If you’ve been spending too much time working from home, oscillating only between the desk and the couch, the remedy is not another meal from Uber Eats. Instead try spending a few hours people-watching at Figarot Bistrot.
Figarot Bistro is a small, French restaurant located on Vermont Ave in Los Feliz, and is most commonly referred to as “Cafe Figarot”. The front of the establishment is lined with tiny round tables that take up half the sidewalk, and when the restaurant is busy, it is one of my favorite places to spectate & eavesdrop with a friend.
The pastries are incredible. Freshly made, and always with an attention to detail on the presentation. The food is… ok. A cut above average. I like the Merguez Sandwich and the French Onion Soup. The menu is definitely tasty, but not the most unique— I don’t find myself craving the food very often, even though I love their drinks and coffee.
Although I highly recommend sitting outside, the interior is well textured and worth a walk-through. Decorative wine bottles sit atop a ledge that lines the perimeter of the restaurant, and classic red vinyl booths are inviting for patrons who don’t want to be recognized sitting outside. Giant aged mirrors adorn each wall inside, and are also the backdrop to the impressively large cocktail bar.
Speaking of which, the most opportune time to visit Cafe Figarot is during happy hour. They have a full bar and it’s one of the only places in LA where you can actually enjoy a drink right on the sidewalk. Because of this, it very much feels like you’re in another country. One minute you’re waiting on your Aperol spritz, the next minute you’re conjoining the tiny patio tables on either side of you to make space for the friends that recognized you when they were walking by. It sounds quite banal, but the spontaneous hang-out experience is hard to come by in LA, and that’s what makes Cafe Figarot such a unique place to enjoy a spring evening.
Figarot Bistrot
1802 N Vermont Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027
M - Sun 8A - 12A
Happy Hour 5P-7P
$$
Parking: Street (digital meter), Lot (Melbourne Ave)
My Order: Lamb Merguez Sandwich, Fries, Black Coffee
Pro Tip: This is a cafe for lounging— don’t come here in a rush because you won’t receive a speedy meal.
Pairs Well With: Skylight Books & The Loz Feliz 3 (next door), Barnsdale Art Park (.2 miles)