(Daniel Jurman / For The Times)
15 L.A. spots that’ll keep you caffeinated while shopping for holiday gifts
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Shopping for holiday gifts can be exhausting. Why not treat yourself to something special along with those you love? In other words, skip the hassle of navigating a spiral ramp parking garage at the mall, and instead, make your gift shopping not just a breeze but also enjoyable with coffee or a sandwich.
At Flowers Finest in Eagle Rock, for example, you can sip small-batch teas — I recommend the iced hibiscus tea lime sparkler — while shopping for ceramics, vintage goods and specialty pantry items.
In Silver Lake, you’ll find it hard to resist the assortment of whimsical glassware, chic home accessories and made-in-L.A. leisurewear at 6XS Coffee, while enjoying a croissant and a Malibu latte (a double espresso mixed with blue Curaçao and milk).
In West Hollywood, Javista Coffee at the Atrium features two floors dedicated to a diverse range of products, including plants, gifts and home goods. These are complemented by Javista’s signature coffee drinks as well as beer, wine and delicious avocado toast, making it a one-stop destination for both shopping and dining.
Whether you’re in the mood for coffee, tea or other treats, these 15 stress-free stores will offer a unique shopping experience for the season.
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Broome Street General Store
Silver Lake Gift Store
(Lisa Boone / Los Angeles Times)
Designed like a corner bodega for one-stop shopping, this gift shop offers a unique shopping experience with its diverse range of pantry items and cookbooks for home chefs, candles, wellness products, books and toys. It’s a great place to shop for gift baskets, with its surplus of olive oil, wine, non-alcoholic drinks, tinned fish and chocolates. And at the Silver Lake location, you can purchase a cappuccino from the cafe while you shop.
Also at Platform, 8840 Washington Blvd., Suite 103, Culver City.
Also at Platform, 8840 Washington Blvd., Suite 103, Culver City.
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Creature's Plants & Coffee
Eagle Rock Plant Shop
(Jess Stephens / For The Times)
The newly opened coffee shop-cum-arboretum Creature’s was created to provide a place where one could “be a creature amongst other creatures.” To that effect, the establishment filled with native plants and succulents hosts events that promote compassion for all — there’s been a free clothing swap, local makers fairs, a nature sketching gathering and a presentation in tandem with Citizens for Los Angeles Wildlife (otherwise known as CLAW) about peacefully coexisting with L.A.’s native animals.
Owned by Hope Creature, the business sells plants, gifts and garden supplies in one building and organic drinks and pastries in another. A 50-foot greenhouse shelters indoor tropicals, organic edibles, drought-tolerant native plants and small potted succulents, which go for less than $2. The outdoor seating area is outfitted with plants available for purchase.
“A lot went into making this space architecturally stunning as well, with every design detail considered,” Creature says. “The space also serves as a platform for our ongoing community programming, which showcases what the space is all about — bringing people together to explore, learn and connect.”
The queer-owned-and-run cafe offers standard coffee fare including matcha, espresso, cortado, cold brew and drip options from local roaster Unity, as well as a selection of teas and pastries.
Owned by Hope Creature, the business sells plants, gifts and garden supplies in one building and organic drinks and pastries in another. A 50-foot greenhouse shelters indoor tropicals, organic edibles, drought-tolerant native plants and small potted succulents, which go for less than $2. The outdoor seating area is outfitted with plants available for purchase.
“A lot went into making this space architecturally stunning as well, with every design detail considered,” Creature says. “The space also serves as a platform for our ongoing community programming, which showcases what the space is all about — bringing people together to explore, learn and connect.”
The queer-owned-and-run cafe offers standard coffee fare including matcha, espresso, cortado, cold brew and drip options from local roaster Unity, as well as a selection of teas and pastries.
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Flowerboy Project
Venice Gift Store
(Alon Goldsmith / For The Times)
With Flowerboy Project, which is equal parts coffeehouse, florist and gift shop, partners Sean Knibb and Stella Shirinda have created an intriguing space that offers a feel-good mix for all the senses. On Lincoln Boulevard in Venice, the concept cafe and flower shop offers apparel, jewelry, Venice Organics chocolate, home decor and apothecary items alongside fresh-cut and dried floral arrangements. The cafe serves hot and cold coffee drinks, plus a few specialty drinks such as the Dirty Rose Girl (rose latte) and Lavender Boy (lavender latte), served with flowers on top. Custom flower arrangements are offered at prices ranging from $90 to $175.
