ECHO PARK, one of 26 neighborhoods in Central L.A., snuggled between Silver Lake, Westlake and Downtown.
Echo Park is on its way to being gentrified, but hasn’t gotten there quite yet. The population is still primarily lower-income Latino and Asian, but growing pockets of artisticly-inclined middle-classers are seeking out spaces for coffee shops, bars, record stores, art galleries… The area is maybe inching its way to a more Silver Lake feel, but, for the moment, it’s more like Silver Lake’s unkempt, grungier sister, who is cool without really meaning to be.
TO DO
VENUES
EAT
Masa: A destination restaurant for deep dish pizza. The small is enough for two!
DRINK
El Prado: Hip place that has wine, craft beer and snacks. Every Tuesday, bring a record with you and they’ll almost always play it in exchange for a free beer. (Sign-ups are a week in advance).
Taix: Older crowd here. A little dark. Cocktails are just okay, but the service is friendly and the atmosphere is great for a night on the quieter side.
Sunset Beer Company: 800+ beers to take home, 12 rotating beers on tap. It’s a mix between a living room, a bar and a beer shop.
1642: Wine, craft beer, low-key, live music.
Take Note: Echo Park is a very walkable neighborhood, though it is hilly. Most of the restaurants, bars, shops, etc are located on Sunset. There is no metro line, sadly, but you can get there by bus. If you drive, there is plenty of free street parking and meters are on the cheap-side.