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LA Cha Cha Chá
Photograph: Courtesy Alejandro Marin

The definitive guide to the Arts District

Check out our favorite places to eat, drink, play and shop in Downtown L.A.’s trendiest neighborhood.

Written by
Patricia Kelly Yeo
Contributors
Kate Wertheimer
&
Michael Juliano
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What was once an industrial zone and low-cost haven for practicing artists is now L.A.’s Arts District—a trendy, burgeoning urban hub for creative professionals, professional creatives and everyone else in between.

These days, the neighborhood has become one of the most exciting places to dine, and it’s long been a great place to hang out on the weekends with numerous galleries, breweries and cocktail bars, plus a handful of daytime attractions. (Under cover of night, it’s also home to many parties within the city’s underground music scene.)

The 2019 arrival of the exclusive members-only Soho House outpost—a.k.a. Soho Warehouse—cemented what Arts District regulars already knew: The neighborhood had completed its full-tilt transformation into a cool (read: expensive) place to live.

Where exactly is the Arts District?

The formal borders of the Arts District run from the L.A. River to Alameda Street (with a western carve out for neighboring Little Tokyo), and from the 101 freeway down to 7th Street—though there a few spots south of there that we’d still embrace as being part of the neighborhood. You’ll find most of the activity in the center of that area, with a particularly dense cluster of spots around Traction Avenue and 3rd Street.

Public transit in the area is limited (there’s a Metro stop toward the northeast edge, near Little Tokyo) and parking can be a pain (toward the southern end, the At Mateo garage is one of the few sizable public parking lots). A series of bridges over the river connect the Arts District with destinations to the east, including the much-talked-about Sixth Street Viaduct to Boyle Heights.

What will you find in the Arts District?

The somewhat walkable neighborhood features plenty of coffee shops, designer and local boutiques and what’s likely the highest density of the city’s best restaurants. These rich cultural pockets lie amidst a stretch of early-20th-century warehouses—many former factories—that have since converted into swanky lofts and creative spaces, so read on for the best places to eat, drink (both coffee and booze), play and shop.

RECOMMENDED: See more in our guide to Downtown Los Angeles

Where to eat in the Arts District

  • Restaurants
  • Italian
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 3 of 4

After a splashy 2012 opening, this Arts District restaurant quickly ascended to the top of the city’s best restaurant lists—including ours—thanks to husband-and-wife pair Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis’s innovative Italian dishes and desserts. Over a decade in, many of its signature items are now icons of the city’s dining scene, including the must-order spaghetti rustichella—a small pyramid of noodles hidden under Dungeness crab, Calabrian chili, Thai basil and onion seed. While getting a normal hour reservation at Bestia is still difficult, the late-night tables are worth it—and so is stopping by after 9pm for a possible seat at the bar. Even if you’re unsuccessful, you’re still within walking distance of several other great eateries open fairly late, including Damian, Kodo and Yangban Society (all of which are on this list.)

  • Restaurants
  • Japanese
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 4 of 4

Brandon Go’s two Michelin-starred kaiseki counter inside the Arts District’s expansive outdoor mall, ROW DTLA, offers an intimate, multi-course seafood-centric meal plated using handcrafted ceramics imported from Japan. While bookings for this artful, once-in-a-lifetime experience fill up almost instantly when Tock reservations are released on the first of each month, those who experience this transportive meal will largely agree it’s worth all the hassle.

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  • Restaurants
  • Mediterranean
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 3 of 4

From the same couple behind Bestia, this broadly Middle Eastern eatery about a 15 minute walk from Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis’s Italian counterpart offers a flavorful jaunt through Israel, Egypt, Morocco and Turkey. Here, you’ll find fire-roasted meats, handmade couscous, perhaps the best pita and hummus in all of L.A., and, like its Italian counterpart, fantastic dessert, all in a rustic, beautifully appointed dining room. Though the reservation process is just as difficult at Bavel as it is at Bestia, the wait is worth it. Both restaurants have helped usher in the era of the Arts District as a veritable dining destination—and you’d honestly come away pleased with a meal at either one.

