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A tasting menu plate of steak at Kato.
An A5 steak dish at Kato.
Wonho Frank Lee

17 Superb Downtown Los Angeles Restaurants

Where to eat LA’s central business and cultural district

by Eater Staff Updated
10 comments / new
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An A5 steak dish at Kato.
| Wonho Frank Lee
by Eater Staff Updated
10 comments / new

There’s plenty to eat in the heart of Downtown, Los Angeles’s official city center that spans from Bunker Hill to South Park to the Historic Core and beyond. From one of LA’s most sought-after tasting menus to Cantonese roasted pork hiding inside office buildings, there’s a little bit of everything available right in the thick of DTLA. Here now are 17 compelling places to eat in Downtown Los Angeles.

Note: For restaurants in the Arts District, see the Essential Arts District map; for restaurants in Chinatown, check out the Essential Chinatown map; and for delicious things to eat in Little Tokyo, check out this guide.

Added: Kato, Pizzeria Bianco, Kippered, Sarita’s Pupuseria

Removed: Petite Peso, The Exchange, Sparrow, La Boucherie, Poppy + Rose

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Caldo Verde

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All the cool kids are going to Caldo Verde these days. The Portuguese-ish restaurant from stars Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne has been showing up across everyone’s social media feeds, and not just for its rustic-chic space: Goin’s food is predictably excellent, with options like Spanish ham and Portuguese cheeses giving way to citrus salads and whole sea bream or piri piri chicken.

1100 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 806-1023
(213) 806-1023
An overhead shot of a round bowl of sauced beef with green sauce on a carpet.
Beef cheeks from Caldo Verde.
Dylan + Jeni

Hatch Yakitori + Bar

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Japanese yakitori shop Hatch is the ideal stop for a Downtown bite before points elsewhere. With a wide array of skewers and drinks (and a great happy hour), it’s easy to mix and match a whole meal or just some simple fire-kissed snacks. Be sure to order some sake too.

700 W 7th St Suite G600, Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 282-9070
(213) 282-9070

Wood Spoon

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Brazilian-born Natalia Pereira opened Woodspoon on the edge of the Fashion District in 2007. In one of Downtown’s tiniest kitchens, she makes Brazilian croquettes, a traditional fish soup, and a pot pie with a twist from her home country — it’s full of chicken, hearts of palm, potatoes, olives, and roasted corn.

107 W 9th St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 629-1765
(213) 629-1765
Brazilian chicken pot pie on a shabby chic plate with green lettuce and side of dressing.
Woodspoon
Wonho Frank Lee

Also featured in:

Rossoblu

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Steve and Dina Samson’s enduring Northern Italian restaurant continues to put out some of the best, well-rounded cooking in the city, with rustic wood-fired dishes complementing the incredible handmade pasta on the menu. And it’s all served inside one of the most stunning dining rooms in the city.

CITY MARKET SOUTH, 1124 San Julian St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 749-1099
(213) 749-1099
Rossoblu
Rossoblu, Downtown LA
Wonho Frank Lee/Eater LA

Also featured in:

Danny Boy's Famous Original Pizza

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New York City chef Danny Holzman may have found newfound fame on TikTok and social media, but the Meatball Shop co-founder is steadily manning the shop at his namesake modern pizzeria in Downtown’s Bunker Hill. It’s worth the trek to the ground floor of a big office building for some of LA’s best slices, from the thin crust to the wonderfully spongy square pizza. Pro tip: there’s a small number of short term free parking spots in the garage.

330 S Hope St Suit 205, Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 772-7664
(213) 772-7664
Pizza, sandwiches, and more from Danny Boy’s Famous Original Pizza in Downtown LA.
Pizzas, salad, and sandwich from Danny Boy’s Famous Original Pizza.
Jakob N. Layman

Also featured in:

Sonoratown

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Sonoratown is easily one of the top taco spots in town, serving grilled meats atop perfect flour tortillas in this busy Downtown shop. Order the chivichanga with shredded beef and wonder why something so delicious isn’t available to every neighborhood in town (although Mid-City is lucky enough to now have its own location).

208 E 8th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014
(213) 628-3710
(213) 628-3710

Also featured in:

Otium

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After a long pandemic hiatus, Timothy Hollingsworth is once again serving a wide menu of modern American dishes, from wood-roasted eggplant and heirloom tomato tart to a whole grilled branzino and dry-aged duck breast. For this part of Bunker Hill, it’s hard to think of a classier place to have a date night.

