If you’re like me, getting out of the house is STEP 1 to getting anything done (See: Choose Your Starbucks).
Here’s five places I like to hang my hat and do a little typing:
1) Sabor Y Cultura
5625 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 466-0481
Free Wifi? You Bet.
Decent Parking? Kinda.
Seat Availability? Always a chair.
Sabor Y Cultura is a writers dream. With 20+ tables all situated nearby outlets in this hip, untapped part of Los Angeles, it offers totally decent food and a great atmosphere for writing. Its high ceilings and wrap-around windows keep the place bright and airy, and full of positive energy. Beware the coffee—it tastes like a bathtub. And if the purple walls and bad wall-art start to make you queasy, just keep your eyes on your laptop screen. Overall, you’ll be happy you came.
2) The Silverlake Coffee Co.
2388 Glendale Blvd., Ste. B
Los Angeles, CA 90039
(323) 913-0388
Free Wifi? Yup.
Decent Parking? Can be tricky.
Seat Availability? Medium.
Ignore the pretentious name, and everything else about this place is to be loved. The seats fill up quick, but once you get one, you’ll want to hang on to it. With easy outlet access, GREAT coffee, edible food, and a laid-back, off-the-beaten-path vibe, you’ll probably want to return often.
3) Insomnia Café
7286 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 931-4943
Free WiFi? Nope.
Decent Parking? Nope.
Seat Availability? Medium.
Love it or hate, one thing is for sure: Insomnia is Los Angeles’ ULTIMATE screenwriting café. Known to writers throughout the city, Insomnia is open until 2am, and feels like an old-style college-town café. Packed full with writers sitting at evenly spaced square desks, Insomnia can be at mixed intervals inspiring or downright annoying. The coffee is underwhelming, but the cake selection provides the perfect “I just finished Act II” treat. Don’t expect to find a table between 7 and 9pm.
4) Groundwork
811 Traction Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 626-8650
Free Wifi? You know it.
Decent Parking? Sorta.
Seat Availability? Solid like a rock.
Don’t confuse this location for Groundwork’s four other LA-area coffee shops. I’m talking about the one in DOWNTOWN – the shop with an entire floor of tables and outlets set up to cater to writers.
With great coffee, and the real-life big-city energy that only downtown can offer, Groundwork offers a great space for writing, a full menu of upscale snacks, and tier-one people watching. The trick here is to keep your eyes on the computer, and not on the other diners (or their plates).
5) Café Muse
6547 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 464-MUSE
Free Wifi? Damn skippy.
Decent Parking? Yeah.
Seat Availability? Pretty good.
Alright—I can’t believe I’m giving this one away. Café Muse ROCKS. It’s not very big, and only has a few outlets, so you might get screwed if you don’t get a seat near a power-source. Otherwise, the place offers tasty, healthy food, bottomless coffee, a cheery renovated-factory-ish feel with tall ceilings and good light, and best of all—it’s always half empty. In the evenings, the place fills up with peel-offs from theatre row, but during the day, Café Muse is my favorite tucked-away writer’s spot in Los Angeles.
