The Brief

It’s rare when the fútbol powers that be regale the masses with serious competitions in the USA —which is why stateside lovers of the beautiful game should rejoice!

For just the second time in its 100+ year history, the Copa América will return to the U.S., with South America’s finest teams competing against each other across 12 American cities.

Messi and Argentina, Vinicius and Brazil, Darwin and Uruguay, etc. will also face the U.S. and Mexico, and other rivals from North and Central America and the Caribbean.

Thankfully, Los Angeles is one of the host cities. Tens of thousands of lucky soccer fans will swarm SoFi Stadium for one or two of the games: Brazil vs Costa Rica on June 24 and Venezuela vs Mexico on June 26.

If you don’t have a ticket, you can still join in the festivity. There will be plenty of places for fans to watch, cry and celebrate all the drama a soccer tournament brings with it.

The following list include a few recommendations for each participating nation*. Wherever you go and whomever you root for, may the fútbol gods be in your favor.

*Unfortunately, we could not find any events or restaurants in L.A. that specialize solely in the cuisines of Canada, Costa Rica, Paraguay or Uruguay. We hope this state of affairs is fixed by 2026 when the FIFA World Cup comes to town!

ARGENTINA

Mercado Buenos Aires

The first thing one notices when entering either of the Mercado Buenos Aires locations are the jerseys framed on the walls and scarves from Argentinian teams hung aloft. The jerseys of many legends of Argentine balompie are lined up in a football version of the Catholic stations of the cross.

The second thing one notices is the large mural depicting both Diego Armando Maradona, the deceased legend sometimes referred to as D10s, and his sporting heir Lionel Messi, global superstar and current captain of La Albiceleste.

While fans won’t be able to watch Messi & Co. live in Los Angeles, they will able to do so beside his mural while imbibing on the best of Argentine cuisine. Dine in and hit up the small grocery store inside to take some pastries, wines and sauces home.

Malbec Argentina

Malbec is the spot if you want to get fancy with it. The skirt steaks are amazing, and there aren’t enough adjectives to convey the mouth-watering wonders of their seafood menu. The Eagle Rock location includes a small market where you can purchase wines and other goodies; the Pasadena location has the TVs to watch Argentina attempt to retain its title as champion. The latter also features live music and tango on occasion.

BOLIVIA

Pao’s Pastries & Cafe

Options for Bolivian food are limited in L.A. Simply put, it’s one of the South American diasporas and gastronomy least represented in these parts. Thankfully, Pao’s Pastries & Cafe has held it down as the only Bolivian food restaurant in the county since 2019. The family-run business serves up numerous staples of Bolivian cuisine. You want silpancho? You GOT silpancho! You want cuñapes? You GOT cuñapes! And so forth.

The place is small, but if you get there in time, you’ll be able to enjoy a meal and the games. We recommend ordering a big batch of salteñas (Bolivian empanadas) for your watch party.

BRAZIL

Café Brasil

Cruise down Washington Blvd. in Culver City and you’ll eventually come upon a pair of brightly colored, tropical vibing buildings. One of those buildings is Cafe Brasil, home to a variety of Brazilian cuisine, all day breakfast, tropical juices, and delicious coffee. It’s like a mini version of Rio de Janeiro!

The building next door is a Brazilian-themed motel. We’ll let you explore that one on your own.

H&H Brazilian Steakhouse 

Do you love meat, barbecue, Brazil and restaurants with hundred dollar steaks? Have we got the spot for you! Celebrate a win by Brazil by bringing your group of friends to H&H for the churrasco experience! It may not have the futbol samba vibe you’ll want during a game, but you’ll eat real good!

Locations and hours:

CHILE

Rincón Chileno

This unassuming spot on Melrose near LACC has been a hidden gem for decades. Once inside Rincón Chileno, you’ll be warped into a cafe in Santiago and treated to your choice of Chilean delicacies. A single widescreen TV in the main room won’t distract from the taste of your tilapia or milanesa. Don’t forget to grab some empanadas, baked with fresh dough in-house, and wine to go from the attached delicatessen next door.

COLOMBIA

El Paisa

El Paisa in Long Beach (not to be confused with the various eateries throughout L.A. county of the same/similar name that serve Mexican cuisine) feels like a nonstop party no matter the time of day. Don’t be surprised if you walk in during the middle of someone’s amazing karaoke number. If you’re truly lucky, the karaoke will also include a band playing the song live instead of the karaoke machine. Take that energy and multiply by infinity when Colombia plays during the tournament!

