Downtown Dough

Amazing spot curated by Issa Rae and the Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen team. It isn’t just another pizza joint, it’s a full-blown vibe. Located in the heart of Downtown LA, the Hilltop café transforms into a soulful tribute to 70s funk, serving up inventive pizza/dishes and throwback atmosphere in equal measure. Don’t skip dessert here!

Went to Downtown Dough Friday for dinner and LOVED it! Cute decor, great music, attentive service and bomb food. Outdoor self parking lot next door was $20. Funky Focaccia - cheesy & delish! Say it out loud Caesar - very good! Just wished they chopped up the lettuce for you more. Spaghetti & meatballs - pretty good Poppin Pep - very good! Tiramisu Banana Pudding - yum Shout out to our waitress Duncan for the great recommendations and service. Right next door is Hilltop Coffee & Lost DTLA. @travel_lifestyle_chow #downtowndough #dtla #california #foodie #foodporn #lovetoeat #eating #food #foodblogger #foodreview #yelp #instafood #comfortfoods #foodisalovelanguage #dinner #dessert #focaccia #caesarsalad #spaghetti #pizza #feedme #yummy #datenight #tlc #travel #lifestyle #chow

For a spot that’s a coffee shop during the day, they did a great job with the vibe change into restaurant mode at night. Service: amazing. Usually service is a little questionable when first opening, but it was on point for night 1. Knowledgable about the menu, super friendly, and attentive. Everything we ate was amazing. Pizza-wise, our favorite was the bacon and clam. Unique and the flavor was so good. The Sunday chicken was also a favorite. Usually I avoid chicken at restaurants bc it comes out too dry - not the case here. And the grits that come with it were so flavorful. Only constructive criticism is make the presentation of the gelato better - while it was delicious - it looked like a sad little scoop in the big coffee cup.

We had a great time here before going up to LOST rooftop for drinks. The pasta was really yummy and we loved the cocktails. Can’t wait to try the rest of the food.

Want to start off my saying…I love this place. Now that we got that out the way, here’s why. The food and the vibe here are amazing. If you’ve been to Hilltop during the day, it’s nice to see the same space in a different way at night. The name makes you think that this is a pizza place but the menu has so much more to offer. The waiter recommended we get the poppin pep pizza, the shrimpin at easy, and the calamari. We also had the cauliflower/truffle pizza, the spaghetti and meatballs, the mighty marinara, and the funky focaccia. When I say everything was good, I mean everything was good. The truffle pizza was not too truffley, the pepperoni pizza was delicious, and the bread was perfectly cheesy and lite. All of the pastas were really thought out. Not too heavy on the flavors, just the perfect amount of balance. While I was eating I was thinking…everyone needs to try this place. I’ll be back asap to try everything else.

Super cool new pizza and cocktail spot under LOST rooftop. Loved the spicy pepperoni pizza and the spaghetti.

I just stumbled upon this swanky new pizza joint. The vibes were on point. Staff was great. If you’re looking for a good pie, you can’t go wrong with the poppin pep, but if you want to try one with some crazy flavor, definitely go for the bacon and clam pizza. Had such a great time here. I’ll definitely be coming back to try more of the menu.

This place is incredible. It’s off the heezy believe me. The perfect spot to have dinner before a wild night downtown. Service and pizza were 10/10. The cocktails were perfectly crafted, exactly what I needed. Do yourself a favor and treat yourself to one of the best new restaurants in Los Angeles.

The clam and bacon pizza is fantastic! No notes. I've been let down so many times by the raved-about brick oven style pizzas in this town, but this one really lives up to the hype which is hard to do at this price point of about $30 for a pie. When more unique toppings become available, I'll give those a try. I would love Italian sodas (lemon & grapefruit) as well bc under no circumstances would I ever pay the same for a mocktail as a cocktail. Lastly: Love that you could go upstairs to Lost to make a night of things.

