L.A. Grocery & Café

Right now, L.A. real estate speculators spend way too much time and money trying to gentrify East Hollywood into “Melrose Hill,” but this upscale neighborhood market and café splits the difference with a mix of everyday-priced essentials, farmers’ market produce and your typical shoppy shop brands. The small parking lot and presence of security detail on the premises give the place a wider appeal, as do the straightforward Erewhonesque build-your-own protein plates, smoothies and other prepared foods available at the café counter. There’s limited seating (we’re talking about four tables, max) but if you’re looking for a convenient place to find an impressive-looking bottle of wine or track down gourmet goodies for your next picnic, L.A. Grocery & Café is conveniently located a few miles away from both Barnsdall Art Park and Hollywood Forever—two of the city’s prime picnicking destinations.