Janie D.
Yelp
Third wave/independently owned coffee shop from Santa Cruz, roasting coffee by hand since 2007. Verve roasts a variety of their own branded blends and single origins, which are thoughtfully sourced. They facilitate direct trade partnerships with producers, and pay premiums for high quality. They currently have 5 cafes in LA, as well as locations in Santa Cruz, the Bay Area, and Japan.
On a Saturday afternoon, this DTLA location was packed. The space is huge, with an abundance of indoor and outdoor seating, but there was still not a single seat available, save for one at the edge of the bar. I took it, and realized that it was a staff area after learning that the guy sitting next to me was the manager lol. He was super friendly and welcoming.
I got their seasonal Pumpkin Pie Latte, which was delicious; in fact, one of the best pumpkin spice lattes I've ever had. Lots of fall spices, and real pumpkin. I would ask for it a little less sweet next time, but it was otherwise perfect.
The bakery case was fully stocked with viennoiserie from Larder Baking Co, and cakes/cookies from Jano's Vegan Bakery. I opted for a Lemon Olive Oil Loaf (vegan), which was melt-in-your-mouth moist, with an icing that was not overly sweet. It was delicious; none of that canola oil aftertaste that vegan baked goods tend to have. I highly recommend Verve.