222 S Hope St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 935-8500
(213) 935-8500
Inside Otium, Timothy Hollingworth’s Crown Jewel on Bunker Hill
Inside Otium in Downtown LA.
Wonho Frank Lee

Also featured in:

Rice Box

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This Cantonese barbecue specialist is tucked inside the Spring Arcade at the base of several larger buildings. What sets Rice Box apart from typical Cantonese barbecue shops is its dedication to using only ethically sourced, sustainable, and hormone-free meat.

541 S Spring St #131, Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 988-7395
(213) 988-7395

Also featured in:

Holy Basil

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Downtown LA kiosk Holy Basil has been quietly serving some of the best modern Thai food in the city. This Historic Core gem is somewhat of a revelation for Thai food fans, with everything from gorgeous tom yum and green curry to stellar fried noodles.

718 S Los Angeles St space A, Los Angeles, CA 90014
(213) 559-4994
(213) 559-4994
Thai dishes from Holy Basil in Downtown LA.
Thai dishes from Holy Basil in Downtown LA.
Matthew Kang/Eater LA

Also featured in:

Kippered

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It’s almost too easy to pull together a decadent dinner out of Kippered’s selection of tinned fish, cheese, and charcuterie. The cozy wine bar and restaurant has an extensive menu of bubbly, too, so any evening here can feel like a celebration. Order some snacks, sip something effervescent, and make a night of it.

361 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Also featured in:

Shiku

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Kwang Uh and Mina Park of Baroo fame opened Shiku inside Grand Central Market in 2021, with a menu of quality Korean home cooking at affordable prices. Start with fried chicken or deep-fried pyogo mushrooms then have a dorisak of popular proteins like LA galbi, andong soy-braised chicken, or kimchi-braised pork belly.

317 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 265-7211
(213) 265-7211

Also featured in:

Sarita's Pupuseria

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This long-standing Grand Central Market vendor specializing in pupusas fills the griddled Salvadoran staple with everything from pork and beans to loroco and cheese. Don’t sleep on the substantial breakfast plates or fried yucca topped with crispy chicharron.

317 S Broadway E5, Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 626-6320
(213) 626-6320
Salvadoran pupusas at Sarita’s Pupuseria
A pupusa from Sarita’s.

Also featured in:

Orsa & Winston

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Josef Centeno’s restrained Downtown LA restaurant features a reasonably priced tasting menu that balances finesse and quality of ingredients. With food influenced by Japan and Europe cuisine, this is the place captures the essence of modern Angeleno cooking perhaps more than any other fine-dining restaurant in LA.

122 W 4th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 687-0300
(213) 687-0300
Orsa & Winston dining room looking into the kitchen in Downtown LA.
Inside Orsa & Winston, Downtown.
Darin Dines

Also featured in:

Bar Amá

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Leave it to San Antonio native Josef Centeno to introduce Los Angeles to Tex-Mex cuisine. Taking the food far beyond platters of sizzling fajitas, the long list of small plates go down easy with nicely crafted cocktails.

118 W 4th St, Los Angeles, CA
(213) 687-8002
(213) 687-8002

Also featured in:

Badmaash

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This colorful gastropub serves modern takes on Indian classics in a Bollywood-meets-pop-art space. Founded by chef Pawan Mahendro and sons Nakul and Arjun, Badmaash means “bad ass,” and the menu reflects both the brothers’ Indian heritage and childhood in Toronto with dishes like chicken tikka poutine.

108 W 2nd St Apt 104, Los Angeles, CA
(213) 221-7466
(213) 221-7466
Spread from Badmaash
Badmaash
Facebook

Also featured in:

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Pizzeria Bianco

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Chris Bianco’s spot at the Row regularly sees lines of people waiting to score the iconic pizzaiolo’s New York-style, Sicilian, and alla pala slices at lunchtime. A newly launched dinner menu has a handful of small plates like spiedini and antipasti platters, as well as whole pies ranging from Bianco’s signature Rosa tomato-topped pizza to the Wiseguy, made with wood-roasted onions, smoked mozzarella, and fennel sausage.

1320 E 7th St #100, Los Angeles, CA 90021
(213) 372-5155
(213) 372-5155
Three slices of cheese pizza, two with red sauce, a third with green sauce, on paper plates.
Pizzeria Bianco slices.
Matthew Kang

Also featured in:

Kato Restaurant

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Although it moved into its new location within the Row DTLA in early 2022, chef Jon Yao’s Michelin-starred Kato remains a destination for its elegant, Taiwanese-influenced tasting menus. Reservations are hard to score to shell out $225 (or $125 for the bar tasting menu) for dishes like A5 strip loin grilled and served with potatoes, black garlic, and braised tendon in a beautiful, understated dining room.

