Silver Lake and Echo Park food guide: eating on LA's Eastside

Silver Lake and Echo Park are neighboring hillside neighborhoods on LA's Eastside, joined by Sunset Boulevard, and they are among the best places in the city for a long, wandering day of coffee, brunch, tacos, natural wine and dinner. Base yourself around Sunset Junction in Silver Lake, walk the reservoir or Echo Park Lake between meals, and save room for Thai Town, just to the west.

Where are Silver Lake and Echo Park?

Both sit northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Silver Lake is built around its namesake reservoir, in hilly streets tucked between the 5, 2 and 101 freeways. Echo Park lies just to the southeast, closer to downtown, around Echo Park Lake. Sunset Boulevard runs through both and is where most of the restaurants, cafés and bars are.

What is Sunset Junction?

Sunset Junction is the point in Silver Lake where Santa Monica Boulevard ends at Sunset Boulevard. It is the closest thing the neighborhood has to a walkable center, with patio restaurants, coffee shops, bars and boutiques within a few blocks. Sunset Triangle Plaza, a small public space just east of the junction, hosts the Silver Lake Farmers Market. If you only have a few hours, start here.

What kind of food will you find?

The Eastside is known less for any single cuisine than for its mix. Expect:

• Coffee and bakeries, with serious espresso and pastry shops along Sunset.
• Brunch, which is close to a sport here on weekends, so expect a wait in line.
• Tacos, from trucks and stands as well as restaurants.
• Natural wine bars and small-plates restaurants that change their menus with the seasons.
• Pizza, burgers and casual counters, many with patios.
• Markets and specialty grocers for picnic supplies.

How do you plan a day in Silver Lake and Echo Park?

A day that works:

1. Morning: coffee and a pastry near Sunset Junction, then a walk around the Silver Lake Reservoir.
2. Lunch: tacos or a sandwich on Sunset, heading southeast toward Echo Park.
3. Afternoon: Echo Park Lake, where you can rent a pedal boat, then a coffee or ice cream nearby.
4. Evening: dinner back on Sunset, then a drink at one of the neighborhood bars.

Sunset Boulevard is long, and the walk between the two neighborhoods is a couple of miles with some hills. Many people walk one section and take a bus or a ride for the rest.

When are the local farmers markets?

The Silver Lake Farmers Market sets up at Sunset Triangle Plaza on Tuesday afternoons and Saturday mornings. Echo Park has a market on Friday afternoons, with produce from local farmers plus jams, honey and flowers. Days and hours can change with the season, so check before you go.

Is Thai Town close to Silver Lake?

Yes. Thai Town is a short drive or bus ride west, on Hollywood Boulevard between Normandie and Western avenues in East Hollywood. The Los Angeles City Council designated it in October 1999, the first neighborhood in the United States to carry that name, and it has long been the arrival point for Thai immigrants. Los Angeles County has the largest Thai community outside Thailand. Thai Town is a great place to eat noodle soups, grilled meats, curries and Thai desserts, and many places stay open late. It pairs well with an Eastside day: brunch in Silver Lake, dinner in Thai Town.

The neighborhood sign stands at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Normandie Avenue, and dozens of Thai-owned businesses line the street, from restaurants to markets and shops. If you have never eaten Thai food beyond the usual takeout dishes, ask what the kitchen is proud of; regional specialties from different parts of Thailand turn up on many menus, often on a separate page.

What should you know before you go?

Weekends are busy, and popular brunch and dinner spots often have long waits, so go early or try weekdays. Street parking on the hilly side streets is limited and signs are strict, so read them carefully. Several Metro bus lines run along Sunset Boulevard. Many smaller places are counter service, while sit-down restaurants bring the check to the table.

The neighborhoods are hilly, and many of the prettiest streets climb steep slopes or staircases, so wear comfortable shoes if you plan to explore beyond Sunset. Some of the best places are small, with limited seating and short opening hours, and a few close one or two days a week, so it is worth checking hours before you build a day around one spot. On warm days, take your coffee or a picnic to the lawn by the reservoir or to the paths around Echo Park Lake rather than waiting for a patio table.

How do you keep track of the good spots?

The Eastside rewards repeat visits, and a new favorite can be one block from an old one. On Mosey you can rate the places you ate at and the dishes you ordered, with photos, keep a list for your next Silver Lake or Thai Town day, and see what friends you follow have liked.

More guides to read next:

• Koreatown Los Angeles food guide: barbecue, soups and late nights
• Tacos in Los Angeles: a guide to taco trucks, stands and styles
• How to eat your way around Los Angeles without a car

More in the US food guides and the ranked lists of places.