Once known as the Ellis Island of the West Coast, Boyle Heights has been home to a succession of ethnic and religious groups over its long history, including people of Jewish, Russian, Armenian, African American and Japanese descent. The area has been majority Latino for decades, but remnants of those other communities remain embedded in the landscape. On this walk, you’ll pass the oldest operating Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles and a synagogue that dates back to 1922, in addition to restaurants, bookstores, gift shops, botanicas and western wear boutiques that cater to modern-day residents and visitors alike.

Start your walk at the historic Plaza del Mariachi de Los Angeles (a.k.a. Mariachi Plaza), where mariachi musicians have gathered for decades in search of gigs. The broad plaza‘s central kiosk was donated by the Mexican state of Jalisco in 1998, and is the site of community festivals and open-air markets. (It’s also popular with skateboarders.)

Heading south on 1st Street, you’ll see the glimmering House of Trophies on your right next to to the vegan restaurant Un Solo Sol, whose fare includes mushroom tacos and banana date almond milkshakes. Across the street, look for Espacio 1839, a gallery and gift shop highlighting Mexican and Mexican American artists. (Its selection of bright leather tooled wallets is especially eye-catching.)

Continue to mosey down 1st Street and take in the neighborhood. I loved the old-school sign outside of La Casa del Musico, which has been selling musical instruments and supplies since 1978, and the bright mural outside the 1st Street Pool Hall. Just past Cummings Street, Botanica Olokun stocks an enormous array of spell candles as well as a cute selection of clothes, fake eyelashes and jewelry. On the same block is Al and Bea’s Mexican Food, a local staple since 1966, known for its deliciously dense burritos (the “combination” with bean, cheese, shredded beef and green chile is a favorite). If you continue past North Mathews Street, you’ll come to Otomisan Restaurant, the oldest Japanese restaurant in L.A., with just three booths and three seats at the counter. The small building originally housed a Japanese-owned grocery store in the 1920s and was converted to a restaurant in 1956.

To see more of the neighborhood, retrace your steps for two blocks and hang a right at Breed Street, passing the red brick Breed Street Shul on your way to Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard. Built in 1922, the synagogue dates to a time when Boyle Heights was home to the largest concentration of Jewish people west of Chicago. Turning left on Cesar Chavez, you’ll enter a bustling thoroughfare passing Las Fotos Project, a nonprofit dedicated to mentoring young women of color in photography, and the beloved nursery LatinX With Plants, which hosts workshops and has an excellent selection of greenery. The first Guisados to open in L.A. is on the corner of North St. Louis Street. Also note the El Norteno and de Savy Store across St. Louis. One half of the storefront specializes in western wear, the other in Yu-Gi-Oh trading cards. Definitely don’t miss Other Books, an overstuffed but well-organized bookstore that sells both used and new books, as well as an impressive selection of comics and zines.

To get back to Mariachi Plaza turn left on North Cummings Street and right on 1st Street again. You’ve been here before, but that’s OK. The community’s authenticity and rich history makes every part of this walk worthwhile, even the parts you’ll do twice.

Length: 2 miles
Click here to see this route on a map.