PRIDE AND HEART IN BOYLE HEIGHTS
‘THE REAL EASTSIDE’S’ BEST COFFEE SHOPS, NIGHTLIFE, SHOPPING, ART AND MORE
EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD inLos Angeles brings its own unique culture to the city, but perhaps none as proudly as Boyle Heights. Ask any local to define it and they’ll say it’s the real Eastside — and that it has an identity that’s separate from neighboring East L.A. ¶ A stone’s throw from downtown, Boyle Heights was the gateway for many different ethnic and religious groups to Los Angeles before World War II. With its lack of racially restrictive housing covenants, the neighborhood was considered the Ellis Island of the West Coast, and has been home to Mexicans, Jews, Japanese, Russians, African Americans and more. ¶ The remnants of this unique melting pot can still be seen across the neighborhood, from the Japanese Hospital to the Breed Street Shul and the Evergreen Cemetery, one of the oldest in Los Angeles. Today, Boyle Heights has one of the highest concentrations of Latino residents in the city — mostly of Mexican descent. Landmarks like the kiosk at Mariachi Plaza and El Mercadito are cultural symbols of this Latino enclave.
Through the decades, it remains a working-class community, evident in the hustle and bustle of 8 a.m. traffic on its major thoroughfare, Cesar E. Chavez Avenue, known to longtime locals as La Brooklyn. Here, mothers pushing strollers rush their kids to school while street vendors wrap around corners selling tamales and fresh fruit.
Go west along the iconic avenue and you’ll walk past long-standing panaderias, pharmacies and discount stores sandwiched among newer kids on the block like Latinx With Plants, Other Books and Re/ Arte, spaces that are connecting with younger generations.
Travel east and follow the tantalizing scents of the many taco stands tucked on side streets or the carnitas from Los Cinco Puntos, named after the five-pointed intersection where Boyle Heights ends and East L.A. begins.
For new neighborhood favorites, try Milpa Grille or Brooklyn Avenue Pizza before catching an intimate concert at the historic Paramount.
But Boyle Heights isn’t just great food and cultural landmarks. The community has a rich history of political and social activism, depicted on walls as colorful murals inspired by the Chicano Movement of the 1960s and ’70s. More recently, the push against gentrification and displacement has garnered national media attention and inspired TV series like “Gentefied” and “Vida.”
While Boyle Heights has not seen the same level of gentrification as nearby Highland Park, business owners and residents alike continue to be priced out of the neighborhood. But people are stepping up. One example: the First Street Corridor. After the Metro Gold Line expansion in 2009, new businesses and mixed-use housing developments sprang up. But entrepreneurs with ties to the community as well as nonprofits stepped in to help preserve the area’s cultural makeup and respond to residents’ needs.
Now along the First Street Corridor, vibrant art spaces, bars and restaurants are mixed in with shuttered storefronts. On weekdays you can find mariachi musicians grabbing a bite at La Santa Cecilia between booking gigs. Come the weekend, crowds of millennials and Gen Zers crawl up and down the thoroughfare hopping from artisan shopping and poetry readings at Espacio 1839, to noisy Dodger fans at Distrito Catorce and drinks and DJs at Eastside Luv. Art lovers can stop in for birria at Don Boni or vegan pozole at Un Solo Sol before catching a play at Casa 0101 Theater down the road.
Farther east, the oldest Japanese restaurant in the city has stood the test of time. Otomisan has survived demographic shifts and gentrification, with little changes to its original menu and interior decor but with a loyal clientele.
It’s evidence that wherever you venture in Boyle Heights, you are never too far from a neighborhood favorite or a relic of a more diverse past.
SEE THE SKYLINE AT DAWN ON THE 6TH STREET VIADUCT
The gateway that connects the downtown Arts District to Boyle Heights reopened last year after it was demolished in 2016, causing quite a stir. Street takeovers, quinceañera shoots and even haircuts were all part of the ruckus. Although the crowds have receded, the iconic
1932 landmark that has been the backdrop for films, television shows, music videos and video games is still a popular destination for photo shoots, Instagram selfies and joggers.
Early risers may get the clearest pedestrian sidewalks.
Clock in a more-than-half-mile run one way, or get your steps in as you make your way across the bridge’s span of 10 twin arches.
