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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.
Put on your bib and prepare to get messy, because this crab shack is not for stodgy eaters. Choices of blue, Dungeness, snow, and king are brought out in plastic bags where you can rip, tear, twist, and yank the meaty goodness out of their shells. At the end of your meal, your table will look like a murder scene---but that's just a sign that you've done things correctly. Wet naps abound.
With its extensive and eclectic breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus, coupled with the fantastic cocktail menu and charming little marketplace, you can easily spend all day eating at Bon Vivant. Patrons at this Atwater Village staple tend to adopt a slow pace, staggering orders of coffee, luscious crepes, small plates, and delicious entrées, all while embracing the laissez-faire attitude that is encouraged here. It’s a good thing they’ve got plenty of seating. There's live music on Sunday afternoon.
Opened by local Christie Lujan in 2009, CaCao Mexicatessen was one of the first places in town to showcase the creative potential of the street-style taco, offering options such as sea urchin and pork crackling as fillings. With handmade tortillas and a serious commitment to the flavors of Mexico, CaCao has embedded itself as one of the go-to places for Mexican food in Northeast L.A.
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.
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.
In 1956, Ray Vega, who grew up in his parents' lauded Olvera Street café, headed to the Valley to make a name for himself by serving Cal-Mex hits—burritos, tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, and tamales. Regulars appreciate the cuisine consistency, the big portions, plethora of apps, killer mole, and the staff that treats you like family whether you come in every Sunday, you're visiting from Wisconsin, or you are Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio shooting scenes in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (Quentin Tarantino has a drink named after him). Apparently, the folks behind the James Beard Awards concur as they designated Casa Vega, now run by Vega's daughter who has smartly modernized it only subtly, as an American classic.
Mediterranean-inspired Casaléna, a bi-level maze of large luxe dining rooms, pretty patios and rooftop spaces decked out with dramatic chandeliers, modern art, potted trees, and fireplaces, is another example of the second generation successfully breathing new life into the family business. Befitting the space, the menu is also big, plucking ideas from Italy, Spain, and Greece and putting them through a California filter which results in mostly pasta, pizza, seafood, share-sized salads, and pricey cuts of beef. With a strong bar program, weekend brunch, and special occasion pricing, it's quite popular for date nights and big-group celebrations and, given the scope of the restaurant, it can get pretty busy and then noisy. Never enough however to keep you from the beet salad, the whole branzino in chimichurri, or fried squash blossoms.
Since 1948, Cassell’s has been grilling up some of the city's best burgers and remains on just about every top burger list in town. In-the-know burger lovers come here for the reliability of a perfectly cooked patty, a toasted bun, and fries with the right amount of crunch. The simple diner features barstools, a dozen or so tables, and large windows looking out onto the street. Nothing fancy, Cassell’s just gets burgers right in a city that’s known for them.
Inspired by the original Mayfair location in London, this modern classic Italian restaurant offers a menu filled with small Italian appetizers called ciccetti, ethereal handmade pastas with delicious sauces, and wood-fired pizzas and proteins.
In a city full of restaurants touting all things trendy and gimmicky, Centanni and its chef Marin Santos (who came up at posh pasta powerhouse Valentino) focus on executing traditional, comforting fare to perfection. From start (juicy meatballs) to sweet finish (cannoli), this dinner spot delivers la dolce vita on a plate.
Hearty home cooking may not be a big part of L.A.'s dining scene, but that doesn't mean you can't have it when you're visiting the city. Tucked in the heart of Burbank, this diner-style spot serves chili everything, from traditional chili bowls to open-faced chili burgers. Of course, this being Los Angeles, ingredients are locally sourced from organic and sustainable farms.
Monique King and Paul Rosenbluh, the husband-and-wife team who took over Cindy’s in 2014, simply want to make great, accessible food for their Eagle Rock community. By doing so, they've established a neighborhood restaurant with reasonable prices and back-to-basics food in a retro diner atmosphere. Another reason to love Cindy's: they make almost everything in-house, including the smoked and cured meats.
This mid-century modern coffee shop serves today’s culinary hits along with tasty fresh baked goods. Classic diner decor is found in the 1960s-details like the lava rock wall, vinyl booths, counter seating, colorful wall tiles and terrazzo floors. Expertly prepared breakfast items are served all day: eggs and coffee are hot and pancakes are fluffy. Owned by Clark Street Bakery, the diner's artisanal bread and pastries are made daily. The avocado toast on organic sourdough is a satisfying start; hot sandwiches, like the patty melt and grilled smash burger, are paired with a choice of hand-cut fries or the best potato salad in town. Look for Hollywood creative types packed into the booths weekdays and families on weekends. Dinner Wednesday through Sunday nights features hearty plates, salads, pastas and breakfast choices including the popular diner breakfast and those fluffy pancakes.
Escape busy Santa Monica State Beach to dine at this casual café and bar within the unfussy oceanfront hotel Shutters on the Beach. Head here at sunset for sophisticated, fruity cocktails and fresh seafood, like oysters, Dungeness crab, or a lobster roll, just one block from the Santa Monica Pier.