Open daily, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Open daily, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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Flowers Finest
Eagle Rock Retail
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
The shelves of Flowers Finest are stocked with so many appetizing gifts, you may overlook the tea bar at the back, where you can grab delicious small-batch teas, including Early Grey, spicy vegan chai, Mango Tango and Toes on the Nose (hibiscus with lime sparkler). Opened in 2024 by founder Karina Vlastnik and business partner Kendall Brinkley, the colorful tea shop offers a range of items (in addition to ample seating), including vintage clothing, tea sets and colorful refrigerator magnets. On a recent visit, I spotted whimsical pottery by Los Angeles ceramist Steve Stringer, along with candles and lavender and rose bath bombs. When it comes to fun pantry items, expect Partners coffee from Brooklyn, Marshmallow Fluff, gourmet popcorn, mulling spices, Old School Brand cookie mixes, and, of course, teas from L.A.-based Flowerhead Tea.
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Helms Bakery
Mid-City Gift Store
(Lisa Boone / Los Angeles Times)
When you first enter the Helms Bakery, it looks like it’s just a food hall, with prepared foods, a bakery and a grab-and-go section. But look closer and you’ll find great gifts stashed among Cocomels’ dark chocolate bites covered in sea salt, sour cola dates and Japanese cookies filled with mango cream.
Helms Bakery is not just a bakery. It’s a haven for unique gifts. From toys and gifts for fur babies to books and toys for kids — and even housewares like candles and greeting cards — there’s something for everyone, especially the food-loving giftee on your list.
Helms Bakery is not just a bakery. It’s a haven for unique gifts. From toys and gifts for fur babies to books and toys for kids — and even housewares like candles and greeting cards — there’s something for everyone, especially the food-loving giftee on your list.
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HYA
West Adams Gift Store
(Kemal Cilengir / For The Times)
This colorful gift and decor store comes from co-owners Lene and Mark Houck, who also own the sandwich shop next door. At HYA, an acronym for “here you are,” there’s plenty to tempt you across toys, books, kitchenware, cards and other adorable items, many of them handmade by local artists. After you’re done shopping, pop over to the shaded patio next door to dig into Danish-style open-face sandwiches and hot dogs.
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Javista at the Atrium
West Hollywood Coffee Shop
(Lisa Boone / Los Angeles Times)
Billed as “The Botanist’s Bodega,” the bustling two-story Atrium in West Hollywood is a unique blend of coffee and plants. With Javista Coffee on the ground floor and a delightful array of plants, gifts and additional seating upstairs, the Atrium is a haven for plant enthusiasts and coffee lovers alike. In addition to coffee staples such as macchiato and espresso, the bodega offers some exotic beverages like the CBTea Latte.
But that’s not all. The Atrium also hosts plant-related workshops, such as a recent one on how to mount a staghorn fern and create a terrarium. Plant lovers will appreciate a variety of plant accessories, including ceramic pots, misters, river stones and LED grow lights. To support other small businesses, owner Andrew Ruiz stocks a wide selection of books and clothing along with candles from Flamingo Estate, Lavune and Marak, adding a local touch to the Atrium’s offerings.
Open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
But that’s not all. The Atrium also hosts plant-related workshops, such as a recent one on how to mount a staghorn fern and create a terrarium. Plant lovers will appreciate a variety of plant accessories, including ceramic pots, misters, river stones and LED grow lights. To support other small businesses, owner Andrew Ruiz stocks a wide selection of books and clothing along with candles from Flamingo Estate, Lavune and Marak, adding a local touch to the Atrium’s offerings.
Open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
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Little Nelly
Burbank Gift Store
(Lisa Boone / Los Angeles Times)
Conveniently located in a Burbank neighborhood with plenty of parking, this takeout spot is a great place to shop for gifts while you wait for your espresso or hot combo sandwich (shaved turkey, hot coppa, Gioia burrata, giardiniera, wild arugula and pesto).
The market and sandwich shop, which also offers catering, is filled with cookbooks, handmade ceramics, wood carving boards perfect for charcuterie displays, candles and greeting cards. And for the foodies in your life, the market stocks unique pantry items such as spices, olive oils, vinegar and hot sauce that are perfect for stocking stuffers.
The market and sandwich shop, which also offers catering, is filled with cookbooks, handmade ceramics, wood carving boards perfect for charcuterie displays, candles and greeting cards. And for the foodies in your life, the market stocks unique pantry items such as spices, olive oils, vinegar and hot sauce that are perfect for stocking stuffers.
