Gnocchi, Then Another Glass of Wine | Sara Wine Bar

Good morning, Los Angeles. You’re reading Obsessed LA, your insider guide to what’s actually worth being obsessed with in the city. Each week, we highlight the restaurants, events, and hidden gems that capture LA’s best energy.

Championship Sunday is here. Everything in this issue fits into that headspace. Stuff you do before the game and stuff you do after. Or things you squeeze in because you don’t actually want to sit at home all day waiting for kickoff.

Maybe that’s grabbing a matcha before the first game starts or maybe it’s a glass of wine once it’s over. If you don’t care about football at all, it’s probably one of the easiest days to be out: shorter lines, quieter rooms, less waiting around.

Let’s get obsessed.

There’s a moment at Sara where you stop clocking the room and just settle in. It’s small, warm, and comfortable in itself. The wine list reads like someone poured many hours of time into curating it.

The food doesn’t shout, but is quietly thoughtful. The gnocchi with lamb ragu is soft and rich, and was my personal favorite. The eggplant parm is balanced and made by someone who clearly respects the dish. You notice other tables pausing between bites because it’s really that good.

Staff are just great at what they do. They recommend wine without turning it into a lecture. They also somehow remember everyone’s name and move at a pace that allows you to enjoy everything. Most places around here feel like they’re trying to look effortless. Sara actually is. It’s cozy, real, and the little moments are what live in your head long after the last sip.

Gusto already has the lights on before 7am. Bread is out before your alarm goes off, and by the time most places are warming up their ovens, this one is already in motion. Gusto is quiet, steady, and fully awake.

The conchas are the best. Not oversized. Not dressed up. Just right. The shell cracks softly when you pull it apart. The inside still warm, still steaming. You don’t need to photograph it to understand it. People take one, maybe two, and move on with their day. It feels routine in the best way, like something that’s been part of mornings here longer than anyone bothers to explain.

Nothing about Gusto asks for attention. The space works because it’s used. Regulars don’t linger dramatically, they just stand where they always stand. Orders are short. Conversations are quieter than the street outside. This is a bakery that understands its role: feed the neighborhood early and do it well.

LACP is a photography classroom, but it doesn’t feel academic. You will find many folding chairs and prints taped or clipped up on the wall. People are usually settling in with notebooks and coffee, already half-focused before anything starts.

The class is slow and deliberate. People look, think, then speak. Feedback is specific about light, framing, and timing. You can tell everyone in the room is actually trying to get better, not just waiting for their turn to talk.

LACP runs on consistency. Same space, same structure, week after week. People come back with new work, new mistakes, and small improvements. It’s just a place where photography gets treated like something you practice, not something you announce.

DTLA
A one-day celebration of David Lynch’s work with screenings, conversations, and deep-cut appreciation. Not a casual watch, more of a shared obsession.
RSVP →

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Little Tokyo
A hands-on sashiko stitching workshop hosted by Japanese American Cultural & Community Center. Slow, tactile, and focused. You sit, stitch, and learn a technique that’s meant to be practiced over time.
Details →

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Long Beach
An annual event at the Aquarium of the Pacific celebrating artists and performers with disabilities. Music, art, and live performances woven into the aquarium experience.
Tickets →

Tea Master is small. You order. You wait. They hand you matcha. Typically, you don’t see alot of flavors or substitutions. The matcha really is that good. This place assumes you know what good matcha tastes like.

The latte is strong and dark green. It’s a little bitter. And even as the ice melts, it doesn’t disappear into milk. It still tastes like tea.

The soft serve comes out just as serious. I't’s cold and not very sweet. It melts fast, so most people eat it standing there without thinking too hard about it. A few bites, a pause, then back to whatever the day had planned.

The room stays quiet. People don’t hang around for photos. They drink, they eat, they leave. Tea Master doesn’t try to soften anything. It just does matcha in the true way it is supposed to be served.

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