The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken brands and businesses across the world to their core. Our own team has transitioned to working from home in order to stay safe and healthy, but not every small business has the ability to do so — in particular, restaurants and bars are being impacted by a quarantine that cuts off their main sources of business. However, while you may no longer be able to sit down for table service, that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy local DTLA products and services. The streets may be empty outside, but the home fires are still burning at many of Flux’s favorite eating establishments.
To help you stay connected and support local businesses, here are four offbeat picks from the many restaurants and bars that are still operational for take-out/pick-up in DTLA. Order online or with an app to help them stay financially solvent, while digging in to some of the best food and drinks our city still has to offer.
MEZCALERO
From 11 AM to 10 PM, DTLA residents can enjoy delicious tacos, burritos, and appetizers from this sleek Broadway establishment. Perhaps even more appealing than the food is Mezcalero’s ambitious drinks offerings; in addition to beer, wine, and liquor, they are also offering their own speciality cocktail kits for take-out or delivery. Just mix the pre-packaged ingredients together with the included booze to whip up a fresh margarita, a spicy Burnt Offering, or a deliciously herbal Oaxacan The Garden.
MILK+T
Just because there’s a pandemic doesn’t mean your boba cravings need to go unanswered. MILK+T made its name as LA’s first self-serve boba brand, and while this DIY approach is clearly off the table during a quarantine, their range of sweet, creamy, and refreshing iced beverages is still available for pick-up and delivery via Postmates. Whether you want one of their classic Milk Teas, a chocolatey Guilt Trip, or a crisp Bombsquad made with handcrafted syrup, MILK+T keeps the boba flowing across downtown.
WILD LIVING FOODS
Part restaurant and part grocery store, Wild Living Foods was created to “provide our community with the most healing plant-based living food possible.” With a diverse menu that includes warm chia porridge, brazil nut hummus, and marinated kelp noodles, as well as hearty vegan takes on burgers and pasta, this is the ideal stop for anybody hoping to eat healthy throughout the pandemic. Plus, it offers terrific organic ingredients for your own home cooking.
RICE & NORI
Onigiri are a small, soft, but hearty Japanese snack that takes center stage at Rice & Nori. With fillings that range from shiitake mushrooms to spicy tuna to SPAM and eggs, these delicious rice balls are the perfect treat for DTLA residents looking to expand beyond ramen and sushi. Also offering premium sashimi, truffled edamame, and house-made Japanese pickles, Rice & Nori is available for pick-up and delivery every day until 8:00 PM.
