For almost a decade, Honey Hi has embodied a particular wave of Los Angeles eating — and has commanded a cult following for it. The daytime-only Echo Park cafe built itself on the bricks of colorful macronutrient-dense, greens-loaded bowls using local produce and an entirely gluten-free menu that still has plenty of sandwiches. At times, the menu reads as a caricature of the California farm-to-table cafe genre that Goop, among others, has cashed in on with all the brothy beans and coconut whip-dolloped gluten-free pancakes that come with the territory, but Honey Hi somehow manages to pull it off. And for those who avoid gluten entirely, there are few better options in town for a meal without an ounce of wheat in the vicinity.
What to order
- The Marriage Milkshake — one of the best date shake renditions I’ve had outside of the Coachella Valley — arrives thick and creamy (true to its name), dotted with flakes of cacao nibs that recall the threads of chocolate in a Java Chip Frappuccino. An undercurrent of Canyon Coffee cold brew plays against the nutty tahini and sweet dates for an eternally sippable drink that also leaves you with a pleasant caffeine buzz.
- The lambwich sandwiches a heavily-spiced kofta-esque lamb and beef patty between squeaky grilled halloumi cheese and grilled gluten-free buckwheat sourdough. A smear of tamarind date chutney edges on sweet, meeting licorice notes from fennel and sharp turmeric pickled onions.
- Garlicky, brothy bean fans will find their match with the ayocote beans and greens. An orange-yolked sunny side up egg gets bedded on Rancho Gordo ayocote beans in a chipotle broth that hints at heat without being spicy. Leek and garlic confit kale arrive with punches of allium, which meet their match in a nutty, pistachio-laden salsa macha.
- The breakfast burrito wraps Peads & Barnetts pork chorizo (or avocado) in a sturdy Coyotas gluten-free Coyotas flour tortilla, alongside Rancho Gordo beans, fluffy scrambled eggs, stretchy cheddar, garlic confit kale, and pistachio salsa macha. It is basically the ayocote beans and greens bowl in wrap form, but worth ordering for the side of cilantro cashew crema alone. This breakfast burrito feels on the smaller side, so if you’re really hungry, add in a smoothie or side of potatoes.
Best seat in the house
Honey Hi rivals
Los Feliz’s Figaro Bistrot and Silver Lake’s Seco for sidewalk seating that seems designed to watch passersby promenade with their minuscule dogs. Grab a seat at one of the outdoor tables to hold court over green juice and a miso bowl, while someone who had a three-episode arc on an HBO show settles in behind you.
Insider tip
Honey Hi sells loaves, and half loaves, of its buckwheat sourdough bread to take home, alongside gluten-free pancake mix.
