Syndicate
18 W Sierra Madre Blvd, Sierra Madre, CA
Crema's Take
“Syndicate is a beloved Sierra Madre gem that nails the coffee-and-bakery formula with genuine character and care—their espresso is reliable, their pastries are delicious, and they even offer playful specialty options like a "mood ring" drink you won't find elsewhere. The cozy, intimate space fills up quickly but strikes that rare balance of being both welcoming for focused work sessions and perfect for unhurried conversations over really good coffee. If you're willing to wait and embrace a spot that prioritizes quality over convenience, this is the kind of place worth making a pilgrimage to.”
What to expect
Google Reviews
🤌 Easily the best coffee bakery combo in the LA area. It’s hard to find a place that does everything right and maintains unique character without being a sterile, soulless LA coffee shop. Syndicate always has friendly (cool, yet somehow unpretentious) staff, amazing food, good tunes, and the intangible happy vibration that is missing from so many cold wifi laptop holes that most modern cafes have a tendency to become. Enjoy a cup looking on to the mountains of Sierra Madre high above the classic town square.
Me n my aunt went to this place after our walk. We both liked the bakery n the coffee. There is not too much seats. It gets packed. Idk the bakery names since there is no label. But people there is nice and the food looks good but we aren’t that hungry since we had late breakfast. The place looks nice too. It’s not like super quiet place. You can hear some noises. I see people study or read there. They have some lunch items besides beverages and bakeries.
If time and money are no object this is the coffee shop for you. The food was delicious, coffee, if made correctly, on point. My husband and I waited in line for 15 minutes and once we got the counter we waited another 15 minutes while the cashier had a small panic attack at being asked to espresso grind a $48 bag of beans. We then waited for four pastries and one latte for 38 minutes. Everyone was very friendly but very new. The only person who seemed to know what was going on was the cook who had been given the smallest wok space and the gal rolling out scones who had her headphones on. Based on other reviews I have to assume they are based on non peak hours and were getting basic items. This is the not the before work coffee shop. It’s a linger, chat, eat before you come if it’s a weekend. But everyone was very nice and it was tasty although the prices were somewhat alarming.
☕️🌯🥐🍪 I’ve been to Syndicate multiple times and will go out of my way to pop in. Their coffee options are great and I love that they have a “mood ring” choice that I’ve never seen anywhere else. Their pastries are dangerously delicious too! What puts this place over the edge for me is the customer service. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ they are always so pleasant and just so welcoming and warm. I’ve interacted with many different staff members and ALL of them were great. Keep up the great work!!!
I visited this coffee shop in Sierra Madre since I was meeting up with a coworker, and it was a great choice. The atmosphere was cozy and comfortable, perfect for getting work done. The service was top-notch, and both the drip coffee and vanilla latte were amazing. The place was clean and had such a pleasant vibe that it made focusing on work easy. I’ll definitely be coming back!