  • Restaurants
  • Mexican
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 3 of 4

Despite an ill-timed 2020 debut, this Mexican fine dining restaurant by Enrique Olvera (of Mexico City’s Pujol and NYC’s Cosme) has quietly become one of the best restaurants in the city. The understated yet stylish ambience and unforgettable seafood-centric small plates, grilled meats and playful vegetable mains easily put it in the same league as its always-popular parking lot neighbor, Bestia, but the restaurant defies any simple comparison. When every bite reflects Damian’s commitment to traditional Mexican cooking techniques and ingredient sourcing, there’s no one singularly great dish to order, but you’d be remiss not to order the unforgettable duck al pastor and art-like hibiscus meringue.

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  • Restaurants
  • Pizza
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 2 of 4

This pandemic pop-up’s brick-and-mortar has one of most charming patios in Los Angeles, plus delicious, realtively affordable focaccia pizzas, salads and a raw bar. It’s also home to the Nonna Pack—a $75 bang-for-your-buck deal (two pizzas, a salad and a full bottle of wine) available Tuesday through Thursday that’s ideal for casual weekday date nights. Founded at a time when everyone needed a seat at the (preferably outdoor) table, the dinner-only restaurant holds most of its space for community walk-ins, and offers a reasonably priced alternative in the Arts District when a more upscale meal is out of the question.

  • Restaurants
  • Korean
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 3 of 4

For artful, unexpected riffs on heritage cuisine, look no further than Yangban. Cheekily named after the Joseon Dynasty’s ruling class, this upscale-casual restaurant is a moving ode to head chefs Katianna and John Hong’s combined Korean American identities (hers as an adoptee, his as a children of immigrants). Here, hard-line traditions melt away and combine for a knockout evening meal that cares little for what you think proper Korean food should be. First timers would do well to order the chef’s choice menu—a more casual tasting experience that might encompass anything from the golden prawn toast to new, limited-edition dishes built around what’s in season.

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  • Restaurants
  • Taiwanese
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 4 of 4

With each passing year, Jon Yao's tasting menu reaches new heights. The lauded self-taught chef—and native Angeleno—blends his Taiwanese and San Gabriel Valley roots to create a tasting menu that’s something new entirely: Asian-inflected fine dining that’s almost too pretty to eat. (We said almost.) Now firmly ensconed in a larger, sleeker space at ROW DTLA, Yao's former strip mall restaurant has evolved to a new—and much more expensive—level. Expect the city's best milk bread and artful, refined takes on Asian classics like Taiwanese beef noodle soup in a tasting experience that just might strike a chord of nostalgia.

  • Restaurants
  • Pizza
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 2 of 4

This perpetually packed trailblazer from Phoenix is probably one of the least casual pizza experiences you'll find in Los Angeles, but it's also one of the very best. Housed at the ROW DTLA, Pizzeria Bianco is the namesake spot from James Beard Award-winning pizzaiolo Chris Bianco, who can also be seen on Chef's Table: Pizza on Netflix. The lunch-only slices fall short in our book, but the signature New York-Neopolitan hybrids available at dinner are—at least for diehard pizza fans—worth booking 90 days in advance on OpenTable or arriving just before 5pm on a weekday to wait for a table. (You can also try your luck on weekends, but we don't recommend that.) Once sat, a full wine and beer menu accompany an elegant menu of pizzas, salads and antipasti that stands up to the Arizona original.

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  • Restaurants
  • Korean
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 3 of 4

After closing in 2018, Kwang Uh’s critical darling has made a triumphant return in the form of an Arts District tasting menu. Alongside his wife, Mina Park, Uh now offers a $110 seven-course offering that’s admittedly small in terms of portion size, but big on the fermentation-forward Korean flavors that first captivated L.A. during the Obama administration. Highlights include the fried soy-marinated crab and the Hokkaido scallop topped with minari (water celery), gim (dried seaweed) and puffed rice. Delicate soju-based cocktails and a larger selection of Korean rice wines make for a unique, if not exactly filling, culinary experience. Despite that, we’re excited to see where the couple behind Shiku takes Baroo 2.0; if you’re the type to regularly splurge on tasting menus, consider this place a must-visit.