777 S Alameda St Building 1, Suite 114, Los Angeles, CA 90021
(213) 797-5770
(213) 797-5770
Entrance to Kato in Downtown LA.
Kato’s dining room.
Wonho Frank Lee

Also featured in:

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Caldo Verde

1100 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90015

All the cool kids are going to Caldo Verde these days. The Portuguese-ish restaurant from stars Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne has been showing up across everyone’s social media feeds, and not just for its rustic-chic space: Goin’s food is predictably excellent, with options like Spanish ham and Portuguese cheeses giving way to citrus salads and whole sea bream or piri piri chicken.

1100 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 806-1023
(213) 806-1023
An overhead shot of a round bowl of sauced beef with green sauce on a carpet.
Beef cheeks from Caldo Verde.
Dylan + Jeni

Hatch Yakitori + Bar

700 W 7th St Suite G600, Los Angeles, CA 90017

Japanese yakitori shop Hatch is the ideal stop for a Downtown bite before points elsewhere. With a wide array of skewers and drinks (and a great happy hour), it’s easy to mix and match a whole meal or just some simple fire-kissed snacks. Be sure to order some sake too.

700 W 7th St Suite G600, Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 282-9070
(213) 282-9070

Wood Spoon

107 W 9th St, Los Angeles, CA 90015

Brazilian-born Natalia Pereira opened Woodspoon on the edge of the Fashion District in 2007. In one of Downtown’s tiniest kitchens, she makes Brazilian croquettes, a traditional fish soup, and a pot pie with a twist from her home country — it’s full of chicken, hearts of palm, potatoes, olives, and roasted corn.

107 W 9th St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 629-1765
(213) 629-1765
Brazilian chicken pot pie on a shabby chic plate with green lettuce and side of dressing.
Woodspoon
Wonho Frank Lee

Rossoblu

CITY MARKET SOUTH, 1124 San Julian St, Los Angeles, CA 90015

Steve and Dina Samson’s enduring Northern Italian restaurant continues to put out some of the best, well-rounded cooking in the city, with rustic wood-fired dishes complementing the incredible handmade pasta on the menu. And it’s all served inside one of the most stunning dining rooms in the city.

CITY MARKET SOUTH, 1124 San Julian St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 749-1099
(213) 749-1099
Rossoblu
Rossoblu, Downtown LA
Wonho Frank Lee/Eater LA

Danny Boy's Famous Original Pizza

330 S Hope St Suit 205, Los Angeles, CA 90071

New York City chef Danny Holzman may have found newfound fame on TikTok and social media, but the Meatball Shop co-founder is steadily manning the shop at his namesake modern pizzeria in Downtown’s Bunker Hill. It’s worth the trek to the ground floor of a big office building for some of LA’s best slices, from the thin crust to the wonderfully spongy square pizza. Pro tip: there’s a small number of short term free parking spots in the garage.

330 S Hope St Suit 205, Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 772-7664
(213) 772-7664
Pizza, sandwiches, and more from Danny Boy’s Famous Original Pizza in Downtown LA.
Pizzas, salad, and sandwich from Danny Boy’s Famous Original Pizza.
Jakob N. Layman

Sonoratown

208 E 8th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

Sonoratown is easily one of the top taco spots in town, serving grilled meats atop perfect flour tortillas in this busy Downtown shop. Order the chivichanga with shredded beef and wonder why something so delicious isn’t available to every neighborhood in town (although Mid-City is lucky enough to now have its own location).

208 E 8th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014
(213) 628-3710
(213) 628-3710

Otium

222 S Hope St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

After a long pandemic hiatus, Timothy Hollingsworth is once again serving a wide menu of modern American dishes, from wood-roasted eggplant and heirloom tomato tart to a whole grilled branzino and dry-aged duck breast. For this part of Bunker Hill, it’s hard to think of a classier place to have a date night.

222 S Hope St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 935-8500
(213) 935-8500
Inside Otium, Timothy Hollingworth’s Crown Jewel on Bunker Hill
Inside Otium in Downtown LA.
Wonho Frank Lee

Rice Box

541 S Spring St #131, Los Angeles, CA 90013

This Cantonese barbecue specialist is tucked inside the Spring Arcade at the base of several larger buildings. What sets Rice Box apart from typical Cantonese barbecue shops is its dedication to using only ethically sourced, sustainable, and hormone-free meat.