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Lo/Cal Coffee & Market
Mid-City Café
(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
Situated at the corner of Fairfax Avenue and West 5th Street, Lo/Cal defies L.A.’s usual coffee shop culture. There’s no one having loud meetings on speakerphone, and you won’t have to fight for outlets to charge your laptop. The spacious, light-dappled shop enjoys a steady stream of customers during the day, but the line moves quickly and the baristas are friendly and helpful. There are a few sidewalk tables and umbrellas as well as tables inside if you decide to make Lo/Cal your remote office for the day.
The food and beverage menus are solid, with Stumptown Roasters coffee drinks and food ranging from the usual avocado toasts, sandwiches and pastries to empanadas that are dropped off fresh daily from Culver City’s Argentine Grand Casino Bakery. The real draw here is 5th Street General Market, which operates a plant and gift shop inside the cafe, with a range of potted and hanging foliage to peruse while you wait for your coffee order or procrastinate doing work. You’ll find kitchenware, garden tools, bath products, stationery and more.
Open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday though Saturday; 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday.
There’s a second location at 2214 Pico Blvd. in Santa Monica.
The food and beverage menus are solid, with Stumptown Roasters coffee drinks and food ranging from the usual avocado toasts, sandwiches and pastries to empanadas that are dropped off fresh daily from Culver City’s Argentine Grand Casino Bakery. The real draw here is 5th Street General Market, which operates a plant and gift shop inside the cafe, with a range of potted and hanging foliage to peruse while you wait for your coffee order or procrastinate doing work. You’ll find kitchenware, garden tools, bath products, stationery and more.
Open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday though Saturday; 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday.
There’s a second location at 2214 Pico Blvd. in Santa Monica.
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Made by DWC Cafe and Gift Boutique
Downtown L.A. Gift Store
(Made by DWC)
Made by DWC, the Skid Row gift shop launched by the Downtown Women’s Center in Los Angeles in 2011, offers handmade gifts — soaps, bath salts, soy candles and greeting cards — crafted by women on L.A.’s skid row as part of a vocational training program.
All profits from the Made store and cafe, which sells organic coffee, smoothies, salads and pastries from Homeboy Industries, help fund the center’s career training and mentorship programs. Note: The gift shop is not open on weekends.
All profits from the Made store and cafe, which sells organic coffee, smoothies, salads and pastries from Homeboy Industries, help fund the center’s career training and mentorship programs. Note: The gift shop is not open on weekends.
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OddBird Co.
Eagle Rock Retail
(Lisa Boone / Los Angeles Times)
Shop for handwoven Turkish textiles and size-inclusive loungewear while sipping complimentary Turkish coffee at Ceren Alkaç-Lee’s serene showroom in Eagle Rock.
The Turkish native started OddBird in 2016 to showcase her homeland’s traditional textiles made from 100% natural fibers.
In addition to beautiful small batches of Turkish towels, robes, blankets, pillows and scarves, Alkaç-Lee stocks gifts from Los Angeles brands such as Flamingo Estate and Loam Candles. Loungewear spans sizes XS to 5X. There are also small handcrafted cups and saucers for $40, incense, handmade leather goods and curated gift boxes.
The Turkish native started OddBird in 2016 to showcase her homeland’s traditional textiles made from 100% natural fibers.
In addition to beautiful small batches of Turkish towels, robes, blankets, pillows and scarves, Alkaç-Lee stocks gifts from Los Angeles brands such as Flamingo Estate and Loam Candles. Loungewear spans sizes XS to 5X. There are also small handcrafted cups and saucers for $40, incense, handmade leather goods and curated gift boxes.
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Paper Plant
Chinatown Paper goods
(Julie Wolfson)
Friedia Niimura, who worked in Tokyo as a model and actress, often browsed Japanese stationery shops and dreamed about having her own line of cards one day. That dream came true — she’s the creator of New Moon Paper Goods and the owner of Paper Plant, a stationery store in Chinatown.
At Paper Plant, you can find washi tape adorned with illustrations of popular Asian snacks (tiny Yakult and Pocky — adorable!), Japanese rubber stamps featuring cats in mushroom hats and the ever-popular Le Pen pens in every color. I especially love the stationery sets that come with paper, envelopes and stickers. Those would always be my go-to gift to bring home from Japan.
