The London List Abroad City Guide: The best things to do in the Arts District, Los AngelesThe London List

By Sam Bathe on 15 Oct 2014

The sprawling metropolitan city of Los Angeles is completely unique, its relaxed West Coast lifestyle offering so much diversity and so many things to do. To make the most of your time in LA, we always bunch our itinerary into neighbourhoods, so we’ve broken our city guide down too. Read on for our favourite Arts District hotspots, stores and eateries, and check out Downtown, West Hollywood, Venice and our favourite Attractions in the rest of the guide.

Blue Bottle Coffee (above)
Formerly Handsome Coffee Roasters until Blue Bottle bought the popular local upstart in April 2014, the Arts District café and roastery is a one of the success stories of the burgeoning LA coffee scene. Offering a range of beans and blends, cold brews, espresso and iced coffees, everything locals used to love about Handsome is still there, plus now Blue Bottle’s organic supply can be enjoyed at the ever-popular window bar and outdoor benches.
582 Mateo Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013
www.bluebottlecoffee.com/cafes/arts-district

iKO-iKO

iKO iKO
Though it’s more in Chinatown than the cool-again Arts District, concept store iKO iKO feels right at home alongside the rejuvenation happening east of Downtown. Carrying a buzzy line of original jewellery, fashion pieces and accessories, the store model centres on change, creating the perfect context for their own lines and other carefully selected labels. iKO iKO is much more concerned with refurbing the old rather than the man-made new and it makes for a shopping experience that’s just as fun as the products themselves.
1727 N Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
www.ikoikospace.com

Poketo

Poketo
The flagship for fantastic arts and design purveyors, Poketo, the Eastside store from husband-and-wife team Ted Vadakan and Angie Myung, is staffed by fantastically knowledgable, enthusiastic and friendly staff. Carrying much of the stationary and fun homeware stock from their site, plus some in-store exclusives, Poketo is one of our favourite store across the whole of LA and recently opened a concession stand within the Line Hotel in Koreatown too.
820 E 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013
www.poketo.com/pages/poketo-store

Apolis-Common-Gallery

Apolis: Common Gallery
Inside the industrial-chic store, Apolis’ carefully curated seasonal range goes someway to defining the modern LA look. Also hosting regular talks, exhibitions and evening screenings, plus an espresso bar for a mid-afternoon kickstart, their clothing is muted and reserved, perfect for a smart-casual look at work or lazy Sundays around town.
806 E 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013
www.apolisglobal.com/common-gallery

Bestia

Bestia
One of a number of trendy new restaurants within the Arts District, Bestia’s bustling dining hall and tasty, creative menu means it quickly lives up to the hype. We’d recommend the Beef Cheek Agnolotti, though driven by local fresh ingredients you can’t go wrong with anything off the menu. Be sure to make a reservation if you have a large party, but otherwise the bar seating is just as good a spot to enjoy cocktails while you wait for a table.
2121 7th Place, Los Angeles, CA 90021
www.bestiala.com

Check out our favourite Downtown, West Hollywood and Venice hotspots, plus our favourite Attractions in the rest of the guide.

FAN THE FIRE is a digital magazine about lifestyle and creative culture. Launching back in 2005 as a digital publication about Sony’s PSP handheld games console, we’ve grown and evolved now covering the arts and lifestyle, architecture, design and travel.