Rude bartender. Emanuel has a bad attitude. Food was cold upon arrival. Emanuel was talking to a coworker instead of checking on my food. 45 dollars for meatballs and pasta. There's nothing innovative about this place. No charm. Just cold. Would not recommend. You want customers to return and with a rude bartender that can prove to be challenging. Good luck Downtown Dough

Went to Downtown Dough Friday for dinner and LOVED it! Cute decor, great music, attentive service and bomb food. Outdoor self parking lot next door was $20. Funky Focaccia - cheesy & delish! Say it out loud Caesar - very good! Just wished they chopped up the lettuce for you more. Spaghetti & meatballs - pretty good Poppin Pep - very good! Tiramisu Banana Pudding - yum Shout out to our waitress Duncan for the great recommendations and service. Right next door is Hilltop Coffee & Lost DTLA. @travel_lifestyle_chow

So I tried calling this place several times but couldn't get through--maybe the number was wrong, or they were just super busy. So I decided to drive over and place a takeout order in person. When I arrived, a friendly woman was standing outside and gave a warm welcome. She opened the door for me and directed me to the bar counter to place my order. The interior was really nice--great ambiance with a fun, retro vibe. Now, onto the food. I'd read plenty of glowing reviews about this spot, so I was excited to give it a try. **Pizza** - Absolutely delicious. The wood-fired thin crust was done just right, and there was a subtle sweetness--possibly honey--on the pepperoni that added a really nice finishing touch. Unique and flavorful. **Shrimp Pasta** - Rich, creamy, and packed with flavor. If you're a fan of creamy pastas, this one's worth trying. **Chicken** - I'd heard someone say, "Don't sleep on the chicken," and they weren't wrong about the flavor. It was well-seasoned and served over what I believe were grits--an interesting and tasty combination. I enjoyed the first few bites, but unfortunately, as I got closer to the center, I realized the chicken wasn't fully cooked. Given that the restaurant wasn't particularly busy and the food took a while to arrive, I expected more attention to detail--especially for something as basic (and important) as properly cooked chicken. Had it not been for that issue, I would have given a five-star rating. The food overall was excellent, but undercooked chicken is a serious miss.

Came here for the grand opening on May 3rd and was very impressed. It's perfect for a date night or quick stop for delicious eats. We ordered the crispy calamari, poppin pep and added apple wood smoked bacon. The say it out loud caesar salad... Literally chefs kiss! The funky focaccia was soooo good! We were soo full we ended up taking the rest home! Shout out to Austin and Chef Rory for making our experience even more special! Everything was excellent and our server Mariah was great! We will be back very soon! So many different things to order from the menu. We will be trying something new next time! We absolutely love ISSA RAE! You did it again girl!

What a perfect vibe in here! The music is great, the service is incredible, cocktails are thoughtfully crafted and the food here is delicious! For drinks we tried the Smoke Signals, Jungle Strut, and Liquid Love and they were all hits! I recommend the Liquid Love as a dessert drink as the lemon sorbet in there is the perfect palette cleansSo unique and delicious. For food we tried the Spaghetti and Meatballs and Popping Pep pizza. Both so tasty and hit the spot. I enjoyed the sweet and spice of the pizza from the chiles and honey combo. The spaghetti and meatballs were very much an elevated comfort food. This spot is perfect for before AND after a night out. It's a great combination of dinner and drinks before getting the night started and also an intimate wind down as well.

Our server and the other staff were very enthusiastic about our visit. My partner got the Smoke Signals, which was lighter and less smoky than I expected. The Soul Chicken was delicious, with awesomely creamy grits. The truffle hustle pizza had a great crust. I'd like to try some of the other topping options next time.

A new vibey Italian spot in DTLA. The interior is spunky and has a pink mood lighting that sets the scene. I came here with a small group and we ordered a little bit of everything. We shared the spaghetti, poppin pep pizza, calamari, and sunday soul chicken. Out of everything, my fav was hands down the pizza. It had the most delicious wood fired flavor and the hot honey on top was perfection. The spaghetti and calamari were good, but not amazing. You can pass on the soul chicken. I thought it was a cute spot and would come back for the pizza.

This place was definitely an experience! We stopped in before hitting upstairs to the rooftop bar, and I'm so glad we did the Poppin pit pizza was amazing and met our needs for that sweet and spicy need!! The drinks were really good, shout out to Emmanuel for making us something special, he provided awesome service by the way!! The whole ambience of the place was really nice, sort of chic, definitely come here to pregame!!

