It’s quiet and peaceful walking around the Arts District early on a Saturday morning. The only stores open are a few coffeehouses. By 10:30 a.m. the sidewalks become alive with people strolling around and taking photos of the creative street art. Models pose near edgy graffiti in designer clothing, and the Arts District Farmers Market starts setting up to open at 11 a.m.

The avocado toast on di Abla’s signature focaccia bursts with color and flavor. (photo courtesy of The Smile’s di Alba)

Amid the buzz, the floor-to-ceiling windows at The Smile’s di Alba welcome guests into the cool Itlaian bakery space. Partners Matt Kliegman, Carlos Quirarte and Melia Marden, known for their The Smile restaurants in Manhattan, came to Los Angeles and opened a West Coast outpost of the Mediterranean-inspired quick, take-away cafe next to the Shinola boutique. They hired executive chef Nina Clemente to make her rustic focaccia and creative fare.

Chef Nina was born in Italy, and raised in New York City. On her first trip to Los Angeles in 2007, she visited a farmer’s market where the colors, scents and variety of seasonal produce inspired her to begin cooking. First she cooked for friends, and then started catering, before working at the Curious Palette, Osteria Mozza and The Standard in LA.

Her focaccia at The Smile’s di Alba (which means sunrise in Italian) is sprinkled with rosemary, sage and smoked salt. Chef Nina uses the focaccia to make open-faced sandwiches.

On the Saturday we visited, we sat outside and started with a cinnamon roll, fresh out of the oven. Pastry chef Zena Scharf makes the rolls with brioche dough and a generous sprinkling of cinnamon, before topping them with a vanilla bean mascarpone frosting that melts over the warm rolls.

I ordered the avocado toast on the signature focaccia bread with fanned out slices of avocado and colorful cherry tomatoes, a confetti of chopped basil and red fresno chili slices. I enjoyed the focaccia and ordered the gluten-free version to compare the taste, and while both were pleasing, the avocado toast had a little too much black sumac salt on top for my taste.

The focaccia French toast is delciously soaked in custard and topped with fruit compote and maple syrup. (photo courtesy of The Smile’s di Alba)

Other focaccia brunch dishes include the savory classic b.e.c. sandwich – bacon, egg and cheese made with hickory smoked bacon, soft scrambled eggs, fontina and  peppery arugula with a squeeze of lemon. Another savory open faced focaccia is layered with smoked salmon, hard boiled egg slices, a sprinkling of red onion, fresno chili, capers, dill and lemon gremolata.

For a sweeter open faced sandwich, they spread a housemade ricotta on the focaccia and add sliced market strawberries and blueberries before drizzling with a little honey.

I wasn’t a fan of the ouvo en purgatorio, a shakshuka-esque dish served in a small black cast iron skillet. The baked eggs surrounded by spicy tomato sauce and topped with a chopped parsley and basil were undercooked and too runny for my liking.

Needing to sweeten things up, we ordered a bowl of healthy chia seeds with fresh berries, sliced bananas, a splash of coconut milk, spoonful of honey and crunchy granola.

The table next to us was enjoying the focaccia french toast soaked in custard and topped with market fruit compote and maple syrup.

Walking back inside, the glass display case was filled with savory and sweet take-away items that include gluten-free brownies and granola bars. We bought some brownies went to artisan ice cream shop Salt & Straw next door for a pint of Meyer lemon buttermilk and blueberry ice cream to make brownie sundaes later in the day.

$ Open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with breakfast served until 11:30 a.m. On Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Brunch is served on weekends until 2 p.m. 827 E. Third St. (213)620-6244.