Two hip, new restaurants are making their way to L.A. LIVE on Jan. 21, increasing the number of eating options available in Downtown L.A.

Smashburger and Live Basil Pizza, both located on the Southeast corner of L.A. LIVE, offer Staples Center and Nokia Theatre event attendees and fellow Angelenos fresh, customizable meals that don’t skimp on taste, flavor, quality of ingredients or freshness. From Jan. 21, both restaurants will be open from 10 a.m. and will stay open to accommodate the late-night crowds, according to founder Tom Ryan.

“We’ll open at 10 a.m. every day and stay open later than most stores,” says Ryan, who wants to ensure that those attending evening events have a place to eat, drink and hang out before or after the night’s activities. 

The grand opening of Live Basil Pizza in L.A. LIVE is significant, as the launch marks the company’s So Cal debut. Customizable pizzas are currently all the rage on the pizza front, as proven by restaurants like The Pizza Studio and Pieology. Live Basil Pizza is a fast-casual eatery that specializes in made-to-order, Neapolitan-style pizzas. At this eatery, customers can choose from a variety of toppings, sauces, cheeses and natural, organic ingredients to create their very own 11-inch pizzas. Once customers pick all the ingredients for his or her pizza, the pizza is baked right before their eyes—for 150 seconds, specifically—in an open flame oven. The entire process—from placing an order to receiving the pizza—should take about 4-and-a-half minutes, according to Ryan. 

The ingredients used at Live Basil Pizza play an integral role in the eatery’s mission … which, of course, is symbolized by the restaurant’s name.

“Our ingredients make us different from other pizza places,” Ryan says. “Everything in this store can be categorized by one or more of these five words: organic, all natural, imported, authentic and fresh. For instance, we grow live, hydroponic basil on site, so whenever you order a pizza that requires fresh basil, we pick it right off the leaves. It’s never been fresher and robustly flavored, so that’s why we call ourselves ‘Live Basil Pizza’ … that’s our namesake.”

“People are looking for a great tasting, satisfying pizza that’s lighter and fresher than ever before,” he adds. “I think that defines how modern the next generation of pizza is going to be.”

For customers who like more traditional creations, the restaurant offers an assortment of signature pies as well. Some of these eatery favorites include “The L.A.,” which is the eatery’s upscale version of the white pizza with a twist, complete with wild arugula, imported Italian truffle oil, marinated wild mushrooms, an Italian cheese blend, and Parmesan cheese; “The Hot One,” comprising red sauce, an Italian cheese blend, natural pepperoni, spicy giardiniera, fresh jalapenos, red pepper flakes and spicy oil; and “Live Basil Margherita,” a blend of red sauce, fresh Mozzarella, an Italian cheese blend, sea salt, imported olive oil and fresh live basil.

“The ‘Margherita’ and ‘The L.A.’ are vegetarian pizzas; ‘The L.A.’ is my favorite,” Ryan says. “I love truffle and arugula and I think our wild mushroom medley [it’s made with Shiitake and baby Portobello mushrooms, among others] makes it extra special. And because I’m a big spicy food fan, I really like ‘The Hot One.’ I think it has a really exciting flavor for people looking for more zing in their life.”

Also available on the menu are fresh salads, craft draft or import beer, and wine by the glass. Among some of the more popular salads are: the “LBP Chopped Salad,” which comprises chopped salad greens, fresh grape tomatoes, bacon, all natural chicken breast, sliced egg, goat cheese, crispy tortilla strips, cilantro and ranch dressing; and “Arugula, Lemon + Pistachio Salad,” a medley of wild arugula, fresh grape tomatoes, shaved Parmesan cheese, chopped pistachios, fresh lemon and lemon vinaigrette.  

Smashburger, located adjacent to Live Basil Pizza, marks its fifth location in the L.A. area with the opening of the L.A. LIVE restaurant. Known for its signature, handcrafted “smashed” approach, this restaurant specializes in creating seared and seasoned-to-order hamburgers. The “smashed” technique ensures a perfectly seared exterior that retains the maximum flavor of the 100 percent certified angus beef patty, according to Ryan. 

