Jonathan Gold, the Pulitzer Prize-winning food writer who spent his career celebrating Los Angeles restaurants and their dedicated staff, once wrote that a great restaurant’s main job is to wrap you in a cozy bubble—a place where you can forget the world and focus on pure enjoyment. Los Angeles is packed with incredible food, from romantic Old Hollywood spots to amazing sushi tucked away in strip malls, and countless perfect tacos (if you’re visiting, make the trip for the shrimp taco at Mariscos Jalisco—it’s a must). Sure, you can sip a green juice here and it’ll go down easy, but there’s so much more to taste.
LA is a vast city with an equally vast food scene, where the produce is so fresh it could bring a tear to your eye, and scoring a reservation isn’t as tough as in New York. This list covers restaurants across the palm-lined landscape, from innovative fine dining to beloved classics that never fail to delight. Just writing about them has made me hungry.
Antico Nuovo
Photo: Shelby Moore
Chad Colby’s Antico Nuovo, nestled in a Koreatown strip mall on Beverly Boulevard, serves the best pasta in Los Angeles. I love the foglie d’ulivo, where olive leaf-shaped pasta comes with rich roasted squab and crispy cracklings, and the plin dell’alta langa, tiny agnolotti filled with beef cheeks, pancetta, and rabbit that melt in a buttery sage sauce. Most tables steam with the scent of their famous fresh-baked focaccia, served with dips like creamy whipped ricotta or anchovies in salsa verde. The bread shines throughout the menu, from chicken roasted over focaccia croutons to a clever focaccia ice cream. It’s also a top spot for solo dining—they thoughtfully offer half-portions of pasta so you can sample more than one.
The Apple Pan
Photo: Courtesy of The Apple Pan
The Apple Pan, with its charming sign, U-shaped Formica counter, and cooks in paper hats, is a true LA treasure. Open since 1947, this West LA diner is famous for its hickory burger with sweet, smoky barbecue sauce and its pies (I’m partial to the banana cream). But regulars know the real star is the off-menu tuna melt, which can win over even the most stubborn sweet relish critic.
A Tí
Photo: Joseph Duarte
A Tí started as a pop-up in Echo Park this year and thankfully decided to stay. Chef Andrew Ponce, a second-generation Mexican-American raised in LA, pays homage to his roots with his cooking. Highlights include sweet potato and al pastor tacos, a rich crispy duck mole sweetened with dates and balanced with lime crema, and a tuna tostada with lemon aioli and salsa negra so good you might want it for dessert. With a full bar (a rarity in this health-conscious, car-centric city), soft lighting, and friendly staff, it’s the perfect neighborhood spot—they even make a hard-shell beef taco something extraordinary.
Azizam
Azizam is a casual counter-service restaurant in Silver Lake offering what the owners call homestyle Iranian food, inspired by their childhood memories. The dishes are so delicious, warm, and layered that they might make you nostalgic for a childhood you never had. Dip soft, seeded barbari bread into seasonal vegetable yogurt, savor braised lamb neck that falls apart with a fork, and try the ash-e-jo, a comforting soup of barley, beans, and grains with fermented whey, mint oil, and fried onion. Don’t miss the pastries, like sweet saffron milk bread or a flaky seasonal Napoleon. It’s a joy to watch someone experience Azizam for the first time.Baby Bistro
Photo: Kort Havens
Baby Bistro opened earlier this year in a small complex on the edge of Echo Park and Chinatown—also home to Perilla, a fantastic lunch spot for creative Korean banchan. The restaurant has already earned plenty of well-deserved praise. Chef Miles Thompson offers a menu of six dishes that change with the seasons, and you can—and should—order them all at once to share. Staples like caramelized onion bread are paired with rotating dishes such as salt-grilled mackerel over charcoal served with underripe satsumas, pork belly with pistachios and labneh, or wild Japanese surf clams with refreshing Weiser Farms melon. Set in a converted Craftsman home, the restaurant feels cozy and intimate, perfect for a long, leisurely dinner date.
Baroo
Baroo is a modern Korean restaurant in the Arts District with a focus on fermentation. Chef Kwang Uh first opened Baroo in Hollywood in 2015, serving creative grain bowls and pastas at affordable prices for three years. Then, in 2024, he and his wife, Mina Park, launched a new Baroo offering a refined yet relaxed tasting menu. As LA Times critic Bill Addison wrote, “Presentations are as beautiful and orderly as topiary, often adorned with delicate chips for texture, but only the palate can uncover the hidden depths.” The restaurant is full of artistry, yet the dining experience remains comfortable and unpretentious.
Bistro Na’s
Photo: Courtesy of Bistro Na’s
The San Gabriel Valley (SGV) is a hub for Asian immigrants in Los Angeles County, packed with incredible food (this guide is a great starting point). Even so, Bistro Na’s stands out—it’s your favorite chef’s favorite spot. Opened in 2016, it was the first restaurant in the U.S. to serve Chinese imperial cuisine. Dishes are beautifully presented, fit for royalty. Must-try items include wok-fried crispy shrimp, herbaceous chili tofu skin salad, and the best Peking duck in LA. The dining room is a jewel box with latticed wood panels and glowing red lanterns, completely transporting you from the California suburbs.
