Best Business Lunch Restaurants in LA Arts District (90021)
6 hand-picked restaurants, AI-analyzed and critic-validated
Essential Picks
#1
Bestia
9.1
A defining Arts District destination for house-cured charcuterie, blistered pizzas, and deeply flavored pastas from chefs Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis. The menu is bold and technique-forward, and the industrial dining room hums late into the night. Reservations are tough for a reason: the kitchen stays reliably excellent at scale.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bone marrow gnochetti with spinach and brown butter, Saffron tagliatelle with crab, uni, and chiles, Spicy lamb sausage pizza
What makes it special: A benchmark Arts District Italian kitchen with a top-tier salumi and pasta program.
Notable Picks
#2
Bavel
8.6
A Middle Eastern feast house built for sharing, with dramatic arches and a warm, spice-perfumed dining room. Plates land in waves—smoky spreads, fire-kissed meats, and bright, herb-forward salads—so the meal feels like a slow reveal. It’s romantic in a celebratory way: dim lights, big flavors, and constant table buzz.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lamb neck shawarma, Duck hummus, Malawach with Yemenite dips
What makes it special: A share-plate Middle Eastern menu that’s both adventurous and crowd-pleasing.
8.4
Chris Bianco’s LA outpost brings wood-fired, delicately charred pizzas to a bright ROW DTLA space. The crusts are light yet structured, toppings are restrained and high quality, and the simple salad-and-pasta sides keep things satisfying. It’s a polished, dependable pizza experience that feels both casual and special.
Must-Try Dishes:
Rosa pizza (parmesan, rosemary, red onion, pistachio), Sonny Boy pizza, Panna cotta
What makes it special: A nationally revered pizzaiolo’s wood-fired pies in ROW DTLA.
#4
kodo
8.2
Vibes:
Girls Night Out Approved
Trendy Table Hotspots
Group Dining Gatherings
Instagram Worthy Wonders
A Japanese-American izakaya in a converted firehouse, balancing sushi, robata, and binchotan mains with a serious cocktail program. The space is minimalist and design-forward, and the menu rewards groups who want to share across hot and cold sections.
Must-Try Dishes:
Wagyu katsu with onion ponzu, Uni pasta with shiso and nori, Spicy tuna crispy rice
What makes it special: Design-centric izakaya with live-fire cooking and sushi under one roof.
#5
Afuri
8.1
Tokyo-born AFURI brings its bright, citrus-lifted yuzu shio ramen to the Arts District in a sleek, counter-service space with a full bar. The broth stays clean and aromatic, and the menu opens up into izakaya snacks that make it easy to turn a ramen run into a hang.
Must-Try Dishes:
Yuzu shio ramen, Buta gyoza, Karaage chicken
What makes it special: Signature yuzu-infused ramen that tastes light but satisfying.
#6
Café 2001
8.0
A stylish all-day Arts District café from chef Giles Clark that treats breakfast like a real menu, not an afterthought. Expect careful technique—think katsu sandwiches and smoked fish plates—matched with excellent coffee in a calm, minimalist room.
Must-Try Dishes:
Smoked trout with hash browns & huckleberries, Pork katsu breakfast sandwich, Egg & relish salad sandwich
What makes it special: Chef-driven breakfast with Japanese-Western finesse.