This must be Inglewood
Peer out the window on a descending flight into LAX and, like with those old Magic Eye posters, the vague concrete sprawl of the city starts coming into focus as recognizable landmarks. The giant doughnut atop Randy’s. The sprawling 405 freeway. The silver horn-shaped stadium that gleams in the daylight and beams “SoFi” at night.
Get to know Los Angeles through the places that bring it to life. From restaurants to shops to outdoor spaces, here’s what to discover now.
For visitors, Inglewood is their introduction to L.A. and perhaps the West Coast. For Angelenos, it’s the final sign of a safe journey home.
Once marked by its convenience to the airport and the Forum that first opened in 1967, Inglewood has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years, a result of new and projected developments. SoFi Stadium, home of the L.A. Rams and L.A. Chargers, might have had a tepid start when it opened in 2020 during the pandemic, but it’s now in full swing after hosting Beyoncé and Taylor Swift’s world tours this summer. When the Rams won the Super Bowl there last year, Inglewood’s identity as the City of Champions was reaffirmed.
Next door to the stadium, Rams owner Stan Kroenke is developing Hollywood Park, a 300-acre mixed-use development that transforms the former racetrack into a hub with residences, office space, public parks, shopping, dining and events. Just a couple of minutes away, construction is underway at Intuit Dome, the Clippers’ future home stadium. And the Metro’s K Line now cuts through the city, with an LAX transit center projected to open in 2024.
For Asha Grant, opening her bookstore the Salt Eaters in downtown Inglewood in 2020 was a way of staking a claim in her rapidly changing hometown. She calls the cozy shop on Queen Street a place she “would have loved to go to as a Black girl who was living in Inglewood who loved reading and doing crafts and community and stuff like that.”
Grant adds, “I think about our customers that are little kids and I’m like, wow, it would be really special for them to go to college and be able to come back to the Salt Eaters or bring their kids. That’s something that we deserve as a community is that kind of legacy and longevity.”
Inglewood has had its moments in the spotlight as a backdrop — and even as a character in movies and TV. “The Wood” and “Dope,” both directed by Inglewood native Rick Famuyiwa, are coming-of-age films that follow the trials and tribulations of growing up and maintaining friendships. Though tonally dissimilar, both have been lauded as nuanced portrayals of L.A.’s Black middle class.
Inglewood also is home to the Dunes, a Midcentury-style apartment complex prominently featured in the Peabody-winning “Insecure” created by Issa Rae, who grew up in the neighboring View Park-Windsor Hills area. Visitors come from far and wide to get a picture in front of the building where some of the show’s earliest and most pivotal scenes take place. The complex’s iconic sign has been nicknamed the Black “Hollywood” sign.
But the renewed interest in Inglewood isn’t all positive. Rents have risen for residents and business owners alike and the additional traffic to SoFi Stadium has caused parking problems for locals, among other issues.
“The neighborhood is changing rapidly,” Grant said. “It’s going to be unrecognizable in a couple years, which is terrifying. We need more support than ever before.”
Like Grant, other Inglewood residents have stepped into roles as small business owners, such as a pair of sisters who opened the neighborhood’s first upscale wine bar, two former lawyers who launched a community-driven cafe, a third-generation carnitas chef and more. And let’s not discount those who have long invested in this region, including a soul food legend, a second-generation marisqueria and, yes, that doughnut shop you can spot from the sky. Earning your crown in the City of Champions means getting to know it all, from the star-studded stadium to the mom-and-pop joints. This must be Inglewood.
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What's included in this guide
Anyone who’s lived in a major metropolis can tell you that neighborhoods are a tricky thing. They’re eternally malleable and evoke sociological questions around how we place our homes, our neighbors and our communities within a wider tapestry. In the name of neighborly generosity, we included gems that may linger outside of technical parameters. Instead of leaning into stark definitions, we hope to celebrate all of the places that make us love where we live.
Showing Places
(Damon Casarez/For The Times)
Have the most important meal of the day at the Serving Spoon
Inglewood Southern Breakfast/Lunch $
For the best breakfast in Inglewood, head to the Serving Spoon, a Southern-tinged eatery that’s been around since 1983. Co-owned by Angela Johnson, whose father was the original owner, and her husband, JC Johnson, the diner stays busy with locals, tourists, nearby workers and families from open to close, but the staff is so welcoming and accommodating, any wait time is sure to fly by.
Here, I urge you to follow the day’s mood or craving, as just about every menu item proves worth ordering at one point or another. The pillowy pancakes boast a perfectly moist center, a generous dollop of butter melts into each square of the freshly formed waffles and the fluffy French toast is plush, butter-drenched and dusted with powdered sugar. For proteins, there’s crispy bacon, house-made sausage patties, fried chicken, pork and turkey chops, fried snapper and rib-eye steak, which you can also pair with grits, home-style potatoes, rice, tomatoes or oatmeal. Or you can go the way of a loaded omelet, breakfast burrito or breakfast sandwich. Whichever direction you take, pair it with a mimosa. Make sure you take a moment to soak in the history that’s mounted on the walls, including signed photos of celebrity clientele like Whoopi Goldberg, Eddie Murphy, Stevie Wonder and Ne-Yo posing with the owners.