Sunset provides dramatic views of the downtown L.A. skyline. And when darkness falls, the arches light up in different colors. If you need some extra motivation, consider joining an evening run with the Boyle Heights Bridge Runners, who take off every Wednesday at 8 p.m. from nearby Mariachi Plaza.
START THE DAY WITH L.A.’S OG GREEN JUICE AT VELARDE’S FRUITS
On Boyle Heights’ iconic Cesar E. Chavez Avenue, this hole-inthe-wall juice bar and restaurant has preserved its unique charm after more than 50 years in business. Its interior, painted in yellow and orange hues, is adorned with 1970s-style booths and vintage art.
Locals frequent Velarde’s for its jugos “curativos” and “energeticos,” fresh-pressed juices with claims to heal or energize you. The jugo verde, labeled the “diabetes controller,” includes cactus and chayote, balanced by the citrus of grapefruit and pineapple. The vampiro, or “energy booster,” is blood red with a mix of beets, carrots and oranges. Licuados are just as popular, and the best part: If you’re not in a rush, they top off your cup with any leftovers.
If a more hearty meal is what
you’re looking for, the tiny kitchen in the back whips up traditional home-cooked Mexican dishes like huevos rancheros, chiles rellenos and tacos with handmade tortillas. Don’t forget to load up at the salsa bar — no one’s judging if you try a scoop of each.
l 2201 E. Cesar E. Chavez Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 263-7276, instagram.com/velardesfruits
GET A MATCHA DE OLLA BOOST AT PICARESCA BARRA DE CAFE
Mexican cafe de olla — a latte with the aromatic flavors of cinnamon, anise, orange peel and brown sugar. It’s so good, Picaresca went rogue and created the rich and earthy matcha de olla.
Those unique flavors, the locally roasted, ethically sourced coffee beans from different regions across Latin America and Africa and the dedication of its founders have helped Picaresca gain a following.
After serving customers from a small nook inside a mini mall in the southern corner of Boyle Heights, the coffee shop recently moved to a new home that allows for more open seating and a full kitchen. If you're looking for a place to work remotely, bring your laptop and pair your brew with a chile relleno burrito, or pick up one of the house-made syrups to spruce up your lattes at home.
l 2931 E. 4th St., Los Angeles, (323) 685-5333, barra picaresca.com
GRUB ON THE LONGANIZA BURRITOS FROM MACHEEN AT MILPA GRILLE
Macheen and Cafe Cafe as part of its shared-kitchen concept. Together, the trio serve up delicious breakfast and lunchtime bites. Macheen’s breakfast burritos are filled with creamy scrambled eggs, cheese, tater tots and your choice of meat (birria, longaniza, crispy pork belly or fried chicken). For a vegetarian option, try the mushroom al pastor or crispy Brussels sprouts — both will delight even the staunchest meat lovers. And don’t skip out on the chipotle aioli sauce. You’ll thank us later.
Pair your meal with Cafe Cafe’s refreshing berry jamaica or green tea limeade. For something sweet, sip on the lavender horchata, or if you need that caffeine kick, the 48-hour cold brew will do the trick.
Stopping by during lunch hour? Milpa Grille has you covered with ingredients indigenous to Mesoamerica (think corn, squash and beans). The Milpa salad and bowl are fan favorites, with the option for chicken, pork or grilled cactus, along with beans, corn, grilled veggies and pickled onions. The crema de elote soup will satisfy your comfort-food cravings. There is limited indoor seating available so prepare to get cozy on the streetside patio.
l 2633 E. Cesar E. Chavez Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 269-2995, milpagrille.com
TASTE EVERY MOLE INGREDIENT AT TENAMPAL
Tenampal has become a new neighborhood favorite, offering up mouth-watering Mexican dishes along the 1st Street corridor. Chef Leonardo Crespo, who was raised in Boyle Heights, co-founded Tenampal with his family after working in different kitchens across Los Angeles. As their menu states, Crespo and his family “cook with two worlds in mind,” as they perfectly blend together Mexican and American culture.
On weekends, you’ll find customers waiting outside the small, casual teal-colored eatery — most likely for brunch. After all, it takes time to treat ingredients with the same attention to detail as Tenampal does. The cacao beans used for the mole chilaquiles are prepared inhouse, and the maiz for the pozole is prepared from dry hominy. Everything in the kitchen is made from scratch and you can taste it in the flavors, which are simultaneously bold and sweet.
