Quick & Quality Coffee Drinks At Manhattan Beach’s Two Guns Espresso

Two Guns Espresso is a bright white, hypermodern coffee shop that sits along the stretch of Sepulveda Boulevard that turns into the Pacific Coast Highway in Manhattan Beach. With the sea little more than a mile away, it’s an ideal pit stop for both beach goers and city residents in need of revitalizing caffeine. But despite how easy it is to come and go, the little shop’s dedication to high quality will have you making that stop in multiple times.

Big Flavors From A Small Room

It’s a small space. Inside you’ll find contemporary furnishings, its trademark Dirty Harry painting and, interestingly, a series of newswire newsletters compiled and printed out by the shop. These are probably best as browsing amusements for those waiting in line, like the tabloid rack at the grocery store checkout, but more educational. With only 3 interior tables, a handful of outdoor chairs, and small serving sizes, Two Guns is better suited for in-and-out, on-the-go patronage. It’s a great resource for busy bodies on the move. Those that like to camp out and study will have some difficulty during peak hours. If you wish to claim a spot among their modern wood tone tables, be prepared to be an early bird.

Signature Drinks You Won’t Find Anywhere Else

But what really matters is the menu, right? What sets Two Guns Espresso apart is the care and thought put into their espresso drinks. Much has been written and said about their signature flat white, an Australian/New Zealand variation of the standard latte with a higher ratio of coffee to milk (The owners, Andrew Stanisich and Craig Oram, are both Kiwis.) The attention is well-deserved; the smooth 8 oz drink is an effective wake up call that even the most discerning coffee heads will appreciate.

The dark twin of this is the long black — another beverage variation that might come across as a new novelty to us uninitiated. Luckily, Two Guns Espresso is a great place to brush up on the wider world of coffee drinks. Imagine an Americano, with all its piping hot espresso kick, but with a stronger flavor and a thin presence of foam. If the flat white is a little too milky for your tastes, and sugary sweet espresso drinks offend you on a moral level, the long black is what you’re looking for.

It should be noted that coffee culture from the Southern Hemisphere isn’t the only thing they’re importing into the South Bay. In pursuit of a truly high quality drink, they import fine ingredients: organic milk from Straus Family Creamery in Northern California and Seattle’s own Caffe Vita coffee beans. These distantly sourced ingredients are a way of going the distance, a signal that they don’t settle for cheap and easy. It’s a mile from the coast, but it might as well be an island of elite espresso culture.

Two Guns Espresso – (310) 123 4567
350 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Manhattan Beach, CA 90000

Do you frequent this coffee shop? What’s your favorite coffee drink here?