Paramount Coffee Project (DTLA)
Images via @caitlinmiyako, @pcpdtla
Fresh on The Row is Fairfax veteran, Paramount Coffee Project. Aussie morning spaces are springing up all over Eastside LA, like Roo and Pollen in Silver Lake, but Paramount’s coffee is a cup above the rest of the Down Under drip. Ria Dolly Barbosa of Go Get Em Tiger and Forage leads the kitchen in serving up towering seasonal tartines and savory sandwiches infused with salty, innovative Filipina roots. The space is industrial moderne with bright light and airy entries. Join the baristas for weekly cuppings of Sightglass beans.
Cento Pasta Bar (DTLA)
Images via @blakescott, @scrumphus, @blancasusanne
Plopped inside a wine bar in downtown is your new place for pasta. Incredibly unassuming, a single chef works a set of hot plates behind the bar. But stick with us, this is far from dorm-room gormand, though the decor will have you reminiscing on your collegiate coffee shop. You have three pastas to choose from, depending on what the chef feels like making, but one of them is usually the house beet spaghetti. In a town where lunch is a meal diluted to eating in your car, or stacking lunch meetings, Cento brings back the European sentiment that the second meal is one to be savored slowly while sipping something out of a wine glass. You do not come here to be seen, you come to eat, but we promise the pasta is pretty enough to eat (and take photos of).
Cafe Birdie (Highland Park)
Images via @cafebirdiela, @86thedj
Cafe Birdie is an unassuming spot in a previously unassuming area of town. From the outside, you might hardly notice it waiting for your lane at Highland Park Bowl, but step inside and your experience will be anything but subtle. The interior is a pretty cafe space, flooded with light and olive accents. Along the marble bar you’ll spot a gradient of beautiful drinks ready to ‘grammed. The café is open for dinner and brunch exclusively but Birdie is worth the wait. Each menu is densely packed with succulent offerings such as the Hamachi Crudo with Melon Aguachile or the Pork Cheek Ragu Papardelle.
Apollonia’s Pizzeria (Hancock Park)
Images via @apolloniaspizza, @overoverunder
This one is all about eating what you know you shouldn’t and getting your hands dirty to do it. According to Instagram, summer is over and so are our futile attempts to diet. At Apollonia’s you’ll dive face first into the deep dish and fling reservations to the wind for these wings. Crusty, cheesy crusts, and organic, top-of-the-line ingredients come first at this pizzeria. This is not a new spot -the long list of awards and press features prove this- but it is a locale worth mentioning. Just look at that crust. And in case you’re attempting to keep your carbo-loading in order, they’ve got the gluten-free goods.
Papilles (Franklin Village)
Images via @meetjakob, @dinela, @nytimestravel
Papilles is the peak of prix fixe prettiness, but it won’t cost you an arm and a leg. You’ve probably driven by a dozen times while visiting your famous friend in Franklin Village, but we’re betting you’ve never stopped in. This one is a sleeper, but it’s a perfect spot for a delicious and discrete date night over some zero-fluff, high-quality French food. Though their menu changes often, you’ll see a rotation of flaky, fried oysters, perfectly crisped frites, and juicy duck a la’orange. Though you’re sure to feel fancy aligning your French Girl style with actual French food, the barrier to entry on this unassuming strip-mall place is low. The prix fixe starts at $30.
Written by our Brand Communications Coordinator, Kaeleigh Morrison.
Know a social spot you wanna clue us in on? Tweet us @somethingsocial or tag us on Instagram- @somethingsocial.
—
Related Reads