The lunch menu here proves equally tempting, adding dishes like salmon croquettes, burgers, sandwiches and salads and prized Southern sides like mac and cheese, collard greens, black-eyed peas and red beans and rice. If you’re out of room by the time your meal is over, take a slice of peach cobbler to go.
Here, I urge you to follow the day’s mood or craving, as just about every menu item proves worth ordering at one point or another. The pillowy pancakes boast a perfectly moist center, a generous dollop of butter melts into each square of the freshly formed waffles and the fluffy French toast is plush, butter-drenched and dusted with powdered sugar. For proteins, there’s crispy bacon, house-made sausage patties, fried chicken, pork and turkey chops, fried snapper and rib-eye steak, which you can also pair with grits, home-style potatoes, rice, tomatoes or oatmeal. Or you can go the way of a loaded omelet, breakfast burrito or breakfast sandwich. Whichever direction you take, pair it with a mimosa. Make sure you take a moment to soak in the history that’s mounted on the walls, including signed photos of celebrity clientele like Whoopi Goldberg, Eddie Murphy, Stevie Wonder and Ne-Yo posing with the owners.
The lunch menu here proves equally tempting, adding dishes like salmon croquettes, burgers, sandwiches and salads and prized Southern sides like mac and cheese, collard greens, black-eyed peas and red beans and rice. If you’re out of room by the time your meal is over, take a slice of peach cobbler to go.
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(Mariah Tauger/Los Angeles Times)
Grab a quick treat and a selfie at Randy’s Donuts
Inglewood Donut Shop $
Opened in 1953, the 32-foot-tall steel ring that sits on top of Randy’s Donuts makes this 24/7 drive-thru the most recognizable doughnut shop in the world.
In addition to being a landmark in Inglewood’s skyline, its doughnuts are classically fluffy and delectably sweet. There are plenty of specialty flavors, like the cereal-dusted raised doughnuts or bacon-crusted maple long johns, but Randy’s does the classics best. The glazed twist boasts soft, stretchy dough, with a veil of vanilla icing that melts in your mouth.
Though the signature rooftop doughnut remains the same, Randy’s has gained new fans through splashy collaborations, including the recent revelation of a metallic gold doughnut in promotion of ABC’s new series “The Golden Bachelor.” There are Randy’s Donuts not just across Southern California but around the world in Saudi Arabia, South Korea and the Philippines, but none will give you a photo op like the original location.
In addition to being a landmark in Inglewood’s skyline, its doughnuts are classically fluffy and delectably sweet. There are plenty of specialty flavors, like the cereal-dusted raised doughnuts or bacon-crusted maple long johns, but Randy’s does the classics best. The glazed twist boasts soft, stretchy dough, with a veil of vanilla icing that melts in your mouth.
Though the signature rooftop doughnut remains the same, Randy’s has gained new fans through splashy collaborations, including the recent revelation of a metallic gold doughnut in promotion of ABC’s new series “The Golden Bachelor.” There are Randy’s Donuts not just across Southern California but around the world in Saudi Arabia, South Korea and the Philippines, but none will give you a photo op like the original location.
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(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
Chill with a Cardi Rose latte at Sip & Sonder
Inglewood Coffeehouse
From the all-black cups to menu items like the earthy Cardi Rose latte named after the rapper herself, co-owners Amanda-Jane Thomas and Shanita Nicholas left no detail to chance at their spacious, light-filled coffee shop in downtown Inglewood. They’re involved in every step of the coffee-making process, from farm to consumer, and since opening in late 2018 have created seven unique roasts and blends using beans sourced from Peru, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Papua New Guinea and Brazil. Each of the roasts is named with nods to the beans’ origins, the Inglewood community or Black culture at large.
Thomas and Nicholas met nearly a decade ago while practicing law at a Wall Street firm. In a corporate environment where they both felt othered, the two women became a safe space for each other. Now in Inglewood, where they are co-founders of the active nonprofit Sonder Impact,
they’re cultivating that same sense of belonging. At Sip & Sonder, abstract art inspired by Inglewood landmarks adorns the walls and a cool R&B playlist plays artists such as The Internet and Musiq Soulchild. It’s a great place to work and people watch on historic Market Street.
Thomas and Nicholas met nearly a decade ago while practicing law at a Wall Street firm. In a corporate environment where they both felt othered, the two women became a safe space for each other. Now in Inglewood, where they are co-founders of the active nonprofit Sonder Impact,
they’re cultivating that same sense of belonging. At Sip & Sonder, abstract art inspired by Inglewood landmarks adorns the walls and a cool R&B playlist plays artists such as The Internet and Musiq Soulchild. It’s a great place to work and people watch on historic Market Street.
