Cobija (blanket) weather has officially started in Los Angeles, with the first drops of rain descending upon the city over the weekend. As the cold continues to trickle in, we're all looking to warm up one way or another.
Some find a heat source by picking up their favorite tamales, which serve as a great on-the-go meal and double as hand warmers for those working early in the mornings or late at night. Others look for a sweet, hot drink that will heat them up with one sip. Drinks like champurrado, atole, and hot chocolate are not only tasty, warm, and thick, but for many, they offer a taste of home.
We rounded up the best places to find your favorite seasonal warm drinks across Los Angeles. Drinks so good you’ll be chanting: “Oh, the weather outside is frightful. But the warmth of this champurrado is so delightful.” Tis the season!
La Monarca Bakery
La Monarca Bakery is a staple in Los Angeles and rightfully so: They have 12 different locations in the city. Locations where you can get a variety of handmade Mexican pan dulce and cakes. They even have Rosca conchas for those who don’t want to wait for the día de Los Reyes festivities.
If you are looking for a velvety chocolate or champurrado to accompany your pan dulce, Monarca is where it’s at, offering a Mexican mocha made with Mexican chocolate, which is ground in-house with organic cacao beans, mixed with their custom blend of sugar and spices.
The bakery also has a chocolate-making kit you can order online to make your drink from home. It includes shortbread cinnamon cookies, chocolate, and a molinillo, a traditional wooden whisk to give your chocolate a creamy and frothy consistency.
Follow @lamonarcabakery for information on all 12 of their locations.
All Open: Monday through Thursday from 6 A.M. to 9 P.M., Friday through Sunday from 6 A.M. to 9 P.M.
Gusto Bread
Gusto Bread first caught our attention with its radical sourdough concha made from a nearly all-organic base of flours, evaporated cane juice, eggs, and European Plugra butter. The dough is made and pre-fermented two days before being baked, so at the end, you get a perfectly moist concha.
Another attraction is their frothy hot xocolatl, a drinking chocolate made of stone-ground Mexican dark chocolate and cane sugar that will quickly warm up your days. In the mood for something else? No problem, their menu includes a dulce de leche latte and an atole latte made with heirloom maíz cream.
2710 E 4th St. Long Beach, CA 90814. Closest transit lines: Long Beach Transit Line 151 - "4th/Temple", Long Beach Transit Lines 91, 92, 93, and 94 - "7th/Temple."
Open: Wednesday through Friday 8 A.M.-4 P.M., Saturday & Sunday: 8 A.M.-2 P.M.
Carrusel Bakery
Carrusel Bakery is your one-stop shop for a good meal and hot drink. The menu has pupusas, pan con pollo, and pan dulce. However, their drinks are just as good as the food, offering classics like warm coffee, champurrado, arroz con leche, and atole de elote (corn). One of their more unique drinks, only offered on weekends, has to be their atol shuco, a fermented hot drink that includes purple corn, red beans, alhuaishte (ground pumpkin seeds), and chiles.
13923 Van Nuys Blvd. Arleta, CA 91331. Closest transit lines: Bus Line 761 - "Van Nuys/ Arleta,” Bus Line 233 - “Van Nuys/ Vena.”
Check @carruselbakery other locations and hours.
Guelaguetza
Guelaguetza has many things to offer, starting with their delicious Oaxacan food, but when the weather is cold, you can go right with their famous hot chocolate made with rich chocolate from Oaxaca. If you want something a bit “thicker,” you may want to go with their atole, made with 100% ground corn from Oaxaca, their champurrado made with masa, and their superlatively frothy Oaxacan chocolate. They have dairy-free options, too.
3014 W. Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles 90006. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 28 or 206 - “Olympic/Normandie.”
Open: Tuesday and Wednesday from 11 A.M. to 9 P.M., Thursday 11 A.M. to 5:30 P.M., and Friday through Saturday from 9 A.M. to 10 P.M. and Sunday from 9 A.M. to 9 P.M. (Closed Mondays)
El Águila Bakery
Open since 1973, El Aguila Bakery is home to some of the best handmade pan dulce in Los Angeles, freshly baked every day. Of course, wherever there is freshly baked pan dulce, there will be a steaming cup of champurrado nearby. El Aguila Bakery's champurrado is creamy and silky, pairing perfectly with their pan or tamales.
