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Los Angeles may be known for its beach living and celebrity-infused backdrop, but it was once a farm town. The hillsides were covered in citrus orchards and dairy farms, and agriculture was a major industry. Today, even as L.A. is urbanized, the city's culinary landscape has re-embraced a local, sustainable, and seasonal philosophy at many levels—from fine dining to street snacks.
With a growing interest in farm-to-fork, the city's farmers' market scene has exploded, becoming popular at big-name restaurants and small eateries alike. In Hollywood and Santa Monica you can often find high-profile chefs scouring farm stands for fresh produce.
Yet the status of the celebrity chef continues to carry weight around this town. People follow the culinary zeitgeist with the same fervor as celebrity gossip. You can queue up with the hungry hordes at Mozza or try and snag a reservation to the ever-popular Trois Mec that’s much like getting a golden ticket these days. Elsewhere, the seasonally driven bakery and insanely popular Huckleberry in Santa Monica has been given a Brentwood counterpart with the rustically sweet Milo & Olive created by the same owners. In Culver City, a run-down International House of Pancakes has been turned into the ski chalet–inspired A-Frame Tavern. The Ace Hotel opened an L.A. chapter Downtown, creating a hip haven when you can enjoy cocktails and locally sourced menu items poolside or in the restaurant.
Ethnic eats continue to be a backbone to the L.A. dining scene. People head to the San Gabriel Valley for dim sum, ramen, and unassuming taco lounges; Koreatown for epic Korean cooking and late-night coffeehouses; and West L.A. and "the Valley" for phenomenal sushi. Latin food is well represented in the city, making it tough to choose between Guatemalan eateries, Peruvian restaurants, nouveau Mexican bistros, and Tijuana-style taco trucks. With so many dining options, sometimes the best strategy is simply to drive and explore.
The Butcher's Daughter now has multiple locations due to its popular vibrant setting and plant-forward menu, café, and juice bar. Start your day with a Superfood smoothie or honey lavender latte; later enjoy mushroom "calamari," a quinoa bowl, or stone oven pizza. They also have a kid's menu. On Friday there is live music in the evening, and a live DJ set on Saturday starting at noon.
There’s a fight in Los Angeles over who created the French dip sandwich. The first contender is Cole’s, whose sign on the door says it's the originator of the salty, juicy, melt-in-your-mouth meats. The restaurant opened in 1908 and today is still going strong with dark lighting, delicious sandwiches, and a secret speakeasy called the Varnish hidden in the back.
The men’s room nods to the famous clientele of the past with plaques over the urinals notifying bathroom goers that Charles Bukowski and Mickey Cohen both "pissed here.”
This music-influenced doughnut shop has been credited for enlivening York Boulevard with fun vegan inventions. Donut Friend has evolved into a destination in its own right, touting both a signature and limited menu of purely vegan doughnuts inspired by the pop punk and emo music scene.
Located in the lobby of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, this café is perfect for a quick coffee, snack, or lunch while visiting Museum Row. Or, splurge and sit down at Fanny's Restaurant for elevated contemporary cuisine in a sophisticated atmosphere. Its name is an homage to Fanny Brice—the legendary movie, vaudeville, theater, and radio star portrayed by Barbra Streisand in her 1968 Oscar-winning role in Funny Girl.
Are you even in L.A. if you haven't had a smashburger yet? Usurping all other burgers and burger joints, For the Win has become a power player on the burger scene, growing from this unassuming location in a strip mall in Hollywood to a collection of storefronts throughout the region. Seasoned beef patties are topped with onions and cheese, thrown on the hot plate then served on a perfect potato bun, customized with bacon, stacked to be a double or a triple (and why not), and then drizzled in homemade special sauce. Simple recipe for success here: no-fuss focus on quality ingredients, flavor, and delivery. Both the sweet potato and regular fries are crisp and tasty. There's a grilled cheese sandwich for those who want to skip the beef.
It's said that the drive-in burger joint was invented in L.A., probably to meet the demands of an ever-mobile car culture. Burger aficionados line up at all hours outside In-N-Out Burger, still a family-owned operation whose terrific made-to-order burgers are revered by Angelenos. Visitors may recognize the chain as the infamous spot where Paris Hilton got nabbed for drunk driving, but locals are more concerned with getting their burger fix off the "secret" menu, with variations like "Animal Style" (mustard-grilled patty with grilled onions and extra spread), a "4 x 4" (four burger patties and four cheese slices, for big eaters), or the bun-less "Protein Style" that comes wrapped in a bib of lettuce. Go online for a list of every "secret" menu item. The Hollywood location is where Academy Award winners have been known to drop in post ceremony with their Oscars.
