Los Angeles Neighborhood Guide: Silverlake
Silverlake is known as the OG hipster neighborhood of Los Angeles. Filled with eclectic, independently-owned shops, restaurants, coffee shops, and juice bars, it's become one of the most desirable places for creatives to live in LA. Part of Silverlake's charm lies in its lack of corporate commercialization. Hipster coffee chain Intelligentsia, located in the middle of Sunset Junction, is probably the closest thing to corporate you'll find. Other than that, be prepared to unearth some gems of indie shops and food purveyors that make LA traffic and challenging parking worthwhile. There are so many places to highlight, but for the sake of brevity, I've listed 4 spots to check out in Silverlake below.
Stop 1: Night+Market Song (3322 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026)
The original outpost of Night+Market Song is in West Hollywood, but clearly its success warranted expanding into Silverlake. I first heard about this restaurant after reading a Jonathan Gold review which only had good things to say. Night+Market serves up Thai food with some modern twists. Shown above is the insanely good Fried Chicken Sandwich topped with papaya salad and ranch dressing. It's as good as it looks, although I could only finish half. The Silverlake location is small, colorful, and casual - there's even a disco ball party happening in the restroom! After lunch head around the corner to see the overly-Instagrammed Silverlake (Michelterona) heart steps.
Stop 2: Scout (3707 West Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026)
For an afternoon caffeine break, Scout is a great grab-and-go option. It's a teeny space packed with great last minute gift options like coffee table books and housewares. In addition to coffee and tea, Scout's menu has more substantial items like avocado toast and insanely delicious looking sandwiches.
Stop 3: The Odells Shop (3906 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90029)
(image taken by business owner)
Started by husband wife duo Laura Stang and Jason O'Dell, The ODells Shop is a beautifully curated shop that boasts premium brands like Lacausa, Mother Denim and Woolrich. They've recently evolved to carrying their own namesake line, The ODELLS. Think laid-back, California lifestyle inspired pieces. Good for: vacation pieces, day to night pieces, quality basics.
Stop 4: Clare Vivier (3339 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026)
Clare Vivier's handbags are inspired by everyday French chic, and each design is stylish without feeling too trendy. Clare started out on a quest to design a more fashionable and functional laptop bag back in 2006. This endeavor led her to start designing her own handbag line, which then exploded into a full-fledged lifestyle brand. Fun fact: Clare Vivier herself lives in Silverlake. Good for: that handbag or wallet you've been saving up to splurge on.
