Echo Park’s Brite Spot diner gets new menu, chef and patio

Echo Park’s iconic Brite Spot diner, which has been around for decades, has been given a face-lift that includes a new outdoor dining patio, a new chef and a completely revamped menu.

Nightlife queen and designer extraordinaire Dana Hollister (One-Eyed Gypsy, Villains Tavern, Cliff’s Edge), who has owned the place for the last eight years, decided it was time to update the space and its food, long popular with the late-night crowd.

So she hired chef Darby Aldaco (formerly of Animal) to upgrade the food from standard greasy spoon fare to what Hollister calls diner food “on steroids.” To that end Aldaco got rid of all ingredients that came from a box. He introduced fresh ingredients from quality distributors including Rocker Bros. meats and Breadbar breads.

The resulting food, including a juicy cheeseburger, decadent homemade macaroni and cheese and an inventive pulled-pork sandwich made with red wine, is still really rich but in a way that doesn’t make you feel like you should take a 10-mile run when you leave.

Aldaco also now makes all the pies on the premises. And he is a bit of a virtuoso when it comes to pie.

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