Downtown LA is a chore, isn't it? Walking from the car to Bestia or Bottega Louie can feel a little (or a lot) unsafe. For lots of reasons, the downtown core seems immune to the tons of money being poured into homeless and mental health services. But let's do our part, Yelpers, and continue to support new and old amazing downtown businesses. Speaking of "downtown," it's fun to be at the epicenter of LA's dining universe when something new and wonderful opens up. Run don't walk to Downtown Dough (Hill at 7th with a pay lot right next to it). It's Hilltop Coffee Shop by day, tranformed into DD at night with full bar and dough-filled menu. We felt like VIPs (and we are not); the service is so friendly and over-the-top, you'll feel like one too. We started with Prosecco spritzers and shots, moved to focaccia bread (this is a must order), caesar salad and calamari. It's all good! For dinner, do what we did -- split one pizza (pepperoni) and the spaghetti and meatballs. Dough overload to be sure, but totally worth it. One banana pudding tiramisu to share for dessert is the topper. You're over two hundos, but it's only money; when we run out, they just print more. Definitely worth the trip downtown! Welcome to the dining scene, Downtown Dough!

I went for a date night with my fiance. We started with the basil pesto pasta and calamari which were both really good. Then we shared the pepperoni pizza which was delicious. And we ended the night with a cannoli and affogato. The restaurant has a chill vibe with good music and the service was great. Our server Andres was attentive, gave great recommendations, and was an overall sweetheart. We'll def be back.

OMG! This restaurant had a great vibe. 70s inspired, great music, great service, and the food was delicious. All of the dishes we tried were yummy. The pizza and the bread appetizer were amazing. They make their ranch homemade and it tasted delicious. They also brought out a plate of 3 different dipping oils for the appetizer. The shrimp dish was good but needed a little bit more seasoning. That's just me I like my food heavily seasoned. Lol. I loved the banana pudding tiramisu! A spin on banana pudding, I would have loved a few more wafers because that's how I love my banana pudding. But you have to try it. Only down side is parking, so you have to pay for parking at a lot near by, but it's downtown so that is to be expected. Food 10 Ambiance 10 Service 10 I will definitely be back.

Tried Downtown Dough last night, and let me just say, Issa Rae is building a culinary cinematic universe, and I'm trying to taste every chapter. Housed inside her Hilltop coffee shop location in Downtown LA, the space transforms at night into a retro-inspired pizza joint with '70s funk vibes, wood-fired pies, and some unexpected twists. We had a 6:30 reservation but honestly didn't need it, there was no wait. The interior's the same cozy Hilltop layout, but the branding and menu flip into full-on Downtown Dough mode. The playlist was cute, the lights were low, and the energy was laid-back, think cool, low-key date night or chill dinner with your girls. We started the night with drinks, I ordered the Strawberry Boogie, sweet, and super sippable, not strong at all. My friend went for the Sweet Thang, but they were out of the pear purée, so she opted for a glass of wine, which she really liked. For appetizers, we tried the calamari (nothing out of this world) and the Caesar salad (classic). But once the pizzas arrived? They stole the whole show. I had the Poppin' Pep, and my friend got the Revolution Pie. Both were 10/10. Thin, wood-fired crusts with the perfect char, light on cheese but heavy on flavor. And yes, I ate the crust. Happily. For dessert, we split the banana pudding tiramisu, super cute concept, and surprisingly good (especially for someone who doesn't love banana). No banana chunks, just pudding flavor, layered with espresso and dark chocolate. Now here's the thing: The vibe and branding say pizza parlor, but the bill says upscale dinner. For two people - drinks, apps, two pizzas, and dessert, we paid just about $200. And to be clear, I don't mind paying that price at all, I've gladly spent that (and more) at places like Mother Wolf or L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele in Hollywood, where the food, ambiance, and pricing all live in the same lane. But at Downtown Dough, the experience feels a little mismatched. The menu reads high-end Italian--with wood-fired pies, roasted chicken, branzino, and pasta dishes that wouldn't be out of place at a luxury trattoria, while the branding and decor suggest a fun, funky, laid-back pizza spot. It's not that the food isn't worth it, it's just that the expectation doesn't quite match the vibe. That said, I'd definitely go back. I've got my eye on the mighty marinara, the pesto pasta, and the spaghetti and meatballs (which I normally wouldn't order out, but our waiter swore it was top-tier). Downtown Dough is funky, flavorful, and fun, I'll be back.

