Five L.A. gems in odd places

In the same food mart where motorists pay for fuel and top off on vape juice, the counter service Cilantro Mexican Grill slings legit burritos stuffed with crave-worthy carne asada.

Slip inside the Santa Monica Senior Center to view an analog projection of the beach from the darkened chamber of the camera obscura, an optical contraption that was erected on the site in 1898.

The simple sandwiches at Panorama Cafe provide much-needed sustenance after a morning of jury duty, but the terrace, which overlooks the Walt Disney Concert Hall–fronted skyline, may entice you even when you’re not fulfilling your civic responsibilities.

You don’t need to earn your badge to secure a seat at the Academy Cafe, whose old-school diner fare is accompanied by the muffled banging sounds from the adjacent Los Angeles Police Revolver & Athletic Club firing range.

In between browsing well-curated reads and attending an author talk or a concert on the back patio, hit up the counter at Stories Books & Cafe for an out-of-the-ordinary bookstore find: pints of locally brewed beers, served after 5pm on weekdays and all day on weekends.