Midtown Lunch

As is customary on Midtown Lunch, every Tuesday we profile a random reader to get their recommendations for the best spots to lunch near their work. This week it’s Sofia, a talent coordinator who has seemingly eaten at every single lunch spot in all of Downtown L.A.!

Name: Sofia

Age: 25

Occupation: Talent Coordinator & Office Wrangler

Where in L.A. do you Work?: The Groop in DTLA

Favorite Kind of Food: I like carbs and I like cheese. I’m very much into ramen and huge salads that are bigger than your face, as of late. My holy trinity would be pizza, burritos and cheeseburgers.

Least Favorite Kind of Food: I hate peas and salmon. I hear they’re good for you though.

Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch: Mendocino Farms rules the coop when it comes to sandwiches – whether you’re vegan or want some pork belly (drool), they’ve got it. I love their pulled pork sandwich which is sweet and tangy but not sloppy, the farm club with fresh, moist turkey, thick cut applewood bacon and herb aioli and the proscuitto chicken with almonds on ciabatta. What makes me love MF even more is that they have Boylan’s soda on tap. Brilliant. The also have a pretty robust deli case, which they hand out samples for very liberally. I like their chimichurri pasta, black lentils and potato salad. They have 2 locations in DTLA – 4th/Flower & 3rd/Grand. I prefer the 4th/Flower location simply because then I won’t have to make the tough choice between MF v. Starry Kitchen.

Pizzanista! is an amazing pizza shop on 7th and Mateo. It’s run by the same guys who operated Toddy G’s in a new incarnation. They’re on the pricey side, but worth it. The pizzas are decadent, delicious but not greasy. They’ve got the standard pizzas, which are delicious. I’d vote against the salads because they’re too simple, don’t offer protein and aren’t worth the price. They’re a pizza place though, and they deliver – big time! The stars are the mac and cheese pizza (yes, combined) and the meat jesus pizza. The mac and cheese pizza is only available on Sundays, but with one bite, you almost forget and stop resenting the fact that you’re working on a Sunday because the pizza is that good. The Meat Jesus – aside from being so cleverly name – is the holy trinity of meat toppings on pizza – pepperoni, sausage and bacon. It’s rich, meaty perfection.

Café Nine is a cute little café hidden above DTLA and unknown by most. It’s at 453 S. Spring St. located on the 9th floor, which gives you an amazing view of LA while sitting in a super cozy, chic café. It’s relatively cheap, which is awesome. I like the turkey sliders, which are adorable sliders with cheddar, mixed greens and herb aioli. They’ve got a great Pulley’s Pork, which is a pulled pork sandwich on Hawaiian bread with coleslaw… yum. Breakfast and coffee is also served. This is a gem in DTLA.

But wait… there’s more. Way more.

LA Café (639 S. Spring St) is one of my favorites only for their lobster grilled cheese sandwich. For $10, you get a large grilled cheese sandwich stuffed with lobster, brie, cheddar and grainy mustard (I hate mustard, but you can’t even taste it) on thick white bread. Delicious, greasy heaven. They deliver 24/7 too.

Bonventure Brewing Company (404 S Figueroa St) is a great change of pace for a slow lunch in DTLA. Its on the 4th floor and has indoor or patio seating. On a summer day, it’s awesome for decently priced burgers and cheap beer. They brew their own beer and most pints are $5, which you can’t beat. Just don’t go back to work sloshed.

Friday Farmers Market at Wells Fargo Building (on Grand btw. 3+4th) is my favorite in DTLA. I’ve frequented the one at 7th/Fig and the one on 1st / Main, but this is my favorite. They’ve got this fancy cheese man that will feed you endless amounts of amazing cheese and dry salame, who is right next to a macaroon vendor and a cupcake vendor. You can get full off of samples! But you shouldn’t because the lovely girls of Damn That’s Good! Catering have a stand and serve some fantastic entrees, sides and salads. My favorite entrees are the meat lasagna (with sweet and savory sausage) and the multi-mushroom risotto. The Citrus Chicken Salad and Greek Salad are also winners. They have different sides, which vary each time, but the drunken mushrooms are definitely recommended. This company definitely lives up to their name.

Honorable Mentions: Farmer Boys, Urth Caffe, Wurstkuche, and the awesome rotation of foods trucks at 7th / Fig

The “goto” lunch place you and your co-workers eat at too often? The people at Cabbage Patch on 6th between Grand and Olive know me by name. I’ve had everything on their menu practically and it’s all good. My favorites are the chicken kabob plate with fire-grilled lavash, the cumin green lentil salad and BLTA. Their meat comes from Niman Ranch and is super fresh. They also have a vegan puree that changes daily. Lately, they’ve been featuring an heirloom tomato puree that is amazing!

I’m also a regular at Blossom, which is a delicious Vietnamese place on Main and Winston (Between 4th & 5th). I really enjoy their tofu fried rice – it has a great balance between rice, veggies and tofu. They have great spring rolls that are crisp, refreshing and light as well as traditional pho and dry pho salad.

Lately, I’ve been going to Ground Floor Café a lot. It’s a café / gallery space on Spring between 4th and 5th. They recently slashed their menu prices dramatically so coffee is $1, pastries are $1.25 and lunch is ridiculously priced too. For $5 you can get a salad or a sandwich on a fresh baguette with a side of mixed greens. The vegan or duck pate sandwiches are standouts and the tuna salad is also a winner. They haven’t gone down in quality yet, so I’m stoked about the price drops since eating in DTLA can be expensive.

Lastly, I’m kinda obsessed with Nickel Diner (again) on Main and 5th. This used to be an old breakfast and dinner favorite, but now that it’s down the street, I’m a regular for lunch. It’s kind of awkward to walk in and order to go, so I’d suggest calling in. If I’m feeling healthy, I’ll get their quinoa salad, which comes with half an avocado… generous! Or their vegan chili, which I can never finish. The nite club is also fantastic with thick, delicious portions of bacon and yummy shoestring fries. If you’re in the mood for carbs, they’ve also got smac and cheese, which is a must have – gooey cheese with tomatoes and breadcrumbs. I’m getting hungry just thinking about this. You cannot leave without dessert either – they put their own twist on their sweets, which I’m usually against, but they’re an exception. Nickel is known for their infamous donuts, but I prefer their homemade ding dongs and pop tarts. I also love their smores cake which they flambé at your table!

Places you’ve discovered thanks to Midtown Lunch: I’m stoked about Baco, which is going to be across the street from my office. I can’t wait to try it! Also excited to hear that Shin Sen Gumi opened in Little Tokyo. I’ll be at both spots soon!

The farthest place you’ll drive for lunch on a normal day? I’ve gone to Super Tortas (360 Alvarado) for some amazing tortas that remind me of home. Other than that, when I worked in Pasadena I drove to Glendale to get my fix of Porto’s and Kabob Way on different occasions. In DTLA though, if you can’t walk to it, don’t do it.

Dream job location (anywhere in the world), purely for lunch purposes, and why? I’d love to work in Firenze for endless supply of delicious pastas, pizzas and gelato.

Anything you’d like to ask the Midtown Lunch readers? I work out of Santa Monica a few times a month and would love lunch recommendations for anywhere local (ie not a chain), delicious and affordable.

Got a recommendation for Sofia? Put it in the comments. And, as always, if you want to be next week’s Profiled: L.A. Lunch’er (or know somebody you’d want to nominate), email me- zach@midtownlunch.com.