Historic Filipinotown, Los Angeles, CA

Historic Filipinotown, the Los Angeles neighborhood locals shorten to HiFi, announces itself with a 30-foot gateway over Beverly Boulevard, decorated with a parol star lantern, a gumamela flower and the mythical Sarimanok bird. It sits between Echo Park and Westlake, and Temple Street and Beverly Boulevard carry most of its daily life. Homes in Historic Filipinotown are mostly older apartment buildings and small multi-unit properties, mixed with early twentieth century houses and bungalows on the side streets. Many blocks slope up and down with the hills that run toward Echo Park, and lot sizes are small. Outdoor space is modest. Lake Street Park and its community center on Lake Street are the main neighborhood gathering spot, and Rockwood Community Park is a smaller green. For longer walks, Echo Park Lake and MacArthur Park are both a short trip away. Food is where HiFi really stands out. HiFi Kitchen on Beverly serves quick Filipino plates like adobo bowls, and Bahay Kubo on Temple Street serves Filipino home cooking. Woon, a family-run spot on Temple, cooks Shanghainese and Cantonese comfort food in shareable bowls, and Doubting Thomas is a pastry cafe known for its Thomas Breakfast with a biscuit. Errands are mostly local. Amigo Market on Temple and Country Ranch Market on Beverly cover everyday grocery needs, and a Target on Westlake Avenue handles bigger trips. Bus lines on Temple, Beverly and Alvarado connect quickly to downtown, and the 101 freeway is right at the northern edge. The tradeoff is limited green space and busy traffic on Temple and Beverly. In return, one walk down Temple Street passes Filipino, Salvadoran, Cuban and Chinese kitchens within about a mile.