This Historic South LA Neighborhood Is a Thriving Center for Black-Owned Businesses

Compared to the East Coast, Los Angeles doesn’t have much in the way of historical homes and buildings, with even the oldest standing residence in the city, Avila Adobe, erected in 1818. People point to Pasadena for its Craftsman-style homes and architecture, but if you look to West Adams, you’ll find a wealth of beautifully preserved homes and buildings, many of which were built between 1880 and 1925.

West Adams was developed by railroad tycoon Henry E. Huntington and industrialist Hulett C. Meritt of Pasadena as a neighborhood for wealthy downtowners, complete with Victorian mansions and Craftsman bungalows for businessmen and USC professors. The district lies between the 10 freeway on the north, Crenshaw Blvd on the east, Exposition and Jefferson Blvds on the south, and Culver City’s boundary on the west, and it’s been officially recognized by the city of Los Angeles as a Historic Preservation Overlay Zone.

In the 1910s, the Westside began developing at a rapid pace, pulling West Adams’ upper-class white residents to neighborhoods like Beverly Hills. Wealthy Black residents began moving in, including renowned architect Paul R. Williams, who designed the Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company headquarters—once the largest Black-owned insurance company in the West—when it opened on W. Adams Blvd and Western in 1949.

The neighborhood continued to thrive throughout the 1950s, attracting big-name residents like actor Hattie McDaniel of Gone With the Wind and musicians like Little Richard and Ray Charles. Charles opened his business headquarters and recording studio in the neighborhood, and you can still visit the intersection of Washington Boulevard and Westmoreland Boulevard to see "Ray Charles Square" that’s named in his honor.

Despite all of this growth and investment from the local Black community, West Adams as a community suffered when construction of the 10 freeway tore through a core section of the neighborhood in 1961, which also included the city’s use of eminent domain and demolition of numerous West Adams homes.

In recent years, West Adams has experienced a renaissance, attracting a new wave of residents and business owners with its central location and well-preserved architecture. The neighborhood is now one of the most densely populated areas in the city, with some of the youngest residents by median age.

Much like other historically Black areas in LA, notably Inglewood, long-term residents of West Adams are eager to reclaim a piece of their neighborhood, launching an array of new businesses in the area. Even newcomers tend to arrive with a sense of responsibility to the history of West Adams, and there’s a concerted effort underway to make sure it retains some of its magic.

Next time you find yourself in the area, consult this list of our favorite things to do in West Adams, spanning Black-owned restaurants, bookstores, museums, wine shops, breweries, and more.

This counterculture art gallery was founded by actor and curator Terrell Tilford in 2015, and the name of the gallery is in its mission statement, which says in part that, “There were times when being different was a vice. We reject those labels. For those historically undervalued, overlooked or cast aside we say now is your time, now is our time. We are creating a Band of Vices.” What's more, Band of Vices Sacred House is next door to Alta and Adams Wine Shop, which affords the opportunity for a perfect vice-filled weekend excursion.

This Black-owned concept bookstore and creative space frequently hosts author readings and workshops, in addition to playing host to the Los Angeles chapter of artist Noname’s Book Club. Stop by the store or shop online for titles that span bestsellers, fiction and nonfiction, audiobooks, history, biography and memoir, poetry, children, young adult, and teen reads—plus a wide selection of anti-racist, LGBTQIA, and movement literature. The club boasts that it’s “Curated by Blackness,” with puzzles, playing cards, and even organic honey being sold by Black-owned labels.

This “spiritual oasis in the city” offers a peaceful respite, with the intention of helping people take a pause from their busy lives to reflect, be present, and rejuvenate in natural surroundings. The gardens were built in 2001 and modeled after the Chartres Labyrinth in France, and they serve as the headquarters for the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness (MSIA) and Peace Theological Seminary & College of Philosophy (PTS). The facility includes a labyrinth, meditation gardens, and Guasti VIlla, an Italian Renaissance mansion that was built between 1910 and 1914, and is designated as a Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Monument. Entry is $6 and the gardens are open Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays from 1–4 pm. Visits must be booked in advance through the website.

Alta Adams is a soul food restaurant led by chefs Keith Corbin and Daniel Patterson with a style that you’ll only find in LA. The team unites influences that span West Africa and the American South with the best California produce, and even the dishes that sound familiar get a new spin at Alta Adams, as in the savory Collard Greens that you’ll swear were simmered with a ham hock, but are actually vegan—the smoky flavor comes from smoked oil. Also of note are the crispy Black Eyed Pea Fritters that give way to a pillowy center and come with an herbaceous spicy sauce for dipping, and mains like Shrimp and Grits, Oxtails and Rice, and a Gumbo with fresh market veggies. The cocktail menu takes similar inspiration, with nods to the Golden State in a wide variety of fresh fruit and herbs throughout.

This cozy shop first opened during the pandemic in the hands of late sommelier Ruben Morancy, who also launched neighboring Alta’s wine program. It's now run by Morancy’s mentee, Jaela Salala, who's done a fantastic job curating excellent artisanal wine, beer, and spirits. BIPOC and women wine producers dominate the shelves, with a focus on small producers and a selection of international spirits like Haitian rum.

A lot has changed in West Adams over the last few years, but at least one thing remains the same: Mel’s Fish Shack still serves some of the best fish in the area. It’s a simple, no frills spot—the ‘shack’ in the name is not ironic—but Georgette Powell is frying up great seafood in many varieties and serving it over fries just like her father Mel Powell did before her. They still make their Southern-style sides in house, the Po’Boys are excellent, and if you’re looking for something a little lighter you can get grilled fish over salad instead of fried and served on top of French fries.