“We take certified Angus beef that’s fresh—never frozen—and ball them up into loosely packed meatballs, then we smash those to order on a hot, buttered grill,” Ryan explains of the process. “It sets up a lot of great caramelized flavor and a really nice texture; it also sears the beef, which keeps all the juices inside. The consequence of that is you get this great tasting, juicy burger … that’s one of the key things that makes a ‘smashed’ burger.”

Some of the most popular items featured on the Smashburger menu include: the “Classic Smash,” which is made with American cheese, top secret “Smash Sauce,” ketchup, lettuce, tomato, pickles and onion in a butter-tossed egg bun; the “Truffle Mushroom Swiss,” comprising Truffle mayo, sautéed baby Portabella mushrooms and ages Swiss on an egg bun; “Avocado Ranch Black Bean Burger,” featuring fresh avocado, Pepper Jack cheese, lettuce, tomato and ranch on a multi-grain bun; and the “Avocado Club Chicken,” filled with fresh avocado, applewood-smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, ranch dressing and mayo in a textured multigrain bun.

“‘The Classic Smash’ pays homage to the all-American burger; it’s the most popular burger [in our restaurants] around the world,” Ryan says. “My favorite is the ‘Truffle Mushroom Swiss Burger’ because I love truffle oil. The ‘Black Bean’ Burger is popular because it provides a vegetarian option—there’s no meat in the burger—and the ‘Avocado Club Chicken’ is the most popular chicken sandwich on the menu.”

The menu also includes premium shakes made with Haagen-Dazs ice cream, domestic and local craft brew (including Angel City Angeleno IPA, served by Angel City Brewery), freshly tossed salads and unique sides. Some of these sides include “Smashfries”—a twist on classic French Fries, which are tossed with rosemary, olive oil and garlic—an“Veggie Frites,” comprising flash-fried carrot sticks and green beans. Two of the most popular Haagen-Dazs shakes include “Oreo” and the current seasonal flavor, “Salty Caramel.”

Ryan—who has a degree in food science and a doctorate degree in flavor and fragrance chemistry—is no stranger to the restaurant scene. As the CMO of McDonald’s, Ryan engineered the “McGriddles,” “Dollar Menu,” “Big ‘n Tasty” and “Fruit ‘N Yogurt Parfait.” During his career at Pizza Hut, he created the beloved “Stuffed Crust Pizza” and “Lover’s Line.” Prior to founding Smashburger, Ryan developed the “Prime Rib,” “Steakhouse Beef Dip” and “Sammies” at Quiznos. Currently, he’s working on finalizing the finishing touches on Tom’s Urban, scheduled to open on Feb. 19, right next door to the other two eateries. However, Tom’s Urban will be vastly different from Smashburger and Live Basil Pizza. 

“It [Tom’s Urban] will be a very big place to hang out in,” Ryan says. “It’s where people meet, eat and drink. It will have a big bar presence and a really eclectic, multi-ethnic menu. We’ll have some traditional American stuff, some Pan-Asian stuff and we’ll have Latin flavors from Mexico and a lot of other places. That, plus the fact that it’s got a huge bar and a lot of TV sets makes Tom’s Urban a good place to be before or after anything going on in L.A. LIVE. We offer breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, and we may even be open around the clock in some situations. If there’s a crowd here looking for great food, Tom’s is the place to go.”

While he’s excited about the launch of Smashburger and Live Basil Pizza—and stoked about the upcoming Tom’s Urban—Ryan is exceedingly grateful for the opportunity to be located in thriving So Cal metropolis.

“I think Downtown L.A. is on the front end to becoming one of the most vibrant downtown areas in the country,” he says. “As a collective team from Live Basil, Smashburger and Tom’s Urban, we’re just really glad to be part of the L.A. LIVE experience.”

Check out a preview of what’s going to be at Live Basil Pizza and Smashburger at L.A. LIVE below:

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