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2of five · Restaurants · Highland Park

Hippo

Cal-Italian · $$ 

Matt Molina’s Cal-Ital room in Highland Park’s old post office on Figueroa, with beamed ceilings and an open kitchen as the stage. Tear into the focaccia, start with the hamachi crudo, then the herbed-ricotta tortelloni and the chicken grilled over almond wood.

Reservations recommendedBook on Resy. The patio and bar take walk-ins, and you can order the full menu out there. Street parking plus a small lot in back; the Highland Park Metro stop is a three-minute walk.
Good for
Date nightWarm, lively and still easy to talk.
GroupsBig tables and shareable plates.
Pasta nightHouse-made pastas are the draw.