  • Restaurants
  • Mexican
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 3 of 4

One of the city’s best options for outdoor dining, this plant-filled rooftop eatery offers a taste of Mexico City and some of the most vibrant, breezy cocktails we’ve had anywhere in L.A. The gorgeous sunset view and consistently excellent cuisine have also made Cha Cha Chá one of our favorite rooftop restaurants, and its proximity to Death & Co and a slew of other excellent bars, breweries and galleries make it perfect for the next time you’re looking to spend a weekend afternoon or evening in the neighborhood (the restaurant also offers brunch).

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  • Restaurants
  • Japanese
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 3 of 4

This upscale izakaya located inside Rykn, a soon-to-open ryokan-style boutique hotel, offers striking minimalist design, subtly delicious Japanese cuisine and plenty of sake, wine and highballs to sip on as you take in the trendy crowd of creative and high fashion types that pop up on its patio on most weekend evenings. Excellent sushi and sashimi made with imported seafood make an appearance on every table, but Kodo’s izakaya, robata and more uncommon sushi items are where it truly excels. A few examples: The tsukune, a chicken patty topped with egg yolk and yakitori sauce, and the old-school saba bozushi, made with cured wild mackerel.

  • Restaurants
  • Mexican
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 2 of 4

One of the first to blaze the genre-bending artisan taco trail, Guerrilla Tacos first lit up the Arts District as Wes Avila’s humble taco cart. Now, these gourmet goodies have a permanent home in the neighborhood (though the founding chef has since left to start Chinatown’s Angry Egret Dinette). The upscale taqueria’s more fixed menu features longtime fan favorites like the hamachi tostadas and sweet potato and feta tacos, plus large-format proteins, killer cocktails and a reasonably priced wine list.

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  • Restaurants
  • Contemporary American
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 2 of 4

This high-profile Midwestern import from Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard brings some of the Chicago restaurant’s signature dishes, like goat empanadas and sautéed green beans with fish sauce vinaigrette and cashews. Rotating seasonal items and plenty of new additions make quick work of California produce and keep diners on their toes for the type of experience that breathes new life into a culinary genre best described as “creative, globally inspired small plates.” Strong date night vibes and breezy weekend brunch service keep the airy, plant-filled Mateo Street restaurant packed to the brim with stylish diners seeking all-around excellent cuisine.

  • Restaurants
  • French
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 3 of 4

Unless you spend a boatload of money, you’re not likely to gorge yourself at Camphor, an upscale French restaurant with an airy white and blue dining room, old-school service touches and a featherweight approach to the typically decadent branch of European cuisine. Run by Alain Ducasse veterans Max Boonthanakit and Lijo George, the restaurant offers elegant yet nontraditional fine dining with a handful of South Asian-inspired dishes and tweaks to mix things up. This level of refinement with a twist extends to dessert, where a phenomenal savarin with passionfruit glaze holds its own next to a hot cocoa-inspired take on chocolate soufflé—the kind of fancy but modern fare that’s perfect for date night or a prelude to a big night out.

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  • Restaurants
  • Cafés
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 1 of 4

Though this industrial-looking café holds rides and evening events geared towards the LGBTQ+ and cycling communities, Detroit Vesey’s welcomes all patrons in search of a place to work, a cup of coffee and all-day, affordable and health-conscious fare that can be hard to find in a neighborhood full of upscale dinner destinations. Plentiful outlets and well-made juices, smoothies and coffees are a welcome antidote to the pricier options around the Arts District and have made DV’s popular among locals as a daytime hangout spot.

