The best restaurants in LA’s Arts District

If you wander the streets of Los Angeles‘s Arts District, you’ll find pavements lined with murals, galleries, breweries, bars – and some of the city’s best restaurants, from nearly-impossible-to-book Bestia to Michelin-starred Camphor. Located on the eastern edge of downtown LA, the district takes its name from an old artists’ hub that took root here in the 70s, and the area retains a creative spirit.

While there may be more skyscrapers now than artist’s studios, the area’s creativity can still be felt in its diverse dining scene. Whether you’re after slick, high-end Italian with a lengthy waitlist, rooftop drinks, or a rowdy night in a German-style beer hall, here are the greatest restaurants for every kind of occasion in the Los Angeles Arts District.

Bestia

Best for: Trendy high-end Italian
Location: 2121 E 7th Place, Los Angeles, CA 90021
Price: £££

Since opening in 2012, Bestia has established itself as one of the best Italian restaurants in LA, and is credited with kickstarting The Arts District’s dining scene. It is housed in a converted downtown warehouse with brick walls and open kitchen, where you can catch chefs swiftly slide sourdough pizzas from flaming ovens and prep handmade pasta and house-cured charcuteries. Don’t skimp on the starters: the buttermilk ricotta topped with aged balsamic vinegar, herb-infused oil and lava salt, and the roasted bone marrow with spinach gnocchetti won’t disappoint. Snagging reservations at Bestia can be tough, so if you haven’t booked in advance, your best bet is to head over later in the evening.

Wurstküche

Best for: A hip beer hall and exotic sausage grill
Location: 800 E 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Price: ££

Sausage maker Wurstküche opened its downtown beer hall location in 2008, and has since grown a solid reputation for its extensive menu and laidback vibe. It offers traditional bratwurst and hot Italian sausages alongside more unusual offerings – rattlesnake and rabbit sausage is perennially popular, as is the duck with bacon and jalapeno peppers. A wide range of German and Belgium beers and gourmet sodas serve to wash it all down, while the crispy Belgian fries come with curry ketchup and fresh pesto mayo.

Bavel

Best for: Middle eastern cooking in an industrial setting
Location: 500 Mateo St, Los Angeles, CA 90013, USA
Price: £££

Created by the team behind Bestia, Bavel occupies a renovated warehouse in a quieter corner of The Arts District. A verdant plant installation is suspended from the high ceiling beneath a skylight, while whitewashed brick walls create an airy, striking space. The Middle Eastern-leaning menu includes big-hitters such as duck-infused hummus with fluffy pita, ossobuco tagine and and slow roasted lamb neck shawarma with tahini, pickled vegetables, sumac onions and laffa.

Yunomi Handroll

Best for: Sushi lovers
Location: 806 E. 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Price: £££

Grab a seat at Yunomi Handroll’s Temaki Bar and watch black-gloved chefs craft spicy albacore tuna with shrimp tempura, crispy onion, and truffle soy, alongside fresh yellowtail and soft-shell crab wrapped in seaweed or soy paper. Minimalist interiors mix dark wood and concrete, with a sculptural pass-through window inspired by Japanese rice fields. Skip the queues by ordering to go, or visit the additional locations in Toluca Lake and Culver City.

Kato

Best for:  Seriously special occasions
Location: The Row, 777 South Alameda Street, Building 1, Suite 114, Los Angeles, CA 90021
Price: ££££

Michelin-starred Kato relocated in 2022 to ROW, a downtown strip mall and hub for independent retail. Interiors mix polished concrete, wood and glass to cool effect, while soft R’n’B plays in the background. Jon Yao was named best chef in California at the 2025 James Beard Awards for his inventive approach to Taiwanese cooking. Priced at 325 USD, the omakase-style tasting menu might include grilled char siu short ribs with matsutake mushrooms and sticky rice, spice-crusted duck or a wagyu beef tartare. A shorter bar menu comes in at around 185 USD per head, while the wine menu is curated by owner-sommelier Ryan Bailey.

Camphor

Best for: Michelin-starred French flair
Location: 923 E 3rd Street Suite 109, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Price: ££££

Camphor chef-owner Max Boonthanakit is a veteran of Bangkok’s Michelin-starred Blue by Alain Duccase. The menu applies French cooking techniques to global ingredients, with a dash of South Asian flavour. Order Kusshi Oysters from Vancouver Island or scallops wrapped in demi luna pasta, while Thursdays is steak frittes night, with dashi-seasoned mayo. The restaurant gained a Michelin star within a year of opening and is now a shining star of the city’s fine dining scene, while whitewashed brick walls, glossy tabletops and soft grey seats create a sophisticated, comfortable setting.

The Girl & The Goat

Best for: Confit goat belly and cocktails
Location: 555-3 Mateo Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Price: £££

Chef Stephanie Izard’s Girl & the Goat began in Chicago, before expanding to LA’s Arts District in 2021. The menu showcases local produce in eclectic dishes such as beef short rib noodles or roasted oysters served on a toasted clam baguette. As its name suggests, goat features prominently: try confit goat belly or goat curry during your visit. The cocktails – best sipped in the restaurant’s dedicated bar area or on the outdoor terrace – are also a hit.

Manuela

Best for: An art-filled restaurant from Hauser and Wirth
Location: 907 E 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Price: £££

Manuela is part of the Hauser & Wirth complex in downtown LA, so you can expect to find a creative crowd lingering here. An extension of the gallery space, commissioned works hang on exposed brick walls, and look out for Phyllida Barlow’s giant pom-poms behind the bar. The restaurant is open for brunch and dinner, with a menu that celebrates South Californian produce. The best place to be is perched on a communal bench in the outdoor courtyard, which also features chicken coops, herb beds and fruit trees, with festoon lights strung overhead.

Damian

Best for: Mexican fine dining in a renovated warehouse
Location: 2132 E 7th Place, Los Angeles, CA 90021
Price: ££££

Damian places a Mexican spin on Californian cooking. The downtown restaurant is owned by chef Enrique Olvera, whose extensive list of award-winning establishments includes Pujol in Mexico City. Succulent carne asada with sweet potato and bone marrow, and duck al pastor with a pineapple sauce are two headline dishes, closely followed by hibiscus meringue. The kimchi martini and the DTLA (a cocktail made with absinthe and dill-infused tequila) make for an adventurous aperitif, too. The converted warehouse interior balances concrete and exposed brick with lush greenery, for an ambient indoor and outdoor setting.