A first-timer's walking tour of Virgil Village
Virgil Village is one of those neighborhoods that rewards the curious. It's not trying to be Silver Lake or Los Feliz, it's doing its own thing, quietly, between them. Here's exactly how to spend a day here if you've never really explored it.
Park once and walk everything. Street parking on N Virgil Ave around the 700 block is usually findable on weekends before 10am. That's your home base.
Start at Wynd Coffee & Art Gallery (900 Virgil Ave) around 9:30am. It's a cafe and a gallery in one room, which sounds gimmicky but feels completely natural here. Get your coffee, look at the walls, ease in slowly.
Walk two minutes south to Sqirl (720 N Virgil Ave). Yes, there's still a line. Yes, it's worth it. Get the ricotta toast with house-made jam. Grab a jar of their seasonal preserves to take home, you'll be glad you did.
Right next door is Cafebre (720 N Virgil Ave). File this away for later, they do natural wines in the evening and it's a perfect stop if you're making a night of it.
Walk north on Virgil to Budonoki (654 N Virgil Ave). Too early for lunch? Peek at the patio anyway. This is where you'll want to come back for dinner, Japanese-ish comfort food, solid cocktails, and a covered patio that feels like a secret garden.
Keep walking to Alma's Cider & Beer (904 N Virgil Ave). It's a little further up but absolutely worth it. The patio is huge and laid-back, the cider list is serious, and it's the kind of place where an 11am beer feels completely acceptable. No judgment here.
Cut over to Bar Keeper (614 N Hoover St), about a 5-minute walk west. This is a cocktail supply shop that doubles as a neighborhood institution. They stock bitters, glassware, vintage barware, and things you didn't know you needed. Budget 20 minutes minimum.
Hungry for real lunch? Head down to Daybird (240 N Virgil Ave). It's a fried chicken spot from the Sqirl team with a patio, fast service, and prices that won't hurt. Order whatever looks good. It's all good.
Afternoon detour: Bellevue Park (Picnic Area at 3630 Marathon St). Walk it off here. There's a rec center at 826 Lucile Ave if you want to see what the neighborhood actually runs on. Locals, dogs, kids, the real thing.
For dinner, come back to Budonoki or head to Silverlake Ramen (2927 Sunset Blvd). The tonkotsu is rich and restorative. The spicy miso hits differently after a full day of walking.
End the night at Territory BBQ + Records (534 N Hoover St). Live music, cheap drinks, vinyl on the walls. Or check what's on at Church Of Fun (4109 Melrose Ave), the name is accurate.
The whole loop is maybe two miles total. You'll cover it slowly because you'll keep stopping. That's the point.