Bub and Grandma’s
Photo: Courtesy of Bub and Grandma’s
Many LA restaurants serve bread from Bub and Grandma’s wholesale bakery, and their Glassell Park location has quickly become a local favorite (they also just opened a new pizzeria in Highland Park). Their sandwiches, like tuna or brisket with apple, may seem simple but are packed with flavor. And their pastries—especially the donuts—are unbeatable.
Café 2001
Photo: Courtesy of Café 2001
Café 2001 is a quirky and wonderful all-day café and bistro in the Arts District, serving creative Japanese-inspired food. The airy two-story space, marked by a graffitied sign outside, is my go-to lunch spot. It has the quiet vibe of a Tokyo kissaten, with dishes that are light yet satisfying and sophisticated. Try the juicy pork katsu sandwich, smoked trout with eggs and fried latke nuggets served with huckleberry jam, or the bruléed lemon tart that crackles when you tap it with a spoon. I could eat here every day.
Café Telegrama/Étra
In recent years, Western Avenue in Melrose Hill has become lined with galleries. Visitors often stop by Café Telegrama, a bright and charming café known for its famous pancakes and crisp, crunchy salads. The café shares ownership and space with Ètra, a moodily lit Italian restaurant with beautiful wood paneling. Be sure to order the chicories and spicy campanelle alla vodka, and take a close look at their minimal-intervention wine list.
Camélia
Photo: Wyatt Naoki Conlon
Camélia is a bistro in the Arts District that blends Japanese ingredients with French cuisine. Think black sesame Parker House rolls served with ikura, a buttery abalone pot pie with a fluffy crust, or grilled loup de mer with sage and ponzu. Opened in 2024 by husband-and-wife team Charles Namba and Courtney Kaplan—the same duo behind the always-popular…Ays-Delicious Ototo and Tsubaki in Echo Park. The fluffy corn cheesecake is truly spectacular.
—Damian
Photo: Courtesy of Damian
Renowned chef Enrique Olvera, known for Pujol in Mexico City and Cosme in New York, launched Damian in October 2020—a challenging time for restaurants. Yet Damian is so exceptionally good that it couldn’t help but thrive. This Mexican fine dining spot in the Arts District offers beautifully plated dishes in an indoor/outdoor setting with a retractable roof, blending LA produce with traditional Mexican flavors. Be sure to try the tlayuda and the aguachile.
Firstborn
Chef Anthony Wang, the first in his family born in America, named his restaurant accordingly. His creative and irresistible dishes are deeply personal: mapo tofu tartare recalls his time as a line cook eating leftovers cold, fried Chongqing chicken evokes his Georgia childhood, and roasted cabbage pavés honor his mother’s cooking. While Wang calls the food nostalgic, it feels refreshingly modern. Firstborn opened this year in Chinatown’s Mandarin Plaza, surrounded by trendy shops like James Veloria and Eckhaus Latta. The space is elegantly designed with jade-green tiles and floral murals, and the bathrooms have fantastic lighting.
Found Oyster
Photo: Courtesy of Found Oyster
Just steps from the massive blue Scientology center (a popular spot for ironic selfies), Found Oyster is a charming, always-bustling seafood restaurant inspired by East Coast clam shacks. Enjoy a chilled natural wine and order from the raw bar—or better yet, a platter—along with the scallop tostada with a hint of apple and the smooth lobster bisque roll.
Holbox
Photo: Frank WonHo
Holbox, a mariscos stall in Mercado La Paloma, consistently ranks among LA’s best restaurants—and for good reason. There’s often a line, but it moves quickly. In a city obsessed with queues, this one is absolutely worth it. I crave the uni tostada, shrimp aguachile, and smoked kanpachi taco with peanut chili oil. It’s a must-visit—run, don’t walk.
Horses
Horses is a revived Hollywood hotspot with strong martinis, stunning dining rooms (the back room features playful neoclassical art by Kacper Abolik), and delicious, satisfying food. It’s lively and fun, feeling more like a New York or London eatery than an LA one. The menu is full of winners: the salads are all worth ordering, the burger is among the city’s best, and I adore the smoked salmon lavash and Cornish hen with panzanella in a currant-studded jus. The bartenders excel, serving icy martinis and other great cocktails like the Horses’ Buck with vodka, guava, and allspice. Horses is perfect for a night out or a hangover cure; their Sunday brunch features clever comfort foods like oatmeal brûlée and boudin blanc with applesauce and a fried egg.
