Commissary on Fairfax: A Café for Customers & Out-of-Town Coffee Beans

J. Ritz

Commissary has been pouring coffee near Fairfax and Melrose in West Hollywood, a location co-owner Tyler King describes as an "area that's under-served for coffee," since April.

And while they've been using excellent beans from local roaster New Frontier for the house blend, over the last couple weeks, Commissary baristas -- some of whom have trained at Blue Bottle in San Francisco -- are using products sent down from from Seattle-based Victrola in the shop's pour-over set-up and its no-nonsense Faema e91 espresso machine.

Victrola's Ethiopian and Brazilian single origins got things started off to a strong start, followed by the Guatemalan and Salvadorian beans that came next in the rotation. King, who with Molly Kidder and David Dickerson co-owns the café located in the 801 North mixed use development, is currently coordinating with San Francisco's Four Barrel for the next featured beans-in-residence stint. The Seattle native says, albeit jokingly: "My hope is that we can get to the level of Intelligentsia in 10 to 15 years."

Baked goods come from Friandise Pastries in the Valley, teas are by the Art of Tea, and the freezer is stocked with Heirloom-LA items for grab-and-go purchasing. The indoor and outdoor seating provide a welcoming spot on what's otherwise a somewhat inhospitable stretch of Fairfax -- and there's free wifi. And things will get more interesting when Lindy & Grundy's butcher shop opens later this year in the same building.

Commissary: 801 N. Fairfax, Suite 106, Los Angeles; (323) 782-1465.