Inspired by the classic clam, oyster, and fish houses of New England, this beautiful space (the roof is arched like a wave) is occupied by a dressed-up crowd dipping fried calamari or spooning up Jo’s wicked-good chowda. Lobster rolls are insanely good, and you can never go wrong with the catch of the day.
Behind the unremarkable facade is an übertrendy—yet decidedly old-school—den of American cuisine that doubles as a safe haven for the movie industry’s most important names and well-known faces. Be aware that this joint is always busy so you might not even get a table and reservations are hard to come by. But you might as well try, and the food is worth the effort.
A Euro--Vietnamese fusion gem in the heart of Beverly Hills, Crustacean allows you to walk on water above exotic fish and see the kitchen preparing your perfect garlic noodles through a glass window. Standouts (besides the noodles) include Dungeness crab, A5 Wagyu beef, tuna cigars, and hearts-of-palm crab cakes. The cocktail program also brings the heat with turmeric mules and artichoke old-fashioneds.
In a true collision of artistic titans, celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck presents his take on steak houses in a space designed by Getty Center architect Richard Meier. Playful dishes like bone-marrow flan take center stage, while dry-aged and seared hunks of Nebraskan sirloin prove the Austrian-born chef understands America's love affair with beef. Other favorites include the “Louis” cocktail (Alaskan king crab and Louisiana shrimp) and dark chocolate soufflé for dessert.
The Arts District in DTLA continues to trot out some of the most exciting restaurants in all of Los Angeles, and Damian is simply the latest and greatest example to enter the space. Across from Bestia, the Enrique Olvera--helmed joint serves contemporary Mexican fare combined with California's bounty of excellent produce. Dishes like the mole verde and fish tartare tostadas wow your taste buds as they slide from spicy to creamy and back. The cocktails shouldn't be overlooked either with mezcal-heavy options that also incorporate Italian vermouths and Japanese sake. Buzzing inside and out, this restaurant has vibes for days, food to match it, and service that's second to none. Eat here to question everything you know or want to about what Mexican cuisine can and should be.
If you're looking for an Italian vibe straight out of Goodfellas, your search ends here. Checkered tablecloths cover the tightly packed tables as Hollywood players dine on the city’s best chicken and veal Parm, and down Scotches by the finger. The elbow-room-only bar is loud and the wait times can be long—there’s a decent chance you’ll get bumped by an A-lister—but slipping the maître d' $20 might move things along more quickly.
This hip and buzzy red sauce restaurant will not disappoint any chicken Parmesan and fusilli alla vodka lovers. Donna’s boasts an old-school theme with mid-century flourishes; every dish looks Instagram-worthy against its deep green walls and natural lighting. Plan ahead and make a reservation as early as 14 days in advance.
Come for chilled nosh items to share with family and friends, such as royal oysters, and warm noms that include veal meatballs and lobster escargot. They also have a variety of Melrose Pizzas, including a vegan version. A signature dish is Vin Scully loaded fries topped with sea salt, smoked cheddar, jalapeño, bacon, and ranch dressing.
A beloved Inglewood institution since 2001, Dulan's serves up generous portions of authentic Southern comfort food that will warm your heart and satisfy your appetite. This no-frills eatery, run by the Dulan family since 2001, offers a rotating menu of soul food classics like crispy fried chicken, smoky collard greens, and creamy mac and cheese. And yes, you want the cornbread. The casual, welcoming atmosphere makes everyone feel right at home, while the affordable prices ensure you get plenty of bang for your buck. Don't miss their famous peach cobbler—it's the perfect sweet ending to a soulful meal. Needless to say, there's a reason Dulan's has been devoured on both Air Force One and on professional sports teams' private jets. With its hearty portions and friendly service, Dulan's exemplifies the best of Inglewood's unpretentious dining scene. It's less than a mile from the Forum, at the north end of Inglewood's newly revitalized entertainment district.
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.
The dining experience at Dunsmoor is cinematic and grand, warmed by the embers of the restaurant's live-fire cooking. Led by namesake chef Brian Dunsmoor, the Southern-leaning restaurant boasts seasonal menus of raw seafood (their wood-roasted oysters are a must) and hearty meat entrées. Be forewarned: with its American flair, the dishes are heavy in portions and easy to share even among four people. If you feel like indulging alone, Dunsmoore offers a $27 bar-only burger that arrives with a thick beef patty topped with melted cheese and an aioli-smothered house-made sesame bun.
All amigos are welcome at this retro-styled Mexican-American eatery known for its lively scene and potent flaming margaritas. The menu doesn’t stray too far from its 1975 original: mole-topped chicken enchiladas, sizzling fajitas, and street-style tacos are the best bets. Red vinyl booths and an excess of black wrought-iron grill work dominates the dining room. Director Quentin Tarantino is a reported regular. He’s joined by the in-crowd who come for the party atmosphere and reasonable prices. When the weather is fine, the shaded outdoor back patio away from bustling Sunset Boulevard is the spot for happy hour.
While you definitely should try the flat shoe-shaped dish El Huarache Azteca is named after—think somewhere between a flatbread and a tostada—you cannot go wrong with any of the other options at this family restaurant that’s been a fixture in the area since the '90s. Be ready to wait for your food to arrive, but all that thick masa tortilla, meat, veggies, crema, and salsa are well worth it.