La Fonda Antioqueña

La Fonda may not have live music or karaoke serenades, but it still offers great food and a wonderful atmosphere. You may even find yourself rooting on Colombia next to a celebrity, Colombian or otherwise, as many have been known to stop by (as evidenced by all the photographs on one wall).

ECUADOR

La Casita de Cancún Olé

L.A. was once home to a few amazing Ecuadorian food restaurants. Unfortunately, many of them have closed down in recent years. Thankfully, one of the best still stands strong: Cancún Olé. The owners shut down their brick & mortar location (minus the occasional holiday event) and moved everything into their home, hence the new name of La Casita de Cancún Olé.

During the 2022 World Cup, the owners set up a few TVs inside the living room and others outside in the front patio along with a DJ, a sound system, a karaoke machine and LOTS of food that seemed to float endlessly out of the kitchen. We expect this same setup this summer and also expect to cheer, laugh, sing and dance together with Ecuador’s diaspora, just like we did two years ago.

JAMAICA

Wah Gwaan Jamaican Kitchen and Bar

The motto that the fine folks at Wah Gwaan live by is “Good food. Good vibes.” If they weren’t so humble, they would probably switch it up to “Great food. Great vibes” because that would be more accurate. The jerk chicken is well-known as some of the best you can get off the island, and someone out there has surely written an epic poem as an ode to their curry shrimp.

The staff at Wah Gwaan recently celebrated their two-year anniversary with an outdoor party in the parking lot complete with music, good food and good vibes. There’ll be plenty of food and positive vibes here each time Jamaica plays during the tournament. They also do catering if you want to host the food and vibes at your watch party.

MÉXICO

There are literally too many events and restaurants for the Mexican national team to list here. You can go out and cheer/jeer with total strangers at dozens of locations or keep it chill at home with the kids and grandparents. Our take? Read on!

El Pescador 

The Ortiz family opened its first El Pescador location in 1983 in Bell Gardens. 40 years later, they’ve expanded to 15 locations in four counties. The Carson location is one of the latest to open up and features a large lounge and bar area in the front (aka Cantina #11) that’s great for watching live games.

There are multiple screens on every wall, a firme sound system, a DJ area and, if time schedules coincide, a live mariachi for serenatas.

Don Chente Bar & Grill

This restaurant is nestled on one side of Plaza La Alameda where Huntington Park meets Walnut Park meets Florence-Graham. There’s a huge statue of Chente outside for all your influencer needs, and this particular location also sells pulque once in a blue agave moon.

There are other locations spread throughout L.A. if you’re not up for the drive…but you also won’t have bronze Chente by your side!

Estrella Jalisco will also host watch parties for specific games in the plaza with a stage, music and a massive screen. They have not announced which games yet as of this publication.

PANAMA

Caribbean Soul Kitchen LA

The pride of Panama is on Wilshire Blvd. between Detroit and Cloverdale: Caribbean Soul Kitchen LA. You can’t miss it: it’s the brightest spot on the block! Here you’ll find husband-and-wife duo Chef RJ and Mercedes serving up dishes from Panama plus some Jamaican delicacies tossed in for good measure (chef is Panamanian with a Jamaican grandfather).

They’re still working out the logistics for two of the three games scheduled so far, as they fall on days they are typically closed. Call ahead to see if they’ll open for the games or if they’ll be catering a watch party somewhere.

Si-Mon

Upscale, swanky and laidback! Head down to Venice for the post-game vibes (no TVs here) at this newly opened spot S¡!-Mon and celebrate/mourn with the amazing seafood options and a delicious cocktail. Definitely make a reservation though!

PERU

El Agachadito

El Agachadito is a classic and timeless success story. The family-owned and operated business began in the family garage where the owners, the in-laws and the kids all helped cook and serve Peruvian dishes. The family eventually opened a stand in Van Nuys until graduating to a physical location in Panorama City...which opened just last month! Celebrate with the family by catching a game with a fistful of anticuchos.

Casa Chaskis

Casa Chaskis is where you go if you want to relive your trip to Cusco...or just say that you did without anyone knowing that you didn’t! You’ll have the added benefit of not suffering from altitude sickness (IYKYK). The space boasts a large patio, lots of beautiful art related to Peru and the Andes and loads of Peruvian gastronomy staples from the appetizers to the main dishes (white meat, dark meat AND seafood) to desserts. And if you’re still on the fence about it, I have two words for you: maracuya cheesecake!

