(Credit: Rich Alossi)
Navigating: Downtown's Historic Core
Our civic duty: finding the neighborhood's best eating
By Katherine Spiers, Special to Metromix
January 23, 2008
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Warung Cafe
118 W. 4th St. - Los Angeles213-626-0662
Located in an historic Downtown building, old meets fusion in Warung Cafe. The modern interior of exposed brick and high-polish concrete features a full painting by local artist Tod Lychkoff. And, if you're feeling particularly undecided about whether to go curried, tandooried, wok-fried or glazed in miso or hoisin, the menu of Pan Asian small plates (each priced reasonably) will let you graze across the continent to your heart's content.
Blossom
426 S. Main St. - Los Angeles213-623-1973
Blossom offers tasty Vietnamese grub such as pho and crepes, and an array of coffees and teas at very affordable prices—all in an atmosphere that feels decidedly chic, especially after the room's recent expansion. Bring your own beer, sit outside, and watch the street traffic go by.
Lost Souls Café
124 W. 4th St. - Los Angeles213-617-7006
Who knew the Historic Core would be the perfect breeding ground for an eclectic cafe? Three years ago, no one but Lost Souls did. Today everyone knows it. The industrial interior embraces all forms of creative expression—live music, poetry readings and art shows—which explains why it feels more like a chic community center than a coffee shop.
Banquette Cafe
400 S. Main St. - Los Angeles213-626-2768
The wine's the thing at Banquette, a lovely Parisian-style eatery that features an impressive wine list and an irresistible selection of homemade pastries. The romantic dining spot also features a week's worth of after-7 p.m. specials, including “The Friday Five,” when five wines are featured for $5 a glass.
626 Reserve
626 S. Spring St. - Los Angeles213-627-9800
This wine-lovers' Downtown hideaway features live jazz and small plates of tapas, including hummus and pita, warm paprika-dusted nuts, and 626's signature ahi tuna melts. The warm, friendly vibe brings back the local lofters as well as the businessmen who don't quite want to go home yet.
Pete's Cafe and Bar
400 S. Main St. - Los Angeles213-617-1000
Floor-to-ceiling windows and a turn-of-the-century tile floor belie the unassuming nature of Pete's Cafe. The bistro serves brunch every day starting at 11:30 a.m. and keeps the kitchen open till 2 a.m.—which is usually when the urge for an order of bleu cheese fries strikes.
Bar-B-Kosher
113 E. 9th St. - Los Angeles213-623-4955
Hidden near the Fashion District is a restaurant serving up a unique culinary combination: barbecue and kosher food. It has a famously homey atmosphere, but it’s tiny and closes too early for dinner, so many make use of the to-go option. Sandwiches, salads, and savory items like falafel and roasted potatoes round out the menu. (Actually, barbecue may not even be a highlight, with all the vegetarian specialties available.) Entire Shabbat dinners can be ordered as well; just be sure to give the restaurant at least two days’ notice.
Grand Central Market
317 S. Broadway - Los Angeles213-624-2378
Shop around for fresh veggies and true treasures at Grand Central Market. This venerable open-air market in Downtown L.A. has drawn locals since the turn of the last century, and it serves everything from goat burritos to cappuccino. Lots of locals and the occasional tourist wander through for fresh produce, meats, herbs and spices, cut flowers, and an unimaginable range of cuisine, all at bargain prices.
Clifton's Cafeteria
648 S. Broadway - Los Angeles213-627-1673
Experience dining in a woodsy ambiance without pitching a tent or cooking over an open flame—and get a side of kitsch as well. This Downtown institution was modeled after the Santa Cruz Mountains’ Brookdale Lodge. The forested decor throughout includes a 20-foot waterfall and a wilderness chapel. Diners come to say they’ve been; the experience is worth more than the cafeteria-style food.
Weeneez
500 S. Spring St. - Los Angeles213-817-6002
Who knew that you could support the arts by buying a hot dog? Art and wiener lovers, your moment has arrived. Adjoining the Julie Rico Gallery and Bistro, Weeneez dishes out traditional dogs and Polish sausages with fixings like chili, jalapenos, grilled onions, dill spears and sauerkraut. Munch your weenee while perusing the rotating collection of contemporary art adorning the walls.
Julie Rico Gallery and Bistro
500 S. Spring St. - Los Angeles213-817-6002
Dinner and a movie is so last century. For a modern twist, head to Julie Rico Gallery and Bistro for a meal of small plates and a viewing of cutting-edge contemporary artists. Nibble on crab cakes and jerk chicken sticks; sip beer, wine or gourmet coffee; and contemplate which painting or sculpture you might red-dot (the signal that a work has sold). The full menu from Weeneez, the hot dog stand at the other end of the gallery, is also available.
Angelique Café
840 S. Spring St. - Los Angeles213-623-8698
The Fashion District has always been lacking in fashionable restaurants, but Angelique Cafe goes against that trend. The adorable brick eatery offers a sizable menu of authentic French breakfast and lunch delicacies, from crepes to duck confit, to enjoy in the breezy dining room or on the pretty rooftop patio.
Bagatelle
112 W. 9th St. - Los Angeles213-622-4661
This cozy cafe serves hearty food like blackened chicken, tortilla soup, and turkey and mozzarella sandwiches. Bagatelle’s wholesome version of healthy—think potato soup and huge, packed-to-the-gills salads—appeals to the overworked office drones populating the area.
Afshan
106 W. 9th St. - Los Angeles213-622-1010
There's both the exotic (like sour cherry with basmati rice) and the familiar (like chicken nuggets) at this Persian/American cafe. Certified Glatt kosher, the restaurant goes heavy on the meat, with Persian specialties like kabobs, shawarma and hearty beef stews, and a smattering of American selections such as burgers, pastrami and spaghetti.
Best of Mediterranean
663 S. Hill St. - Los Angeles213-627-5680
Open only during the workday to cater to Downtown professionals, Best of Mediterranean offers authentic Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food such as kabobs, hummus and deep-fried eggplant. The restaurant has a successful catering business as well, and prides itself on providing big taste to big parties.
Anson's Eatery
126 W. 9th St. - Los Angeles213-891-0858
Anson's is known for its deli, a healthy beacon in the Downtown workday scene, and is particularly popular with the fashion crowd. Since the place closes in the mid-afternoon, be sure to get your late-afternoon snack to take back to your desk when you grab lunch.
Katherine Spiers is a contributing editor for Metromix Los Angeles.
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