541 S Spring St #131, Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 988-7395
(213) 988-7395

Holy Basil

718 S Los Angeles St space A, Los Angeles, CA 90014

Downtown LA kiosk Holy Basil has been quietly serving some of the best modern Thai food in the city. This Historic Core gem is somewhat of a revelation for Thai food fans, with everything from gorgeous tom yum and green curry to stellar fried noodles.

718 S Los Angeles St space A, Los Angeles, CA 90014
(213) 559-4994
(213) 559-4994
Thai dishes from Holy Basil in Downtown LA.
Thai dishes from Holy Basil in Downtown LA.
Matthew Kang/Eater LA

Kippered

361 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013

It’s almost too easy to pull together a decadent dinner out of Kippered’s selection of tinned fish, cheese, and charcuterie. The cozy wine bar and restaurant has an extensive menu of bubbly, too, so any evening here can feel like a celebration. Order some snacks, sip something effervescent, and make a night of it.

361 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Shiku

317 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Kwang Uh and Mina Park of Baroo fame opened Shiku inside Grand Central Market in 2021, with a menu of quality Korean home cooking at affordable prices. Start with fried chicken or deep-fried pyogo mushrooms then have a dorisak of popular proteins like LA galbi, andong soy-braised chicken, or kimchi-braised pork belly.

317 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 265-7211
(213) 265-7211

Sarita's Pupuseria

317 S Broadway E5, Los Angeles, CA 90013

This long-standing Grand Central Market vendor specializing in pupusas fills the griddled Salvadoran staple with everything from pork and beans to loroco and cheese. Don’t sleep on the substantial breakfast plates or fried yucca topped with crispy chicharron.

317 S Broadway E5, Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 626-6320
(213) 626-6320
Salvadoran pupusas at Sarita’s Pupuseria
A pupusa from Sarita’s.

Orsa & Winston

122 W 4th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Josef Centeno’s restrained Downtown LA restaurant features a reasonably priced tasting menu that balances finesse and quality of ingredients. With food influenced by Japan and Europe cuisine, this is the place captures the essence of modern Angeleno cooking perhaps more than any other fine-dining restaurant in LA.

122 W 4th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 687-0300
(213) 687-0300
Orsa & Winston dining room looking into the kitchen in Downtown LA.
Inside Orsa & Winston, Downtown.
Darin Dines

Bar Amá

118 W 4th St, Los Angeles, CA

Leave it to San Antonio native Josef Centeno to introduce Los Angeles to Tex-Mex cuisine. Taking the food far beyond platters of sizzling fajitas, the long list of small plates go down easy with nicely crafted cocktails.

118 W 4th St, Los Angeles, CA
(213) 687-8002
(213) 687-8002

Badmaash

108 W 2nd St Apt 104, Los Angeles, CA

This colorful gastropub serves modern takes on Indian classics in a Bollywood-meets-pop-art space. Founded by chef Pawan Mahendro and sons Nakul and Arjun, Badmaash means “bad ass,” and the menu reflects both the brothers’ Indian heritage and childhood in Toronto with dishes like chicken tikka poutine.

108 W 2nd St Apt 104, Los Angeles, CA
(213) 221-7466
(213) 221-7466
Spread from Badmaash
Badmaash
Facebook

Related Maps

Pizzeria Bianco

1320 E 7th St #100, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Chris Bianco’s spot at the Row regularly sees lines of people waiting to score the iconic pizzaiolo’s New York-style, Sicilian, and alla pala slices at lunchtime. A newly launched dinner menu has a handful of small plates like spiedini and antipasti platters, as well as whole pies ranging from Bianco’s signature Rosa tomato-topped pizza to the Wiseguy, made with wood-roasted onions, smoked mozzarella, and fennel sausage.

1320 E 7th St #100, Los Angeles, CA 90021
(213) 372-5155
(213) 372-5155
Three slices of cheese pizza, two with red sauce, a third with green sauce, on paper plates.
Pizzeria Bianco slices.
Matthew Kang

Kato Restaurant

777 S Alameda St Building 1, Suite 114, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Although it moved into its new location within the Row DTLA in early 2022, chef Jon Yao’s Michelin-starred Kato remains a destination for its elegant, Taiwanese-influenced tasting menus. Reservations are hard to score to shell out $225 (or $125 for the bar tasting menu) for dishes like A5 strip loin grilled and served with potatoes, black garlic, and braised tendon in a beautiful, understated dining room.

777 S Alameda St Building 1, Suite 114, Los Angeles, CA 90021
(213) 797-5770
(213) 797-5770
Entrance to Kato in Downtown LA.
Kato’s dining room.
Wonho Frank Lee

Related Maps