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With spring around the corner and a winter heat wave giving us an early preview of summer, it’s a perfect time to start thinking outdoors. In other words, where can we get outside and enjoy this marvelous SoCal weather? Enter Broxton Plaza.
Last Saturday, Broxton Plaza heralded the arrival of new car-free community hub on Broxton Avenue with a grand opening celebration featuring a ribbon cutting and a slew of live performances. Nestled in the heart of Westwood Village, a stone’s throw from Wilshire Blvd and a short walk from the UCLA campus, the newly minted destination offers 14,000 square feet of pedestrian friendly space between Kinross and Weyburn. Here you’ll find casual eateries, delightful drink spots, and monthly event programming to liven up the atmosphere.
Whether you’re looking for a locale to plan your weekend around or a quick excursion for a weekday afternoon, we’ve got a few ideas to get you started in and around the plaza to get you started. Let’s see what’s on offer…
Things To Do at Broxton Plaza
Prince of Venice -> From food truck legend to brick-and-mortar location, Prince of Venice debuted its Westwood Village location back in 2020. Founder Prince Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia (yes a real prince and the grandson of King Umberto II, the last reigning king of Italy) created a menu featuring a plethora of handmade pastas, Roman style pizza, Sicilian-inspired rice balls and traditional Italian desserts – all made fresh daily. There are few tables out front and delightful courtyard in back to enjoy. Great spot for lunch.
Boondocks Roasters -> The newly opened Boondocks is a direct trade Phillipine specialty coffee roaster focusing on single-origin coffees and small batch, ethical producers. Their cafe, right next door to Prince of Venice, offers a fun mix of specialty drinks and hip vibes, which will probably make it a UCLA student favorite in the coming months. Our recs? Try the Salted Latik, which features a house-made caramelized coconut syrup and a dash of asín tibuok (a rare Filipino sea salt). Or if you’re into the sweet stuff maybe it’s the Vanilla from Mountains of Manlla (their spin on the Vanilla latte). And don’t be discouraged by a line. They move fast!
Broxton Brewery & Public House -> Housed inside the historic (and nearly 100 year-old!) Janss Dome, Broxton Brewery’s signature facade overlooks an iconic front patio area where you can sip from their selection of craft beers, hang out and watch the foot traffic on the plaza. The Brewery has a full food menu, and also hosts free trivia on the mezzanine on Thursdays. Great spot to drink and chill.
Splatterz Studio -> Need to get in touch with your inner kid? Splatterz offers 2,000 square-feet of creative space for paint-your-own-pottery fun featuring a charming array of ready-made plates and figurines to make your own. A karaoke station and photo booth make it a solid choice for party hosts (whether for adults or children), but walk-ins are always welcome. Good vibes all around.
Weekly Village Farmers Market -> A weekly Farmers Market held in the plaza features 40+ vendors offering local organic produce, baked goods, artisanal items, clothing, and more. Plus, you’ll also find live music and community-run booths. The market regularly runs on Thursdays from noon to 5 p.m.
Special Programming -> The Plaza is also home to a variety of semi-regular events, such as the upcoming Bruin Flea Market on Friday, March 7. Additionally, UCLA First Thursdays (which overlaps the weekly Farmers Market) is currently on a quarterly schedule, with the next event slated for May 1. You can head over to the Westwood Village Association website to check out a calendar of upcoming events.
Other Nearby To-Dos
Broxton Plaza’s location in the heart of Westwood Village gives you plenty of other nearby walkable options to round out a visit. Here are few more winnings ideas:
- The Hammer Museum is only about a 5-minute walk from the plaza and offers a stunning courtyard, rotating contemporary art exhibitis, permanent galleries featuring selections from its vast collection of European and American art, and a packed calendar of free community programming. The museum is always free to visit!
- Looking to break a sweat and try a new challenge? The Westwood location of Sender One offers a 10,000 square foot climbing center featuring bouldering, yoga, and fitness classes for enthusiasts of all levels.
- For the sweet tooths out there, Diddy Riese has been serving legendary ice cream sandwiches made of freshly-baked cookies of choice from a vast list of options.
- If you want to expand your palette, the family-owned House of Mandi recently opened their first L.A. location on Gayley Ave, bringing the magic Yemeni cuisine to the heart of Westwood Village (L.A. Times food critic Bill Addison just did a write up)
Transit and Parking
The Broxton Ave Public Parking Structure at 1036 Broxton Ave offers the first two hours free anytime before 5 p.m. Over two hours is $1.50 per 20 minutes with $9 Max, or a $5 flat rate after 5 p.m.
You can find a list of other nearby parking lots in Westwood Village here.
If taking public transit, there are also a range of public bus lines, including Metro lines 2, 6, 233, 602 or 761. There are also stops for Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus and the Culver CityBus Line 6.
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