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Coffee Talk: Diedrich Coffee

October 24, 2006 at 3:55 PM | 0 Comments

If you've visited Los Angeles or have had the misfortune to live there for a while, you know about the town's triumverate of coffee chains--Starbucks, Coffee Bean and Peet's Coffee.

But there's a chain out there that's better than all of them, for several reasons but great coffee and free wireless are among the top.

Diedrich Coffee is a product of Orange County where the company's headquarters started back in the 1970. However, this isn't just some old coffee shop that expanded.

Nope, the Diedrich family began their coffee obsession back in the early 1900s when the matriarch, Charlotte, inherited a coffee plantation in Costa Rica. From then on her sons and grandsons took over the business, starting up a new plantation in Guatemala and then expanding the coffee shops across Orange County.

Today there's about 23 locations in the OC and randomly, they also have a three locations in Denver and three in Texas.

Up in LA County, the Diedrich's in Malibu is a local favorite. Located across the street from the celebrity and paparazzi-ridden Malibu Country Mart (this is where Britney was driving away from with Sean P. on her lap), Diedrich's is quiet and small, but there's enough room to sit down with your laptop for an hour of free wireless, with a purchase of course.

And you will want to purchase a drink here because they are delicious and fresh. Not some mass-created junk like a frappucino. Our fave? A mocha latte with whip cream and pieces of freshly shaved chocolate sprinkled on top.

Insider Tip: If you can't handle the trek to Malibu up the Pacific Coast Highway (which can get crowded), then check out the other Diedrich location in Santa Monica on Montana Avenue. [Update: This location as of Jan. 3, 2007 is closed]

[Photo: HereinMalibu]