Food as art is all the rage in Los Angeles. Makes sense for a city with so many savory offerings and so many creative folk. We at Folk Art Everywhere are led around the city by our tummies, which is why we’ve ended up at so many fine eateries! Read below to learn about them, then go sample the tasties....
Adassa’s Island Cafe in Leimert Park
Panos Pastry in East Hollywood/Little Armenia
Thailand Plaza Fine Thai Cuisine in East Hollywood/Thai Town
Little Ethiopia Restaurant in….(I think it’s obvious)
Figueroa Produce in Highland Park
Adassa’s Island Cafe
Located in the Leimert Park neighborhood of LA, Adassa’s Island Cafe offers an array of healthy sandwiches and delicious pastries, as well as rich Caribbean coffee, tea, and fresh fruits. Although it is usually known for a more serene atmosphere, the café also features a small stage for musical performances and poetry readings. If you’re craving some delectable authentic Jamaican cuisine, hop right next door to Ackee Bamboo, one of L.A.’s top spots for delicious Jamaican dishes.
Adassa's Island Café
4305 Degnan Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90008
Phone: 323.295.7275
Monday – Saturday: 9am – 8pm
Sunday: 9am - 6pm
Panos PastryDubbed the “King of Baklava” by the Los Angeles Times, Panos Pastry is an old-fashioned bakery that sells Armenian, Middle Eastern and European sweets, cakes, and pastries. Be sure to try to famous “Jovina’s Chocolates” and, obviously, some of the best baklava in Los Angeles. Panos Pastry initially opened over 55 years ago in Beirut, Lebanon, and later opened a second bakery on Hollywood Blvd. in 1981. Consequently there’s a rich and abundant history packed inside these sweets that you can’t afford to miss.
Panos is located near Little Armenia’s only park – Barnsdall Art Park, which includes Hollyhock House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Next time you’re nearby, pick up some sweets, then walk over to Barnsdall for one of the sweetest views in LA.
Panos Pastry
5150 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Phone: 323.661.0335
Hours: 9am to 9pm daily
Thailand Plaza Fine Thai CuisineNear Little Armenia is Thai Town, the commercial center for the region’s thriving Thai population, where you can find numerous delicious restaurants and curious shops. Thailand Plaza Fine Thai Cuisine is a popular restaurant located in the heart of Thai Town. The best way to go: order a bunch of appetizers for a whole table to share.
Besides offering authentic Thai food, the restaurant also presents musical performances that incorporate handcrafted Thai instruments, karaoke, and a dance floor for traditional and contemporary Thai dance performances. Go on a Saturday night and watch the regulars tear up the dance floor.
While you’re in the area, be sure to explore the color and spirit of Thai Town, the five-block stretch between Western and Normandie Avenues. It is truly a unique and artful neighborhood, a gem in the city, that offers fabric shops, Thai book stores, street markets, and, of course, various spots for flavorful Thai cuisine. Nearby are the Thai Community Arts and Cultural Center, where you can learn more about the fascinating artistic and cultural landscape of the Thai community in L.A.
Thailand Plaza Fine Thai Cuisine
5311 Hollywood Blvd. 2nd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Phone: 323.993.9000
Monday – Thursday: 11am – 1am
Friday – Sunday: 11am - 2am
Little Ethiopia RestaurantKnown for its exquisite and authentic cuisine, Little Ethiopia Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in communal settings. The herbs and spices used are directly imported from Ethiopia, so come eat out of common plates with your hands (unless, of course, utensils are requested) and enjoy the divine flavors! And don’t miss the coffee ceremony.
This restaurant advocates expanding cultural awareness by attempting to recreate the Ethiopian experience not only through authentic flavors but also through the manner in which these flavors are consumed in the social setting. The idea of community is an important value here, so don’t miss the opportunity to branch out and get to know some new people!
Little Ethiopia Restaurant
1048 S Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90019
Phone: 323.360.4431
Daily: 10am - 10pm
Figueroa ProduceFigueroa Produce is the kind of market that every neighborhood should have. It has the feel of a friendly corner market where you know the owners, but isn’t too small that they don’t have all that you need. On the contrary: Fig Pro offers top-quality produce, meats and other goodies, with many products obtained from small, dedicated food distributors all over the globe.
The market is located in the Highland Park neighborhood, where, according to the LA Times, “Every popular Southern California architectural style from the late 1880s to the 1940s is represented, from Queen Anne Victorian and Craftsman to Mission and Tudor Revival.” Located between three sets of hills (Mt. Washington, San Rafael, and Monterey), Highland Park is also known to be one of the most striking scenic areas in the city. As for art, groups like the Arroyo Arts Collective highlight the range of artistic talents that can be found in the neighborhood.
Figueroa Produce
6312 N Figueroa St.
Los Angeles, CA 90042
Phone: 323.255.3663
Monday – Saturday: 7am- 9pm
Sunday: 8am - 7pm
Plummer Park is one of West Hollywood’s best-used parks with tennis and basketball courts, a community center offering yoga, language and dance classes, playgrounds for children, and plenty of tables frequented by local Russian residents playing card games. 