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(Kayla James / For The Times)
Get lost in the stacks at the Salt Eaters
Inglewood Book Store
Founder of the L.A. chapter of the Free Black Women’s Library, Asha Grant opened her bookstore on Queen Street in downtown Inglewood after her personal collection grew too large to be carted to the numerous book swaps she was hosting around the city. Today, she offers similar programming at the Salt Eaters, a bookshop that’s named after the Toni Cade Bambara novel and feels like stepping into your favorite aunt’s scrupulously decorated home, with a rack of thrifted clothes at the entrance, plants, vintage mirrors, wallpaper adorned with author Zora Neale Hurston’s smiling face, plus an altar with incense, framed photos, records, books and other beloved items.
The bookstore puts a focus on Black women and nonbinary authors and regularly hosts community events, such as gratitude journaling, doll-making workshops, story time and book discussions for literary-canon material like “The Color Purple.” When unexpected costs put the Salt Eaters’ future into question, Grant got creative and threw an old-school rent party themed around Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” album. If you can’t stop by the store to buy a book, consider making the Salt Eaters your preferred bookstore on Bookshop instead, or donate to the GoFundMe that’s raising money to cover a recent rent increase.
The bookstore puts a focus on Black women and nonbinary authors and regularly hosts community events, such as gratitude journaling, doll-making workshops, story time and book discussions for literary-canon material like “The Color Purple.” When unexpected costs put the Salt Eaters’ future into question, Grant got creative and threw an old-school rent party themed around Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” album. If you can’t stop by the store to buy a book, consider making the Salt Eaters your preferred bookstore on Bookshop instead, or donate to the GoFundMe that’s raising money to cover a recent rent increase.
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(Cynthia Wiley/Creme Brulee Bakery)
Bite into buttery French pastries at Crème Brûlée Bakery
Inglewood French Bakery $
Born and raised in Paris, Cynthia Wiley didn’t want to have to travel far from her South L.A. home for worldly treats. Now nestled in Hyde Park Plaza, wafting sweet scents and jazz records welcome patrons to Crème Brûlée Bakery.
Wiley previously worked as a private chef before starting her own business. She first started selling homemade pastries at the Westchester farmers market and, after seeing success, decided to open a bricks-and-mortar. She originally signed a yearlong lease deal with her landlord, but now her goal is to buy her suite in the plaza to continue giving Inglewood a little taste of Paris.
During the week, she offers crispy palmiers, flaky croissants and velvety madeleines with simple coffee drinks, while weekends bring a robust brunch program, including quiches, crepes and eggs Benedict with house-made hollandaise sauce, cured salmon and bacon. When I visited, each dish came with a side of roasted potatoes and ratatouille, but weekly specials vary based on what ingredients call to Wiley at the market. Wiley also offers kids cooking classes, where young people can learn to make quiches, chouquettes and other French dishes.
Wiley previously worked as a private chef before starting her own business. She first started selling homemade pastries at the Westchester farmers market and, after seeing success, decided to open a bricks-and-mortar. She originally signed a yearlong lease deal with her landlord, but now her goal is to buy her suite in the plaza to continue giving Inglewood a little taste of Paris.
During the week, she offers crispy palmiers, flaky croissants and velvety madeleines with simple coffee drinks, while weekends bring a robust brunch program, including quiches, crepes and eggs Benedict with house-made hollandaise sauce, cured salmon and bacon. When I visited, each dish came with a side of roasted potatoes and ratatouille, but weekly specials vary based on what ingredients call to Wiley at the market. Wiley also offers kids cooking classes, where young people can learn to make quiches, chouquettes and other French dishes.
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(Ed Rudolph)
Put thoughts into action at Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen
Inglewood Coffee Breakfast/Lunch $
Yonnie Hagos and Ajay Relan opened their first coffee shop at Slauson and Overhill, but consider the two-story Inglewood location their flagship because it’s the largest of their four outposts and it represents a return to roots for both them and their third co-owner, Issa Rae. Rae associates pivotal steps in her career with coffee shops — they’re where she’s done most of her writing — but she always had to leave her neighborhood to find spaces where she could be productive. So she eagerly teamed up with Hagos and Relan to create Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen, a place for dreamers and doers to find creativity, community and connections.
The atmosphere at Hilltop is energizing. At any of the locations, you’ll find entrepreneurs taking meetings and students giving virtual presentations. In addition to affirmations like “Keep your head up” inscribed on walls and cups, nods to Inglewood can be found in every corner, including large floor-to-ceiling art depicting the Forum when it was blue.
