Espresso Profeta is open in Westwood

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L.A.’s coffee geeks (their term) have a new place to get pulls of Vivace espresso and cappuccinos topped with latte art, like this one being poured here into a vintage Illy decorative cup: Espresso Profeta in Westwood.

The coffee bar, which opened three weeks ago after a redesign (it was previously West Burton Coffee & Tea), is a partnership between Samantha Langford -- whose father owns the 30-year-old jewelry store across the pretty courtyard as well as the 1924 building now occupied by Profeta -- and Mitch Hale. Hale was previously at Caffe Luxxe in Santa Monica and was one of the first baristas at Seattle’s Espresso Vivace. (Pacific Northwest readers: Espresso Vivace reopened their second store this past Friday, in Capitol Hill.) It’s a family operation: Samantha’s husband and Hale’s nephew also pull shots from the Syneso machine and serve up the house-made sandwiches and pastries from Breadbar and Buttercake Bakery. Look for continued changes in the coming weeks, as Langford and Hale tailor the spot to UCLA students and those coffee geeks (squishy couches and dictionaries will replace the antiques; free WiFi as of next week). Macchiato fans, take note: Those served at Espresso Profeta (the name means ‘the prophet of coffee,’ according to Hale) resemble short double cappuccinos. Hey, you get latte art on these!

Espresso Profeta, 1129 Glendon Ave., Los Angeles, (310) 208-3375. (Website under construction.) Open Monday to Saturday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

-- Amy Scattergood