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Downtown
The re-energized streets of downtown L.A. are packed with familiar scenes—literally. A myriad of films, from blockbusters including “Independence Day” to indie favorites like “500 Days of Summer,” were shot here.

A redevelopment effort is making downtown a popular hangout for both locals and visitors. A focal point of the revitalization is L.A. Live, an entertainment complex home to hot spots like the GRAMMY Museum and Nokia Theatre, which hosts headlining performances from acts like Kanye West and The Eagles.

Next door to L.A. Live is a towering, shiny new skyscraper where Wolfgang Puck’s modern Asian restaurant, WP24, sits sandwiched between The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles and JW Marriott Los Angeles. Come for a drink at sunset, when floor-to-ceiling windows in the lounge grant some of the best views of the City of Angels.

But celebrity chefs aren’t the only ones excited about the area’s makeover. Downtown L.A. is very much a local foodie labor of love. Nowhere is this more evident than at Mo-chica, where Chef Ricardo Zarate—a kind and smiley Lima-born culinary master named “Best New Chef, People’s Choice” by Food & Wine—puts a fresh spin on traditional Peruvian comfort food.