Where to drink in the Arts District, day or night

  • Bars
  • Cocktail bars
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 2 of 4

Tucked away behind a neon sign on East Seventh Street that merely reads “BAR,” this hidden gem feels part elegant cocktail den, part raucous patio party. One of the city’s best bars, ERB offers impeccably well-made L.A.-inspired cocktails, tasty bar bites (including one of the best burgers in town) and the kind of relaxed-but-cool ambience where you can finally let your hair down. We recommend the longtime favorite Yo LA Tengo, which combines mezcal, grapefruit, Aperol, ginger and lime, or the You’ll Rhubarb the Day, which involves, you guessed it, rhubarb.

  • Bars
  • Cocktail bars
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 2 of 4

The chances of you, a mere mortal, walking into this underground cocktail bar next to LA Cha Cha Chá on a weekend sans reservation are slim to none, but the Arts District outpost of this famous New York cocktail bar still has some of the best (and most expensive!) drinks in the city. Flavor profiles and vibes divide the menu under labels such as “light and playful” and “boozy and honest.” The majority of drinks run around $20 or more in some cases—the sky-high prices you’ll have to pay for time-tested techniques and a vast array of unique, hard-to-find spirits.

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  • Bars
  • Breweries
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 2 of 4

An old-school beer hall feel and plenty of room to spread out—and even bring your dog—have made Angel City Brewery the top casual hangout in the Arts District since 2013. A renovated mezzanine floor and well-lit ground floor bar with Art Deco touches add a bit of flourish to your standard brewery atmosphere, while community events like movie nights (Mondays), tacos and trivia (Tuesdays) and even morning yoga (Sundays) have made this brewery our favorite place in the Arts District to chill out and knock back a cold one, any day of the week.

  • Bars
  • Breweries
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 2 of 4

If Angel City is way too full down the street (a common occurrence on weekends) and you’re in search of a casual vibe, Arts District Brew Co. definitely fits the bill for a casual drinks meetup. This tried-and-true brewhouse with a cavernous interior and Skee-Ball machines in the back corner is one of the Arts District’s many breweries, but its large shaded patio and full cocktail bar have made it our go-to destination for a laidback weekend gathering with friends.

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  • Restaurants
  • Cafés
  • Downtown Arts District

The West Coast outpost of a British motorcyclist’s club, this gigantic warehouse offers a restaurant, full bar, café, private members club, event space, tattoo parlor, barber shop and even an apparel shop. Geared towards discerning SoCal riders (and longtime fans of Bike Shed’s original blog), this veritable motorcyclists’ lifestyle destination is also a hands-down great place in the Arts District for anyone to hang out, get some work done and grab some coffee and a delicious bite to eat—including some solid honey soy-glazed baby back ribs and plenty of vegan options. Come evenings, the eatery’s atmosphere transforms into a more casual bar.

  • Restaurants
  • Coffee shops
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 3 of 4

The Arts District outpost of this third-wave coffee company helped catalyze L.A.’s coffee culture boom back in the early aughts, and the Santa Fe café still a solid place to get your fix of artisan-grade caffeine today and sit a spell on their small, shaded outdoor patio (for now, Stumptown offers no inside seating). Housed in a 7,000-square foot warehouse space in the Arts District, the building boasts a 60-kilo Probat coffee roaster, all the better to make drip coffee and espresso-based drinks, plus tea and seasonal specials.

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  • Bars
  • Dive bars
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 2 of 4

This dive bar is a favorite for Arts District locals who come to play a few rounds of pool, down a couple well-crafted drinks and indulge in cheesy slices from Pizzanista next door. For those looking to challenge their drinking buddy to some friendly competition, there’s darts and table tennis in addition to pool. And if you’re hungry? Pair your Peroni with a piece of pizza (you can either order from the bar or pick it up at Pizzanista to bring into Tony’s), then head to the back patio for some fresh air under twinkling lights.

