People are wising up to the idea that local is better. Shopping local supports our community, and more often than not, it is much better quality. Locally roasted coffee makes for an incredibly delectable brew.

So why on God’s green earth is the Starbucks at Barnes and Nobles so crammed? It does make sense for sheer convenience’s sake; sure I like to drink coffee and look at books and magazines. But people drive there purposefully, to sit practically on top of one another with their laptops, in a dull atmosphere with mediocre coffee. It’s perplexing.

Lord Windsor is a local roaster and rustic-style coffee shop, who eschews providing wi-fi in order to hark back to the original purpose of the Euro-style coffeehouse: a place for people to congregate and talk.

The Lord Windsor take on a macchiato.

Their coffee and espresso drinks consist of the upmost quality. The space itself reminds me of Athens, Georgia, where I lived for years: welcoming and bright with high ceilings, black and white checkered floor, a distressed wooden bar, and a Spartan approach to the décor. The sounds of old folk music tend to hang in the air here and add to the vibe, gently tugging on the heartstrings. They always have an assembly of locally made treats–such as scones from Scratch–gathered round the register that are super-tempting.

I ordered a macchiato, which was a different take on it than the usual dollop of foam on top of espresso. In a growing trend amongst indie coffeeshops, Lord Windsor uses the perfect amount of milk-meets-espresso–not strict foam-and-espresso. It was amazing—everything I ever wanted and hadn’t known. The Lord Windsor brand espresso bean was smooth and not bitter at all (I didn’t even have to add any sugar: truly an immaculate delivery of caffeine and perfect for hardcore espresso fans). As an added bonus, they give you a small tumbler of sparkling water to clean your palate and catapult the experience to the next level—the evolution of enjoyment at hand.

Makai Coffee’s boutique-like storefront.

Makai Coffee is somewhat new to the scene–and it puts to shame previous spaceholder Temple Coffee. Makai Coffee uses only local roasters: True Bean, Rose Park Roasters, and Lord Windsor. The coffee and espresso drinks are hands down some of the best in town.

I ordered a Gibraltar, which is equal parts espresso and milk (two ounces each), echoing what Lord Windsor’s calls a macchiato. It’s scrumptious. It’s my new jam.

Also, the space itself is open, inviting, stripped-down, and stylish in a modern way. With it’s old-school blue chairs, it reminds me of one of my favorite spots where I used to live in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Makai Coffee is right around the corner from my house and is a much-welcomed addition to the bearers of this beautiful brown elixir.

The Gibraltor at Makai Coffee.

Go Local! Bring your books and get your work done at one of these enticing and delightful (leaps and bounds better than the big boys) coffee shops.

Lord Windsor
1101 E 3rd St Long Beach, CA 90802

Makai Coffee
2769 E Broadway Long Beach, CA 90803