"If eating multi-colored macarons in DTLA was a core memory for you back in 2007, Bottega Louie probably holds a special place in your heart. Brunching at this patisserie and bistro was a bucket list activity up there with scoring tickets to the Sweet Escape Tour and showing off your Blackberry Pearl to friends. These days, Bottega’s center of gravity has shifted to Santa Monica Boulevard with a second location that’s as beautiful as it is corporate. The food is decent for a last-minute hangover brunch (stick to the thin-crust pizza), plus there’s plenty of room if the entire friend group shows up to rehash what happened at Hi Tops the night before. Skip the mass-produced macarons though, they’re flat, mushy, and $20 for a half-dozen. " - brant cox, sylvio martins