After achieving cult status for his downtown pasta pop-up, chef Avner Levi opened this quaint restaurant that’s perfect for date night with an intimate, string-lit patio that offers a view into the open chef kitchen through floor-to-ceiling windows. There’s also a cozy L-shaped bar inside if you prefer a front-row seat to the pasta-preparing action. Levi’s known for his Middle Eastern-inflected takes on Italian cuisine, like the magenta spaghetti that gets its natural dye from beets and is served with ricotta and brown butter.

The soul food restaurant that first opened in 1969 and is now owned by the third generation of the Legaux family is your best bet for authentic New Orleans-style Cajun food in the area. The dining room is sleek, and it gets lively during meal times and almost feels like a holiday dinner with your favorite relatives. The must-order here is the File Gumbo, a filling and fragrant stew with dark roux, ground sassafras, shrimp, sausage, blue crab, and chicken, though an array of po’ boy sandwiches, fried crab cakes, and the Louisiana-Style Catfish prove just as tempting. They’re also one of the few restaurants in LA that offers a crawfish boil when the freshwater crustaceans are in season.

This neighborhood cafe has grown into an essential spot, serving coffee and snacks by day and natural wine bar in the evening. Executive chef Kat Turner's dinner menu is far from stuffy, with options like Fish and Chips with tempura-fried snapper, and an array of interesting rice bowls. You can still stop by early to enjoy their menu of coffee drinks and breakfast items, like the French Toast or a Chickpea Shakshuka.

Ok fine, this no-frills Jamaican spot is just slightly outside the bounds of West Adams, at the corner of Redondo and Pico, but it's worth including. Order well ahead of your actual hunger because there’s almost always a wait for freshly prepared dishes like slow-cooked Oxtails, Jerk Chicken, and Curry Goat, served alongside sides like Rice and Red Beans with a coconut blend, Ackee and Saltfish Seasoned Rice, and Ground Food, which includes a boiled ripe banana, sweet potato, yam, and dumpling. They also have vegan options, including Callaloo, or tropical greens sauteed with peppers and onions, and of course, fried plantains. Check the daily special before you go to take advantage of rarer dishes like a spicy Cow Foot Soup (only available on Mondays) and Jerk Pork (only available on Fridays). You’ll also want to tack on some Jammin Sauce (available in Vegan Sweet and Sour as well as Spicy Jerk flavors) and one of their signature drinks, like Honey Punch and Jamminade in Pineapple Ginger flavor, to complete your order.

If West Adams has a signature neighborhood scent, it might be the smoked meat smell that wafts from this stand on W. Adams Blvd near Crenshaw. The long-running stand shuttered in 2015 but was ressurrected in 2018 by Mizlala owner Danny Elmaleh. Pastrami is the obvious order here, and the only real decision is how you want it served, whether sandwiched between two slices of Tartine marble rye, stuffed in a French roll and served with dip, or straight up by the pound. Burgers and sandwiches, including a BBQ Brisket Sandwich, are also on offer, as well as sides that range from hand-cut fries to a pretty stunningly good Matzo Ball Soup and a rich Knish With Gravy.

This neighborhood favorite comes from chef Danny Elmaleh, who brought the restaurant from its original location in Sherman Oaks to West Adams in 2019, offering a partially covered patio strewn with olive trees and string lights that’s perfect for a casual date night. The menu features market-fresh Levantine food, including hummus, falafel, spit-roasted meats, and tahini shakes, plus veggies and salads. The West Adams location also boasts a build-your-own pickle bar as well as a wine and beer list.

Fans of Sichuan-style noodles rejoiced when chef Tony Xu of Chengdu Taste expanded to a new location in West Adams. Mian Translates to “noodle” in Chinese, and the restaurant takes its name seriously; it earned a spot on Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand list in 2019, as well as accolades from late food critic Jonathan Gold and many others. The menu is helpfully organized according to spice and numbing levels—opt for the signature Sichuan Cold Noodles if you’re a fan of spicy, but less so of numbness, or go all out with Crazy Beef Soup Noodles and order some Mung Bean Tea (which comes with free refills) to help bring your taste buds back to life.

For those who doubt the resurgence of West Adams, let us point you to this boutique hotel that opened in fall 2021, offering an option to low-key tourists and locals who want to staycation in a less touristy part of town. The 48-room hotel offers a peaceful courtyard, heated outdoor pool, a 24-hour fitness studio, and bike tours and loaner bikes for guests to explore the neighborhood. 

This ceramic studio that launched in 2017 stands out as the first community pottery studio in the United States that’s owned, operated by, and intended to support POC. Find it in the West Adams-adjacent neighborhood of Jefferson Park, where they offer classes that range from wheel throwing to hand-building, with some workshops offered in Spanish. They also aim to make ceramics programming more accessible by providing scholarships, free workshops, artist residencies, and professional development training to Black and Brown communities through their non-profit arm The Potluck Initiative.

It’s not the easiest place to find, but the tiny urban farm and organic community garden Seeds of Carver has a mighty mission. In addition to growing vegetables for the community, they also host regular workshops for West Adams locals and South LA residents, and their Living Lab program is designed to teach gardening skills and regenerative garden theory to middle school and high school students as part of a STEM curriculum. Attend a workshop if you can, or find a time to stop by and work with them by sending an Instagram DM.

This multi-level nightclub was once owned by Jewel Thais Williams, and it stands out as the oldest Black-owned disco in America and the longest running Black gay bar in LA. You’ll see nods to this history in its diverse programming, even if some of the attendees might not be aware of it.

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