Chinatown

By day, this Chinese tea house and restaurant in Mandarin Plaza serves excellent noodles and small bites along cups of oolong. By night, people flock here for tea cocktails, which are a little unexpected—you might order a drink with pu-erh, tequila, chili pepper, and lime, for example—and always fabulous.

This natural wine bar, operated by the folks from Psychic Wines, is electric. The wine list is eclectic, the patrons even more so, and the dishes are simple but colorful and elegant. Every now and then, they turn the space into a nightclub for the evening—you can find details on their Instagram.

This brewery is low-key and has some of the best craft beer in the city. It’s a relatively small operation—more tasting room than the sprawling warehouse vibe that’s become so common for LA breweries.

Endorffeine’s owner, Jack Benchakul, is a former biochemist turned pastry chef turned barista, and he personally brews every single cup of the phenomenal coffee served here. He hosts ticketed desserts-and-drinks tasting menu experiences, too.

Filipino spot Lasita has a lively dining room and patio that's perfect for date nights or get-togethers with a few friends. Order the rotisserie chicken and a bunch of sauces for dipping. (Unless you’re here on a Monday night, when they serve a seafood-centric menu instead.)

The mild pandemonium around David Chang’s first West Coast restaurant is entirely warranted. The food is difficult to describe, not definable by any one region or culture. It’s a mishmash of foreign flavors that many will find unexpected and familiar at the same time. Definitely not a repeat of Chang’s greatest hits—there’s no ramen here. Instead, this is an entirely new menu of shareable dishes that are often prepared tableside. The grilled bings (a type of Chinese flatbread), topped with everything from cultured butter to uni, are something we’ve never seen before. Sausage-stuffed peppers with buttermilk and the short ribs with all their many fixings are reason enough to book a table. Call a few weeks ahead for a table, or if you’re just two, go early and try for a walk-in (then get a cocktail at nearby Apoteke while you wait).

Apotheke is nearly impossible to find—though not for long, given that David Chang’s Majordomo is next door. It’s on a slip of Spring Street that’s…not quite Chinatown…not quite DTLA. The interior of the bar, with its low rosy lighting, blush banquettes, leather armchairs, and pretty tile, is reminiscent of a French boudoir; that is to say that while so many bars feel inherently masculine, this one skews feminine. The outdoor patio is just as comfortable, with Turkish rugs scattered over the deck, big sofas to sink into, and plenty of space heaters. The beauty of the off-the-grid location is its size: You can sit outside and stargaze, never experiencing the claustrophobia so prevalent in other LA bars. The drinks are more like elixirs spiked with alcohol and divided into “aphrodisiacs,” “health & beauty,” and “painkillers.”

Over the last few decades, Homeboy Industries has built a small empire in Los Angeles founded on a beautiful ethos and impactful mission: to improve the health and safety of the community through jobs and education, instead of incarceration. At Homegirl Café, a Homeboy enterprise (that also sells baked goods from Homeboy Bakery), young women enter an 18-month training certificate program where they learn about the restaurant industry and urban farming while working with a case manager to address other needs, including GED prep, substance abuse, domestic violence, tattoo removal, and legal services. The restaurant they run is as amazing as the program itself; the farm-to-table breakfast and lunch spot serves up soups, salads, and vegan and gluten-free-friendly iterations of classic Latin American dishes. Their tacos are not to be missed–make sure to try their vegan offering prepared with sautéed hibiscus flower, caramelized onions, avocado, cucumber, serrano peppers, and cilantro. There’s convenient parking behind the café, which is perched on the corner of Alameda and Bruno in Chinatown just north of Union Station. In addition to a full catering business, they also have booths at local farmer’s markets throughout the…

Eddie Huang, star of the Viceland show Huang’s World, just opened his second location of Baohaus (the original is in NYC’s East Village) in the old Pok Pok Phat Thai spot in Chinatown’s Far East Plaza. The menu is a bit more streamlined than its New York counterpart, featuring a selection of steamed buns, taro fries, and sweet bao fries. What sets Baohaus apart from the Taiwanese steamed bun crowd is Huang’s unique flavor combos and the fact that all of the meats are antibiotic and hormone-free, which makes them that much easier to enjoy. Standouts include the Birdhaus bao—a steamed bun filled with tender fried chicken and citrus aioli, and the classic taro fries, which are just perfect and a great break from all of the complex flavors on the menu. Still in their soft opening phase, Baohaus is open from 11am to 4pm, but look for extended hours coming soon.

This teeny but beautifully curated vintage store is arguably one of the best in L.A. It’s also the place you want to be when hunting down the perfect pair of vintage Levi’s—the selection here isn’t necessarily vast, but each piece is lovingly chosen, washed, and repaired by the owners themselves to look its best. There are also band t-shirts, army jackets, and a few racks of dresses—all in excellent shape. If pins and patches are your thing, the semi-annual pin-and-patch parties are a gold mine.