A melting pot of cultures – some local, some far-flung – come together to fuel the City of Angels’ ever-changing dining scene. With new eateries, coffee shops, and food trucks opening on a seemingly daily basis, it’s nearly impossible to eat a boring meal here.
Like the city itself, Los Angeles’ food scene is hard to sum up in just a few sentences. Spread across the vast urban sprawl and dipping into cultures and cuisines from all over the world, it’s a mix of upscale fine dining establishments, vegan cafés, bustling food markets, and roadside taco trucks. The beauty is, you never know where you’re going to get your next out-of-this-world meal.
Seasonal ingredients bursting with flavor take center stage.
For a taste of the farm-to-table dishes that So-Cal is famous for, make a beeline for Malibu Farm. Perched on Malibu Pier, it’s a great spot to watch surfers zip between the waves as you munch on zucchini crust pizza and spaghetti squash lasagna.
Address: 23000 East Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265
Abbot Kinney Boulevard was once dubbed the coolest street in America, and its hottest restaurant has long been Gjelina. Nab a table in the atmospheric outdoor courtyard and work your way through the locally sourced menu, feasting on fresh salads and woodfired pizzas.
Address: 1429 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice, CA 90291
Chaplin was a regular at Musso’s and legend has it he would race his friends down Hollywood Boulevard on horseback to decide who would pick up the tab. It’s said this was his favorite table, as it was the only one with a window view so he could keep an eye on the horses.
For old Hollywood glamor, there’s nowhere like Musso and Frank. Come for the steak and lamb chops and stay for the punchy martinis, which are served the same way Frank Sinatra liked to drink them here back in the day.
Address: 6667 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, CA 90028
There are plenty of places to get a great hot pastrami sandwich in LA, but for a truly out-of-this-world one, you need to go to Langer’s Deli. Their #19 sandwich is famous the world over, and with good reason. Made with pastrami, Swiss cheese, coleslaw, and Russian dressing, it was once described as the “Marilyn Monroe of pastrami sandwiches” by the Los Angeles Times.
Address: 704 South Alvarado Street, Los Angeles, CA 90057
Top of the list for stellar views, celeb-spotting, and sublime atmosphere.
Want to sit on the same patio where Marilyn Monroe and Laurence Olivier sipped cocktails and dined on McCarthy salads? Then this is the place for you. Order the steak tartare (which is prepared tableside) and keep your eyes peeled for celebs.
Address: 9641 Sunset Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Anyone who’s anyone has been spotted here, with Michelle Obama and Beyoncé booking the restaurant’s back room for a cozy supper.
The award for the buzziest restaurant in Hollywood goes to Mother Wolf, LA-born pasta maestro Evan Funke’s second opening in the city. Slide into a pink leather booth and soak up the vibe in the ballroom-esque dining room as you dine on cacio e pepe and rigatoni all’amatriciana.
Address: 1545 Wilcox Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028
This Tulum-meets-Malibu spot in Santa Monica offers stunning views over the ocean. During the day you’ll find people lounging on the sleek wooden decks, dining on Italian-inspired small plates, but after sunset it’s where the glamorous crowd comes to party.
Address: 1332 2nd Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Views don’t come much more spectacular than those at Geoffrey’s in Malibu, which is perched high above Malibu beach overlooking the Pacific. Everyone from Frank Sinatra to John F. Kennedy has drunk in the vistas here over the years, before feasting on fresh seafood straight from the ocean.
Address: 24700 East Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265
The freshest produce makes these plant-based dishes sing.
Jokingly referring to itself as a ‘vegetable slaughterhouse’, this New York transplant has found a loyal LA crowd since opening in Venice. With its sun-filled dining room, extensive range of cold-pressed juices, and plant-based dishes galore, it’s easy to see why.
Address: 1205 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice, CA 90291
This WeHo institution is top of many locals’ lists when it comes to vegan fine dining. And with good reason – the dishes that come out of the kitchen here are always exciting, whether it’s artichoke oysters or eggplant skirt steak.