The menu changes as the seasons change, so you know you are getting the freshest ingredients. This is also your excuse to visit often, as no Tenampal visit is exactly the same.
l 1859 1st St., Los Angeles, (323) 526-8172, instagram.com /tenampal
BORROW A BOOK FROM LIBROS SCHMIBROS LENDING LIBRARY
Libros Schmibros opened in 2010 with the goal of making books more accessible to the Boyle Heights community. Though it began as a lending library and a bookshop, it now functions as a small community library thanks to its donors. It’s on the street level of the historic Boyle Hotel across from Mariachi Plaza, making it accessible for passersby who want to peruse the ceiling-high bookshelves.
With a free membership, your first book is free; then you can borrow three and return them whenever you want (working on an honor system). The library also functions as a community center, with a calendar of events such as film screenings and a children’s story hour.
If you’re looking for a unique find, or feel inspired to write a book yourself in the community corner, Libros Schmibros welcomes any and all to its tiny nook.
l 103 N. Boyle Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 604-9991, librosschmibros .org
BUY A T-SHIRT TO SHOW YOUR BOYLE HEIGHTS PRIDE AT ESPACIO 1839
If you’re searching for a place to feel the pride of Boyle Heights, look no further than Espacio 1839. Here you can find custom T-shirts emblazoned with Boyle Heights logos, books by BIPOC authors, handcrafted finds by local artists and every knickknack in between. Its walls and ceilings are adorned with colorful art displaying Chicano and Latin American culture and social activism. But what you’ll find here extends beyond material goods.
The place constantly shapeshifts into a community venue hosting poetry readings, workshops, art exhibits and book readings. Owners Nico Avina and Myra Vasquez, artists themselves, have created a space that centers on community and culture. Its broadcast booth, Radio Espacio, provides a place for youth and other community members to start their audio journey.
Check out CaminArte, its bimonthly art walk featuring local artists and vendors, every second Friday of the month from 6 to 10 p.m.
l 1839 1st St., Los Angeles, (323) 265-3730, instagram.com /espacio1839
GROW YOUR GREEN THUMB AT LATINX WITH PLANTS
Walk down Cesar E. Chavez Avenue and you might accidentally find yourself in the middle of a garden.
Succulents, monsteras and snake plants spill onto the sidewalk outside Latinx With Plants. Inside, greenery hangs from the ceilings and potted plants are stacked on shelves, nearly covering the bright orange walls. The smell is a refreshing, aromatic cleanse.
The plant shop and community space was inspired by D’Real Graham’s Black With Plants, and bloomed out of a desire to celebrate people of color in the plant world. Before opening up its bricks-and-mortar shop, Latinx With Plants was a pop-up called Planta Parenthood. It all started with the need to raise money for a family member during COVID-19, but founder Andi Xoch recognized the power of healing through plants.
“We saw folks all around us (re)connect with their plants and nature,” Xoch says on her website.
At the shop, you can purchase a cactus or join in on a printmaking workshop in the back lot. Latinx With Plants also travels to pop-ups around Los Angeles, bringing the love of plant parenthood all over the city.
l 2208 E. Cesar E. Chavez Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 891-5135, latinxwithplants.com
INDULGE IN MEXICAN TRADITION AT EL MERCADITO
Originally a multicultural market founded in 1968 by Art Chaya, El Mercado de Los Angeles — better known as El Mercadito — is a culturally significant landmark reminiscent of the tianguis or mercados in Mexico and Latin America.
The three-floor indoor shopping center offers stalls with a variety of Mexican goods, including crafts, clothing, spices, religious relics and authentic food. Although the third-floor restaurant known for hosting mariachi performances has been closed since the pandemic, you can still find eateries serving up breakfast and lunch favorites such as gorditas and mariscos.
Spend a full day here and wander the aisles to find a tortilla press, a molcajete, a variety of moles or botas vaqueras. But don’t leave without a sampling of snacks available in the main entrances. From handcrafted ice cream to esquites preparados or tejuinos, there’s something for everyone.
Weekends can get crowded, but being in community with others is part of the experience.
l3425 1st St., Los Angeles, (323) 526-8808, laconservancy.org /learn/historic-places/el -mercado
DEVOUR A SHRIMP TACO AT MARISCOS JALISCO
The Mexican seafood in Boyle Heights lives up to the hype. [See Boyle Heights, L8]