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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.
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.
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.
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.
Part restaurant, part bakery, and part learning annex, Lodge Bread Company beckons customers with freshly baked sourdough—the aroma of which wafts over the entire neighborhood. Inside, guests can enjoy fermented pizzas, savory sandwiches, and crisp morning toasts. For budding bread makers, the shop offers classes on baking sourdough, where you can learn how to make a starter from scratch and how to best stretch and score dough.
Lodge Bread in Beverly Hills brings serious sourdough game with thick-cut toasts, hearty sandwiches, and killer pastries. The vibe is casual, the coffee’s strong, and everything’s made with top-notch ingredients.
A longtime darling for Angelenos, Milk Bar is a sweets shop that will cure any sugary cravings. The Milk Bar pie and cereal-milk soft serve are favorites, but you can also take classes with owner Christina Tosi to become your own baking master.
Open in 2010, Proof Bakery has stood the test of time as it continues to serve the flakiest, butteriest croissants in Atwater Village. The worker-owned cooperative also produces small batches of thin European sandwiches and refined desserts sourced from high quality seasonal ingredients from local farmers’ markets. Make someone’s day by ordering one of their gorgeous Basque cheesecakes or rich chocolate Earl Grey cake.
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