Grá: A Love Letter to Texture and Time in LA's Echo Park
Nestled on Pizarro Street near the lake in Los Angeles’ Echo Park, Grá—an artisan sourdough pizza and natural wine restaurant—celebrates the beauty of raw materials, imperfection, and time-worn textures. Designed by Red Deer, the London-based architecture and interior practice, Grá embraces the natural character of its setting: a disused old barn, rich with history and rustic charm.
The essence of Grá lies in its approach to design—one that does not impose but rather reveals. Red Deer, working closely with founder Michael McSharry, sought to enhance the existing bones of the space rather than conceal them. The original wooden trusses, the weathered concrete core, and the timeworn markings of previous occupants were all embraced, serving as a textured backdrop for a restaurant concept deeply rooted in authenticity.
Rather than erasing the past, the design amplifies it, allowing each scuff, grain, and imperfection to contribute to a tactile and deeply atmospheric aesthetic. The rustic quality of the building is not just preserved—it is elevated.
Grá, meaning “love” in Irish, is an extension of passion—McSharry’s love for sourdough and Red Deer’s love for materials and mood. This synergy is felt throughout the 3,500 sq ft restaurant, which is divided into a bar, a main dining space with communal tables, an open-plan kitchen, an off-street patio, and a recessed courtyard. At the heart of the space sits an Italian-domed, wood-fired oven, its presence reinforcing the raw, hands-on approach to both cooking and design.
To further honour the existing structure, Red Deer sourced locally and repurposed materials with both aesthetic and environmental sensitivity. Reclaimed marble shards were transformed into a striking bar top, their jagged edges telling stories of past lives. Planter edgings became the bar front, introducing a sense of found beauty and functional sculpture. But perhaps the most ambitious love story was that of the flooring—lead architect Ciarán O’Brien envisioned a tactile experience, one built from 40,000 individually laid granite setts, each stone a deliberate act of craftsmanship and patience.
The result is a design language that speaks in textures rather than decoration. Unhemmed branch drapes sway gently with the breeze, breeze block banquettes encourage relaxed, communal dining, while reclaimed lighting and mid-century furniture create a dialogue between old and new.
Grá is Red Deer’s first foray into the US restaurant scene, and it stands as a testament to their ability to create spaces that feel both deeply personal and effortlessly designed. By allowing the shell of the building to guide the process, they have crafted an environment that feels at home in Los Angeles yet distinctly European in soul.
In a world where newness often takes precedence, Grá is a rare example of design that respects and elevates the past. Here, materials are left to breathe, imperfections are embraced, and every element tells a story of love—for food, for craftsmanship, and for the beauty of time itself.
Photography: Hannah Wilson courtesy of Red Deer