Hilltop serves a wide-ranging menu, curated by chef Rory Hermann, with comforting and healthy options such as an açai bowl, a crispy chicken sandwich with spicy slaw on brioche bread, beignets, waffles on the weekends and pastries. Paired with a cup of coffee brewed with signature beans, it will make your dreams feel just a little bit closer.
The atmosphere at Hilltop is energizing. At any of the locations, you’ll find entrepreneurs taking meetings and students giving virtual presentations. In addition to affirmations like “Keep your head up” inscribed on walls and cups, nods to Inglewood can be found in every corner, including large floor-to-ceiling art depicting the Forum when it was blue.
Hilltop serves a wide-ranging menu, curated by chef Rory Hermann, with comforting and healthy options such as an açai bowl, a crispy chicken sandwich with spicy slaw on brioche bread, beignets, waffles on the weekends and pastries. Paired with a cup of coffee brewed with signature beans, it will make your dreams feel just a little bit closer.
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(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Browse the Kinsey African American Art Collection at SoFi Stadium
Inglewood Art Gallery $
From the L.A.-based Kinsey family, the Kinsey Collection of African American Art has extended its stay at SoFi Stadium through 2024. With artifacts, paintings, sculptures and poetry that chart African American history from the transatlantic slave trade to the present day, including artists who aren’t often recognized, Bernard and Shirley Kinsey were inspired to start collecting art that reflected their personal histories and culture during their extensive global travels. Over time, it grew into an award-winning museum exhibition that tours cultural institutions around the world. It’s worth visiting the collection on its own so you can take time to read humorous letters typed up by author Zora Neale Hurston, gaze at vintage movie posters of entertainer Paul Robeson or admire a portrait of abolitionist Frederick Douglass. SoFi Stadium tours also are available and include a stop through the Kinsey Collection, though you aren’t given much time to browse.
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(Kayla James / For The Times)
Fight inflation with the lunch special at Woody's BBQ
Inglewood Barbecue $
The Inglewood location of Woody’s BBQ is best for enjoying the sauce-slicked meats on-site, with counter seats and tables on the inside, plus a gated patio that overlooks the busy corner of South La Brea and Market Street. Here you’ll find one of the best lunch deals in the city, running weekdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Choose between the inflation fighter with tender pork rib tips and a half link of chicken; chopped beef and a half link of chicken; two pork ribs and a half link of chicken; or sliced beef on a French roll, all with your choice of potato or macaroni salad or coleslaw, for less then $10. If you’re open to a slight splurge, I recommend paying extra for a side of collard greens and cornbread or mac and cheese. Even if you come for dinner, you’ll find hefty sandwiches and two- and three-meat combos with a side of salad and beans for less than $20. Ask about the cake of the day, or go for the peach cobbler, served in a cup that’s layered with soft, cinnamon-freckled peaches and spongy pie crust.
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(Betty Hallock / Los Angeles Times)
Get your cone dipped at Foster's Freeze
Inglewood Ice cream American $
George Foster opened the first Fosters Freeze in Inglewood in 1946, introducing Angelenos to a new type of dessert he called California soft serve. It wasn’t long before the shop added burgers and other fast food staples to the menu, eventually expanding to locations across the state, including a historic building in Santa Cruz and an Atwater location that appeared in “Pulp Fiction.” Visit the original stand on South La Brea with its bright blue trim and slide into one of the matching benches to slurp up milkshakes, parfaits, sundaes and dipped and swirled cones of soft serve made with real milk, nostalgia included.
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Tortuga Bay’s torta ahogada.
(Danielle Dorsey / Los Angeles Times)
Get messy with the torta ahogada at Tortuga Bay
Inglewood Mexican $
In the corner of a nondescript shopping center off Manchester Boulevard is this Jalisco-style Mexican spot with a lengthy menu offering everything from chilaquiles to pozole, burritos, tacos and hamburgers. If you dawdle at the counter undecided for too long, the person at the register will gently guide you toward the prized torta ahogada, which comes on crispy sourdough bread that’s stained red and swimming in a rich, spicy tomato sauce and overflowing with tender carnitas and beans, with raw marinated onions and limes on the side. Surprisingly, the crunchy bread holds up to the generous bath of sauce, remaining springy as you tackle it with both hands (though metal cutlery is available if you want to take a more polished approach). Pair it with house-made aguas frescas in flavors such as horchata and jamaica, fresh-squeezed juice or a smoothie. A handful of tables with plaid vinyl tablecloths and Lotería placemats are available on the interior and exterior that faces the parking lot.
