Malibu coffee shop guide (and more)

I’ve been visiting the Los Angeles area consistently since I was a child as most of my family and now many of my friends live there, but I never really spent an extended period of time in dreamy Malibu. To Angelinos, Malibu is often seen as the place to “get away” from the hustle and bustle of city life, a beautiful oasis awaiting one at the end of a scenic drive along the Pacific Coast Highway. It is also a celebrity hot spot especially it’s renowned Nobu Malibu famous for its beachfront location and exclusive clientele. The last time I ate at Nobu, I remember spotting a few major celebs within an hour of being there. Let’s dive in to my Malibu coffee shop guide (and more)!

My husband and I decided to do this particular LA trip different and spend most of the time enjoying the Malibu scene. We booked an airbnb, which boasted breathtaking oceanfront views (and it didn’t disappoint!). Unfortunately, as our weekend away approached, the Los Angeles area was making national news as “deep freeze” and rain was expected to land and muddle (no pun intended) our weekend plans. Alas, we took it in stride and figured it wouldn’t be as bad as some of the east coast winters we’d endured. Upon landing in LAX, the threat of cold and rainy weather was imminent and it quickly became apparent that many Angelinos were not going to brave the weather and stayed at home. The silver lining was that we dealt with virtually ZERO traffic, which if you know anything about LA, the traffic is notoriously horrendous.

As we drive to our destination, it also became apparent that there was a level of unpreparedness as traffic lights were down and people were just taking gambles, driving through them. As we had been unsuccessful in procuring a reservation ahead of time, we decided to take a chance and check in on Nobu. It was noon on a Friday at the most trendy restaurant in Malibu so we expected to be turned away, but the weather afforded us some luck! We enjoyed a scrumptious lunch and even more enjoyable people watching and while the rain somewhat obstructed the beachfront view, it was still a win in my book.

After lunch, the next order of business was finding a coffee shop to beat the post-flight, post-prandial slump. First coffee shop stop on my Malibu cofee shop guide is Caffe Luxxe, a quaint little coffee shop with the tagline “artisanal expression,” known for “the best coffee” in the region (according to multiple sources), and I can attest it certainly deserves that title. Upon walking in, the scene felt a little haughty like if you weren’t a coffee/espresso conoisseur, you didn’t belong, but as I approached the counter, the staff was extremely helpful and friendly. I ordered their mocha latte and it was probably one of the best lattes I’ve ever had. Yes, EVER had. The actual taste of the coffee was perfect: smooth and creamy.

We then checked into our airbnb, which as advertised, had exquisite views-seriously, this place was unreal. As we walked in and entered the living room, the large windows peered out to crashing waves right under our feet. The bedroom also had a large floor-to-ceiling window view of the ocean, delivering all the melodic ocean sounds while sleeping. It was getting late and we had to put our toddler to sleep so the plan was to order pizza, which we got from “the best pizza place in Malibu,” D’amores pizza. As a native New Yorker, my “best pizza” scale is a little unfair so I’ll just say it was very good by California standards.

The next morning, the weather had cleared up and the sun was out-hooray! We set out to Paradise Cove Beach Cafe, another oceanfront establishment. Loved that this place had a dock behind the restaurant where you can walk out and take in all the serenity the beach has to offer. Next stop was of course another coffee shop. It was still raining on and off so we opted for a more sheltered coffee shop within a shopping plaze called Le Cafe de la Plage. This place is also well known for its ice cream, which is sold in grocery stores around the country. It has a cute, Parisian feel to it and a flower wall that’s insta-hype worthy.

We then ventured to LA where we spent the day with family and friends. While Malibu is only about a 30-45 minute drive from most parts of LA, it still feels like a far, remote destination, which I found very appealing if your goal is to have a relaxed vacation. The next morning, we went on a run along the beach. There are many beaches in Malibu, but we chose Zuma beach as it was near our airbnb. We then went to Duke’s Malibu for brunch. This establishment has roots in Hawaii and pays homage to surfing culture. They serve mostly seafood, but also have an excellent brunch menu.

After brunch, we checked out Malibu Farm Pier Cafe. This was probably my favorite ambiance for a cafe in the area. It is located on a dock and has indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the water. The interior gives a botanical garden vibe with hanging plants and greenery. It is also one of the more laid back establishments we visited. I did not however get a coffee-based beverage here, but got a chai tea latte, which they brought in a kettle so I could keep topping off my mug! We checked out the Malibu Farmers Market, a small farmers market that sells organic local produce, pastries from family owned businesses and fresh flowers. That night we had dinner reservations at Moonshadows, another exceptional restaurant with great food and views.

On our last day in Malibu, we went to the Carbon Beach Club restaurant located inside the Malibu Inn. This place had a very sophisticated and classy vibe and again, breathtaking beachfront views (I think this is just commonplace for every restaurant in Malibu). I am still drooling over their nutella toast pictured below-just get it.

Overall, this was probably our most relaxed trip to the LA area. Partly, because Malibu is just such a serene environment and partly because the foreboding weather meant we didn’t have to deal with crowded beaches or retaurants. I left this trip feeling rejuvenated and inspired to make visiting Malibu a yearly goal.