There are mornings when all you want is a straightforward cup of hot coffee.
Other days call for espresso.
Maybe the Santa Monica sun is already out and cold brew sounds better. Or perhaps you’re settling into the morning with a latte, cappuccino or something a little sweeter.
That’s the fun of a good coffee menu. You don’t have to drink the same thing every day.
At Dogtown Coffee, the drink selection ranges from Organic House Brew and classic espresso drinks to 24-hour cold brew, Nitro Cold Brew, the Salty Dog, Havana Latte, Chagaccino and several coffee-free alternatives.
If you have ever looked at a café menu and wondered what makes a flat white different from a latte, whether you should try Nitro instead of regular cold brew, or what exactly a Salty Dog is, this guide will help.
Think of it as your roadmap to finding your Dogtown drink.
Start Simple With Organic House Brew
Sometimes the simplest choice is exactly what you want.
Dogtown Coffee’s Organic House Brew is available in light or dark roast, giving traditional coffee drinkers two straightforward ways to start the morning.
A cup of house coffee is a great choice if you enjoy brewed coffee without a lot of additions.
It also happens to pair naturally with breakfast.
A burrito, breakfast sandwich, bowl or another favorite alongside hot coffee is one of the easiest ways to start a Santa Monica morning.
For anyone searching for breakfast Santa Monica, coffee doesn’t have to be an afterthought. It’s part of the experience.
Cafe Au Lait: A Softer Take on House Coffee
If you enjoy brewed coffee but want something a little creamier, the Cafe Au Lait is worth trying.
Dogtown makes it with House Brew Coffee and steamed milk.
That makes it different from a latte, which uses espresso as its coffee base.
The Cafe Au Lait stays closer to the traditional brewed-coffee experience while the steamed milk softens it.
It’s a great middle ground for someone who likes regular coffee but occasionally wants a smoother cup.
Espresso: The Foundation of the Coffee Bar
Espresso is where many café drinks begin.
Dogtown offers espresso and macchiato, and espresso also serves as the foundation for drinks including Americanos, lattes, cappuccinos, flat whites, Havana Lattes and the Chagaccino.
Espresso is concentrated and bold.
Some people love drinking it on its own. Others prefer the flavor once it is combined with water, milk or other ingredients.
Either way, understanding espresso makes the rest of the menu much easier to navigate.
Americano: Espresso Without the Milk
If you enjoy black coffee but want something made with espresso, try an Americano.
Dogtown offers both hot and iced versions.
It’s simple, coffee-forward and a good choice when you don’t want a milk-based drink.
For somebody who normally orders house coffee, an Americano can also be an easy way to explore espresso without jumping straight into a latte or specialty drink.
Meet the Gringo
Here’s one of the more distinctive choices on the Dogtown Coffee menu.
The Gringo combines espresso, hot water and steamed milk.
Think of it as another option for people who like espresso but don’t necessarily want the milkier experience of a traditional latte.
It’s also exactly the kind of drink that makes exploring a local café menu more interesting.
You can always order what you know.
But sometimes the drink you hadn’t noticed before becomes your new regular order.
Latte, Cappuccino or Flat White?
These three drinks all use espresso and milk, but they aren’t identical.
The Latte combines espresso and steamed milk.
The Cappuccino features espresso with thicker, textured milk.
The Flat White uses a double shot of espresso, steamed milk and a thin layer of microfoam.
So which should you choose?
If you want something smooth and approachable, start with the latte.
If you enjoy a more textured milk experience, try the cappuccino.
And if you want a drink where the espresso remains especially noticeable while still having that smooth milk texture, the flat white may be your move.
This is one of the best parts about becoming a regular at a coffee shop Santa Monica locals love.
You get to experiment.
Iced Latte and Flavored Latte
Santa Monica weather makes iced coffee drinks a year-round possibility.
Dogtown serves an Iced Latte made with espresso and cold milk, along with Flavored Lattes in both hot and iced forms.
The latte is one of the easiest coffee drinks to enjoy in different ways because it provides a smooth espresso-and-milk base.
Some mornings call for straightforward espresso and milk.
Others call for something sweeter.
Both belong in the rotation.
Havana Latte: Rich, Smooth and Sweet
The Havana Latte takes espresso in a sweeter direction.
It combines espresso with sweetened condensed milk and milk, and Dogtown offers both hot and iced versions.
Sweetened condensed milk gives the drink a richer texture and sweetness than a standard latte.
If you usually add something sweet to your coffee, this is an easy one to consider.
Peppermint Mocha Latte
For coffee drinkers who like espresso with a little more personality, Dogtown also offers the Peppermint Mocha Latte.
It can be enjoyed hot or iced, combining peppermint with espresso and milk.
It’s a good reminder that coffee doesn’t always have to be serious.
Sometimes you just want something that feels like a treat.
Chagaccino: Something Completely Different
If you’re ready to go beyond traditional café drinks, look at the Chagaccino.
Dogtown’s version combines espresso, chaga, cacao, cinnamon, vanilla and monk fruit and can be enjoyed hot or cold.
It’s distinctly different from the standard latte, cappuccino and Americano lineup.
For adventurous coffee drinkers, that’s exactly the point.
Trying something unfamiliar once in a while is one of the easiest ways to discover a drink you might never have considered otherwise.
24-Hour Cold Brew
Cold brew and Santa Monica seem made for each other.
Dogtown’s Cold Brew is brewed for 24 hours, giving coffee drinkers another option beyond iced espresso drinks.
