Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This new vibrant seafood restaurant is known for dishes like Maryland-style crab dip, tuna tostada, crispy crab cake with house tartar sauce, dry-aged cheeseburger, fresh grilled fish, and brown butter cake with Chantilly cream and salted caramel sauce. Pair your meal with a nice selection of white, red, rosé, and bubbly wines by the glass and bottle.
La Dolce Vita, the iconic Beverly Hills Italian spot, is back, bringing old-school charm with a fresh twist. Originally opened in 1966, it was a Rat Pack favorite, and its dimly lit, red-leather-booth vibes remain. Expect classic Italian dishes, stiff martinis, and a taste of Hollywood history—revived for a new era.
Situated inside the Hotel Normandie in a minuscule space, Le Comptoir is a 10-seat French restaurant helmed by chef Gary Menes that features veggie-forward food in an unstuffy setting. The counter spot earned a Michelin star for its organic kitchen and intimate atmosphere that gives guests one-on-one attention from the chef who is making and plating your food right in front of you.
This steak house doesn't just feature the best views of the beach; it's also a great place to scope out A-listers. You may be paying for the ambience, but mouthwatering Wagyu steaks, Dungeness crab, and lobster mashed potatoes just seem to taste better when the ocean is nipping at your feet. Live jazz can be heard every night of the week, and a lively brunch on the weekends is always a scene as well. To score a reservation, try booking at least three weeks in advance.
Matū is a steak restaurant that features 100% grass-fed Wagyu beef from New Zealand. Diners are treated to a cavalcade of meaty options, but you should opt for the (surprisingly) affordable Matū dinner that comes with five courses and includes everything from steak tartare to eight-hour braised beef cheek. If you come for lunch, you can partake in the best Philly cheesesteak in the city made with the same exceptional beef.
Tucked into the back of Sugarfish (a popular sushi chain) in the middle of Beverly Hills, this secret omakase sushi spot has only 10 seats, where master chef Osamu Fujita slices up the freshest cuts of raw fish from a 20+-course tasting menu. If you ever wanted to get a one-on-one with a culinary wizard, this is your chance as you sit a foot away from the chef while he prepares your perfect portions. Reservations aren't easy, but can be made 60 days in advance.
Nothing says Beverly Hills quite like the Polo Lounge inside the Beverly Hills Hotel. This classic, monied spot is home to Hollywood royalty and entertainment luminaries noshing on lobster Nicoise or the famed Wagyu burger during power lunches. A beautiful flower-lined courtyard provides a modicum of privacy for celebrity A-, B-, and C-listers, while inside features live piano music every night of the week. Afternoon tea is a favorite for locals and the Sunday jazz brunch is the perfect way to end your weekend. Note that there's a loose dress code here, which means no baseball hats, ripped jeans, men's tank tops, or the like.
A Santa Monica mainstay, the seasonally changing menu at this farm-to-table wine bar and seasonal kitchen 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 bay scallops with Weiser Farms sunchokes or a heritage bone-in pork chop with apple butter. Everything is made in-house, down to the sea salt. Ask the knowledgeable staff for suggested pairings from the never-ending wine list.
This kappo (cooking and cutting) restaurant in the middle of Downtown is offering up some of the most inventive raw, steamed, grilled, and fried Japanese dishes you’ll ever try. Chef David Schlosser serves you personally from the 400-year-old cypress bar. Order the Japanese sea bream sashimi or the grilled rice balls with pumpkin and ginger. Always ask for what’s off the menu from this Michelin-starred spot—it’ll surprise you.
Set in the heart of West Hollywood, fans who watch 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 mélange of new American items that range from fried goat cheese balls and hazelnut pancakes to hibiscus flower rubbed seared salmon, plus boozy cocktails and toothsome desserts. Nearby Tom Tom with its plush seats and elegant lighting is a festive bar shaking cocktails and serving sliders, pasta, flatbreads, and a few entrées in a unique old-world setting. Happy Hour serves Vanderpump wines and seasonal shareables.
Feast on Pan-Asian fare and dark and atmospheric faux-Asian decor in this dramatic 300-seat two-level restaurant and lounge next to the Dream Hotel. It's all about vibes here, and it definitely attracts celebratory groups for the sharing plates, DJ, moody candle- and red-lamp light Asian-themed decor (including a giant Quan Yin statue looking out over the ornate main dining room), and the lively patio, lounge, and bar. The menu focuses on Japanese, Thai, and Chinese ingredients. Lobster wontons, Peking duck for two, and fresh sushi are popular offerings.
Taverna Tony, nestled in the heart of Malibu's Country Mart, is a beloved Greek restaurant that has been serving authentic Mediterranean cuisine to generations of residents and visitors for more than three decades. The restaurant's rustic decor, complete with white-washed walls and blue accents, transports guests to a traditional Greek taverna. The menu features a wide array of classic Greek dishes, from fresh seafood and grilled meats to traditional appetizers like dolmades and saganaki. Try the combination platter to get a morsel of everything, or one of the happy hour bargains. Their signature dish, a whole grilled branzino fish, is as fresh as the crisp decor. Bread is made onsite daily and served with Tony's famous dip. On weekends, the restaurant comes alive with live Greek music, belly dancing, and occasional plate-breaking, adding to the festive atmosphere. Opa!
Vespertine earned two Michelin stars by providing a disruptive multisensory event and a space-age dining experience that's nothing short of unique. Chef Jordan Kahn—who cut his chops as Thomas Keller's youngest-ever chef at French Laundry while still a teenager—and architect Eric Owen Moss have created a one-of-a-kind, spare, undulating space with a menu that's as artistic as it is delicious. You’ll need to fork over $395 for the tasting menu, and the food and the atmosphere have both been contentious over the years, but think of the expense and experience as an artistic journey into a foodie wonderland.
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.
Highly regarded sushi chef Katsuya Uechi turns out spicy tuna atop crispy rice, whimsical wonton cones filled with scoops of silky crab and tuna tartare, and larger plates like miso-marinated black cod. Don't neglect the plates from the robata bar, where skewers of meats are grilled over hot coals. Trend-conscious patrons sit in a seductive space designed by Philippe Starck. Glossy lips kiss the room's clientele from one wall, while kohl-rimmed eyes peer out from behind the sushi bar.
Co-owned by trumpeter Herb Albert, Vibrato takes a high-road approach to a jazz club: this is a stylish, acoustically perfect venue where every table has a view of the stage. The kitchen is as notable as the music; it turns out contemporary American fare such as pan-roasted sea bass with a fennel-leek ragu, macaroni and cheese with bacon-parmesean crust, and USDA Prime steaks. Art on the walls was painted by the Grammy-winning owner himself.
Sign up for Travel Tips & News
Thank you for your interest!
