Pete's Cafe & Bar Bar / Café

Downtown, Los Angeles –

Walking the geographic tightrope between skid row and gallery row, Pete’s Cafe & Bar is a large restaurant in LA’s historic Bank District that caters to trendy shoppers, businessmen, and diverse pre-gamers looking to nosh on upscale twists of American classics.

Guests nestle in among perfectly groomed shrubs on the heated patio, which acts as a haven for smokers, dog owners, and people-watchers entertained by the un-choreographed street theater created by the passersby.

With its high ceilings, thick stone pillars, and intricate tiled floors, there’s plenty to look at throughout the cavernous space, though most of the regular lunch crowd is more focused on work or checking out their recent purchases to notice.

Posh groups of girls take to the plush booths and high-top tables that line the large dining room to snack on baked mac and cheese and share bottles from the sizeable wine list, as mellow suits sidle up to the art deco bar to throw back one of the few draft beers.

Dinner usually finds dapper theatergoers sharing space with a younger set of kids stopping in before hitting a nearby club, though the restaurant’s size means the place usually doesn’t get too crowed.

Weekends are a casual affair as sleepy neighborhood denizens drop by for pancakes and breakfast burritos and try to resist the temptation of the Bloody Mary bar.

No matter the time, Pete’s Cafe & Bar is that rare venue that combines upscale flair with the attitude of a neighborhood diner.