Get culture and coffee at M Street Coffee in Sherman Oaks

  The cafe interior (Photo courtesy of Andrea McClain, owner)

Art and coffee in the same place? This is my idea of heaven and it can be found at the eco-friendly M Street Coffee in Sherman Oaks. The place is only a year and a half old, but has gained a rep for fantastic customer service, good coffee, and a relaxed and cozy atmosphere. Even self-described coffee snobs give it high marks.

They have a varied menu, evenly divided between coffee drinks, tea drinks, and fruit smoothies. There’s a small selection of baked goods as well (see slide number 8). I wasn’t sure what to order and asked what a Carmel Royal was. The friendly girl at the counter told me it was a latte made with a caramel sauce, not syrup. When I asked if it was fattening, she suggested I try half caramel sauce and half sugar free vanilla. That sounded good to me. I also ordered an everything bagel, toasted.

The bagel came out a little too “tanned.” They apologized, explaining their toaster one side of their toaster was a little out of whack. It was still tasty, though. The drink was delicious and beautiful. In contrast to the white paper coffee cup, refreshingly free of logos or generic decoration, an artful leaf design graced the top of my latte. I’m a sucker for latte art.

Speaking of art, the work of local creative types hangs throughout the café and in the gallery-within-the-coffeehouse, also known as the Photoflow Gallery. That, in my opinion, is way cool. You can even buy the art and look at it 24/7 if you like. At the moment you can view large paintings by John Hathaway-Bates. His work has an Henri Magritte feel to it.  I enjoyed occasionally looking up from the computer and gazing on Paradise Planetscape IV (see slide number six).

Also a plus is their location. M Street Coffee is a few blessed blocks away from the ever-crowded Ventura Boulevard, on Moorpark, near Fulton. Street parking isn't hard to find.

Unfortunately, Andrea McClain, the owner, wasn't there the day I visited, however we've exchanged emails and it's quite plain that she cares a great deal about her customers. Making them happy makes her happy. That personal committment is, in my opinion, what sets boutique coffee houses like hers apart from the big chains. (Not that big chains are bad. Both have pros and cons. I will always patronize both.)

View some of the other amenities in the slide show:

• Outside seating
• Free copies of LA Weekly and The Onion in their library
• A pleasant lounge area with a unique coffee table that contains coffee beans

Rating 56 / 70

• 9 – Ambiance – The bright contemporary décor was welcoming and unique. Rotating exhibits provide an ever-changing backdrop.
• 8 – “Carmel Royal” – The coffee flavor was not overpowered by the sweetness of the caramel. The latte art was lovely.
• 6 – Everything bagel – Overdone, but tasty.
• 8 - Service – The cashier and barista were helpful and friendly.
• 8 – Menu – Easy to understand, nice variety.
• 8 – Parking – Street parking fairly easy. No meters.
• 9 – Restroom – Nice and clean.

I'll definitely go back to M Street Coffee. Andrea highly recommends her chai latte on ice, but I prefer my chai hot. I'm sure she'll be more than happy to make it my way.

M Street Coffee
13251 Moorpark Street
Just east of Fulton
(818) 907-1400

Hours of operation
Mon-Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

For more information, visit the M Street Coffee website and the Two Tomatoes Boutique website. Read Andrea McClain's opinion on the viability of Tokyo Cat Cafes here in Los Angeles.

If you prefer music over art, you might be interested in this article on groundwork coffee in Hollywood. And here's another place in Sherman Oaks you can visit--Sweet Harts.

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