Came here tonight at 10:20 to order some food. The doors are locked, people are inside, bartender is looking at the door laughing.. yet the closing time says 11pm. Why have store hours if you're not going to stick to them? All Issa Rae's places have bad customer service and staffing, this one is no different.

Another day, another Issa Rae restaurant! I finally had the chance to try Issa's newest downtown spot last weekend. After securing a reservation at Somerville in January, my friend and I decided to venture to her pizza eatery and bar. It's safe to say that downtown dough did not disappoint! I enjoyed the ambience, music, and drinks. I also like how the location is connected to her coffee shop and rooftop bar. While the dough could have been cooked a bit longer, the pepperoni was delicious and the drinks were refreshing. I will definitely be back to try some of the appetizers and pasta options.

Service was good and restaurant is nice. It is a bit overpriced for pasta and pizza due to 'Brand'. They also charge for anything including a side of sauce. Some special requests are not accommodated. I probably wouldn't go back unless someone I knew wanted to try it. I got the shrimp Alfredo without shrimp and the garlic bread. The bread is the highlight of what I ate.

Issa is in her bag with food and restaurants because yes! The vibe and ambience, dope! Our server, Duncan, was wonderful, friendly, knowledgeable and enhanced our experience. You just try the lava liquid drink (alcoholic and cute) and ordered the poppin pepperoni and it was delicious! Calamari was well seasoned too!

The food and service were amazing! What a great vibe! I was shocked to hear that it's a coffee shop during the day! The food was great! I thought the cauliflower truffle pizza and the bacon/clam pizza were shockingly tasty! Non-alcoholic beverages were a hit, and the desserts (we loved the pistachio gelato, banana pudding tiramisu, and affogato). The staff was very warm, welcoming and attentive to our needs. I will definitely be back!

I had a great time when I went to Downtown Dough! The staff were very nice and helpful! I sat at the bar while I waited for my table and my bartender Emmanuel was a great conversationalist and had great recommendations. I ended up getting the Poppin Pep and I can't wait to get it again!

You can checkout my thorough review on tik tok. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPHbm6Dn3QPmD-dB79U/

Visited Downtown Dough on opening weekend and was pleasantly impressed! The food, the service, the vibes...everything was on point! My favorites were the Truffle Hustle pizza and Banana Pudding Tiramisu were amazing!! Definitely returning and recommending to everyone and anyone!

Amazinggggg!!! We went on a Saturday night, so easy to make a reservation. Our server was incredibly kind and attentive. I ordered a drink that wasn't ready and so they gave me another one on the house while I waited for mine. We ate the calamari which was so fresh and delicious. We also ordered the vegan pizza which we aren't vegan but the flavors were so good! The pizza also took a little while and so they gave us spaghetti and meatballs on the house as well. I just appreciated that they made sure we had food and drinks at all times! Are we ate, our waiter escorted up to the rooftop bar Lost! That was a little bonus that we appreciated! Cool vibes and people and will definitely be back!

Want to start off my saying...I love this place. Now that we got that out the way, here's why. The food and the vibe here are amazing. If you've been to Hilltop during the day, it's nice to see the same space in a different way at night. The name makes you think that this is a pizza place but the menu has so much more to offer. The waiter recommended we get the poppin pep pizza, the shrimpin at easy, and the calamari. We also had the cauliflower/truffle pizza, the spaghetti and meatballs, the mighty marinara, and the funky focaccia. When I say everything was good, I mean everything was good. The truffle pizza was not too truffley, the pepperoni pizza was delicious, and the bread was perfectly cheesy and lite. All of the pastas were really thought out. Not too heavy on the flavors, just the perfect amount of balance. While I was eating I was thinking...everyone needs to try this place. O, and the service was great too. I think our servers name was Tony. He knew a lot about the menu and made some great recommendations I'll be back asap to try everything else.

I don't mean to be a party pooper, however I'm confused as to the high ratings on Yelp. I ordered the poppin pep and Cesar salad to go. I was unable to call ahead of time bc the phone is not up and running. When I got home the pizza was sad, sorry and not poppin. I love pizza but the cheese on this one had a strange goopy texture, the dough was bland and soggy but also burnt at the bottom and the pepperoni tasted frozen. It was $29 for a small pizza and def not worth the drive. Sending an SOS , berry disappointed .

