Pie is a big deal in the U.S, and the cream-slathered beauties that this little outlet serve up are certainly becoming a big deal amongst L.A’s downtown crowd. Double crust apple and maple custard offerings sit on the menu alongside chicken cornbread and other weekly savory specials, all guaranteed to have you staring wistfully into space for weeks on end recalling that all important first bite. Pie this good will inevitably garner a dedicated following – so expect closing times to vary depending on how quickly they sell out of fresh-baked finery. Best get down there early, have your fill and repeat. Daily.

Looking at the chefs and waiters at ink.—one of West Los Angeles’ most exciting eateries—you may realize there’s a bias towards tattoos. While the visual identity of their dishes (or their waiters) isn’t the first priority in the mind of head chef and heavily-tattooed Michael Voltaggio, he’s nevertheless careful to present his plates in ways that are perfectly suited for the food-porn generation of photographers. The result? How about halibut served alongside embers of zucchini and potato, sesame mayo and black vinegar? There’s also the option of beef tartare served with hearts of palm, sea bean chimichurri, horseradish and rye. If you haven’t got the ink on your arms, at least bring a hungry stomach. Like a solid tattoo, these feasts will prick your palate with a permanent impression.

While the kindly kitchen staff at Proof openly profess that they are far from master bakers, their vast output of pastries, sweets, savories and fresh breads tell a different story. After taking over the kitchen space of an old neighborhood bakery that had been around for over 60 years, the Proof Bakery owners hope to build upon a legacy of longevity and quality. Every bite you relish from this kitchen is 100% housemade, even down to the candied ginger in their scones or peanut brittle melting in your mouth. Their operation isn’t run like a corporate store—real food takes time, not to mention truly friendly, caring and knowledgeable people in aprons.

Dog Haus Biergarten embraces the all-American appetite with its inventive menu offering 10 gourmet style hamburgers and further selection of sausages. You can chomp down on “The Detroit,” a ground-beef patty smothered in chili on a hot steamed bun. Or, there’s the “The Hangover,” a decadent patty that can quell any wobbly alcohol-laced tummy. Their dogs are equally inventive and vary from classic chili dogs to the “SoCali”, an exotic blend of sausage topped with tempura fried onions, spicy basil aioli and avocado. Needless to say, the food pairs nicely with its beer garden brews of Hefeweizen and IPAs, which can be gleefully downed in its spacious wooden patio.