Alcove

"Maybe you and Duke are planning a total Eastside day, walking along the LA River bike path. The obvious move is to head to Alcove afterward. This all-day Los Feliz standby has a massive outdoor patio, meaning your dog has space to spread out and have himself a Saturday. The sandwiches and salads are all solid enough, but don’t leave without getting a slice of cheesecake to-go." - brant cox

"Sometimes we wake up in the morning and think about where we would be - both personally and as a city - if it wasn’t for Alcove. A scary thought, to be sure, because Alcove is one of LA’s most essential everyday cafes. Located on Hillhurst not far from Griffith Park, Alcove occupies two converted houses and has as perfect a patio as you’ll ever find. To be clear - Alcove isn’t some hidden, untapped gem. Anyone living East of La Brea knows exactly what Alcove is and uses it frequently. But despite the consistent crowds, Alcove somehow maintains a calming vibe that makes you want to just take a step back and breathe. It’s all going to be OK. Thank you Alcove, we needed that. Hangover breakfast? Lunch with the parents? Casual dinner date? Late night dessert run? All these needs can be fulfilled within Alcove’s always-welcoming confines. The expansive menu has some definite highlights, but you’ll also be hard-pressed to find anything disappointing. Prices are reasonable and portions are hearty. Plus, with Alcove’s attached Big Bar and its solid wine list and cocktails, you’ve got just about everything you need on the premises. We want to say we wish more places could be like Alcove, but that would be a disservice to what makes it so special in the first place. Alcove is an easy-peezy, California cafe where everybody can just hang out. Nobody’s trying too hard and neither should you. So grab a coffee, or a piece of cake, or anything else you see, and enjoy a sunny day or starry night at one of the best outdoor spaces in town. We live in Southern California, let’s go ahead and take advantage of it. Food Rundown Brioche French Toast Made with French vanilla and rum. We’ll say that again. French vanilla and rum. (Kinda) Classic Benedict The secret here is the maple-glazed ham. Overall, this is one of the better benedicts on the Eastside. Blackened Salmon Tacos We don’t usually condone ordering fish tacos from a place that doesn’t specialize in them, but Alcove is one of the few exceptions to that rule. The avocado salsa on top is next-level. Bean+Bean+Bean Salad Three different types of beans are piled high in this filling salad. Perfect for a post-Griffith Park hike. Turkey Hummus Melt Surprisingly hearty yet light, this is a great go-to for a quick afternoon bite. Alcove Burger Prime angus beef, bacon, and avocado make this a solid choice for any time of day. This isn’t the best burger we’ve ever eaten, but if you’ve got a craving it will definitely do you right. Lamb Burger Alcove’s lamb burger is juicy, delicious goodness. Its olives and goat cheese make it a true winner. Local Harvest Sandwich A vegetarian pride party, this overloaded sandwich stuffed with fresh veggies and pesto is a great order, whether you eat meat or not. Red Velvet Cheesecake Generally speaking, Alcove has some of the best desserts in town, but this one in particular will forever have our heart. And our love handles." - Brant Cox

"Located in two converted houses on Hillhurst, this is one of the best outdoor spaces out there — perfect for penning the next King Lear, or sweating through every fiber of your clothes. Plus, they have a really good eggs Benedict." - brett keating

"Big Bar has created two movie-inspired cocktail kits dedicated to Christmas classics, Die Hard and Home Alone. The action movie kit showcases a Nakatomi Plaza Holiday ‘88 Punch made with gin, rose petals syrup, and champagne as well as paraphernalia inspired by the movie such as a mini toy gun taped to the back of the bottle with Christmas tape. Home Alone’s cocktail is Les Incompétents, a sparkling gin and elderflower cocktail, and is packed with fun goodies like an ornament flask and paint can drinking vessels." - Caroline Pardilla

"Most of the places surrounding the Garden look like wings of the hockey hall of fame and make you strain your eyes looking for something on the menu that isn’t fried. Luckily, though, Alcove in the renovated warehouse building next to the new Converse headquarters, isn’t just a good relative to the neighborhood, it’s good period. The American menu will look similar to a lot of other new places that share the same industrial chic aesthetic, but everything’s well done and a lot of the dishes have unusual twists, like the avocado that’s charred and topped with aioli, and the rigatoni that somehow works with cranberries and dark chocolate. And with a good cocktail list, a fun, crowded bar, and a patio that overlooks the Zakim and the Charles River locks, it’s a good spot for an early date." - Dan Secatore