Brunch on Abbott Kinney
Sunday's are for brunching! I'm planning on going back to LA over spring break, so I'm revisiting some of my favorite brunch spots and sharing them for anyone living or traveling to the sunny state!
If you’re ever in the LA area, Abbott Kinney is your go to stop for cute shops, potential celebrity sightings, and brunch! During my time there, I spent many weekends trying different brunch spots down this street and my 2 favorites are The Butcher’s Daughter and Gjelina. While there will probably a line for both, it’s definitely worth the wait!
The Butcher's Daughter
The Butcher's Daughter is a plant-based, cafe, and juice bar that originated in NY and made the move to LA in 2016. Right when you walk into the shop, you're invited into a bright space with plants and succulents adoring the restaurant. I went with my good friend Laura Claypool and we got the Coconut Cardamom Chai, Mexican Cocoa Elixir, 2-Grain French Toast, and Surfer's Breakfast. I absolutely loved everything we got! The drinks were really smooth and had just the right amount of sweetness. The food was equally as delicious. It was really filling, healthy, and is definitely a place I would recommend even if you aren't vegetarian.
Gjelina
Gjelina is an American restaurant with a rustic-chic vibe. You seriously can't go wrong with anything you order from the menu! I went there twice, once for breakfast and the other for lunch. I tried their Lemon Buckwheat Ricotta Pancakes w/ Blueberry Compote, Mushroom Fontina Truffle Pizza, Tuscan Kale Salad, Grilled Peach w/ Burrata & Prosciutto, Moroccan Baked Eggs, and the Seasonal Fruit Plate.
All their ingredients are very fresh and flavorful (a fruit plate seems ordinary, but this was the sweetest plate of fruit I've ever had!). They're known for their pancakes and it definitely lived up to my expectations. It was fluffy, the just the right amount of sweetness, and melted in my mouth. The pizza and moroccan eggs are perfect if you're looking for something savory with layers of flavors. The grilled peach is a good alternative if you want something that's a combination of sweet, savory, and something a bit lighter. Anything you order at Gjelina will be delicious! (Gjelina has similar food to Love & Salt if you're closer to Manhattan Beach instead of Venice, you can read about it here in a past post)
Hope you all enjoyed this food post, let me know if you want to see more posts like these and if you have any LA restaurant recommendations for my trip next month!
xo Kerstin