Here’s the Dish: Where to Eat in Los Angeles

Put on your shades because Los Angeles’ dining scene shines as bright as the California sun. Over the past ten years, the city has burst onto the national culinary scene, sending foodies flocking to the City Of Angels, with many proclaiming it now has the best food in the country.

Locals will tell you the fresh produce makes it a top dining destination for vegetarians and vegans. And those in “the industry” call out the swaths of celebrity chefs and young innovators adding flair to the food scene. Plus, its diverse communities mean you can have bibimbap in Koreatown for lunch and berbere in Little Ethiopia for dinner.

With such a wide range of delicious spots to choose from, these are a few of our favorites in Los Angeles.

Crossroads Kitchen

As one of the city’s most beloved plant-based options (which is saying a lot in Los Angeles) Crossroads Kitchen creates beautiful vegan Mediterranean plates. Pasta, like the spaghetti carbonara and fettuccine with truffles, are all made in-house, with gluten-free options available.

The elegant ambiance here — and its stellar cocktail menu — lends itself well to a girl’s night out.

Neighborhood: Beverly Grove

Taix

In Hollywood, the classics never go out of style, and few places are more classic than the city’s oldest French restaurant. Operating since 1927, every dish here is considered iconic.

But — if we had to choose — we’d go for the escargot and the steak frites au poivre with a full-bodied bottle of red from Burgundy. Because it doesn’t get more French than that, n’est-ce pas?

Neighborhood: Echo Park

Providence

You may be surprised to find LA’s freshest seafood miles from Malibu. But at Providence, chef Michael Cimarusti only uses wild-caught fish and sustainably sourced crustaceans in his fine-dining restaurant.

This spot has an eight-course tasting menu, including dishes like black cod with California chanterelle and English peas and a choice of monkfish, farm-raised duck, or A5 Wagyu pepper, making this a standout seafood dining experience.

Neighborhood: Hollywood

Sushi Note Omakase

This new Hollywood hotspot is as exclusive as it is delicious. With just 14 seats, this omakase experience, which means “I’ll leave it up to you” in Japanese, is an ode to Japan’s sushi masters.

Serving 20 courses of whatever the chef decides is freshest that day, paired with wine and sake from the in-house sommelier, it’s a sushi outing like no other.

Neighborhood: Beverly Hills

NIGHT+MARKET

Thailand meets Los Angeles at this hip Thai fusion restaurant with three locations. The menu here is almost as fun as the atmosphere, with dishes like filet mignon satay, vegan larb, and pastrami pad kee mao.

Dishes can be salty, spicy, and savory here, so wash it down with European wines and Thai-inspired cocktails.

Neighborhood: Venice Beach, West Hollywood, and Silverlake

Musso & Frank Grill

You’d be hard-pressed to find a Los Angeles establishment more renowned than this restaurant established in 1919. Hollywood starlets and big-time directors have met here for power lunches for over a century.

Choose between cuts of steak like filet mignon and a bone-in ribeye or its famous fettuccine alfredo to go with the signature martini. End the evening with its signature flannel cake and another martini.

Neighborhood: Hollywood

Osteria Mozza

Celebrity chef Nancy Silverton’s Michelin-star Italian spot is a cheese-lover’s dream. Its mozzarella bar — with 11 different preparations ranging from aged prosciutto to radicchio, to honey and fried rosemary — is dreamy enough to challenge a true Parisian fromagerie.

But it’s the filling, comforting Tuscan dishes that will keep you coming back for another carb-induced coma.

Neighborhood: Hancock Park

Holbox

Competition is stiff in America’s Mexican food capital, but Holbox is universally loved. Located inside the Mercado La Paloma, Holbox shines a bright spotlight on seafood in all its Pacific glory.

The Michelin-renowned Bib Gourmand winner whips up ceviches, tacos, and fresh, grilled fish daily using the local catch — and make sure you don’t leave without trying the kanpachi and uni tostada.

Neighborhood: South Central

Ladyhawk

Top Chef Middle East winner Chef Charbel Hayek honors his Lebanese roots inside the Kimpton La Peer Hotel at Ladyhawk. Warm, hand-made breads fresh from the oven accompany hummus, babaghanouj, and tabouleh, and the wood grill expertly chars the must-try olive-crusted rack of lamb and the shawarma skirt steak.

The wine list here is massive and goes perfectly with the rich dishes, as do the cocktails blended with uniquely Middle Eastern flavors.

Neighborhood: West Hollywood

We’ve just scratched the surface of the standout, award-winning restaurants dotting Los Angeles’s many zip codes. But whether you’re craving Mexican, Japanese, or Italian we’ve got you covered with restaurants that have many shouting from the rooftop about the city’s incredible food scene.

Where to stay: Kimpton Hotel Palomar Beverly Hills, Kimpton Hotel Wilshire, Kimpton Everly Hollywood, or Kimpton La Peer Hotel

Check out our full series on the food capitals of America here.