Check-ins
Come here for
Black Cat Classic Espresso
A blend of coffees from Brazil and El Salvador.
Olive oil cake
From Sugarbloom Bakery, the LA bakery that supplies Intelligentsia's pastry case at this location.
Thursday6 AM – 6 PM
Curator’s note
Doug Zell and Emily Mange started Intelligentsia in Chicago in 1995, after a move from San Francisco left them without the coffee they had been drinking in California, and Geoff Watts answered their ad for baristas that same year and went on to buy the company's green coffee. On August 17, 2007, Intelligentsia opened its first shop outside Chicago here at Sunset Junction.
The Coffee
Intelligentsia roasts everything in-house at its Chicago and LA roasting works on vintage 1950s Ideal/Rapid Gothot machines, releasing over 50 single origins and blends a year from more than 50 producer partners across 14 countries. The house espresso is Black Cat Classic, a Brazil-El Salvador blend built for sweetness and fruit acidity; the pour-over side rotates through current single origins like Colombia La Mina Caturra and Honduras La Tortuga.
- Black Cat Classic Espresso
Brazil / El Salvador, Carmo de Minas, Brazil; Santa Ana, El Salvador · 1,400 m (El Salvador component)
- Roast
- Light
- Process
- Semi-washed (Brazil); washed (El Salvador)
- Producer
- Brazil: Direct Trade partner since 2006; El Salvador: smallholder producers, Direct Trade partner since 2003
cherry · cola · orange
- Colombia La Mina Caturra
Colombia, Buesaco, Nariño · 1,900 m
- Roast
- Light
- Varietals
- Caturra
- Process
- Washed, raised bed dried
- Producer
- La Mina, producer Franco José Héctor López
pomegranate · mandarin orange · nectarine
- Honduras La Tortuga
Honduras, La Paz, Marcala · 1,650-1,900 m
- Roast
- Medium
- Varietals
- Catuaí
- Process
- Washed, raised bed dried
- Producer
- Producers Marysabel Caballero and Moises Herrera
apple · baked citrus · toffee
- Burundi YandaroPour-over
Burundi, Yandaro, Kayanza · not stated by roaster
- Roast
- Medium
- Varietals
- Red Bourbon
- Process
- Washed, raised bed dried
- Producer
- Greenco (smallholder collective)
dried apricot · bright clementine · sweet persimmon
- El Gato BlendPour-over
Brazil / El Salvador, Carmo de Minas, Brazil; Santa Ana, El Salvador · 1,400 m (El Salvador component)
- Roast
- Medium
- Process
- Semi-washed (Brazil); washed (El Salvador)
- Producer
- Brazil: Direct Trade partner since 2006; El Salvador: smallholder producers
dark chocolate · baked apple · plum
The Vibe
Bestor Architecture drew this one in 2007 for a highly visible spot on Silver Lake's dining and shopping strip, with a brief to respect the street's established style and keep the barista's work at the center of the room. The espresso bar sits on a Carrara marble island in the middle of the floor, geometric blue-and-white Granada cement tile sweeps across the floor and up the front of the bar, and the patio on Sunset is open all day.
Photos
Add a photoSomewhere to Work
People
- Guest wifi
- Restrooms
- Food menu
- Patio / outdoor seating
- Pet friendly
- Kid-friendly
- Wheelchair accessible
- Reusable-cup discount
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