Cold brew isn’t simply regular hot coffee poured over ice.
It’s its own style of coffee and a natural choice for warm mornings, beach walks and afternoons when you still want coffee but don’t necessarily want something hot.
We’ve explored this side of the menu before in our guide to iced coffee and cold brew favorites.
Nitro Cold Brew
Already like cold brew?
Try Nitro Cold Brew.
Dogtown offers Nitro alongside its traditional 24-hour cold brew, giving cold-coffee drinkers another way to change things up.
It’s a natural next choice for someone who already knows they enjoy cold brew but wants a different experience.
You don’t necessarily need to choose between being a hot-coffee person or an iced-coffee person forever.
That’s the beauty of being in Santa Monica.
You can order according to the day.
The Salty Dog
Then there is the Salty Dog.
This is one Dogtown drink that deserves its own introduction.
The Salty Dog combines 24-hour cold brew, deep caramel and sea salt foam.
You get the coffee character of cold brew, sweetness from the caramel and that salty finish from the foam.
If you’re visiting Dogtown for the first time and want to try something more distinctive than a basic latte or brewed coffee, this is an easy place to start.
The name doesn’t hurt either.
It feels right at home in Dogtown.
Vietnamese Iced Coffee
Another sweeter cold option is the Vietnamese Iced Coffee.
Dogtown combines dark roast coffee with sweetened condensed milk.
The dark coffee and condensed milk create a noticeably different experience from an iced latte or traditional cold brew.
If you like coffee with richness and sweetness, put this one on your list.
Not Every Great Café Drink Has to Be Coffee
One of the best things about the Dogtown drink menu is that coffee isn’t the only option.
The Organic Matcha Latte combines matcha tea, almond milk and honey.
The Tea Latte combines organic tea, almond milk and honey.
The Creamy Chai Latte offers a sweet-and-spicy alternative.
And the Turmeric Latte combines turmeric, pepper, cardamom, cinnamon and ginger.
There is also a Yerba Mate Latte, made with Yerba Mate tea, almond milk and honey, along with Loose Leaf Tea and Hot Chocolate.
So if you’re meeting somebody for coffee and they don’t actually drink coffee, nobody has to settle for water.
There are plenty of other directions to go.
Organic Kombucha on Tap
Dogtown also serves Organic Kombucha on Tap, with chamomile, blueberry and lavender selections listed on the menu.
That’s another option for someone who wants something cold and refreshing without ordering coffee.
It also fits naturally with the variety of people who come through Dogtown throughout the day.
Not every visit has to look the same.
How Do You Choose?
If you’re staring at the menu and can’t decide, here’s an easy way to think about it.
Want classic coffee? Go with the Organic House Brew.
Want brewed coffee with steamed milk? Try the Cafe Au Lait.
Want something bold and small? Espresso.
Want espresso without milk? Americano.
Want espresso, water and steamed milk? Try the Gringo.
Want something smooth and creamy? Latte.
Want thicker, textured milk? Cappuccino.
Want the espresso to stand out in a smooth milk drink? Flat White.
Want something richer and sweeter? Havana Latte.
Want straightforward cold coffee? 24-Hour Cold Brew.
Already love cold brew and want to change it up? Nitro Cold Brew.
Want something that feels uniquely Dogtown? Salty Dog.
Want dark coffee with sweetened condensed milk? Vietnamese Iced Coffee.
Want something besides coffee? Try Matcha, Chai, Turmeric, Yerba Mate or a Tea Latte.
Simple.
Finding Your Favorite Coffee in Santa Monica
Finding the best coffee Santa Monica experience isn’t necessarily about discovering one drink and ordering it forever.
It’s about having options that fit different mornings.
Hot house coffee before work.
An Americano when you want something straightforward.
A latte while catching up with a friend.
Cold brew before heading toward the beach.
A Salty Dog when you want something distinctly Dogtown.
Coffee can be a routine without becoming repetitive.
That’s part of what makes having a neighborhood café worthwhile.
Coffee, Breakfast and a Santa Monica Morning
Coffee also gets better when it has somewhere to go.
Dogtown Coffee sits at Main and Bay, making it easy to turn a drink into the beginning of a larger Santa Monica morning.
Grab breakfast.
Sit for a while.
Walk Main Street.
Head toward the beach.
Meet a friend.
Bring your dog.
Or just enjoy your coffee without rushing anywhere.
Our Local’s Guide to Main Street Santa Monica and guide to September in Santa Monica: Coffee, Breakfast & Beach Mornings show how easily a stop at Dogtown can become part of a bigger neighborhood experience.
That’s what coffee Santa Monica should feel like.
Not just caffeine.
A little bit of the neighborhood with it.
Take Dogtown Coffee Home
Eventually you have to leave the café.
Fortunately, that doesn’t mean the coffee has to disappear from your routine.
For people who want to keep Dogtown coffee at home, the coffee subscription Santa Monica option makes it easier to bring part of that local coffee experience into your own kitchen.
Then, when you’re back at Main and Bay, try something you haven’t had before.
Maybe it’s the Gringo.
Maybe it’s Nitro.
Maybe it’s the Havana Latte.
Maybe you’re finally ordering the Salty Dog you’ve been thinking about.
The best way to discover your favorite Dogtown Coffee drink is pretty simple.
Keep tasting.
Dogtown Coffee
2003 Main Street, Santa Monica
Visit Dogtown Coffee and explore the drink selection alongside breakfast, neighborhood history and the laid-back Santa Monica atmosphere that makes Dogtown feel like Dogtown.