Things to do in the Arts District

  • Art
  • Galleries
  • Downtown Arts District

The first of two L.A. outposts from an international Swiss-based art gallery, this museum-caliber Arts District compound offers rotating exhibitions of contemporary art and modern masters; past shows include works by Amy Sherald (the artist behind Michelle Obama’s official White House portrait) and Jason Rhoades’s room-sized installations of Insta-worthy neon signage. Once occupied by a flour mill, the entire complex has become a cultural destination in its own right thanks to educational programs, a public garden, a thoughtfully curated book shop and on-site restaurant Manuela.

  • Bars
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 2 of 4

With more than 40 classic consoles, from Centipede to Ms. Pac-Man, L.A.’s first barcade is more than just a place to drink; the indoor-outdoor bar is a geek pilgrimage spot where you can play all manner of vintage games, including an entire section dedicated to old pinball machines. Though the line can get unwieldy and sometimes downright impossible later on in the night, earlier arrivals typically skip the hassle—so arrive before 8pm if you’d rather not queue up to get inside.

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  • Attractions
  • Arcades and amusements
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 2 of 4

Two Bit Circus wants to be your Arts District weekend arcade hangout, though the $35 access fee (which includes that amount in game credits) might be a bit steep for some. The “micro-amusement park” on Mateo Street combines virtual reality, escape rooms, motion-sensing carnival-esque attractions, old-school–inspired arcade games and trivia, all wrapped up in a sort-of-steampunk aesthetic that’s as well-suited for a kitsch robot bartender as it is a virtual battle arena. Note: While it’s possible to walk in, it’s best to make a reservation, particularly for large groups.

  • Music
  • Music venues
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 2 of 4

It’s a scene straight out of Austin’s Eastside, where food trailers and outdoor imbibing reign supreme at this patio bar and concert venue. In keeping with that theme, a revolving lineup of food trucks crank out comfort grub while craft beer and draft cocktails flow from a 1950s Spartan trailer-turned-bar. But the block party doesn’t end there—the musically-inclined head inside. Once a restoration warehouse for vintage Woodies, the high-ceilinged space has been converted into a dark, industrial performance venue featuring a DJ booth and an intimate stage for up-and-coming talent.

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  • Art
  • Contemporary art
  • Downtown Arts District

The Institute for Contemporary Art Los Angeles, or ICA LA, is the relocated home and new name for what was once the Santa Monica Museum of Art. The Arts District warehouse facility offers tiny but well-curated exhibitions of contemporary artists designed to encourage discovery and a new way of experiencing the world—and admission is always free. 

  • Sports and fitness
  • Exercise classes
  • Downtown Arts District

Approachable, but challenging HIIT is the name of the game at Sanctuary Fitness, whose popular indoor-outdoor studio in the Arts District has given rise to offshoots in Pasadena, Koreatown and West Hollywood. A spiritual tilt (Sanctuary’s mission includes helping clients find “peace through perspiration”) means instructors emphasize kaizen, a Japanese philosophy focused on continuous improvement—so every little bit of effort in each workout counts.

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  • Bars
  • Cocktail bars
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 2 of 4

Since 2011, Greenbar Distillery has offered an organic spirits tasting and distillery tour that might include bitters, rum, liqueur, whiskey, gin, tequila and vodka inside the company’s split-level Arts District warehouse. Founded by husband-and-wife team Melkon Khosrovian and Litty Mathew, Greenbar strives to be eco-conscious: A tree is planted for every bottle sold, and labels are 100 percent recycled. Be sure to book your tours and tastings in advance; as of late, they don’t accept walk-ins.

  • Things to do
  • Markets and fairs
  • Downtown Arts District

Every Sunday, dozens of food, retail and drink vendors congregate at this open-air market in the parking lot of ROW DTLA in an eclectic mix of much-loved pop-ups and future shining stars. Look out for newer, buzzier additions each year and seasonal fixtures (like the summertime Ice Cream Alley).

