Stretching west to Robertson Boulevard, north to Santa Monica Boulevard, east to La Brea, and south to Pico Boulevard, Central LA is a vast and amorphous area in the heart of the city, known primarily for its shopping, quaint residential streets, delectable restaurants, and bustling though scattered nightlife.

The neighborhood is home to professionals, post-grads, and young families, as well as a large and visible Hasidic Jewish population and the ethnically entrenched Little Ethiopia that runs down Fairfax Avenue near Central LA’s southern boundary.

By day, boutique shopping and quaint al fresco dining options abound on posh and trendy Robertson Boulevard and its super-stylish sister, Third Street. The areas are flanked by two of LA’s biggest shopping centers – the Beverly Center and The Grove – and La Cienega Boulevard’s Restaurant Row, which features posh sushi joints, expensive steakhouses, and a big enough variety of cafés and restaurants to suit just about any budget.

Nearby Farmers Market and its astounding number of ethnic cuisine options is a favorite of the city’s food aficionados, while the cultured set heads to the many Central LA museums along Wilshire Boulevard’s Miracle Mile.

When the sun goes down, certain pockets of the sprawling region come alive, especially on Third Street and La Cienega when young professionals and well-heeled scene-seekers hit up the myriad bars, lounges, clubs, dives, and leading-edge restaurants that may not rival Hollywood in terms of quantity, but that go toe-to-toe in terms of quality.

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