Where to Eat Near LA Live and the Crypto.Com Arena in Downtown Los Angeles

The sprawling LA Live complex is a destination for concerts, movies, ice skating, and bowling, among others. It is a hub for the convention center, a downtown landmark, and a tourist destination. But for many Angelenos, it’s mostly the square of dense development that has sprung up around what was once Staples Center, recently renamed Crypto.com Arena.

And now, with the basketball season underway, Crypto.com Arena is once again at the forefront of Angeleno’s angst. The tinkle of the Lakers’ missed three-point shotsecho across town, and the Clippers injury issues couldn’t wait even one game before they became a problem. But for all the stress teams cause in this city, we can’t stop showing up for them – the shared sports fan madness is too deep-rooted, too essential, and too fun.

So to help us all arrive on the courts with the optimism of a good meal, or to calm us down after another heartburn, here are the best places to eat and drink around LA Live. And if you’re looking for even more downtown LA dining ideas, we’ve got a guide for that, too.

Ben Mesirow is an Echo Park native who writes TV, fiction, food and sports. At one time or another his writings have appeared in The Los Angeles Time, liter, McSweeney’s Internet Trend, Los Angeles Magazineand engraved on dozens of desks at Walter Reed Middle School.