The weather is cold in Los Angeles as winter continues, but Westwood’s iced lattes still hit the spot and can help you get through the day. But which Westwood cafe should be your winter quarter study spot? Here’s a ranking of some coffee shops’ iced lattes and environments from worst to best to help you decide.
Dunkin’ — 3/10
Iced lattes from Dunkin’ taste fairly poor. Their coffee beans tend to be burnt, taste bitter and don’t have as unique a taste as other coffee shops.
The quality of a Dunkin’ latte is also fairly inconsistent. Ordering one is a gamble, as you might get something that tastes different from what you last had.
One of the perks of Dunkin’ is that it’s close to campus. However, the vibes inside aren’t great and there isn’t a lot of space to sit and study.
Alfred Coffee — 5/10
Unfortunately, Alfred’s is not at the top of the list. Their lattes taste a little burnt and are nothing to write home about. Though they aren’t bad, all the hype around Alfred’s might have raised our expectations too high.
Like Dunkin’, Alfred’s doesn’t have the best seating options, but it’s clean, bright and has a good vibe. If you can grab a table, it could be a nice study spot.
I could be convinced to go to Alfred’s again but I wouldn’t do so on my own, especially with such a big competitor right across the street…
Starbucks — 8/10
A Starbucks iced latte is delicious, creamy and hits the spot every time. Starbucks has great coffee blends, a great milk-to-espresso ratio and cranks iced lattes out consistently.
The only reason they didn’t get a 10 is that they put too much ice in the cup. Though they do this across the board with their iced drinks, it feels like you’re being a little ripped off when they hand you your cup. Ask for light ice!
Though the space is a little dark, Starbucks has dedicated study booths, which are great. However, it can get really loud inside, so doing a reading without a pair of noise-canceling headphones might be difficult.
Alexis Cruz, a second-year student majoring in psychology, said, “Starbucks is my favorite latte in Westwood; it’s on the less expensive side compared to other options, but still a pretty good latte. There’s also lots of seating inside so I love doing work there.”
Bluestone Lane — 10/10
The Bluestone Lane sign hangs outside of the Westwood location. The Westwood Bluestone Lane is located on Westwood Boulevard, near Target. Photo by Xiang Li/BruinLife
The king of iced lattes. Any coffee shop with a $30,000 La Marzocco coffee machine tends to care about the quality of their coffee, but Bluestone Lane’s delicious blends are equally important to their rating. They have the perfect milk-to-espresso ratio and their lattes taste fresh. Their paper straws somehow don’t melt in your mouth and don’t get crushed by the lid opening. There isn’t too much ice and the beans aren’t burnt.
A person holds up a Bluestone Lane coffee cup in front of their computer screen. Students often go to this coffee shop to sit down and get work done. Photo by Veronika Znam/BruinLife
On top of great coffee, Bluestone Lane has good vibes and comfortable cushioned bench seating. Since their building is on the corner, there’s natural lighting from two window walls, making the space bright and cheery. Their great iced latte and comfy vibes have made me a regular. Camille White, a second-year student majoring in chemistry, agreed. “Bluestone Lane is the perfect place in Westwood. The lattes, food and seating all make it my go-to study spot,” White said.
Though I think Bluestone Lane is the best, everyone has different tastes and prefers different study vibes. Make sure to check out all of these great coffee shops in Westwood!
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Featured Image via Adobe Stock
