Clark Street Echo Park

"Clark Street is no longer the cute, little subway-tiled stall in Grand Central Market where we’d celebrate getting out of jury duty with ricotta toast. This well-oiled baking machine is now a local mini-chain with four locations selling incredible pastries like twisty Swedish cinnamons buns, buttery cheddar-chive scones, and kouign-amann that taste like a caramelized croissant. If you’re looking for something a little heartier, our favorite item is their “Scandinavian Breakfast,” a massive platter with a sourdough roll, Comté cheese, ham, butter, jam, and a hardboiled egg. It's the kind of simple, filling meal that makes you feel like you’re picnicking in the fields from The Sound of Music. Which is kind of the best way to start the day. " - brant cox, sylvio martins, arden shore

"You can pretty much trust that anything at Clark Street being served on bread (see: burgers) is going to be good, and their breakfast sandwich is no exception. Salty, savory, and packed with bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese, this sandwich is built like a BLT, and works for both AM and PM meals. It’s the ideal thing to order for a late breakfast, or when you’re in the mood to actually take your lunch break seriously. The fried egg is ooey, gooey, and properly drippy, the thick-cut bacon is extra-crispy and a little oily, and their excellent bread is there to mop it all up." - brant cox, kat hong, arden shore

"Classic Bucket Hat, $25 It’s a bucket hat with cool rainbow lettering. If your Gen Z cousin listens to any mix of Tyler, the Creator, Rex Orange County, or Kali Uchis, they will like this hat." - kat hong

"If you’re like us, and love the baked goods at Clark Street Bread, but don’t always feel up to braving Grand Central Market to get them, we have good news: They’ve just opened a full-blown bakery in Echo Park. And not only did they keep the things that we liked about their original outpost - namely, a very caramelized, very buttery kouign-amann pastry - but they’ve also added a few new things to the menu. Our favorite addition is the Nordic Breakfast, a massive platter of sourdough bread, Comté, ham, jam, and a hard boiled egg, which is the kind of hearty, simple breakfast you thought only existed in your daydreams of life on a self-sustaining farm." - brant cox, kat hong, brett keating

"Baking sourdough and reappropriating mushy bananas into bread is great for some, but if you’re a little less, ahem, skilled in the kitchen, leave the baking to the professionals. Which in this case, means Clark Street Bread. This wonderful little shop has everything - flaky kouign-amann pastries, hearty meals like the Nordic breakfast, as well as some of the best merch in town, and you don’t even have to leave your car to get any of it. Order online, then just pull up to their curb on Glendale Blvd. and call (213) 529-4252." - kat hong, brett keating