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(Christina House/For The Times)
Support local artists of color at Residency Art Gallery
Inglewood Art Gallery
Rick Garzon, a native of Inglewood, established Residency Art Gallery as a platform dedicated to providing artists of color with an opportunity to thrive within their own communities. While the Hollywood Park entertainment complex is under construction, Residency has cemented itself as one of the first open spaces in the complex. Residency recently inaugurated its third iteration of “The New Contemporaries” at Hollywood Park. This flagship exhibition series presents new commissions from up-and-coming artists across various mediums and features the creative works of 18 exceptionally talented artists: Edmund Arevalo, Jonni Cheatwood, Cash Cooper, Maya Fuji, Daniela Garcia Hamilton, Rugiyatou Jallow, Gbenga Komolafe, Spandita Malik, Will Maxen, Nikkolos Mohammed, Kariny Padilla, Ronnie Robinson, Jacob Rochester, LaRissa Rogers, Esperanza Rosas (Runsy), Kristofferson San Pablo, Ashley Teamer and Michael Tran. The Hollywood Park location will be the main gallery, while the original space at 310 E. Queen St. has been transformed into Residency’s Project Space. That space will feature additional programming and is a headquarters for Residency’s Studio Incubator Program.
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(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
Dig into Michoacán specialties at Carnitas el Artista
Inglewood Mexican $
One of the best things about living in L.A. is the plethora of Mexican cuisines available at our fingertips. Within Inglewood, you’ll find Nayarit-style mariscos, Jalisco-style torta ahogadas and Michoacán-style pork carnitas. For the latter, head to Carnitas el Artista, run by third-generation carnitas chef Gustavo Chavez, who began his operation in a Hawthorne backyard before opening in a cozy brick-red storefront on North La Brea Avenue in 2021. Slow-cooked carnitas are featured in tacos, burritos, tortas, quesadillas, nachos and piled high on chilaquiles that get topped with a fried egg. Carnitas can be ordered by the pound, as can lengua, buche, cuerito, costilla and chicarrónes. Pair your selections with an agua fresca and load up on a rainbow of sauces and pickled veggies at the salsa bar. Carnitas el Artista often sells out, so go early and plan ahead for daily specials like carne en su jugo and menudo.
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(Kayla James / For The Times)
Celebrate Snoop D-O-Double G at Tha Dogg House
Inglewood Retail
A store full of Snoop Dogg memorabilia? A fun partnership between the L.A. rap legend and collectibles manufacturer Funko says, “It’s Nuthin but a G Thang.” Opened in January, Tha Dogg House features vinyl collectibles in all shapes and sizes honoring Snoop and some of his favorites across sports, music and entertainment. The store, which used to be a 7-Eleven, is quite sizable. Nodding to its placement next to SoFi Stadium, the floor is decorated as a football field, with “Inglewood”’ written in each end zone.
Fans can find Pen & Pixel-style T-shirts and limited-edition versions of the signature adorable big-headed toys emulating the D-O-Double G himself, including one of him in a Lakers jersey that can only be found at the store.
Tha Dogg House is also the only place you’ll find Funko’s Gold figurines, which are more proportionally accurate, of Uncle Snoop wearing a Rams-themed paisley sweatsuit from the legendary Super Bowl LVII. Only 5,000 are in circulation, and they’re only sold here. Across the plaza, next door to Blessed, is another Snoop store, which sells both Snoop Dogg and Death Row Records merchandise, including lighters, sweatshirts and house shoes.
Fans can find Pen & Pixel-style T-shirts and limited-edition versions of the signature adorable big-headed toys emulating the D-O-Double G himself, including one of him in a Lakers jersey that can only be found at the store.
Tha Dogg House is also the only place you’ll find Funko’s Gold figurines, which are more proportionally accurate, of Uncle Snoop wearing a Rams-themed paisley sweatsuit from the legendary Super Bowl LVII. Only 5,000 are in circulation, and they’re only sold here. Across the plaza, next door to Blessed, is another Snoop store, which sells both Snoop Dogg and Death Row Records merchandise, including lighters, sweatshirts and house shoes.
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(Kayla James / For The Times)
Fill up on plantains at Little Belize
Inglewood Belizean Caribbean $$
Tucked into a small side street in downtown Inglewood, Little Belize features an unassuming exterior with cream-and-maroon striped awnings and a neon sign emblazoned with a palm tree perched in the window. Laverne Smith’s Caribbean restaurant doesn’t need to rely on curb appeal, though. Neighbors in the know crowd into its homey dining room for deep-fried panades stuffed with ground tuna or beans and cheese, Belizean-style tamales, slow-stewed oxtail and fried red snapper, always served with sweet, caramelized plantains on the side. Little Belize also offers daily specials worth planning ahead for, including curry chicken on Tuesdays, conch soup on the weekends and Sunday brunch with live reggae. Make sure to call ahead to confirm the special and ensure they haven’t sold out.
