Highland Park
The Vibe
Artistic, walkable, foodie-driven with craftsman charm and serious culinary credentials. Highly Likely (8.4+, at 5526 N Figueroa St) transforms from coffee shop to pasta dinner spot, while Belle's Delicatessen (8.2) brings NYC-style bagels and latkes to Highland Park. The Infatuation highlights Sam's Place wine bar (8.4), Hippo's Italian-ish with pastas under $20, and new Yi Cha Korean pub open until 2am weekends. York Boulevard's independent shops, vintage stores, and Checker Hall's restaurant-bar hybrid attract artists, musicians, and families seeking walkable neighborhood character. Weekly farmers market and Highland Park Heritage Trust preserve community identity amidst rapid transformation.
Description
Northeast LA neighborhood where craftsman bungalows and Spanish Revival homes line tree-shaded streets near York Boulevard's vibrant commercial corridor. Highland Park Bowl (originally opened 1927, restored 2016) preserves its Spanish Colonial Revival facade as LA's oldest operating bowling alley with eight vintage lanes and forest mural. The neighborhood's Historic Preservation Overlay Zone (1994) - LA's largest at 3.4 square miles - protects Queen Anne and Arts and Crafts architecture from the 1880s-1940s. The Highland Theatre (opened March 5, 1925) and Heritage Square Museum's eight Victorian buildings preserve architectural legacy, while the Gold Line Metro connects the creative community to Downtown LA.
Neighborhood Stats
Popular With
- Artists
- Young Families
- Foodies
- Creative Professionals
Key Attributes
- Walkable
- Historic
- Foodie Paradise
- Craftsman Homes
- Artistic
Food Scene
Highly Likely (5526 N Figueroa St) serves pappardelle bolognese and mushroom piccata transforming from daytime café to dinner destination. Belle's Delicatessen (8.2) delivers bagel sandwiches and pickle martinis in striped-awning NYC style. The Infatuation highlights Sam's Place wine bar (8.4), Mason's Dumplings (7.8) for SGV-quality dumplings, and Yi Cha Korean pub with gochujang buffalo wings. Hippo's sweet corn cappellacci, Villa's Tacos with seven-layer Dodger-blue tortillas, and Amiga Amore's Mexican-Italian fusion round out the scene.