PlanJam!From your screen to the scene

A local favorite since 1997, Cafe Balcony is a quaint little coffee shop located in West Los Angeles. Tucked away along Rochester Ave (right off of Santa Monica Blvd and Centinela) , this neighborhood gem takes an interesting approach in creating the perfect cup of coffee. Brewed using a unique hand-crafted Siphon (see picture below), the result is a remarkably great tasting cup of coffee that’s always made to order.

The contraption resembles a chemistry set that you may have used in High School. The Siphon is made up of three parts: a burner, a water chamber, and a brewing chamber which holds the freshly ground organic beans. The burner heats up the water and essentially creates a vacuum effect which forces the water into the brewing chamber. The coffee is brewed in the chamber for a few minutes, funneled back down into the water chamber, and then served.

If this all seems a little too scientific for you, don’t worry…they also offer some simpler alternatives. Using the finest Italian coffees from Illy, all of their espresso drinks (lattes, cappuccinos, etc.) are absolutely fantastic.

Cafe Balcony also provides free wireless internet and is open daily till midnight.

NOTE: They don't accept credit cards so remember to bring along some cash.