Imagine a trendy town east of Hollywood filled with hipsters, a broad range of culinary experiences, aspiring comedians, and graffiti filled walls. There’s no secret why Silver Lake is currently my favorite free-spirited city in LA.
Eats
Sawyer: Here’s one good reason to head over to Silver Lake. This beautiful eatery serves major ambiance-looks from the scene inside to the outside. Focused on seafood, you can also get your hands on contemporary food, like a burger or a v. fancy avocado toast. Pro-tip: their happy hour runs daily from 4-6 PM. Sawyer shares it’s kitchen with Kettle Black, another must.
Kettle Black: In the heart of Silver Lake, Kettle Black is found next door to sister restaurant, Sawyer. This modern and sleek Italian restaurant is a great place to pop in with friends for lunch, drink a few Aperol Spritz during happy hour (4-7 PM) or wine and dine over a romantic dinner. You don’t want to miss out on their beautiful bar and wood fired oven. I see myself coming back for their oysters, meatball sandwich, cacio e pepe, and “sip & slice” aka a slice of cheese pizza with a choice of peroni or house red, white, or rosé.
WOOD: Famous and here for the khachipuri, better known as a gondola pizza. Basically, a cheese, egg and butter-filled bread boat that only requires ripping, dipping and eating. Leave it to this place to make your pizza eating experience fun and different.
Silverlake Ramen: Traditional ramen and quality ingredients. This place is small and fills up quick, so don’t be discouraged if you see a line out the door, you’re in the right place. They’re open Fridays and Saturdays until 2 AM, just in time to satisfy your late night cravings. My go-to is the vegetable ramen, served in a creamy vegetable broth, washed down with their refreshing cucumber mint lemonade.
By. CHLOE: Found in the corner of Whole Foods Market 365, this vegan joint’s colorful and earthy ambiance was a win for me the moment I walked in. This is their second location, outside of New York. The aesthetic is trendy, their napkins refer to OutKast’s “So Fresh, So Clean” and they play tunes by Naughty by Nature and Janet Jackson, how can you not love this place? Everything from the classic burger to the quinoa taco salad (my fave) is a hit. You’ll forget it’s vegan.
Magpies: A sweet spot for soft serve with seasonal flavors changing weekly. Their toppings are made in house, and are as eccentric as their soft serve flavors. Nothing vanilla here! They also offer a ton of tasty vegan options.
Explore
Silver Lake Farmers Market: Straight off of Sunset Blvd, you’ll find the Farmers Market on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Grab some coffee or fresh squeezed juice while you pre-game with an empanada. Take a stroll amongst the vintage clothing and jewelry shops, essential oil stands and boxes of vinyls. It’s a vibe. Don’t forget to carry cash!
Micheltorena Stairs: A Silver Lake staple. There’s a ton of stairs infiltrated with art here, but this one’s located in the trendiest part of town. Perfect for a run or if photoshoots are your thing, go ahead and do you. Access this colorful stairway across the street from Alfred Coffee.
Club Los Globos: Fun fact — this is one of the oldest clubs around town, and home to one of LA’s first openly gay nightclubs. Put on your dancing shoes because this two story nightclub is famous for hosting Latin dance nights as well as other themed nights like 70’s and 90’s. Expect an entrance fee and potentially over entitled bouncers.
House of Intuition: Your one stop shop for everything cosmic, metaphysical and spiritual. They have a wide variety of crystals, candles, and healing components. My favorite takeaway is the HOI candles, set with different intentions, such as, love, health, house blessing, and more. They smell great, shine bright, and have stones carrying the energy of your intention at the bottom of every candle.
This travel and food list was made with hopes that you too will experience some or all of these recommended spots on your next daycation to Silver Lake. If you have any additional stops and recommendations, share them with us. Until then, cheers!
Check out the behind the scenes of all my adventures and meals on both my Instagram highlights : @shabbysmalls & @shotbysmalls.
Currently listening to: Khalid – Free Spirit
