1. Clifton’s Cafeteria
After three years of waiting, on Jan. 31, the brand-new Clifton’s neon sign lit up DTLA. The iconic restaurant (648 S. Broadway, cliftonscafeteria.com)—L.A.’s oldest surviving cafeteria-style eatery—has been around since 1932 and is considered a cherished part of Downtown. Developer Andrew Meieran funded the 83-year-old building’s $5 million renovation, and from the outside, so far so good. In addition to the ground floor’s traditional eats, there will be an Art Deco-themed bar on the second floor, a sit-down restaurant and museum on the third and a retro Polynesian-themed bar called The Seven Seas (in homage to the Clifton’s that once sat on Olive Ave.) on the fourth. For now, the remodeling continues as neighborhood residents brace themselves for an opening date that has yet to be set.
2. Rock ‘n’ Roll Flea Market
Turn back the clock with fellow music and memorabilia lovers at this one-of-a-kind flea market inside the Regent Theater (448 S. Main St, rnrflea.com). Hosted on the first Sunday of every month, the $2 entrance fee (waived if you grab a bite next door at Prufrock Pizzeria, which we hear has amazing breakfast pizzas) grants you access to a playground of treasures, including instruments, vinyl, handmade jewelry, vintage clothing and antiques. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., you can grab a drink at the bar and rock out to good tunes while you shop.
3. A Bevy of Buzzed-About Restaurants
Eating well will never be a problem Downtown. Famous chefs and restaurateurs are building a foodie mecca right at the center of the city—so quickly, in fact, that veteran foodies can barely keep up. Start your day off with the coolest brunch in town at the Ace Hotel’s L.A. Chapter (930 S. Broadway, lachapter.com). For a California take on Bourbon Street, head to Preux&Proper (840 S. Spring St., preuxandproper.com), which boasts a daiquiri bar and a menu straight out of New Orleans. Neal Fraser’s new restaurant Redbird (114 E. 2nd St., redbird.la) is also hot on the radar, featuring a swanky, upscale lounge and bar area on the inside and courtyard dining outside. Looking to grab a bite before a concert at Staples Center? Ford’s Filling Station at L.A. Live (900 W. Olympic Blvd., lalive.com) is Chef Ben Ford’s take on rustic American cuisine.
4. Shoppe
This Downtown boutique is where fashion dreams come true on the daily. Owned by celebrity wardrobe stylist Charlie Altuna and local design maven Maggie Barry, Shoppe (107 E 8th St., facebook.com/shoppe.107) is part retail space at street level and part production facility upstairs and downstairs. Altuna and Barry are regularly tasked with creating flashy and outlandish pieces for L.A.’s Hollywood set—everything from a gorgeous gown with a 40-foot train to a 12-foot plush teddy bear—and by heading into the boutique, you too can take home something unconventional. Shoppe is currently by appointment only, but March will see its doors swing open to the public with a launch party for the record books. Men will find everything from tees and denim to hoodies and sleek leather jackets, but why opt for off-the-rack fashion? Waltz in with an idea for a sexy new suit, and strut out in a bespoke creation everyone is sure to ask you about.