Plugs — Andy Schwartz

L.A. food and drink recs from a wine whiz (also, the co-owner of Baby Bistro)

Plugs is The Angel’s recs column. Every Saturday, you’ll get six picks — a restaurant, a bar, a shop, an ingredient, a person, and a treat — from someone in Los Angeles who knows what they’re talking about. (Plugs are for paid subscribers of The Angel only. However, if you’re in the restaurant industry and want a free subscription, hit me up. :))

#16 is Andy Schwartz, a wine director, wine rep, and also the co-pilot of restaurant to-be Baby Bistro. I first met Andy when he was running point on wine at Lolo a couple years back, where he picked and poured many delicious bottles that I drank there. He was also the voice of the wine bar’s Instagram at the time, and his captions were unparalleled. These days, you can find him on Baby Bistro’s account penning pensive posts. (Speaking of: he and his partner, the chef Miles Thompson, have two upcoming pop-ups at Dudley Market on 1/23 and 1/30). People who know their wine generally also know their food, and in many cases, where to find a good vibe, and Andy is one of those people. Here are his L.A. plugs!

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Restaurant — Falafel Arax

Very few spots can encapsulate an entire childhood spent eating the best conceivable shawarma and falafel at gas stations throughout Detroit like Arax, a multi-generational family business that is certainly nicer than a gas station, but not like, too nice.

Falafel Arax. Photo by Andy Schwartz.