Alcove Café & Bakery: The Best Casual Meal in Los Feliz

Written by Rick Barzell Thursday, 04 February 2010 14:50

Named for its arched doorframes and nestled on a restored Spanish duplex bungalow from 1916, Alcove Café & Bakery is the perfect place to enjoy an incredibly satisfying meal, or even to take that lovely person in your life to.  And it better be, because this ain’t your cheap neighborhood taco truck! 

Whether you come here to enjoy a hot cup of joe (not the case for me, as coffee = a crack cocaine jittery comedown), or sit down and enjoy an amazing meal, or even just scarf down on some delicious pie or cheesecake, the gorgeous outside garden patio alone is a reason to keep returning to Alcove. The brickwork and garden setup makes one feel as though they’re sitting outside of a Napa Valley winery/restaurant. (a place you won't see me at until a grey mop sprouts from my head)

With a majority of their dishes ranging between $10 and $15, the food is well worth the price, considering you’re not only getting utmost quality, but utmost quantity as well.  Alcove serves up breakfast, lunch, and dinner beginning at 6am Monday through Saturday, and 7am on Sundays. They have a large selection of salads ranging from the Alcove Caesar salad to an Asian Scallop Salad. 

Aside from the healthier greener stuff, Alcove is well known for their delicious burgers, sandwiches, wraps, paninis, and melts. A burger that I can easily recommend is the infamous Lamb Burger, and that’s coming from someone who isn’t the most established fan of lamb. The burger itself consists of ground lamb, kalamata olives, and rosemary. Be sure to add feta cheese in order to get that deliciously authentic Greek lamb taste.

As for the sandwiches, I recommend the Caribbean Jerk Chicken Sandwich: it even comes topped with bits of pineapple, mango, and papaya for that extra Caribbean kick in the ass! Each dish also comes with a choice of “Yukon Gold” French fries, Onion Rings (with a deliciously thick golden brown bread batter), Alcove house salad, Caesar salad, or apple-pear coleslaw. How’s about sweet potato fries you ask?!  They have those as well! However, they cost a little extra.

So does this place have dessert?  Of course you fool! They’re only called Alcove Café AND Bakery, so they have a plethora of desserts! Their selections include cheesecakes, layer cakes, cupcakes, brownies, bars, cookies…and the list goes on.  The chocolate raspberry cheesecake is a good choice if you’re a cheesecake connoisseur such as myself.  On top of that, they even produce chocolate bars!  I’m not talking about your everyday (I have a major sweet tooth to satisfy) boring Hershey chocolate bar, instead I’m referring to gourmet dark chocolate bars with pomegranate or fleur de sel (Google it!), or milk chocolate with spicy peanut. 

An unusual one that probably gets purchased more out of curiosity, and I’m sure is absolutely amazing, is their Dark Chocolate with Chipotle Chili. You might want to get yourself a delicious glass of Duvel beer to go with that! 

Be sure to check out www.alcovecafe.com for a complete menu and for more info.

Alcove Café & Bakery

1929 Hillhurst Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90027

(323) 644-0100

Hours:

Monday through Saturday 6am-11pm

Sunday 7am-11pm

Rick Barzell
		About the author:
		Rick is the bass player for the Los Angeles 60's garage/psych band the Living Sickness, and also a DJ of wild rock n' roll.  He is a huge aficionado of wild and primitive rhythms and beats and connoisseur of all things exploitation and mondo cinema.