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(Silvia Razgova / For the Times)
Get transported to the Nayarit coast at Coni'Seafood
Inglewood Mexican Seafood $$
Located on Imperial Highway with a second location on Centinela, Coni’Seafood has been a haven for Nayarit-style seafood since 1987. These days the restaurant is run by founder Vicente “Chente” Cossio’s daughter Connie Cossio, with the same family recipes and meticulous sourcing from Sinaloa and Nayarit. I prefer the original location off Imperial Highway and almost always choose a table on the covered patio, with rustic chandeliers and hanging plants; it feels like you’ve ducked into a beachside seafood shack — and the ocean isn’t far if you want to keep that fantasy going. The menu teems with satisfying seafood plates, including aguachiles, cheesy marlin tacos and tacos al gobernador with sauteed shrimp and veggies, oysters, ceviches, an array of lobster and shrimp dishes and the house specialty, pescado zarandeado, whole-grilled snook that’s drenched in house sauce and requires 30 minutes to prepare. Know that no wrong choices can be made when ordering, but be patient and sip on a michelada or sangria while you wait.
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(Kayla James / For The Times)
Connect with art and community at Crenshaw Dairy Mart
Inglewood Art Gallery
At the site of an old dairy mart off Manchester Boulevard lies Crenshaw Dairy Mart, an artist collective and gallery. Co-founded by Patrisse Cullors, noé olivas and alexandre ali reza dorriz in early 2020, with Ashley Blakeney serving as executive director, the group’s work centers around abolition, healing and ancestry. In the parking lot, behind its bright ketchup-and-mustard sign, the collective hosts lectures in an open geodesic dome structure that once housed the abolitionist pod, an autonomous garden home to hundreds of fruits, vegetables and plants sourced by Black farmers and gardeners across L.A. County for public access. (The garden has since found a permanent home at the Hilda L. Solis Care First Village, though the empty dome remains as a partially shaded gathering place.)
You’ll also see the “Saint Nip” mural installation from Paul Cullors and Oto-Abasi Attah that depicts late rapper Nipsey Hussle as a saint-like figure watching over Inglewood and South L.A. The collective is participating in “Ordinary People,” a community-focused exhibition at the Long Beach Museum of Art inspired by activist Angela Davis’ book “Freedom Is a Constant Struggle”; it runs through Jan. 14. Following three short exhibitions for its inaugural CDM-FAACE fellowship program with a cohort of three Inglewood-based artists, Crenshaw Dairy Mart is accepting submissions for its first film festival at the Miracle Theater on Feb. 17.
You’ll also see the “Saint Nip” mural installation from Paul Cullors and Oto-Abasi Attah that depicts late rapper Nipsey Hussle as a saint-like figure watching over Inglewood and South L.A. The collective is participating in “Ordinary People,” a community-focused exhibition at the Long Beach Museum of Art inspired by activist Angela Davis’ book “Freedom Is a Constant Struggle”; it runs through Jan. 14. Following three short exhibitions for its inaugural CDM-FAACE fellowship program with a cohort of three Inglewood-based artists, Crenshaw Dairy Mart is accepting submissions for its first film festival at the Miracle Theater on Feb. 17.
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(Mariah Tauger/Los Angeles Times)
Order the prized fish at 106 Seafood Underground
Lennox Seafood Mexican $$
Sergio Peñuelas, the chef whom Jonathan Gold dubbed the “Snook Whisperer,” found a home in his own Lennox backyard after bouncing around L.A. kitchens for years, including multiple stints cooking under Vicente Cossio at Coni’Seafood. Walk to the back of the driveway hidden on a residential street and you’ll be met with a jungle-like oasis. Nautical nets hang from palm trees, empty canoes stand against the fence, and charming, mismatched furniture is strewn throughout the yard. It’s a fun scene to take in as servers hurry in and out of the kitchen with chamoy-rimmed micheladas, bright bowls of ceviche, plates of head-on shrimp swimming in garlic sauce and the house specialty, pescado zarandeado, which arrives splayed and crispy golden from the grill alongside sliced cucumbers, tomatoes and fresh tortillas. Keep in mind that it’s a small kitchen and the grilled fish takes about 45 minutes to make — depending on how many orders are in front of you. The walk-in-only restaurant is hardly a secret these days; try visiting during the week or when it opens on a weekend to limit your wait time.
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(Kayla James / For The Times)
Watch local stars get their shine at the Miracle Theater
Inglewood Entertainment Venue
First opened in 1938 as an independent movie theater called the Ritz, the long-dormant venue was revived as the Miracle Theater by Mariana Weber Smith and Owen Smith in 2016. The lovingly restored space, with vintage touches like plum velvet theater chairs and gold accents on the ceiling, reopened with a focus on cultural events. Its programming includes frequent events ranging from comedy shows to jazz performances, film screenings, community fundraisers and stage plays, often featuring local talent. While there are plenty of worthwhile restaurants on and around Market Street, Miracle Theater has a casual menu with movie must-haves like hot dogs, popcorn and sandwiches, plus a full bar in case you want to pair a meal or drinks with a show.
