During the day, shops attract designers and browsers. Try Salt & Sundry for quirky kitchen goods and locally made crafts. Big name retailers include West Elm and Room & Board (the latter is located in a groovy converted vintage car showroom with an awesome roof deck). And for off-beat antiques, legendary Miss Pixie’s Furnishings & Whatnot showcases a rotating selection of art, antique furniture and retro collectibles.

Dozens of restaurants, many relative newcomers, make their homes in converted historic buildings. Among the hits: ChurchKey, which touts a carefully selected collection of 500+ craft beers, and Le Diplomate, an are-we-in-Paris? French brasserie with throwback decor (a zinc bar, retro tiled floor) and rich menu. Weekend brunch attracts a young crowd to places like El Centro D.F., which offers bottomless Mexican bites and drinks, and Bar Pilar, an Ernest Hemingway-themed American spot known for hangover-cure sandwiches.

Nightlife also thrives here. Most restaurants and bars offer happy hour deals, many on the street’s sidewalk cafes and patios (look to Pearl Dive and Barcelona Wine Bar for happening after-work outdoor scenes). Open since 1993, the legendary Black Cat hosts indie bands and themed dance nights, as well as regular DJ sets.