15 addresses where Highland Park actually eats.
York Blvd runs from horchata lattes at Cafe de Leche to Taiwanese dan dan noodles at Joy without breaking a sweat. Villa's Tacos on Figueroa does thick handmade tortillas worth crossing the city for. The mezcal bars stay open late.
15 addresses across restaurants, bars, and cafes - all in Highland Park.
Highland Park's restaurant lineup refuses to pick a lane: Joy plates dan dan noodles on York, Villa's Tacos grills on Figueroa, Hippo does handmade pasta a few blocks over, and Amiga Amore folds elote into agnolotti like it's been done forever. Tane proves the vegan izakaya thing actually works.
Started as a backyard pop-up in Victor Villa's grandmother's front yard in 2018, now a Bib Gourmand-recognized stand on Fig with outdoor picnic tables. The queso taco on blue corn masa with free guac and seven house-made salsas is the one.
Plant-based izakaya serving vegan sushi and small plates in Highland Park. The specialty rolls and the fully animal-free approach set it apart from the usual neighborhood options.
Taiwanese comfort food on York Blvd with dan dan noodles and popcorn chicken that are non-negotiable. Small room, big flavors, reasonable check.
Italian-Californian restaurant in Highland Park with handmade pasta and a short, smart wine list. The portions are honest and you'll want a reservation on weekends.
Mexitalian spot blending Mexican and Italian traditions with dishes like elote agnolotti and nopal caprese salad. An unusual premise that works better than it probably should.
Highland Park's bar scene leans mezcal, natural wine, and cocktail bars that take their drink menus seriously. York Blvd anchors most of it - The Hermosillo's patio, Good Housekeeping behind Cafe Birdie - but Sam's Place on Monte Vista and Johnny's Hi-Fi prove the good stuff isn't all on one street.
Named after the Metro line a block away, now technically the A Line but nobody calls it that. Strong cocktails, friendly bartenders, and a proper neighborhood bar energy that doesn't try too hard.
Mezcal-forward bar on York with craft beer on tap and a solid happy hour. The back patio is the move on warm nights - unpretentious and consistently good.
Candlelit natural wine bar on Monte Vista Street with wood-paneled walls and cassette-tape soundtracks. No social media presence, no fuss - just good pours in a room that feels like someone's living room.
Johnny's - Cocktails & Hi-Fi is a Los Angeles bar with a cocktail program tied to the former owner of The Varnish.
Dimly lit cocktail bar tucked behind Cafe Birdie on York, with espresso service during the daytime and a simple drink menu at night. One of those low-key rooms that rewards you for knowing it's there.
Highland Park's coffee scene runs deep enough that Kumquat pours single-origins from a dozen roasters while Comet over Delphi parks a $20,000 espresso machine behind sheet metal walls on North Avenue 59. Cafe de Leche still owns the horchata espresso, Civil Coffee handles the marble-and-stone-tile crowd on Fig, and Modu turns kabocha into pastry on York.
Pour-over-focused cafe on York pulling single-origin coffees from about a dozen roasters worldwide, plus garden-direct teas from Asia. The Cloudy Latte with peanut butter foam and the Tennessee Iced Latte with smoked salt are worth the trip across the neighborhood.
Korean-influenced pastry cafe on York from baker Jiyoon Jang, who fuses Korean flavors with European technique - think kabocha cakes with dried persimmon and lime tarts topped with sugar-crystalized perilla leaf. Four-pastry limit per person, and they sell out on weekends for good reason.
Sheet metal walls and retractable front windows set the tone on North Avenue 59, where a $20,000 espresso machine pulls shots alongside a matcha program worth the trip. Order the fizzy yuzu matcha or the malt espresso soda, and grab ricotta toast with seasonal jam if the bagels run out.
Serious espresso in a 1,500 square foot space on North Fig with hand-laid Mexican stone tile, a floor-to-ceiling marble wall, and a mirrored espresso bar. No Wi-Fi, great patio, and order The Figueroa - sweetened condensed milk, espresso, cinnamon, served with a Maria cookie.
The horchata con espresso put this place on the map and it still holds up, alongside the Latte Campesino with piloncillo and orange peel. Open since 2008 at York and 50th, it's one of HLP's original specialty coffee shops, roasting small batches on-site.
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