This walkable section of Downtown L.A. welcomes creative types from all over, which in turn draws a steady stream of cool boutiques, innovative eateries, galleries and museums. Here’s what to explore.
1. Hauser & Wirth
View contemporary art in this 116,000-square-foot former flour mill, open Wednesdays through Sundays. Don’t miss the all-things-art bookshop, Artbook or the courtyard restaurant, Manuela, which sources fruits, veggies, and herbs from a garden just steps away.
2. The Broad
Billionaire philanthropist Eli Broad and his wife, Edythe, commissioned this $140 million museum to display their 2,000-piece collection. With works by Jeff Koons, Andy Warhol, and Roy Lichtenstein, it checks all the modern-art boxes. (The building’s honeycomb facade is a masterpiece, too.)
3. Bestia
Consistently rated one of the best restaurants in Los Angeles since it opened in 2012, this Italian hot spot driven by a husband-and-wife chef/pastry team serves up inventive rustic dishes like roasted marrow bone over spinach pasta and pizzas topped with gorgonzola, honey, and sausage.
4. EightyTwo
It’s all fun, games, and drinks at this hybrid arcade bar. Bring quarters for the 50 game machines, try tastes from the nightly rotating food trucks, or head to the patio for a game-themed craft cocktail, such as the Wizard Mode, a blend of whiskey, cold-brew coffee, and vanilla black tea.
5. House of Woo
Here, you'll find designer Staci Woo’s lines for men, women, beach, and baby, all manufactured in Downtown L.A., plus home wares like indigo-dyed throw pillows from local artisans. See artists at work, too, in the onsite workshops.
6. Café Gratitude
Even non-vegans will enthusiastically skip to this gorgeously designed space to order from the all-day 100% plant-based menu, which emphasizes gratefulness in its dishes’ titles. Try the Humble Indian Curry Bowl, or take an Enlightened Energising Green Machine smoothie to go.
7. Alchemy Works
This rotating gallery/event space/retail shop with a "Made in California" focus helps make this area unique. You’ll find trendy Warby Parker frames for your glasses, local leather goods from Clare V., and one-of-a-kind collectibles like a vintage Fiat.