Your guide to drinking craft beer in Highland Park

With a wave of new drinking and dining options, Highland Park is cementing its place as the latest hip neighborhood to explore. And beer lovers should be especially interested in visiting a mile-long stretch of York Boulevard for a craft beer bar crawl.

The street includes a mix of auto shops, discount stores, some wonderful ethnic eateries, vintage stores filled with midcentury furniture, record shops selling actual records and cafes brewing with third-wave beans. There is also a lot of craft beer flowing on York with one of L.A.’s most-talked-about (and smallest) breweries, some unassuming dive bars, and the place to find the best beers from one of L.A.’s oldest breweries.

The Destination: Highland Park Brewery / The Hermosillo

This York Boulevard lounge would garner a mention as a craft beer destination in the neighborhood even if it wasn’t also the home of one of L.A.’s most beloved breweries. The dark and comfortable bar offers some 30 wines by the glass alongside its 16 taps of craft beer, with a menu of bar snacks and sandwiches to match. The beer list includes local favorites and some of the more adventurous brews from around California. But what’s brewing in the backroom, under the Highland Park Brewery moniker, are the most exciting brews on the menu.

From vibrant hop-forward ales to rustic brews aged in wine barrels, Highland Park Brewery has a beer for every palate. Refresh — the crisp and grassy Hermosillo house beer — is a must-try (especially alongside an order of avocado toast). 5125 York Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 739-6459, www.hpb.la.

>> Los Angeles Times craft beer guide

The Dive Bar: Johnny’s Bar

Less than two blocks west of The Hermosillo, across York Boulevard, is a craft beer oasis in the guise of a dive bar. There is a well-stocked jukebox, the Dodgers on TV, and regulars equally likely to be sipping on a can of Modelo or a glass of Saison. A couple dozen taps and a deep bottle list provide plenty of options, and space enough to settle in for an extended session. 5006 York Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 982-0775.

The Patio: Block Party

Yet another York Boulevard establishment, Block Party opened in 2015 with a long and narrow space that leads into a much-needed outdoor drinking area complete with shuffleboard lanes, picnic tables and a cart slinging hot dogs and snacks. Canned craft brews are popular with the crowd, giving the patio even more of a backyard party vibe.

5052 York Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 741-2747, www.blockpartyhlp.com.

The Meal: Maximiliano

This casual spot from Andre Guerrero (the Oinkster, Little Bear) offers house-made pastas, Neapolitan-style pizzas, and some imaginative twists on simple classics. The airy dining room and open kitchen also serve as the unofficial tasting room for Pasadena’s Craftsman Brewing, with a half-dozen beers on tap from the decades-old craft brewery (L.A.’s first, depending on how you count it). Maximiliano is one of the few spots in Los Angeles that regularly offers the complex and artful wood-aged ales from Craftsman, and it’s the only place to get the herb-infused Maximiliano House Beer (there’s no better match for a pizza Margherita). Save room for dessert and pair cannoli, panna cotta or cheesecake with an acidic and funky oak-aged ale, or enjoy a leisurely weekend brunch on the patio with a glass of Heavenly Hefe and you may never go back to mimosas. 5930 York Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 739-6125, www.maximilianohp.com.

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