5028 Huntington Dr. S. Los Angeles, CA 90032. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 78 and 179 - “Huntington/Portola (eastbound)” or "Huntington/Tampico (westbound)", Bus Line 665 - "Huntington/Eastern."
Open: Monday through Sunday, 6 A.M. to 8:30 P.M.
Garduno’s Taco King ~ Vegan
Garduno’s is up the 605 freeway and a short drive through Baldwin Park. This place is known for having an impressive vegan selection, for any establishment, but especially for a classic taco and burger joint. Most classics here are vegan, including Garduno’s hot champurrado, which is made with corn masa, Mexican chocolate, and cinnamon. Now you can buy a 32 oz. container of their delicious vegan champurrado to keep you and others warm during the holiday festivities.
14604 Pacific Ave. Baldwin Park, CA 91706. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 178 West - “Pacific Avenue/Vineland Avenue.”
Open: Monday through Sunday, 6 A.M. to 10 P.M.
La Usuluteca
The atol de elote at La Usuluteca in Arlington Heights is a soothing Salvadoran staple made from fresh corn kernels that are blended to create a warm, silky drink. Sweetened with panela (unrefined cane sugar) and infused with hints of cinnamon, this traditional beverage strikes the perfect balance between creamy and slightly sweet.
4014 W. Washington Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90019. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 210 - "Crenshaw Blvd./Washington Blvd."
Open: Monday through Sunday, 6 A.M. to 8 P.M.
Mariachi Bakery
Mariachi Bakery has multiple locations across Los Angeles and is famous for having tremendous, fresh pan dulce. According to the family behind it, their bakery was created out of their love and admiration for the food that comes from their culture. As third-generation Mexicans in the bakery business, the founders of Mariachi Bakery do things right. They understand the comfort that specialty coffee, hot drinks, and pan dulce can bring to someone. Love and passion can be tasted in their food, including their champurrado latte, a drink that will warm you up on the inside and out. It’s for those who want the taste of a champurrado but with a kick that can get them through their day. Other flavors include a buñuelo latte, rompope, sugar cookie, mazapan, and a caramel flan latte.
Follow @mariachibakery on Instagram for hours and item availability.
Civil Coffee
Civil Coffee offers holiday drinks, such as peppermint mocha made with house-made ganache and bitter-sweet dark chocolate infused with peppermint. It is served with espresso and the milk of your choice and garnished with crushed candy cane for the ultimate comfort treat. The peppermint mocha is a seasonal item that will return in December. We recommend checking Civil Coffee’s Instagram for news of the return of this minty drink.
5629 N. Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90042. Closest Metro lines and stop: Metro A Line - "Highland Park Station" or Bus Lines 81, 182, or 256 - “Figueroa/Avenue 57.”
Open: Monday through Sunday, 7 A.M. to 5 P.M.
Churros Don Abel
We've made it to the end of the list, and while this drink is not warm, it will fill your inner child with joy, a chocomil in a bag. Made with milk, ice, cinnamon, galletas Maria, banana, and chocomil, this concoction is blended into a smooth and creamy drink that is served in a clear plastic bag, just like they do in Guadalajara, Mexico, where the owners are from.
While you are there, you have to try Don Abel’s warm churros, often served the traditional way, dusted in sugar and cinnamon with optional dipping sauces. Or maybe you’d like to pair your drink with some plátanos fritos drizzled with caramel. And if you’re lucky and happen to go on a gloomy day, you may find they’re selling their champurrado de nuez. They have seven locations, so check out their Instagram for all available locations and items.
5458 Whittier Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90022. Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 18 - “Whittier/Goodrich.”
Check Instagram @churrosdonabel for hours and other locations.
Don’t see your favorite drink on the list? Comment your suggestions in the comments.
