Even though the weather in Los Angeles may never scream winter, a peek at just about any coffee shop's seasonal specials will have you humming "Silent Night" in no time. There’s just something about fragrant, spicy notes of nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and cloves that transport you back to a sentimental winter wonderland—even if you grew up on the beach in southern California or have never seen It's a Wonderful Life.
But get out of Starbucks, will you?! There’s a whole host of creative, hand-crafted holiday coffees around town that you’re missing out on, featuring everything from dark chocolate ganache and rich buttery rum to egg yolks and house-made peppermint syrup. We’ve even found you a couple of gratifying caffeine-free alternatives that’ll have you kickin’ back by that imaginary fireplace in no time. Hear about these tasty holiday beverages from their creators themselves:
Hot Buttered Rum Latte at Paramount Coffee Project
Fairfax
Brittany Matthews (General Manager): This drink is actually very special to me because it’s part of a brand that I’m developing called Frou Frou: a specialty caramel company focusing on high quality caramels with experimental flavors like rose, chamomile and ginger. To make the Hot Buttered Rum Latte, I make a caramel sauce that incorporates the flavors of the traditional American holiday drink: rum, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove and of course butter! Rum has always been a huge component in American holiday celebrations and I really wanted to make a beverage that felt like the holidays. This is paired with two shots of espresso and whole milk (or our house-made almond milk). It turned out great: sweet, rich and spicy all at the same time.
Hot Buttered Rum Latte at The Paramount Coffee Project. Image courtesy of The Paramount Coffee Project
Eggnog Latte at Coffee Commissary
Burbank
Matt Donofree (General Manager): Our egg nog is made in house at our Burbank kitchen by our Chef Elyse Lain. It features egg yolks, organic Straus barista series whole milk, sugar, nutmeg, vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, and a splash of bourbon. We're steaming this and pouring over one shot of espresso roasted by our rotating selection of coffee roasters (Coava from Portland, Victrola from Seattle, Take Flight from Los Angeles and Temple out of Sacramento) and serving it as a 6-oz beverage with freshly grated nutmeg on top. Perfect for a chilly Los Angeles day or for those missing cold winters! We're serving at our Burbank and Fairfax locations daily and featuring it on the weekends at our Motor Ave spot.
Egg Nog latte at Coffee Commissary. Image courtesy of @coffeecommissary
The Kindness and Mischief at Kindness & Mischief Coffee
Highland Park
Monique Maravilla (owner/barista): We’re debuting The "Kindness & Mischief" this season. Kindness: Sweetened coconut condensed milk, cinnamon, espresso and steamed almond milk and Mischief: House made chocolate ganache, cayenne, espresso and steamed milk. We also have a Dark Chocolate Peppermint Tea Latte with house-made dark chocolate peppermint tea concentrate, peppermint whipped cream and mini candy cane and a Holiday Hot Choco with house-made chocolate ganache and peppermint whipped cream!
The Holiday Hot Mocha. Image courtesy of Kindness & Mischief Coffee
Pumpkin Cookie Chai Latte at Demitasse
Hollywood; Santa Monica; DTLA; Mid-City
Brantly Irakleianos (Assistant Manager): The pumpkin cookie chai latte came to me at the beginning of the pumpkin-spice-loving-epidemic that is October. As a vegan, every drink I make follows my own principles and thus the pumpkin cookie chai is, by nature, entirely vegan (including that delicious marshmallow). It's creamy, balanced, spicy and sweet. My favorite part? The toasted graham crackers on top. I am inspired as a barista every day to make new, creative, and tasty drinks.
Want more from Demitasse? We asked barista Gatlin Hardy for his guide to Little Tokyo in DTLA. Read it HERE ...
Pumpkin Cookie Chai Latte at Demitasse Coffee. Image courtesy of @demitasserk
Winter Cheer at Lo/Cal Coffee and Market
Santa Monica
Jonel de los Reyes (manager): We’re serving up Stumptown’s Winter Cheer. The mulling spices and cold brew mix brings out so many flavors that will remind you of your childhood during the holidays and is best served over ice. I personally like to make a drink that I’ve called the Rudolph, which is 8oz Winter Cheer, 1.5oz Snow Day Espresso (also by Stumptown) and a sprinkle of cinnamon over ice.
Winter Cheer at Lo/Cal. Image courtesy of @jes_mills
Cinnamon-Whiskey Hot Chocolate at Paper or Plastik Cafe
Mid-City
Marina Michelson (Co-owner): We are serving up a spiked Cinnamon-Whiskey Hot Chocolate that is wonderful with a shot of espresso, as well as a Hot Almond Joy Brew and a Golden Pot (a vegan friendly coffee alternative with turmeric almond milk and ginger).
Cinnamon-Whiskey hot chocolate at Paper or Plastik Cafe. Image courtesy of PoP
The Winter White at Jameson Brown Coffee Roasters
Pasadena
Becca Zina (Barista): This festive season we have the Winter White. It’s white chocolate, nutmeg, cinnamon, espresso and then we also peel oranges and actually squeeze the oil over the top, which is really good. I really like that it’s not too sweet and I think the orange really sets it off with that zest aroma.
The Winter White at Jameson Brown Coffee Roasters. Image courtesy of @jameson.brown
Candy Cane Mocha at M Street Coffee
Sherman Oaks
Andrea Vavra (President): Our Candy Cane Mocha blends rich, organic espresso with peppermint and dark chocolate sauce. Topped with house-made whipped cream and crushed candy canes, this is definitely a crowd pleaser. Also on the menu, is the Eggnog Latte: steamed eggnog poured over organic espresso—a different kind of buzz and a great way to fill your morning with cheer. Want to spice things up? The Gingerbread, Maple Spice, and Sugar & Spice Lattes will leave you feeling warm and cozy. And to keep everyone feeling festive, most of the drinks can be made dairy-free with almond, soy, rice or coconut milk. Cheers!
Candy Cane Mocha. Image courtesy of M Street Coffee
Peppermint Hot Chocolate at Vinoteca Wine Bar
Beverly Grove
Andrew Wade (General Manager): At Vinoteca, we specialize in handcrafted artisanal beverages and Neapolitan street food, so our peppermint hot chocolate is made completely from scratch. Every morning, our pastry chefs prepare dark chocolate ganache, which we then slowly melt into steamed milk to brew our decadent hot chocolate. We then add a few drizzles of house-made peppermint simple syrup to brighten up the drink with an icy finish. Afterwards, we top everything off with polar bear coffee art to capture a wintertime feel.
Peppermint Hot Chocolate. Image courtesy of Vinoteca Wine Bar
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Belinda Gosbee is an Aussie writer, actress and coffee snob based in Los Angeles. Follow her jaunts on twitter @belindagosbee or instagram @gos22 or buy her a Hot Buttered Rum Latte and bring it to the Citizine office. Cheers!
Featured image courtesy of The Paramount Coffee Project
