Summer in LA consisted of sunshine, a daily work grind, and of course, food.
One of the most well known hot spots of LA I knew I had to make a trip to was Urth Caffe. (Obviously). From their organic taco salads and sandwiches, to their iced Spanish lattes and juices, Urth pretty much caters to anybody. Women in hats and sunglasses, coworkers in button ups and ties, and couples with their dogs sit out on the Urth patio to take a quick breather on a busy LA day. It's a pretty great place to people watch along Melrose.
Another foodie discovery I made was a cute little market style restaurant, painted in bright white and trimmings of lime green, called Lemonade. This LA fave is dog friendly, organic and health conscious, but fully stocked with an array of desserts including vibrant and pretty macaroons, gluten free peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies, and slices of cake. It's quick, affordable, and they allow you to sample several recipes until you find the ones you love most. One of my favorite dishes was the crisp and tasty Mexican butternut squash salad. It had chili, Latin seasonings, cilantro, and salty, crunchy corn nuts that added a delicious flavor and texture to the dish. I also tried their salmon stuffed avocado, fennel and grilled brussel sprout salad, beautiful fascia beet salad, and the white and green bean caprese inspired salad. Everything I ate, was undeniable and required a second lunch date trip.
Luckily, while I was working, I didn't have to make my way through Beverly or Melrose to find lunch because we were provided with Off the Shelf Catering. Thank goodness, Off the Shelf Catering was at our beck and call every morning starting at 8am. They had tables set up with beautiful fruit arrangements, compiled of watermelon, pineapple, grapes, strawberries, and cantaloupe. Freshly made donuts, yogurts and cereals, bacon and potatoes, and fresh, personalized scrambles were all included. Around lunch time, they had even more of a variety of dishes. Latin inspired rice and beans, kale salads, sliders, barbecue chicken, potato salads, and their dangerously delectable and addicting chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting were all part of the deal. (If you have a peanut butter addiction like me, then the cupcakes are to die for).
The last place I absolutely fell in love with, was a local breakfast place called Millie's Cafe. Millie's had everything from vegetarian options, not so vegetarian options, and sweet and yummy options, and gluten free options. Millie's is typically very busy, but once again, pet friendly. Right outside in front of the waiting area (aka the sidewalk) a giant dispenser is filled to the brim with fruit and mint infused ice water. The first morning I went, I ordered the half stack of gluten free, walnut and chocolate chip pancakes, with a side of freshly sliced strawberries and bananas. Boy, was it gorgeous and beyond delicious. For those of you who are gluten free, I highly recommend this place. The pancakes are fluffy and huge, and you could easily confuse them for regular pancakes. The second time I went, I ordered the Devil's Mess, a gigantic scramble with turkey sausage, topped with guacamole, tomatoes and onions, and of course with a side of breakfast potatoes. Talk about the devil, this scramble was so decadent but so delicious, you would be surprised that it is a breakfast item. You could have that entree for dinner and it would fill you up as if it were a double cheese burger. Salty, savory, greasy...everything good and bad you would want in a breakfast dish. They had other dishes on the menu including a variety of pancakes such as sweet potato, egg white omelets, benedicts, scrambles, and a combination of everything your eyes desire. Millie's, is a must try.
The city of LA may have stolen my heart, but the food kept it full and happy.
Urth Caffe
8565 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Millie's Cafe
3524 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
