Leave it to Angelenos to begin their day with a warm mug of fungi, roots and herbs. The latest beverage trend to wake up Los Angeles doesn’t include tea or coffee, but adaptogens: naturally-occurring substances that help our bodies regulate and manage stress. Typically produced in powder form, restaurants and juice bars are adding these remedies to hot beverages and creating adaptogen tonics and “lattes.”
What are you most likely to find in a cup near you? For starters, Chaga, Ashwagandha and Rhodiola. Rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda, adaptogens are generally said to strengthen the immune system, decrease anxiety and fatigue, and increase mental performance. Specific herbs, like Ho Shou Wu, are even said to raise libido. Can your juice cleanse do that? Here are six places where you'll find adaptogenic lattes in L.A.
The Butcher's Daughter (Venice): If you’re already coming to The Butcher’s Daughter to photograph the avocado toast, you might as well order a glass of their Mexican Cacao Elixir, made with raw cacao, cayenne, maple, steamed almond milk and reishi mushrooms. 1205 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice
Cafe Gratitude (Larchmont, Arts District and Venice): Our favorite affirmation-naming cafe has two more declarations to share: the Restored Adrenal Latté made with ashwagandha, cordyceps and gynostemma tea, and the Immortal Ayurvedic Latté made with reishi, shilajit and mucuna pruriens–a coffee substitute. 639 N Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles. Additional locations in the Arts District and Venice.
G&B Coffee (Downtown) and Go Get Em Tiger (Larchmont and Los Feliz): Sister cafes, G&B Coffee and Go Get Em Tiger, are serving up a hot tonic made with turmeric, ginger and almond-macadamia milk. Turmeric, the “it” spice of the moment, is said to be an anti-inflammatory, helping curb heartburn and joint pain, and aid in digestion. G&B Coffee, 317 S. Broadway #6; Go Get Em Tiger, 230 N Larchmont Village. Additional location in Los Feliz.
LifeFood Organic (Hollywood and Santa Monica): Raw-food restaurant LifeFood Organics, delivers an immune-boosting twist on hot chocolate (three immortals hot chocolate latte) made with cacao, reishi, shilajit, ormus and fresh almond milk. 1507 N Cahuenga, Hollywood. Additional location Santa Monica.
Make Out (Culver City): Plant-based cafe Make Out created a curated list of latte potions, served hot or cold. Try Bliss, made with anandamide, cacao, tocos and MCT oil (an oil extracted from coconut and palm oils) or Mindful, made with rhodiola, mucuna pruriens, reishi and MCT oil. 9426 West Washington Blvd, Culver City
Moon Juice (Venice, Silver Lake, Melrose): Customize your own “dusted” latte at Moon Juice, where you can pick a specialty blend of dried adaptogens and add it to an order of caffeine-free gynostemma tea. Ask for the Sex Dust made with Ho Shou Wu and maca. 507 Rose Ave, Venice. Additional locations in Silver Lake and Melrose.
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