Address: 8284 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046
If you had to sum up LA’s healthy eating movement in one restaurant, it would be Café Gratitude. Yes, the menu names are a little ridiculous (try keeping a straight face when ordering the ‘I Am Dazzling’ salad) but when the produce is this delicious you won’t mind.
Address: 639 North Larchmont Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90004
If you’re looking for a picturesque al fresco dining spot in West Hollywood, this is the place to come. You’ll feel like you’ve been transported to Mexico as you dine on Gracias Madre’s pretty patio, ordering plates of soy chorizo empanadas and jackfruit carnitas tacos.
Address: 8905 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Where to tantalize your taste buds for a steal.
Many of the hot dogs are named after celebrities – try the Martha Stewart 9” stretch dog, which comes with relish, onions, bacon, chopped tomatoes, sauerkraut, and sour cream.
No matter what time of day you turn up at cult LA dining spot Pink’s, be prepared to queue – the line here always snakes around the block, with people eagerly awaiting one of their loaded hot dogs.
Address: 709 North La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038
While there are numerous LA branches of this burger chain, the must-visit destination is the one at LAX, which the late, great Anthony Bourdain once dubbed his favorite restaurant in the city. Order a Double-Double Burger and a portion of Animal-Style Fries and you’ll see why.
Address: 9149 South Sepulveda Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90045
If you fancy branching out from avocado toast for brunch, head to Sqirl, which has made a name for its inventive breakfast dishes, like sorrel pesto rice bowls and ricotta toast with jam. You can’t go wrong with a side order of their pastries, either.
Address: 720 North Virgil Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90029
This popular healthy food chain has branches all over LA, from Downtown to Larchmont, but our favorite spot is the one in Venice. Head here after a day on the beach to order fresh salads, poke bowls and sandwiches, washed down with one of their handcrafted lemonades.
Address: 1661 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice, CA 90291
Taste the Best that LA has to Offer.
With somewhere as sprawling and diverse as LA, booking a food tour can be one of the best ways to get a real feel for the city’s culinary offerings. Family-owned and operated, Six Taste operates walking tours of Tinseltown’s most popular foodie neighborhoods, from Downtown and Santa Monica to Little Tokyo and Koreatown.
Food, fun, and fiesta vibes all under one roof.
With its neon signs and bustling crowds, this buzzy food market feels like a little slice of New York in downtown LA. A haven for food lovers, who come to sample everything from spicy Filipino rice bowls and fried chicken to artisan ice cream.
Address: 317 South Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Come on Sunday for the popular Smorgasburg food market, where you’ll find dozens of stalls selling their exciting street food dishes.
Spread across 32 acres, rows of fruit and veg warehouses have been transformed into some of the city’s coolest shops, bars, and restaurants at this hip Downtown spot. It’s the place to try everything, from Japanese fine dining and fresh oysters to green tea donuts.
Address: 777 S Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90021
This popular food market has been serving locals and tourists alike since 1934, who flock here for the wide variety of food stalls and restaurants on offer. It’s almost impossible to choose a favorite, but we love the creamy laksa soup from Singapore’s Banana Leaf and the steak frites from Monsieur Marcel.
Address: 6333 West 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Make like a local by sampling these LA staples.
Thanks to its proximity to Mexico, LA is known for its first-rate tacos, particularly those made with shrimp and fish plucked from the Pacific. The best in town can be found on one of the city’s many roving taco trucks.
The most famous donut in the US can be found at Randy’s Donuts in Inglewood, an LA landmark since the 1950s thanks to the giant donut on its roof. Now there are donut shops all over the city, selling everything from gluten-free and vegan treats to savory options.
With almost 300 days of sunshine per year, it’s hardly surprising the ice cream sandwich has become an LA go-to dessert. With a crop of small-batch, artisanal ice cream shops popping up all over the city, there’s a combo to satisfy every sweet tooth.