While you’re there, be sure to order a coffee or tea drink from Thank You Coffee in the same space and check out Pearl River Deli for Cantonese food next door.
At Paper Plant, you can find washi tape adorned with illustrations of popular Asian snacks (tiny Yakult and Pocky — adorable!), Japanese rubber stamps featuring cats in mushroom hats and the ever-popular Le Pen pens in every color. I especially love the stationery sets that come with paper, envelopes and stickers. Those would always be my go-to gift to bring home from Japan.
While you’re there, be sure to order a coffee or tea drink from Thank You Coffee in the same space and check out Pearl River Deli for Cantonese food next door.
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Sachi.LA
Del Rey Coffeehouse
(Lisa Boone / Los Angeles Times)
Influenced by their Japanese heritage, sisters Sachi and Chiyo Hartley opened their Del Rey coffeehouse in 2018 to share “Sachi” — the Japanese kanji character meaning happiness, fortune or good luck — with their community. The coffeehouse, which serves a wide variety of coffee drinks including matcha and the Sachi Special, a signature cold brew with oat milk and vanilla syrup, is just the beginning.
Adjacent to the coffeehouse, which also serves pastries, the sisters have opened a retail space that is a treasure trove filled with houseplants, gifts, vintage clothes and plant accessories such as bud vases and planters. They also host occasional pop-ups, so keep an eye on their Instagram for updates.
Open daily, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Adjacent to the coffeehouse, which also serves pastries, the sisters have opened a retail space that is a treasure trove filled with houseplants, gifts, vintage clothes and plant accessories such as bud vases and planters. They also host occasional pop-ups, so keep an eye on their Instagram for updates.
Open daily, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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6XS Coffee
Silver Lake Retail
(Lisa Boone / Los Angeles Times)
Sitting on a tufted Huggy Cafe Au Lait modular sofa, sipping a 6XS dirty matcha while testing out Ondo’s I Am Calm smudge spray, it’s easy to understand why 6ixth Sense L.A.’s 6XS Studio bills itself as “more than just a coffee shop.” The lifestyle store offers a range of home goods and apparel alongside its coffee bar, which includes food options and single-origin matcha from Nishio, Japan. On a recent visit, the Silver Lake location was stocked with an assortment of worthwhile gifts for the holidays, including Japanese glassware and ceramics from Kinto, candles, olive oil and body lotions from L.A.’s Flamingo Estate, whimsical glassware from Ichendorf, colorful HDPE cutting boards from Fredericks and Mae, and sweatshirts, T-shirts and baseball caps from Los Angeles brand SOOF. But if you just want to grab a coffee or tea and enjoy a bite while settling in with your laptop, it’s a welcoming environment with plenty of tables and chairs and soothing tunes spinning on a turntable. Just be aware that the items for sale may be tempting.
Also, there are 6XS Coffee locations at at 3907 W. 6th St. in Koreatown and 888 S. Hope St. in downtown L.A.
Also, there are 6XS Coffee locations at at 3907 W. 6th St. in Koreatown and 888 S. Hope St. in downtown L.A.
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Tansy
Burbank Plant Shop
(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)
In addition to plants, Tansy owners Shawna Christian and Colette Fowler offer bohemian home goods with flair: colorful fair-trade garlands, plants, metal bells, mobiles, pom-poms and suncatchers. “It’s all about color, plants and fabrics,” says Christian. “I am trying to perfect the art of being insanely creative without being claustrophobic.”
Tansy also hosts various community events, from sound baths to educational workshops on rose care. It recently added Brenden Davis-Ortiz’s Kaleido Coffee trailer, which serves Stereoscope coffee and Spirit Tea from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday on the patio outside the plant store. In addition to exotic brews such as banana joie and toasted hazelnut lattes, the coffee cart serves pastries. If you stop by for coffee before the store opens, don’t worry — you can still enjoy the California native plants and succulents on the patio while sitting at one of the picnic tables.
Open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Tansy also hosts various community events, from sound baths to educational workshops on rose care. It recently added Brenden Davis-Ortiz’s Kaleido Coffee trailer, which serves Stereoscope coffee and Spirit Tea from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday on the patio outside the plant store. In addition to exotic brews such as banana joie and toasted hazelnut lattes, the coffee cart serves pastries. If you stop by for coffee before the store opens, don’t worry — you can still enjoy the California native plants and succulents on the patio while sitting at one of the picnic tables.
Open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
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