This French-style café, bakery, and market has a little bit of everything for those who dine-in or takeaway for picnics and meals at home. Inside there is a daily fresh deli and salad counter filled with imported cheeses, crispy baguettes, and appealing fresh pastries. People-watch on the outdoor patio while eating omelets and tuna melts. It's crowded on weekends; the key is to arrive early to secure your spot outside.
The award-winning Knowrealitypie, tucked away in a strip mall in Eagle Rock, is the passion project of Tracy Ann DeVore. Devoted to its artisanal touch, the pie shop is only open from Thursday through Saturday until it sells out (it often does). Indulge in its rotating menu of seasonal savories and sweet pies, turnovers, and other pastries in innovative flavors such as triple berry cabernet, summer peach macaroon, and caramel apple pecan.
First opened in 1908, Philippe's is one of L.A.'s oldest restaurants and claims to be the originator of the French dip sandwich. While the debate continues around the city, one thing is certain: the dips made with beef, pork, ham, lamb, or turkey on a freshly baked roll stand the test of time. Join locals as they chow down at communal tables while debating Dodgers games and politics. Orders are taken at the counter where some of the motherly servers have managed their long lines for decades, doling out huge breakfasts, chili, pickled eggs, and a generous pie selection. The best bargain: a cup of java for 50¢.
Waiting in line at Porto's is as much a part of the experience as indulging in one of its roasted pork sandwiches, walnut raisin batards, or guava-and-cheese refugiados. This constantly humming Cuban bakery and café has been an L.A. staple since Rosa Porto founded it 65 years ago. Crowds constantly fill two lines, even on weekdays, but it gives patrons time to peruse the colorful cases filled with both savory and sweet treats and counter service is quick and efficient. Whether you choose to eat a Cubano or clam chowder in a bread bowl in the recently enlarged seating area, grab a honey latte and try the brand new strawberry cheese croissant, or fill a to-go box with potato balls, chicken croquettes, or other fan faves, your stomach will thank you.
This stunning expansive restaurant was originally built for Charlie Chaplin back in the 1920s. Now there is a line of fans waiting to enter and smell the enticing scent of handmade croissants by award-winning pastry chef and owner Margarita Manzke. In 2023, Chef Margarita won a James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker for her work at République. Her French delicacies and baguettes are better than most in the city. Her husband and co-owner Walter is known for his Dover Sole A La Meunière, beef short ribs, and roasted Liberty duck. A full bar keeps things buzzing throughout the evening.
This local secret is as close to the beach—Zuma Beach, in this case—as you can get for a meal without getting sand in your drink. Stop in at this friendly spot for a cocktail, selections from the raw bar, a meal from the extensive menu, or one of the unique salads. From here you'll get a view of the water, dolphins, surfers, and celebrity locals taking a break on the wind-protected patio. The extensive happy hour on Monday through Thursday offers good deals on appetizers, beers, and cocktails.
A favorite since 1947, this unassuming joint with a horseshoe-shaped counter—no tables here—turns out one heck of a good burger. Try the cheeseburger with Tillamook cheddar, or the hickory burger with barbecue sauce. You can also find great fries and, of course, an apple pie indulgent enough to christen the restaurant (although many regulars argue that the banana cream deserves the honor). Be prepared to wait, though the veteran countermen move at a quick pace. In the meantime, grab a cup of Sanka and enjoy a taste of vintage Los Angeles.
If sandwich-making was an art form, Bodega Park is a culinary gallery. The Korean-owned café has made a buzz in Silver Lake for its ingenious offerings such as their Peruvian chicken breakfast burritos and juicy pork bulgogi rolls. Bodega Park knows how to keep it light as well: the minimalist environment also makes for a great space to meet a friend over a cup of hot nurunji latte.
Borekas, barely more than a walk-up takeout window and some patio furniture run by a husband-and-wife team, proves less is often more by doing five or six variations on one dish extremely well—the namesake Sephardic Jewish pastry. Choose from savory or sweet versions of this Israeli staple, which are all vegetarian, flaky, and filling, and pair well with coffee, herby iced tea, or a sweet-and-salty limonana slushy. The latter is a special—if they have it when you go, do not skip it. Savory options, whether they are stuffed with cheese and za'atar or mushrooms, onions, and truffle, comes with pickle chunks, a soft-boiled egg, tomato pulp, and schug.