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(Kayla James / For The Times)
Come hungry and leave blessed at Blessed Tropical Jamaican Cuisine
Inglewood Jamaican $
If you step into a restaurant and see there’s a single TV screen with “Maury” on, just know that the food is about to be fire. I don’t make the rules. One of those places is Blessed Tropical Jamaican Cuisine, a casual restaurant serving traditional island fare. Start by customizing your plate with steamy rice and peas or white rice as a base. Then choose from a wide selection of succulent meats — curry chicken, stewed fish, curry shrimp, jerk shrimp, stewed chicken, curry goat and oxtail. The plate is rounded out with a savory heap of steamed cabbage and a sweet side of fried plantains. The portions are more than sufficient, as evidenced by the overflowing Styrofoam to-go plates. Blessed sits at the end of the plaza right across from SoFi — perfect for a hearty midday meal or a pre-SoFi show dinner. You can find Caribbean favorites like Kola Champagne and pineapple soda, as well as Irish Moss Peanut drink, Maduritos sweet plantain chips and round bun.
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(Kayla James / For The Times)
Take a tour of pan-African cuisine at Two Hommés
Inglewood Pan African $$
Just down the street from 1010 Wine on South La Brea, Two Hommés (pronounced home-ays) draws you in with walls of classic R&B record covers and framed CDs, plus a great soundtrack to match. Chefs AB and Mando are behind the evolving pan-African menu, with brunch highlights such as honey berbere-spiced fried chicken bites with waffles, crab cakes and shrimp and grits with a jollof cream sauce and dinner favorites that include a smoked lamb eggroll with fried plantain and a Ghanaian jollof rice platter with protein options like root beer-braised short rib, herby lamb chops, branzino or lemon-garlic salmon. Even as they await their liquor license, Two Hommés never fails to supply a festive, welcoming vibe. Make sure you get the lemonade of the day, which has come in flavors like strawberry mango in the past.
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(Kayla James / For The Times)
Break a sweat while you Keep It Run Hundred
Inglewood Running
Alrick “Butta” Augustine started running in 2018 as a way to cope with the grief of losing two close friends to heart disease. Five years later, he’s built a thriving community with Keep It Run Hundred.
On Thursdays at 7 p.m. the group meets at the intersection of Queen Street and Market Street in front of Sip & Sonder. Under the street lights, folks stretch, catch up and prepare for the evening’s run/walk. The 3.25-mile journey doubles as a tour of Inglewood landmarks and residential streets.
There are two groups, runners and walkers, but they blend throughout the evening. From mothers pushing strollers to sexagenarians to marathon runners, the club is open to all ages and skill levels. There‘s no judgment here. The goal is to get moving and celebrate wherever you are on that journey.
Since runners typically finish their run sooner than walkers, some circle back to cheer and usher folks to the end of the route safely, directing traffic and using a flashlight to illuminate the sidewalks. The group waits for everyone to complete the run before a celebratory chant: “Keep it run hundred, keep it run hundred, keep it run hundred, keep it run hundred! 1,2,3 Family!”
On Thursdays at 7 p.m. the group meets at the intersection of Queen Street and Market Street in front of Sip & Sonder. Under the street lights, folks stretch, catch up and prepare for the evening’s run/walk. The 3.25-mile journey doubles as a tour of Inglewood landmarks and residential streets.
There are two groups, runners and walkers, but they blend throughout the evening. From mothers pushing strollers to sexagenarians to marathon runners, the club is open to all ages and skill levels. There‘s no judgment here. The goal is to get moving and celebrate wherever you are on that journey.
Since runners typically finish their run sooner than walkers, some circle back to cheer and usher folks to the end of the route safely, directing traffic and using a flashlight to illuminate the sidewalks. The group waits for everyone to complete the run before a celebratory chant: “Keep it run hundred, keep it run hundred, keep it run hundred, keep it run hundred! 1,2,3 Family!”
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(Silvia Razgova / For The Times)
Satisfy your soul at Dulan's Soul Food Kitchen
Inglewood Soul Food $$
Those who grew up on Southern cooking know that Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen is the best stand-in for the soul food you’ll find on Sunday dinner spreads down South. Founded by Adolf Dulan and now run by his son Terry, Dulan’s, first opened on Manchester Boulevard in 1999, is a stalwart in L.A.’s soul food restaurant scene. Before the restaurant opened, Adolf, who grew up in Oklahoma and moved to L.A. after college, ran Aunt Kizzy’s Back Porch, a soul food restaurant in Marina del Rey that attracted celebrity clientele during its run in the 1980s and ’90s.
Dulan’s cafeteria-style restaurant can get backed up with orders, especially on weekends, but plates of crispy fried chicken, meatloaf and smothered pork chops crowded with sides of mac and cheese, collard greens and red beans still arrive steaming hot. By the time you’ve scarfed down your food and are left puzzling over whether you really did eat that entire half-chicken, three sides and dessert (yes, you did) you’ll have long forgotten the wait. While Dulan’s is ideal for catering a Southern feast, you can’t beat the experience of dining in the quaint restaurant, surrounded by framed family portraits on the walls and red tablecloths.