The food here is so good! Theres a unique sweetness to the pepperoni pizza that was so surprising! The appetizers too - especially the funky foccacia - is excellent. Love the music too, and the servers were awesome!

This place sucks. Chicken was a newborn chicken, tasted like a pleather shoe. The waitress had a crazy attitude. She was really rude to my girlfriend. I put my card on the table and went to the bathroom, the rude waiter asked my girlfriend if the card was mine or if she was paying?? GIRL IM PAYING DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. Food is mid, you can get something way better anywhere else. Vibes are just off. My girl was really disappointed, she loves Issa but I told her, it's not like Issa back there cooking and serving. The grits were good tho.

Don't sleep on the Soul Chicken. We ordered the Mighty Marinara (lobster pasta) it was subpar. The manager made his rounds, asked us about our food, we let him know we weren't fans of the dish, he quickly asked what did we want to replace it without any hesitation. That's when we got the Soul Chicken and the first bite was bomb! Our server told us it was, but reading an Open Table review, we went for the "lobster pasta" you can literally pass on it. Get. The. Soul. Chicken. Lol. BOMB! Poppin pep pizza is really good as well. Will come back for the Truffle and Bacon & Clam pizza. Great job

What a VIBE!! The calamari, spaghetti and meatballs, the banana pudding/tiramisu was off the chain!! The service and ambience was absolutely fabulous!! I'm going back again and again!!

From the time we stepped in for the soft opening it was a complete experience!!! The service, the vibes and attitudes of the staff were 1st rate best I've had in LA in years!!!! Hell, the playlist made me feel like I was at my cool auntie house!!!! This is an restaurant experience that makes you feel like family!! Our table attendant Duncan was a complete delight and she gave great recommendations all night from drinks to meals and after dinner dessert drinks!!! Lemon love is my new go to for any evening!! Issa and her team have really made an effort to assist in bringing the vibe back to the city and downtown has a new breath of fresh air in the LA pizza scene for years to come!!!! Highly recommended 10/10!!!!!

I been here few times with family enjoying some fine italian dining. Service is outstanding, food is high quality seems like so fresh and tasty. Ambiance is also outstanding, i like the crowd and type of atmospehere it creates in the evening times. Enjoy guys 100% highly suggest all Italian food lovers to stop by and try this place.

Ummm...$40 basic spaghetti meatballs....$25 basic chopped salad....$20 basic banana tiramisu...for real?...pass...

The pizza was good! The chicken was sold as a "whole chicken" leg and thigh but it must of been a newborn chicken because it was tinie tiny and honesty just not good at all. Smelled like an old leather shoe. The grits on it were really good. The low score really just comes from the poor customer service. From the minute we walked in the door and sat down it was just bad. Super unfriendly waitress, I felt like she wanted to fight my girlfriend for some reason. But the kicker here was I had put my card down on the table and went to the restroom and when I got back my girlfriend said the server asked her if the card was her card or mine!? I'm sorry what? It was my card but we're married so I guess technically it's our money but what difference would that make? Let me tell you we ran the hell out of there. Just a bummer bc my girlfriend loves Issa Rae and that's why we went but I guess Issa isn't back there cooking and serving. Would not recommend, plenty of better places with better service in Dtla.

Duncan was an amazing waitress! She made sure we were satisfied our entire time and had great recommendations for us! 1st time here and it was amazing!! Very warm welcoming atmosphere and the food was wonderful!

Stumbled across this and loved every bit. Super fun interior, great drinks, and the pasta and pizza were spot on. Just opened and definitely will be coming back

This place is amazing. The food, friendly service, along with the ambiance all played a role in my first experience here. The atmosphere itself made it one of the most enjoyable dining experiences that I've ever had. I would highly recommend Downtown Dough to anyone, regardless of their demographic. 10/10 experience!

Would definitely recommend this place to everyone I know. The food was not the only thing amazing about this place, but so was the customer experience and the vibe of the staff. Downtown Dough was more than just a visit with friends. Downtown Dough was more like a scene from a movie. Overall, a place that will always be on ones to-go list. Thanks to the whole staff for a true welcoming.