Hungry for details on the best places to eat and drink in your neighborhood? We identified the top restaurants in downtown Los Angeles, based on recommendations from Nextdoor members who live in the neighborhood. Read on to see whether your favorite spots made the list.
Are you a business owner in downtown LA? If you operate a neighborhood eatery and want to be included in our 2020 Neighborhood Favorite Awards, click here to claim your business page and begin connecting with local customers today.
1. Maccheroni Republic
First up is Maccheroni Republic, an Italian restaurant that specializes in handmade pasta. Located at 332 S. Broadway, the trattoria stands out among the local restaurants that are popular with your neighbors. While the average eatery has five Nextdoor recommendations, Maccheroni Republic has racked up 43 and was voted a 2019 Neighborhood Favorite business in three LA neighborhoods.
The organic pasta is the star of each dish, from rigatoni with a creamy tomato sauce topped with burrata to pumpkin ravioli with butter cream truffle cheese sauce. For dessert, indulge in ricotta cheesecake with a vanilla and berry sauce or the vegan chocolate mousse with strawberries.
2. Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
Next up is Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, a high-end chain that serves up signature steaks like bone-in rib-eye and petite filet mignon. The local outpost at 800 W. Olympic Blvd. has garnered 32 Nextdoor recommendations.
With a kitchen helmed by chef Curtis Mar, expect to find menu offerings like broiled New Zealand rack of lamb, miso-glazed Chilean sea bass and roasted acorn squash with pickled red onions. The bar has a separate menu of small bites, plus a selection of craft beers, cocktails and global wines.
3. The Original Pantry Cafe
Looking to satisfy your hunger for classic American fare? Then check out The Original Pantry Cafe, which is open 24 hours a day at 877 S. Figueroa St. Established in 1924, the iconic downtown spot has 23 Nextdoor recommendations and is owned by former LA Mayor Richard Riordan.
According to its website, notable customers over the years have included everyone from Marilyn Monroe to Martin Luther King Jr. Current menu offerings include sourdough French toast, pork chops, tuna salad and traditional desserts such as carrot cake and peach cobbler.
4. Colori Kitchen
Another popular local eatery is Colori Kitchen, which has been recommended by 19 Nextdoor neighbors and was voted a 2019 Neighborhood Favorite business. Chef Luigi Barducci Contessi, an Italian native, and his wife, Paola, opened the restaurant in 2007 in the historic district at 429 W. Eighth St.
The cozy space is focused on Italian country-style dining and features an open kitchen. Start off your meal with house-cured beef carpaccio with a wild arugula salad or the antipasto misto with sliced prosciutto, mortadella and salami. Entrees include spaghetti with housemade pesto; grilled salmon with Dijon mustard; and chicken and mushrooms in a Marsala wine sauce.
5. Sugarfish
And then there's the sleek and modern Sugarfish at 600 W. Seventh St., which has several other locations across LA and two in New York. It comes from master sushi chef Kazunori Nozawa, who co-founded the LA-based restaurant group behind Nozawa Bar and KazuNori. Thus far, it has earned 18 Nextdoor recommendations.
The eatery is committed to sustainability and continuing Nozawa's traditional style of sushi preparation in which "simplicity and balance [are] used to accent the flavor and texture of the fish."
Honorable mentions
Here are other popular eateries in downtown LA that have received praise from local Nextdoor members:
- Peking Tavern, 806 S. Spring St.
- Guisados, 541 S. Spring St., Suite 101
-
Umami Burger, 852 S. Broadway
- Sushi-Gen, 422 E. Second St.
- Morton's The Steakhouse, 735 S. Figueroa St.
How to make our list
Every year, Nextdoor neighbors vote for their favorite local businesses in dozens of categories. This annual awards program is an opportunity to amass recommendations for your business on Nextdoor. Claim your page now to be part of our 2020 Neighborhood Favorite Awards this February.
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