The Downtown Breakfast Club, an organization made up of established Los Angeles real estate professionals, has announced its 2018 winners for the group’s Roses & Lemon awards. This year marks the 38th anniversary of the annual Roses & Lemon ceremony, which recognizes the best of Downtown’s experiences and development. Rose awards are given to some of DTLA’s most promising restaurants and bars, residential developments, and mixed-use centers, while a Lemon calls out where the city needs the most improvement.

Best Restaurants and Bars

Photo courtesy of Rossoblu

The DBC gave three Roses to honor the city’s best restaurants according to three categories: Best Upscale Restaurant, Best Casual Restaurant, and Best Bar. 

Chef Steve Samson’s Bolognese-inspired restaurant Rossoblu, which features a selection of handmade pastas, quality Italian wines, and a wonderfully artistic décor, secured the top spot for Best Upscale Restaurant. 

The New American restaurant The Mighty, started by the acclaimed husband and wife duo Chef Quinn and Karen Hatfield, took the Rose for DTLA’s Best Casual Restaurant thanks to its simple yet memorable salads and housemade sandwiches and pastas.

Finally, the winner of Best Bar was awarded to Prank Bar, one of South Park’s newest additions, and Los Angeles’ very first walk-up bar. When it opened last year, the open-air establishment gained a reputation for itself as a quality destination for burgers, tacos, and creative cocktails. 

Best Residential Developments

Ten50 rendering courtesy of Trumark Urban

The categories that marked Downtown’s best residential developments included Best High-Rise, Best Low-Rise, and Best Affordable Development. 

With so many new high-rises constructed over the past year, the DBC recognized Ten50, the city’s premier luxury condominiums overseen by the land developer Trumark Urban, with a coveted Rose for Best High-Rise. The 25-story tower doesn’t just exude elegance and sophistication, it’s also DTLA’s first condo high-rise that’s been constructed in almost a decade. 

Meanwhile, Mack Urban’s Wren Luxury Apartments in South Park, which is the first completed property out of an expected six-building vision, was awarded a Rose for the Best Low-Rise.

Last, but not least, The Six by Skid Row Housing Trust, an ambitious supportive housing project that opened near MacArthur Park in Westlake, won the DBC Rose for Best Affordable Development. The artistic-looking complex was lauded for its permanent low-cost housing for veterans and displaced service members as well as its integration of group and social spaces.

Best Live, Work, and Play Developments

Rendering courtesy of City Market South

Honoring the city’s rising office markets under two categories, Best Adaptive Reuse and Best New Tenant Spaces, the DBC selected City Market South and the Cushman & Wakefield offices inside The Wilshire Grand.

City Market South, which is also where Rose-winner Rossoblu is located, spans a total of 2.5 acres at the south end of City Market’s wholesale produce center. It’s been part of a decade-long reuse project to create a walkable hub of restaurants, bars, and entertainment office spaces in the Fashion and Wholesale districts.

Most Innovative City Additions

Photo courtesy of Los Angeles State Historic Park

Being cutting-edge and innovative goes a long way, especially when it can get you a Rose for Innovation. This year, DBC awarded Roses to Los Angeles State Historic Park in Chinatown, Metro Station at The BLOC, and the new USC Village.

The LA State Historic Park was recognized for bringing a taste of nature, walking trails, and culture to a part of the city that was in great need of a large green space, while the new Metro Station made crossing the busy intersection at 7th Street’s ground level safer and easier with its connecting underground portal. 

USC Village, which was dubbed as “Disneyland Meets Hogwarts” by The LA Times, was awarded the final innovation Rose for its student housing, shopping, dining, and lifestyle amenities.

Finally, the Dreaded Lemon

Aerial view of a massive highway intersection in Los Angeles

Downtown saw a lot of growth last year, and it consistently ranked ahead of other LA neighborhoods when considering development booms, best places to live, or top areas to avoid during large city-wide events. This year, the DBC called out the Central Business District’s “self-inflicted gridlock” as the 2018 Lemon of DTLA. While previous Lemons included homelessness and smartphone addicts, the DBC mentioned that the city departments need to coordinate better so everything that makes up Downtown, such as new real estate developments, construction, filming, marches, and other events don’t culminate to a point that results in hours stuck in gridlocked traffic.