The Downtown Breakfast Club has announced the winners of its 44th Annual Roses & Lemon Awards, recognizing a wide range of people, places, and projects that are influencing the trajectory of Downtown Los Angeles. The event, a long-standing civic tradition, was held in the Crystal Ballroom at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel and brought together honorees from institutions, businesses, and cultural initiatives across DTLA.
This year’s program continued the organization’s focus on both celebrating successes and spotlighting areas where the downtown community sees room for improvement. The Centurion Club category recognized Mount St. Mary University, the Jonathan Club, the Central Library, and the Orpheum, along with the Haynes Foundation, underscoring the role of educational, social, and philanthropic institutions in shaping the downtown environment.
The Los Angeles Legends awards highlighted a set of destinations that have become part of DTLA’s identity over time. Under the “Anchor” designation, Angel’s Flight, Fugetsu-Do, Golden Gopher, Philippe’s, and Grand Central Market were honored, reflecting the impact of long-established landmarks and businesses. A “Modern” grouping recognized more contemporary venues including The Last Bookstore, Seven Grand, Sugarfish, Guisados, and Factory Kitchen, signaling the importance of newer operators that have helped broaden downtown’s appeal.
Residential recognition focused on affordable housing, with Liv DTLA and the Umeya Apartments both named winners. In the arts and culture category, Grand Ave. Arts: All Access received the award, highlighting the significance of coordinated cultural programming in drawing visitors and reinforcing DTLA’s role as a regional arts hub. In food and beverage, Vaca DTLA, Tabl M, and Casa Ipanema were all honored in the Restaurants & Bars category.
The workplace segment of the awards acknowledged LA Care Health Plan for workplace interiors, reflecting attention to how office environments contribute to downtown’s evolution. The Rose Garden Award went to the LA Convention Center Expansion Project, calling out a major civic initiative expected to influence the area’s future events and visitor traffic.
Since its founding in 1981, the Roses & Lemon Awards program has recognized excellence across development, adaptive reuse, dining, retail, arts and culture, and workplace innovation in Downtown Los Angeles. In keeping with its mandate to balance praise with constructive critique, the program also includes a single “Lemon” award each year. For 2026, Pershing Square received the Lemon designation, with concerns centered on its still-uncertain price tag, which is described as falling somewhere between $25 million and $40 million.
The event also featured an In Memoriam tribute to architect Frank Gehry, honoring his lasting influence on DTLA’s skyline and cultural identity. By combining recognition of legacy institutions, contemporary venues, public projects, and public spaces, this year’s awards illustrate the mix of forces currently shaping the downtown district’s urban and cultural landscape.
