Los Angelenos who still avoid Downtown definitely need to consider giving this nabe another chance. Downtown Los Angeles—once a place discounted by urbanites nationwide—has quickly transformed into a metropolitan hot spot with excellent restaurants, great nightlife and safe living. More and more young professionals who work Downtown are now choosing to make it their home—and for good reason.

Many well-known chefs have set up shop in Downtown, opening up a plethora of restaurants for Downtown dwellers. Try the Spice Table for Southeast Asian cuisine, Bäco Mercat for innovative Spanish food, or Toranoko for contemporary Japanese. Old favorites also remain: Cole’s, a Downtown institution since 1908, still serves sandwiches in the hollow of the Pacific Electric building; and Grand Central Market, Los Angeles’ oldest and largest open-air market, continues to offer an array of groceries and cheap, comforting eats.

Nightlife has also picked up Downtown. Villains, located in the Arts District, doles out unique, strong cocktails and cheap beer/shot combos. Public School 612, a great gastropub with a cute school theme, has a great selection of craft beers on tap and a delicious “LA Street Dog” topped with bacon, onions and chiles. If you’re looking for the club experience, look no further than Exchange LA—this huge dance club housed in the former Los Angeles Stock Exchange Building brings some of the best DJs into town.

One of the best things about Downtown is that it still remains diverse, both culturally and ethnically. The monthly Downtown Art Walk, brings the community together over art-related events, openings and exhibits. Little Tokyo persists as a cultural focus point for Japanese-Americans in Los Angeles. Olvera Street continues to bustle in the El Pueblo De Los Angeles Historical Monument, holding fiestas and celebrations throughout the year. The list goes on, of course.

True, living Downtown is definitely not for everyone. There is still a predominant homeless population living around Downtown, particularly in Skid Row. Though there are some parks Downtown, they pale in comparison to those on the Westside, and going to the beach can be quite a trek (around 15 miles, usually in traffic). If you have children or a dog, you’ll find that single-family housing (complete with backyard and frontyard) is extremely hard to come by. And also keep in mind that the living, although more reasonable than some parts of Los Angeles, is not cheap. Singles can run up to $1400. Thus, Downtown residents are mostly young, single professionals who work in the area.

Don’t let this dissuade you from shacking up here, though. If you love urban living and being in the heart of a bustling city, definitely consider making Downtown your homestead. For the right people, the upsides here far outweigh the downsides.