Where to eat right now: Los Angeles cafes
Due to my stomach bug while in LA, I didn’t get out to eat very often. However, the new places we did hit up, which were all cafes, were well-rounded and exceptional in terms of food, decor, and service. I don’t know if they will become staples, but I loved the experience at each.
FARM SHOP
Brentwood Country Mart (West LA)
Tucked behind the food court, Farm Stand is a market, deli, bakery, and farm-to-table cafe serving up sophisticated comfort food. The guilt-free indulgence seems to good to be true until the bill comes and you realize you’ve just dropped $25 per person on brunch! Absolutely worth it though :)
800 DEGREES PIZZERIA
Westwood
8I wanted to try out 800 Degrees, the new pizza joint in Westwood where you can customize your own pizza that cooks up in 60 seconds, but as you can see the entire neighborhood came out to do the same that night. Chef Anthony Carron takes great pride in his concept and pie that he claims is based on the original Neopolitan recipe. Watch the video, it looks delicious!
PITFIRE PIZZA
West LA (below), West Hollywood, North Hollywood, Culver City, Downtown,
Due to the line at 800 Degrees, we ended up at Pitfire Pizza down the street. Honestly, I’m happy we did. They have a super fresh menu full of things other than pizza like the quinoa tar tar above. I was a little disappointed the crust was traditional instead of thin, but overall their pies were delicious. The craft beers on draft were a nice addition. All around great concept for a casual night out!
SYCAMORE KITCHEN
West Hollywood
From the masterminds behind Hatfield’s (arguably one of the best restaurants in LA) comes a little sister cafe on La Brea, The Sycamore Kitchen. Think Urth Cafe…but San Fran chic instead of LA rag-a-muffin. Delicious pasteries, savory quiches, and a ricotta crepe dish that looks like heaven are just a couple things to make you salivate when you walk in the door. I didn’t get a chance to try lunch, but as you can see from the menu above it looks as divine as breakfast. They use Stumptown roasted beans, but unfortunately have not figured out how to serve them properly yet (why is it so hard for people to make a proper cappucino). The service is a bit cold, but I think the hipsters and their mommy manager will warm up over time.
Everyone is also buzzing about John Rankin’s Lauren Hardware in Weho. A la the Beauty & Essex entrance, this eatery looks like a hardware store. But all the cool kids are flocking there for food and fun, so maybe we should follow their along.
Trust me, I know I’ve missed tons of great new places, so if you want to offer up recommendations, please do so in the comments. I hope to make it back out there soon!
