Little Bear Belgian Bar | Los Angeles, CA

This Little Bear crossed the ocean.

What began as a beer lovers' bar in the Belgian city of Bruges has now been replicated in our own Downtown Arts District.

There, beer mavens Ryan Sweeney and Brandon Bradford (The Surly Goat, Verdugo Bar) teamed with chef Andre Guerrero (The Oinkster, Maximiliano) on the new bar and restaurant located at the base of the Toy Factory Lofts.

The space features a high ceiling, both canary-yellow and concrete walls, and a serpentine bar painted with hop leaves. Sitting at that bar, you'll have your choice of beers sourced from the Belgian motherland, plus Belgian-inspired American breweries like Russian River and The Bruery.

To accompany your beer, Guerrero has assembled L.A.'s most comprehensive menu of Belgian dishes. There's a pair of traditional Flanders-style stews, one with chicken (waterzooi) and a carbonnade that touts tender chunks of ale-braised brisket, mashed turnips and sautéed spinach ($16). French-leaning dishes, like a deconstructed cassoulet ($17) with both duck confit and breast, are available too. Nouveau sliders ($10) consist of gougères sandwiching briny fried oysters, duck confit or sous-vide pork belly.

Little Bear, 1855 Industrial St., Downtown; 213-622-8100 or littlebearla.com