UNITED STATES

This is the host nation’s second time playing the Copa América tournament. The Stars & Bars reached the semifinal in 2016, falling to Messi and Argentina, and will no doubt be looking to take it all this time as the new generation of U.S. players continues to leave its imprint on its way to hosting the next World Cup.

Here are a few options:

33 Taps DTLA 

33 Taps in downtown L.A. is the official home of the American Outlaws, a fan group dedicated to supporting the US national team. Wear your favorite U.S. jersey (bonus points for the ‘94 kit!) and join in the chants if you “believe that we will win!” There are also locations in Silver Lake and Culver City if you want to chant “YOU-ESS-AYE” in a different zip code. Plus they have plenty of non-alcoholic options for the designated driver in your group.

Tom’s Watch Bar, LA Live (and other locations)

The home of “All The Sports. All The Time.” And they’re not kidding! Tom’s promises to host every single match during the Copa América, which they’ll do alongside every other sport in season thanks to eleventy billion screens providing wall-to-wall coverage. Get lost in Christian Pulisic’s eyes and Ricardo Pepi’s ears in surround 4k HD!

VENEZUELA

Chamo Venezuelan Cuisine

If heaven were nothing but arepas and empanadas, it would probably look like Chamo. This spot off Colorado has grown since its opening in 2017 and currently features more than a dozen arepas and a half-dozen empanadas. There are also rotating seasonal specials and Venezuelan chicha (different from its Peruvian and Colombian cousins).

Cariaco Venezuelan Food

It’s a shame that Cariaco is to-go because there’s lots of great food here that deserves to be savored on the spot. That doesn’t knock it down any pegs on our scale though. The arepas are large enough to feed your watch party with one order (slight exaggeration!). Order early and order ahead along with some goods from the market inside.

If you drive too quickly along West Adams Boulevard, west of 9th Avenue, you’ll likely miss the former home of the Mary Clay School, a two-story building that for decades provided innovative daycare and schooling to middle class Black children, starting in 1959.

L.A.’s Cultural Heritage Commission voted on Thursday to ask the L.A. City Council to give the building historical cultural monument status.

“[I] think it’s important to recognize this building… for the stories it tells… what it tells us about the history of Los Angeles,” said commission President Barry Milofsky, just before members unanimously voted to approve the request.

The Mary Clay School opened in L.A.'s West Adams neighborhood in 1959.

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Courtesy LA Office of Historic Resources/Clay family archives

)

If approved by the City Council, the designation would protect the 102-year-old building from alterations, new construction, or demolition that would alter or erase elements that are of historic importance and irreplaceable.

The proposal for monument status comes as organizations work to preserve the under-recognized heritage of African Americans in L.A. after decades of demographic shifts in the city that have shrunk the city’s Black population.

Supporting Black families

Mrs. Mary Clay relaxing in her private residence which was upstairs above the Mary Clay School operations, 1961-62.

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Courtesy LA Office of Historic Resources/Clay family archives

)

The building is an important site of Black education in L.A., where school founder Mary Elizabeth Smith Clay lived and worked. Clay was a trailblazing educator, civic-minded volunteer, and a nationally recognized expert on children’s education.

According to reports prepared by the cultural heritage commission staff, the school operated from 1959 to 1998 and used innovative methods to help kids with issues such as speech disabilities, while becoming also an important part of the social life of young people in middle-class Black families.

The school's origins

African Americans had moved to Los Angeles in the 40s to fill job openings created by the war effort, including Black women, who entered the workforce in large numbers. Publicly funded and integrated daycare was made widely available to help mothers from all income levels,

The Music Room of Mary Clay School. Children get situated on their cots at the beginning of nap time,1961-1962.

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Courtesy LA Office of Historic Resources/Clay family archives

)

In the years after the war, public funding for daycare shifted to low-income families. Quality daycare for middle class Black families became difficult to access due to racism and high costs.

Clay opened a private school in her home to address that gap, and then moved into a bigger house to meet the growing demand. The school employed three teachers and introduced innovations like a psychologist, scientific methods to address speech issues, and foreign languages in kindergarten to third grade.

Mary Clay School annual photograph in 1989. Pre-school students are together with school owner/teacher Elenore “Sue” Clay (left) and teacher Miss Riggs (right).