Jitlada
LA is rich with amazing Thai food, both in and beyond Thai Town (Miya in Altadena, which survived the fires, is well worth supporting). But Jitlada has been a favorite since the 1970s. This vibrant restaurant offers an extensive menu of bold, herbaceous Southern Thai dishes—it’s hard to go wrong, but don’t miss the crispy morning glory salad, and I love the clams in lemongrass broth and crying tiger beef. Afterward, stop by Bhan Kanom Thai for dessert (adventurous diners can then head to the legendary Jumbo’s Clown Room).
Musso & Frank
Photo: Courtesy of Musso & Frank
Musso & Frank, situated right on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, is Hollywood’s oldest restaurant.Musso & Frank Grill is a legendary spot, famous for its red-jacketed waiters who shake a martini like no one else. Since 1919, it has drawn a star-studded crowd, from Charlie Chaplin and Harrison Ford to Dorothy Parker and Marilyn Monroe. While the food—oysters, steaks, spaghetti—is reliably good, that’s almost beside the point. Locals and tourists alike flock here just to soak up the timeless atmosphere.
Mori Nozomi is a tranquil, eight-seat sushi counter in West LA’s Sawtelle neighborhood. Inside, the blonde wood, ikebana arrangements, and handmade Japanese ceramics create a soothing setting. The 26-course omakase stands out even in LA’s competitive sushi scene. Chef Mori is known for her all-female team, a rarity in the male-dominated sushi world, but her exquisitely crafted dishes would impress no matter who served them.
RVR, located on Abbot Kinney in Venice, is a California-inspired izakaya from chef Travis Lett, the mind behind Gjusta and Gjelina. Vegetables take center stage here—don’t miss the house pickles—and heartier options like delicate pork rib gyoza and duck meatball skewers with hot mustard are all excellent. Though it opened just last year, RVR is already one of the toughest reservations in town. Keep an eye out for celebrities and stylish hats.
After nearly 20 years in Santa Monica, Rustic Canyon remains the gold standard for farm-to-table dining in Los Angeles. The focus is on slow, seasonal cooking that highlights ingredients from the nearby Santa Monica Farmer’s Market, with farmers credited on the menu. Dishes like wild halibut with Jimmy Nardello peppers and spaghetti with squash and spinach are both comforting and exciting. Their motto, “simple ain’t easy,” truly comes through in every bite.
Somerville is a supper club in South LA’s View Park-Windsor Hills area, where live jazz fills the room most nights. Co-owned by Issa Rae, it’s a destination for special occasions, serving elevated comfort food like fried chicken sliders topped with caviar and lasagna balanced with bitter collard greens. Dressing up is part of the experience, and in a city of casual wear, that alone makes it worth the visit.
No LA restaurant guide would be complete without Sushi Gen. This Little Tokyo strip mall spot has been serving high-quality, affordable sushi for decades—the lunch special is a true bargain—and it helped spark LA’s love for strip mall sushi. Be prepared to wait, but the exceptional fish is worth it.
LA’s Koreatown is packed with standout restaurants, from the smoky Soot Bull Jip for barbecue to the serene Western Doma Noodles for cold kimchi noodles, and Dan Sung Sa for a lively night out with parking lot beers. Soban gained fame when Bong Joon Ho and his team celebrated their Oscar win for “Parasite” here. It’s easy to see why—specialties like galbi jim (braised beef short ribs with vegetables and jujubes) and soy-marinated raw crab, where the brains are the best part, keep fans coming back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of helpful and clear FAQs about discovering the top dining spots in Los Angeles
General Beginner Questions
1 What is this list of top 24 dining spots
Its a curated selection of 24 highlyrated and popular restaurants in Los Angeles chosen for their exceptional food atmosphere and overall experience
2 Why should I use this list instead of just searching online
This list saves you time by filtering through thousands of options to present a collection of proven standout restaurants helping you avoid decision fatigue and disappointing meals
3 Are these restaurants only fine dining and expensive
Not necessarily A good top spots list will include a mix of highend fine dining midrange gems and even some more affordable iconic eateries to cover a range of budgets and occasions
4 How were these 24 spots chosen
They are typically selected based on a combination of professional critic reviews chef reputations popular awards and consistent praise from local diners
5 Is there a good mix of cuisines on the list
Yes a quality list for a diverse city like LA will feature a variety of cuisines from modern Californian and Mexican to Italian Asian fusion and more
6 Where in Los Angeles are these restaurants located
They will be spread across different neighborhoods from Downtown LA and Hollywood to the Westside Beverly Hills and the San Fernando Valley giving you options no matter where you are
Practical Logistical Questions
7 Do I need to make reservations for these places
Absolutely For most of these top spots especially the popular ones reservations are highly recommended and often essential Book as far in advance as possible
8 Whats the best way to get a reservation
Check the restaurants official website first You can also use reservation platforms like OpenTable Resy or Tock For the hardesttoget spots be ready to book exactly when reservations open
9 What if a restaurant is fully booked
Try calling the restaurant directly as they sometimes hold tables for phone reservations You can also check for lastminute cancellations online or show up and put your name on the waitlist for a bar seat
10 What is the average price range for a meal
This varies widely You