It’s always nice when you find a trendy and tasty LA eatery where you can feel free to sit and eat and talk for hours without having to dodge the searing glare of a staff trying to turn over tables, like, yesterday.

Such a place does exist. Don’t believe me? Ask Wendy*, our waitress and one of a few helpful hands at the Los Feliz-stationed Alcove Cafe & Bakery where me and my party of eight more hungry pilgrims settled for a late lunch one Sunday afternoon.

No matter the size of your group, you will find a nook that suits you in this “historic cottage” dating back to…well, a really long time ago. But when the sun comes out to play (as it often does in SoCal), there’s no better nook than that found in the outdoor garden that hides just beyond the front patio area. A place to see and not be seen while you munch on one of the many, many (many) menu items**.

Of course, coffee and tea have a home here, but a room adjacent to the cashier houses a bar upon which the sun shamelessly shines. And there, my friends, is where you will face the irresistible lure of the white sangria***: summer’s more elegant companion (if only a little bit) over the margarita.

There’s much to enjoy within (and outside of) the festooned walls of LA’s Alcove – just be aware of what lurks behind them****.

Alcove Cafe & Bakery » 1929 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles 90027