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Courtesy LA Office of Historic Resources/Clay family archives

)

It was also used for fundraisers hosted by Clay for Black-focused and child-oriented causes such as the L.A. chapter of the Links Incorporated, the Anchorettes, Jack and Jill of America, the Pitt-Los Club, and the 12 Big Sisters.

In 1965 Clay was appointed by President Lyndon Johnson to direct the Title Five Project, a program that gave training to people interested in working in childcare. She died in Los Angeles in 1971.

The building's history

Mary Clay was not the building’s original owner. The building was built in 1924 for F. Irwin Herron, whose family rode the waves of wealth created by L.A.’s oil and real estate booms in the early 1900s. Herron helped found what became the Los Angeles Stock Exchange.

He hired Edwin C. Thorne to design the home. Thorne would go on to design public buildings later in the 1920s in Colton and La Puente, as well as private homes.

The owner of the property is listed in commission documents as Andre Gaines, associated with West Adams LLC. The document says the owner does not support the historical monument status. Rafael Fontes, planning associate in L.A.’s Office of Historic Resources said the owner had not permitted staff to see the interior of the building.

A contemporary photo of the former site of the Mary Clay School.

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Courtesy LA Office of Historic Resources

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The designation was begun earlier this year by L.A. Councilmember Heather Hutt, who represents the 10th council district.

Another stretch of scorching summer heat has been baking Southern California this week.

For renters wondering how to stay safe, free cooling kits and heat-safety information will be provided this weekend at a workshop hosted by Strategic Actions for a Just Economy, or SAJE.

The workshop — a collaboration between SAJE, the ARCH Collaborative and Cal State L.A. — will be from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday at 152 W. 32nd St. in Historic South-Central and is free to the public.

What’s provided? 

The 25 kits include a wall thermometer, a cooling neck band and towel, and emergency water tablets, among other products.

Attendees will learn how to use the products and best practices for beating the heat from a group led by Cal State L.A. environmental health science professor Evelyn Alvarez. You’ll also learn how to make your own kit to keep at home as a low-cost cooling strategy.

Why now? 

The National Weather Service issued an extreme heat warning for much of the region that remains in effect through 8 p.m. Thursday. Forecasters also expect humid conditions into next week.

Prolonged heat can increase the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

An estimated one-fifth of Californians lack air conditioning, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

“Renters in the inner city, particularly those experiencing AC insecurity and those who are not able to access cooling centers, may face increased risks of heat-related illnesses like heat exhaustion and heat stroke that can be life-threatening,” Alvarez said.

Last year, L.A. County passed an ordinance that requires landlords with homes in unincorporated areas to keep temperatures at or below 82 degrees. But enforcement won’t begin until 2027 or 2032, depending on how many units the landlord owns.

“A lot of folks don’t have the right to a cool house, so we’re really excited to offer this emergency service to folks,” said Alejandro Campillo, an assistant director at SAJE and another leader of the workshop.

Will there be more workshops? 

Yes — if you can’t make this one, another is scheduled for July 27, when another 25 free cooling kits will be distributed.

To attend, sign up for the July 18 or July 27 workshop here.

In Venice Beach, some are outraged after they say a FIFA Fan Zone misled the public and disrupted their neighborhood.

The fan celebration by the beach took place at a city park and cost anywhere between $15 and $125 a ticket, but organizers had also advertised a block party and free area to go along with it. The license agreement for the event between organizers and the L.A.'s Recreation and Parks Department described an LED screen and two beer gardens that would be available to the public, free of charge.

Instead, no screens were outside the ticketed fan zone, which took place on July 10 and 11. Some were surprised when they showed up to the block party on Windward Avenue and found just a few tents and no way to watch the game besides ducking into a bar.

Alex Kissin, a Venice resident, attended a Rec and Parks meeting Thursday morning to complain that the Fan Zone didn't deliver.

"The park was effectively unavailable to the community for more than a week," said Kissin, who is also a member of the Venice Chamber of Commerce. "The free public, public elements described in the report simply did not materialize."

Event organizer John Cohn told LAist that around 2,500 free tickets were made available for the Fan Zone, but acknowledged that the free viewing party didn't happen.

" This was a spectacular event about which all of us should be proud," said Cohn, CEO of Venice Beach FWC, LLC, the company that put on the event. "Not only did we put a lot of smiles on faces of people all across Venice and Los Angeles, but I think that this gave an opportunity for Venice to put a positive face on the world."