A humble taco shack on the side of the road, Cactus offers up $4 tacos with all types of meat you could imagine, even beef tongue. They also have carne asada and chicken for the less adventurous. This spot dishes out other Mexican favorites, but plowing through cheap tacos is the main reason to come here.
Available only during the day, this coffee shop shares its beautiful, green space with Tenants of the Trees, a popular nighttime destination for weekend revelers. In the warm Los Angeles sun, Cafe Nido stuns visitors with its charming patio that evokes the tree-lined streets of Roma Norte. Enjoy simple sandwiches and crisp iced teas while escaping into a book. Cafe Nido is a perfect getaway spot for a weekday afternoon.
One of L.A.'s finest fast casual restaurants offers rotisserie chicken, flavorful salads, and fulfilling wraps. You can order on their app and drive by to pick it up on the sidewalk. They sell whole rotisserie chicken and cuts of dark and white meat. Choose from a handful of salads, wraps, and cold or hot side dishes. They also have beverages and cookies available to complete your meal.
Brewing caffeinated concoctions using Sightglass Coffee and Art of Tea products since 2018, this woman-owned café and breakfast/pastry pit stop is at its best when adding Latin flair to classics to create drinks like dulce canela chai, tamarind cold brew, or horchata (oatchata for the dairy intolerant) lattes. The vibe is a little mid-century mod, a little boho between the orb light fixture, angular couch, and displays selling crystals, handmade soap, and fresh flowers. Enjoy breakfast burritos and café de lola's alongside your pooch on the sunny patio or frijoles on toast with a flat white at the communal table up front.
Stop at this two-story locals' favorite for coffee and pastries, or choose from a long list of sandwiches for something more substantial. Sit out front and watch the crowds drifting in off the beach, or get cozy upstairs in one of the comfortable reading chairs.
By blending geometrical shapes and horizontal lines in an airy place with big windows, Dinosaur Coffee has utilized its space well, bringing a touch of modern into an older section of Silver Lake. Yet it’s more than just the interiors that draw people in—the coffee is excellent, as are the pastries. And in a neighborhood where independent coffee shops are a dime a dozen, that’s saying a lot.
Simple, small, and understated, the best falafel spot in the neighborhood can be easy to miss. At Dune, patrons can revel in the piles of hearty chicken shawarma generously plated on homemade flatbread. Other menu items include tabbouleh and lamb, but, honestly, stick with the falafel—it’s second to none. Enjoy it al fresco in Dune's outdoor dining space along Glendale Boulevard, where people-watching is a favorite pastime. There's cold brew as well to perk you up before your weekend adventures.
Smashburger spots in L.A. are a dime a dozen, but only a handful---like Goldburger---stand out. Tucked in a tiny spot on buzzing York Boulevard, this joint makes some of the juiciest, tastiest smashburgers in town, thanks in large part to the grass-fed beef and house-made sauces. The titular Goldburger is the one to try, of course, but you also can't go wrong with the other burger specials. Pair one with curly fries, and chase it all down with the craft sodas on offer.
Its walls may be heavy with framed photographs of stars, and folks from the biz might regularly grace its tables for breakfast burritos and craft-your-own omelet, but this Cahuenga Pass diner is every bit as down-to-earth as your next-door neighbor, even after 40-some years. It gets pretty busy, but a plateful of that comfort cooking is worth the wait. If you’re in a rush, grab something caffeinated or a fruit smoothie from the Neighbarista.
L.A.'s pandemic bagel boom is still going strong—even a New York Times critic admitted that some of the best are being baked in California these days—and Hank's hand-rolled bagels and bialys, especially the rosemary sea salt and salty chocolate chip flavors, are at the top of the game. Top them with creamy schmears, dip them in five types of salad including whitefish, lemony chicken, and potato, or mix and match ingredients like pickled onions, braised greens, and fontina to build a sandwich. To be honest, they're also pretty great fresh out of the oven and plain. Be aware that they close early if they sell out and all seating is outside. There are also locations in Burbank and Calabasas.
From a food truck to a brick-and-mortar space, Happy Ice is a rainbow-colored icee shop that keeps the crowds coming. Customers can combine up to three of the nine flavors, including the world-famous Rainbow Rocket, Mango Madness, Sour Apple Lush, and more. The shop is right in the middle of Melrose Avenue's shopping street, making it the perfect stop between vintage shopping and a quick lunch bite.
