Los Angeles Restaurant Picks
It wasn’t too long ago that our finicky, City by the Bay-trained palates couldn’t be sated anywhere else in the world. Not even Paris. But now San Francisco, long known for its innovative and fresh food scene, has devolved into a stagnant pond of established eateries. During a recent trip to Los Angeles, we were captivated by the eclectic restaurant ecosystem reminiscent of San Francisco in its epicurean heyday. Eager for more insider foodie tips, we asked our savvy LA contingent of The What Women (our private Fb community) to share their favorite haunts. See (and contribute to) the full thread here. Scroll towards the end for our favorite Vegan picks.
CHINATOWN
HOWLIN’ RAYS. Since 2015, Chef Johnny Ray Zone and wife Amanda Chapman have been bringing the heat to the people of Los Angeles, courtesy of their Nashville-inspired hot chicken... and they're just getting started!
DOWNTOWN
ROSSOBLU is an upscale Italian restaurant with a sumptuous Bolognese-inspired menu and al fresco dining located in the Fashion District.
At BESTIA, Menashe and Gergis work alongside each other to create a true husband and wife restaurant. Bestia is a multi-regional rustic Italian restaurant focusing on a “from scratch” approach, offering house-made charcuterie, in addition to handmade pastas and pizza made in an Acunto oven. On the pastry side, Gergis’s desserts focus on a clean and simple approach to create a daily changing menu that is centered on the freshest, most local ingredients possible. And if you love middle eastern cuisine check out their other restaurant called BAVEL.
ORSA & WINSTON is a labor of love for chef-owner Josef Centeno, who named the restaurant after his two dogs. Inspired by Italian and Japanese ingredients and cooking, the kitchen strives to create innovative and soulful tasting menus.
Located in the historic Old Bank district in downtown Los Angeles, Bäco Mercat is a convivial neighborhood restaurant with a Mediterranean-influenced menu. Inspired by the cuisines of Spain and the Eastern Mediterranean, chef Josef Centeno’s dishes are made for sharing with friends and family.
ECHO PARK
TSUBAKI in Echo Park is a classic izakaya by Charles Namba and Courtney Kaplan. The pair has had a long-standing love for izakaya, a style of informal tavern at the heart of Japanese dining tradition.
HIGHLAND PARK
HIPPO is a modern take on Italian with memorable pastas and a strong cocktail game.
HOLLYWOOD
RÉPUBLIQUE RESTAURANT IN HOLLYWOOD IS LED BY CLASSICALLY TRAINED CHEF WALTER MANZKE’S TECHNIQUE-DRIVEN FRENCH CALIFORNIA CUISINE.
chi SPACCA on the corner of Melrose and Highland is heralded as a “meat speakeasy” by Food & Wine Magazine. The intimate dining room has a warm glow, with candlelit tables surrounded by walls lined with wine. It’s a vegetarian’s delight and a meat-eater’s heaven. chi SPACCA has been decorated as one of the country’s best new restaurants by GQ, Esquire, Bon Appetit, and Time Out LA as well as one of Los Angeles Magazine’s 75 “best restaurants” in LA.
MUSSO & FRANK GRILL has been a Hollywood favorite for 100 years. We head there old school scotch swilling tête-à-têtes.
KOREATOWN
HERE'S LOOKING AT YOU in Koreatown features cutting edge Korean fare in a stylish atmosphere.
LOS FELIZ
KISMET is a clean well-lighted neighborhood spot for everyone bringing Mediterranean flavors to current day California. Located on Hollywood Boulevard between N Vermont and N Virgil.
WESTSIDE
ÉLEPHANTE in Santa Monica is a place to come and relax, where a tranquil afternoon can turn into decadent dinner and flow into a lively late night scene, with an ever changing DJ line-up Wednesday thru Saturday nights. The buzzing rooftop bar and restaurant from seasoned designer and restaurateur Nicholas Mathers aims to transport guests from Los Angeles to the Southern Mediterranean all whilst staying in the heart of Santa Monica. The menu is light coastal Italian.
YOURS TRULY VENICE is an earnest neighborhood restaurant. Chef Vartan Abgaryan’s Modern Californian menu highlights his roots as a native Angeleno, Armenian-American and classically-trained chef.
MAUDE focuses on a seasonal set menu inspired by the world’s leading wine regions. They received a Michelin star in June 2019 and welcomed Executive Chef Chris Flint, formerly with Eleven Madison Park and NoMad, who took the reins in the kitchen.
SCOPA ITALIAN Chef Antonia Lofaso’s interpretation of old-school Italian food elevates the simplicity of fresh ingredients and honors Italian traditions.
THE ROOFTOP BY JG at the Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills serves breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes. Light and bright small plates to be enjoyed and shared, plus vegan and vegetarian specialties such as grain bowls.
The vibe at NIGHT + MARKET is California chill meets Bangkok frenzy fueled by natural wine. The menu is likewise a mash up authentic, old school Thai with some ‘90s Asian-fusion influences
Located above the iconic Crustacean restaurant in Beverly Hills, DA LAT ROSE is a Gastrobiography tasting menu concept—a passion project between Chef Helene An, founder of House of AN/Crustacean Beverly Hills and Chef Tony Nguyen.
SILVERLAKE
SALAZAR, located in Frogtown between Silverlake and Glendale grills Mexican meats to perfection.
VEGAN
LITTLE PINE is a vegan neighborhood hot spot owned by the musician Moby that serves great food and donates 100% of its profit to animal rights organizations.
NIC’S ON BEVERLY is a plant-based restaurant and cocktail bar focused on California cuisine serving a little bit of everything you’d hope to find on a LA menu.
CROSSROADS KITCHEN serves mouthwatering Mediterranean vegan cuisine in a refined environment.