Dulan’s cafeteria-style restaurant can get backed up with orders, especially on weekends, but plates of crispy fried chicken, meatloaf and smothered pork chops crowded with sides of mac and cheese, collard greens and red beans still arrive steaming hot. By the time you’ve scarfed down your food and are left puzzling over whether you really did eat that entire half-chicken, three sides and dessert (yes, you did) you’ll have long forgotten the wait. While Dulan’s is ideal for catering a Southern feast, you can’t beat the experience of dining in the quaint restaurant, surrounded by framed family portraits on the walls and red tablecloths.
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(Kayla James / For The Times)
Order family-style at Sunday Gravy
Inglewood Italian American $$
Family is at the heart of this cozy pasta spot on Centinela Avenue. Affixed next to the old Jino’s Pizza sign is a new glowing sign for Sunday Gravy, an intentional choice by brother-and-sister duo Sol and Ghazi Bashirian, whose father originally opened Jino’s in the 1970s. After his retirement in 2018, Sol and Ghazi took over and transformed the fast-casual pizzeria into a sit-down restaurant with an updated look and menu items.
Sunday Gravy has the feel of an old-school Italian joint with a modern edge, retaining the building’s charming late Spanish Revival-style brick walls and arches but with a sophisticated paint job, string lights and Midcentury furniture. The expansive menu features many Italian comfort food staples, including cheesy ciabatta garlic bread, beef and pork meatballs, creamy pasta a la vodka and zesty Brussels sprouts. Honoring the family’s long history in the neighborhood, Sunday Gravy sources artisanal breads from Cadoro’s and organic pastas from Florentyna‘s, both Inglewood-based producers.
Sunday Gravy has the feel of an old-school Italian joint with a modern edge, retaining the building’s charming late Spanish Revival-style brick walls and arches but with a sophisticated paint job, string lights and Midcentury furniture. The expansive menu features many Italian comfort food staples, including cheesy ciabatta garlic bread, beef and pork meatballs, creamy pasta a la vodka and zesty Brussels sprouts. Honoring the family’s long history in the neighborhood, Sunday Gravy sources artisanal breads from Cadoro’s and organic pastas from Florentyna‘s, both Inglewood-based producers.
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(Stephanie Breijo/Los Angeles Times)
Sip on a diverse selection of wine at 1010 Wine
Inglewood Wine Bars $$
This wine shop, nestled at the south end of La Brea, comes courtesy of sisters LeAnn and Leslie Jones, who grew up in the neighborhood and wanted to create an upscale wine destination for locals. The narrow, gold-flecked space includes fun, Insta-worthy touches like a neon sign spelling out “Inglewine,” with strands of flowers hanging from the ceiling and bottles of wine propped on the wall. Grab a seat at the bar, snuggle into a plush velvet seat or gather with a group in one of the cozy leather booths.
1010 Wine hosts meet-the-winemaker events that help expose Black- and African-owned wine brands to a wider audience, in addition to Wine Down Wednesday with live music and wine discounts, happy hour on Thursday with house wines discounted $2, and a special food menu and live DJs every Friday night. The food menu, helmed by chef Kyndra McCrary of Swift Cafe, features charbroiled oysters (go early before they sell out), steamed black mussels in a Creole tomato broth and brunch options like a house-made biscuit with honey-drizzled spicy fried chicken and French toast with blueberry compote. Reservations are recommended.
1010 Wine hosts meet-the-winemaker events that help expose Black- and African-owned wine brands to a wider audience, in addition to Wine Down Wednesday with live music and wine discounts, happy hour on Thursday with house wines discounted $2, and a special food menu and live DJs every Friday night. The food menu, helmed by chef Kyndra McCrary of Swift Cafe, features charbroiled oysters (go early before they sell out), steamed black mussels in a Creole tomato broth and brunch options like a house-made biscuit with honey-drizzled spicy fried chicken and French toast with blueberry compote. Reservations are recommended.
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(Kayla James / For The Times)
Prepare to party at the Nile Bar
Inglewood Bar Bites $
The Nile bills itself as a restaurant and bar but frequently hosts live sports watch parties, DJs, live bands and dance and karaoke nights that make it feel more like a destination. The long, narrow space with an elevated corner DJ booth quickly established itself as a premier nightlife spot in Inglewood when it opened in 2022, which shouldn’t come as a surprise considering that owner Betty Woldegiorgis successfully operated a bar across the street for 20 years (it closed in 2019 due to escalating rents). You’ll find the Nile bar packed with multigenerational crowds just about any night of the week. Come for happy hour from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday with discounted bites like shrimp sliders, nachos and fries, as well as $2 off all drinks.
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