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  • Sports and fitness
  • Climbing
  • Downtown Arts District
  • price 2 of 4

This 12,000-square-foot warehouse harbors the go-to Downtown area climbing club, so it’s best to brush up on your Spider-man skills before tackling a V-level of your choice. It’s also worth noting that the Touchstone outpost is a bouldering gym, a.k.a. no ropes or harnesses while you climb. Don’t worry: The foam-lined venue is as concerned with safety as it is fun, but you should definitely know how to climb and—eek—properly fall before you propel yourself 17 feet off the ground.

  • Things to do
  • Games and hobbies
  • Downtown Arts District

L.A.’s indoor shooting range has the largest selection of guns in L.A. and is open seven days a week, but you might need a friend if you want to shoot off a few rounds—visitors who don’t own their own firearms must be accompanied by a second person. Never shot before? The club offers free safety briefings—although target practice is up to you.

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  • Music
  • Music venues
  • Little Tokyo

Originally built in 1885, this Moorish-accented structure has worked a well-worn sense of history into its current occupant: a 250-person concert venue. Unlike the area’s many stage-within-a-bar spaces, a partition separates the Moroccan’s full-service bar and restaurant from its intimate performance hall. It’s an astounding amount of polish for a venue so small, but it’s no surprise coming from the team behind New York’s Bowery Ballroom and Mercury Lounge, as well as Westlake’s Teragram Ballroom, with which the Moroccan works closely.

Where to shop in the Arts District

  • Shopping
  • Downtown Arts District

During the day, it’s easy to go well beyond the two hours of free parking at ROW DTLA, the upscale outdoor mall (formerly an American Apparel factory) with specialty clothing shops you’ve likely never heard of, picturesque floral boutique Jean Pascal and other highbrow artisan shops geared towards affluent shoppers with less-than-mainstream taste. By night, the complex is home to two Michelin-starred fine dining eateries (Hayato and Kato—both of which require booking weeks, if not months, in advance), with more reasonably priced daytime eateries like Pizzeria Bianco, Japanese fried chicken specialist Pikunico and local coffee chain Go Get Em Tiger open during the day.

  • Shopping
  • Gifts and stationery
  • Downtown Arts District

Housed within ROW DTLA, the Arts District outpost of this Japanese-founded stationery brand located on the open-air mall’s outer flanks offers a bevy of objects where form meets function. Beyond aesthetically pleasing papers, pens and notepads, Hightide carries a limited but high-quality selection of apparel, household goods and posters with a distinctively urban Tokyo-meets-L.A. bent. Regular pop-ups also bring a rotating selection of small artisan goods from Japanese artists and curators—all within a few hundred yards of the mall’s parking lot.

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  • Shopping
  • Bookstores
  • Hollywood
  • price 2 of 4

This art-oriented bookstore on Santa Fe specializes in coffee table-grade art and architecture titles, but the expansive shop also sells children’s books, rare and out-of-print titles, travel guides and cookbooks alongside a selection of Moleskine notebooks, journals and planners. Despite the fairly highbrow selection, an experience here lacks the intimidation and pretension of other upmarket shops; the staff is generally friendly and helpful, and there’s something for everyone here.

  • Shopping
  • Boutiques
  • Downtown Arts District

Since 2014, this local apparel brand’s Arts District flagship retail shop has offered California-inspired boutique clothing alongside a well-curated selection of home goods, wellness products and other small luxury items. Owned and operated by Staci Woo and Mike Badt, the family-owned shop offers a unique shopping experience designed for leisurely perusing and wandering—and is an ideal spot to pick up birthday, housewarming or other special occasion gifts.

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  • Shopping
  • Design and interiors
  • Boyle Heights
  • price 3 of 4

Just across the river in Boyle Heights, local textile shop Matteo offers carefully crafted home bedding and apparel using luxury threads for ultimate comfort. Their huge multi-level space has a main shopping floor, plus a staging area with dreamy bedding arrangements and a basement with an insane selection of goods including backorders, special collaborations and discounted one-offs. Keep an eye out for biannual sales when these luxury linens go for as much as half off.

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