The alternate title for this post was “Where Kelly Wearstler Goes, I Follow”. After earning an interior design degree in college, I am deeply obsessed with Kelly’s work and always jump at the opportunity to dine in any space she designed.

I’ve previously covered Calabra at the Santa Monica Proper.

I’ve also enjoyed the San Francisco Proper.

So naturally I had to visit Caldo Verde at the Downtown LA Proper.

The Portuguese influenced menu offers brunch staples with a twist like Cornmeal Waffles and Piri Piri Avocado Toast.

First up though, always matcha. My husband usually opts for black coffee but this time, even he went for an oat milk matcha latte. A tip if you visit – I noticed this wasn’t listed on the menu, we only learned matcha was available chatting to our server.

Never ones to shy away from a brunch our table was soon overflowing with plates.

My husband took a page out of my ordering book and cobbled together a breakfast made of sides – crispy Breakfast Potatoes, a beautiful Grilled Linguiça sausage, and Market Berries. In a surprise to both of us, I took a page from his book and ordered the hearty Carnitas Sweet Potato Hash piled high with greens and a poached egg.

What can I say, I woke up ravenous that morning!

The hash was a beautiful medley of bright and savory flavors. I also recall hearing rave reviews about the potatoes murmured from the other side of the table.

We were too caught up in our conversation for me to snap more closeups of the dishes. But did you notice that pastry draped in bacon? Of course you did! This was their Pecan Sticky Bun “Suzanne-Style”. Order one for the table to satisfy your morning sweet tooth.

The bag of the day was an olive Fendi Grace Pocket Peekaboo with gold hardware. This was a special edition piece from Spring/Summer 2019 that I tracked down via Sotheby’s Buy Now. I was able to pick it up in unworn condition for well below retail!

Before we left, we were invited up to the rooftop so we could see more of Kelly’s work. I wasn’t about to turn down this chance! The rooftop has an onsite restaurant but access is usually reserved for hotel guests or diners with dedicated reservations.

Consistent with every Proper Hotel I’ve been to, this was a lovely dining experience and one I’d easily recommend. I always make advance reservations because the ebb and flow of crowds is unpredictable and it’s better to err on the safe side.

If you’re looking for brunch plans on an upcoming weekend in LA, make this a top contender!