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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 philoso
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 landscap
Los Angeles may be known for its beach living and celebrity-infused backdrop, but it was once a farm town. The hillsides
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.
Wolfgang Puck's flagship restaurant is a modern L.A. classic. Spago centers on a buzzing redbrick outdoor courtyard (with retractable roof) shaded by 100-year-old olive trees, and a daily-changing menu that offers dishes like smoked salmon pizza or off-menu schnitzel. Dessert is magical, with everything from an ethereal mango soufflé to artisanal cheeses. Opt for the tasting menu as it comes with a personal tour of the kitchen, and if you’re lucky, a meet and greet with Wolfgang Puck himself.
176 N. Canon Dr., Los Angeles, California, 90210, USA
This small and dimly lit, romantic spot in Santa Monica is full of adventurously global options, like Singaporean chili crab cake or black cod with a fermented black bean marinade. The new American cuisine, which is centered on the restaurant's wood-fired oven, also features standouts like braised lamb shank with sweet potato, pomegranate, labneh, zhough, and flatbread. Another option for groups of four or more: the restaurant will craft a custom T&R Supper family-style menu with off-menu dishes like wood-fired goat with Moroccan accompaniments or a dry-aged standing rib rack. Book T&R Suppers at least seven days in advance.
602 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90401, USA
With vintage decor, grand chandeliers, gilded walls, and luxe jewel tones, the Hollywood outpost of popular New York "clubstaraunt" Beauty & Essex more than lives up to its Tinseltown address. Hidden speakeasy-style behind a collector's storefront (beware impulse pricey jewelry purchases on the way out), this gigantic celebrity-frequented restaurant with a double-height main dining room with skylight, a ground-floor courtyard, and a patio on the second level, isn't all just glam smoke and mirrors. Start with delicious cocktails at a small elegant bar before being ushered to your table in one of the several dining spaces where the eclectic menu includes signature dishes like grilled cheese and tomato soup dumplings, tuna poke Wonton Tacos, Thai barbeque mushroom, and oven-braised chicken meatballs. There's also a pre-theater prix fixe menu.
1615 Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90028, USA
Accommodating Century City's growing legions of agents and lawyers, Craft, around since 2007, is a major film industry hangout. At the helm is Top Chef’s Tom Colicchio, who whips up shared plates like roasted octopus and foie gras with apple butter. Boutique produce goes into the plethora of side dishes, and desserts may include triple chocolate sunflower cookies or house-made ice creams and sorbets. In its open, airy dining room, deals are brokered over lunches made with seasonal ingredients.
10100 Constellation Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90067, USA
Michael’s, a Santa Monica institution, was one of the first to introduce "California cuisine" to a then-skeptical public more than four decades ago. Its rotating menu runs the gamut from 30-day dry-aged Wagyu bolognese with pappardelle to Japanese amberjack crudo with sweety drop peppers. The expansive space features a stunning plant-lined patio with a retractable roof, which attracts a well-heeled crowd without being stuffy. The happy hour menu is a steal.
With a modest, you’ll-hardly-notice-it’s-there exterior and a small, packed-like-sardines interior, you're likely to have to wait in line to get into Petit Trois. But the wait is worth it for the incredible classic French dishes inside. When you're finally eating the steak tartare, you'll forgive the restaurant for any momentary hassles.
718 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles, California, 90038, USA
This indoor--outdoor restaurant has served Venice for more than four decades but constantly reinvents itself, serving mouthwatering California cuisines and offering multiple patios, a full bar, and a bakery. Creative types sip espressos and tap on keyboards under the macramé chandeliers, while young families gather out back to snack on smoked radiatore carbonara and crispy brussels sprouts. Perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, Rose is a sophisticated yet unpretentious wonderland in the heart of Venice.
220 Rose Ave., Los Angeles, California, 90291, USA
A Santa Monica mainstay, the seasonally changing menu at this farm-to-table restaurant consistently upends norms and has even earned a Michelin nod. The homey, minimalist space offers sweeping views of Wilshire Boulevard. On any given night, the menu of California cuisine may include lamb merguez with freekeh or Brandt prime sirloin steak with grilled broccoli. Everything is made in-house, down to the sea salt. Ask the knowledgeable staff for suggested pairings from the never-ending wine list.
1119 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90401, USA
Fans of Lisa Vanderpump and the Vanderpump Rules reality show on Bravo will instantly recognize SUR as the backdrop for the series's endless drama, broken relationships, one-night stands, and countless drinks. The actual restaurant serves a melange of new American items that range from fried goat cheese balls to prime pork chops. Set right in the heart of West Hollywood, the restaurant is a great launching pad for a rowdy night out or the last drink before a one-night stand of your own.
606 N. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90069, USA
This farm-to-table eatery uses all local ingredients to whip up creative cuisine in a chic environment. Savory musts include the oysters with grapefruit mignonette, as well as the outstanding Mediterranean sea bass. Upon entry you'll notice a wood-beam ceiling, brick-laden bar, and hanging Edison lights that set the stage. Open for lunch and dinner with a revolving weekly special, the Arbour's cocktail menu includes a mezcal paloma emblematic of its Pasadena roots.
527 S. Lake Ave., Pasadena, California, 91101, USA
The coolest kid on the Pasadena block, the Raymond 1886 is carved out of an old Craftsman cottage and has an expansive patio with long wooden tables and hanging lights. Chefs dish out everything from roasted acorn squash with "forbidden" rice to braised beef cheeks with mole sauce. Inside can be a little more claustrophobic, but makes for a perfect spot for intimate daters to get a little closer. Be sure to explore the daring seasonal cocktail menu, with intriguing names like the Princess Ain't Here and the Shepherd's Betrayal. Don't miss the truly killer chilaquiles on the brunch menu.
1250 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena, California, 91105, USA
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