to the Los Angeles Best of Magazine)…..Wow! I did a google search on Urth and found out that they’ve been around since 1989 and their first cafe was opened in ‘94! (That’s way before I even had my first cup of java!) Can’t seem to find when Literati was established which makes me think that they’re probably post-Urth. Hmm…I most definitely have to make my way out to Urth.
CJ says:
August 19th, 2005 at 12:55 pm
Urth was first, but Literati is really nice. I would definitely recommend it, and the Literati II next door. Lit II is more expensive but the food is really really good.