Cohn said that he had to change plans for the free viewing area after LAPD prohibited plans to put up screens showing the matches on the closed-down street, citing concerns about security and crowd control.

" We actually had planned a free block party along Windward," he said. "It had been included in our planning, and LAPD scotched it."

LAPD did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The License Agreement with the city had also included plans for a "free Health and Wellness Fair" in Windward Plaza on July 12, the day after the Fan Zone ended. But that event required a ticket, too, which Cohn said cost between $25 and $90.

Both event organizers and representatives for the Recreation and Parks Department said that there was a last-minute change in who would put on the Fan Zone, which caused a big organizational challenge.

Cohn, who runs Venice Soleil Nails & Spa, said Councilmember Traci Park's office approached him about taking over the fan zone after the original person who won the FIFA bid pulled out just around ten weeks before the World Cup.

Sonya Young Jimenez, a Recreation and Parks Department superintendent, told the Rec and Parks Commissioners Thursday that there would be an after-action meeting to figure out what could have been done differently.

" I know with the Olympics coming, we want to use this as a way to make it better for next time," she said.

LAist reached out to Park, who represents Venice, but her office did not respond in time for publication.

On Instagram, the councilmember posted an article about the Fan Zone with the caption, "Venice Beach just showed the world what’s possible."

California officials are taking the Orange County city of Costa Mesa to court — not for something local officials did, but for something they failed to do: plan for more housing.

State Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Thursday that his office has submitted filings asking courts to compel Costa Mesa and four other cities to comply with the requirements of California’s housing element law.

“These five that we are suing today are outliers,” Bonta said in a news conference. “They are scofflaws.”

State law requires cities to plan for new housing growth once every eight years. Bonta said for this cycle, 95% of local governments have submitted their housing elements — documents that detail how cities plan to accommodate the required number of new homes, including units affordable to low-income families.

In addition to Costa Mesa, Bonta’s office is demanding compliance from Calexico, Half Moon Bay, Ridgecrest and Turlock.

Gustavo Velasquez, director of the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development, said the cities are shirking their responsibility to plan for about 24,000 new homes combined.

That adds up to 24,000 families who, Velasquez said, “could have a path to a home in their communities where they work, where their kids go to school, maybe where they grow up.”

“Every jurisdiction that fails to meet its obligations is simply shifting the burden and asking everyone else to make up for that difference,” he added.

Costa Mesa officials did not respond to LAist’s requests for comment. State law requires the city to plan for 11,760 new homes by 2029. In City Council meetings, elected leaders have said meeting that goal will require community engagement on a massive rezoning effort.

The latest in a string of city/state battles

This is not the first time Orange County leaders have earned the reproval of state housing regulators. A long-running court battle between the state and Huntington Beach recently ended with that coastal city approving a plan to accommodate about 13,000 new homes.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said the latest legal action is meant to show that no city is able to flout state law.

“California can't solve the housing crisis while some cities sit on their hands and dare us to do something about it,” Newsom said in a statement. “These five jurisdictions had every chance to follow the law and plan for their fair share of housing. They chose not to, so now they'll answer for it in court.”

The cities were supposed to turn in their housing elements more than two-and-a-half years ago, state officials said. In past housing planning cycles, the state has done little to punish cities that blow deadlines or deliver unrealistic housing elements. Bonta said this cycle will be different.

“We are done with delays,” Bonta said. “It's no secret that California's housing shortage is one of the most pressing challenges facing our state. Every delay in compliance translates into delayed housing opportunities for families, for workers, seniors and young people across the state.”

Why this cycle is different

The housing element process forces cities to plan for more housing, but it doesn’t force them to actually build it. Instead, cities can comply with the law by doing things like giving developers more incentives to build denser housing, or rezoning certain neighborhoods to allow apartments.

The current state planning cycle has delivered much higher housing goals to coastal cities like Costa Mesa. Historically, housing growth in Southern California was channeled further inland, concentrating new construction in parts of Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

But this time, local planning officials took a different approach. They significantly boosted goals in coastal employment centers with the aim of putting residents closer to their jobs. That triggered a political backlash in cities that saw their allocations skyrocket.

In the previous cycle, which covered the years 2014 through 2021, Costa Mesa’s goal was to plan for only two new housing units.