The Essential Restaurants in Los Angeles
Argentine - Mercado Buenos Aires (Van Nuys, Granada Hills, Northridge), Carlitos Gardel (Argentine told me that this was the best in LA)
Australian - EP & LP (Asian Fusion via Melbourne)
Bagels - Yeastie Boys, Belle's Bagels
Bakery - Long Beach Beer Lab, Tartine, Proof Bakery, Chaumont, Clark Street Bread, Renaud's, Gjusta, Lodge Bread
Barbecue - Moo's Craft Barbecue, Bludso's Bar & Que, Maple Block Meat Co., Boneyard Bistro
Beer - Brewster's Beererie, Southland Beer, Boneyard Bistro, The Dough Room, Surly Goat, Library Alehouse, Beachwood Barbecue, Highland Park Brewery, Monkish Brewing Co.
Breakfast - Hungry Fox (best chicken and waffles), More Than Waffles, Blu Jam Cafe (French toast), Du-Par's or Norm's (pancakes with blueberry compote), Nat's Early Bite and The Kettle (honey bran muffins)
Breakfast Burrito - Cofax, Athenian Grill, Cilantro Mexican Grill
Burrito - Burritos La Palma (La Puente, Smorgasburg every Sunday, or Santa Ana), Poquito Mas (shrimp San Felipe burrito)
(Mexican) Breakfast - Carrillo's Tortilleria (get the mole tamale! get a table full of breakfast foods to share!)
Cake - Mastro's (buttercake), Sweet Lady Jane mixed berry cake
Charcuterie - Bestia (This is the only item I would eat there)
Cookies - Proof Bakery, Cookie Good
Cannoli - Eagle Rock Italian Deli, Factory Kitchen
Chinese - San Gabriel Valley (Just go and take your pick. Look for the most crowded places!) Lunasia Dimsum House, Kang Kang Food Court (sheng jian bao), King Hua, Elite Chinese Restaurant (dim sum), Newport Seafood, Mama Lu's, 101 Noodle Express
Clam Chowder - Horseless Carriage (Fridays only)
Cocktail Bars - Bar Clacson, Tiki Ti, Tonga Hut, The Varnish
Coffee - G&B Coffee, gget, Dinosaur Coffee, Cognoscenti Coffee, Coffee Commissary, The Boy & the Bear
Columbian - Sazon Colombia
Croissant - Chaumont, Renaud's, Tartine
Best. Donuts. Ever. - Sidecar Donuts
Dim sum - Lunasia Chinese Cuisine (my favorite), Elite Restaurant (more exotic items), King Hua (luxury), A&W Seafood (the place to go for dim sum in the Valley)
Diner - The Horseless Carriage (lobster omelet, anyone?, get prime rib dinner and try the pie), Mary's Market (follow them on Instagram and see what I mean)
Empanadas - Johnny Pacific (nothing like this empanada... get the spinach and cheese)
Filipino - LA Rose Cafe (get the tocino and cebuchon), Max's of Manila, Dollar Hits (an experience!), Oi Asian Fusion
Fine Dining - Providence
Fish Tacos - L Fish, Ricky's Fish Tacos, Best Fish Taco in Ensenada, Cheko El Rey del Sarandeado, Ensenada Fish Tacos (Sundays in the Farmers Market)
French - Cafe Beaujolais, Petit Trois
Fried Chicken - Wendill's Chicken House, Crawford's, Hotville Chicken & Chops, Pann's, Howlin' Rays, Free Range LA, Son of a Gun, Hungry Fox
Greek - Firehouse Restaurant (chicken gyro sandwich will change your life)
Guatamalan - Restaurante Amalia's, La Cevicheria, Puchica Bar & Grill
Hamburger - HiHo (best burger in LA), Bill's Hamburger, Apple Pan, Pie 'n Burger, The Back Abbey, Shake Shack, In-N-Out, Connie 'N Teds
Hidden Gem - Mary's Market
Ice Cream - McConnell's, Salt & Straw, CVT Soft Serve
Indian - India's Sweets & Spices (Canoga Park), Badmaash
Israeli - Tel Aviv Grill
Italian - Pasta Sisters, Angelini Osteria (insider's pick as the best Italian in the city), Officine BRERA (risotto), Factory Kitchen (handkerchief pasta), Angelini ALIMENTARI (life changing porchetta sandwich)
Italian Deli - Cavaretta's, Domingo's, Cricca's
Japanese - Otafuku Noodle House, Torihei
Jewish Deli - Greenblatt's, Nate 'n Al Delicatessen, Langer's Deli
Korean - Park's BBQ, Kang Ho-dong Baekjeong, Ham Ji Park (pork ribs), Oo Kook (for AYCE)
Modern Mediterranean - Mizlala
Modern Mexican Restaurant - Anepalco French-Mexican dinner menu, also sister restaurant Maestro (Pasadena)
Mexican Hidden Gem - Carrillos Tortilleria (breakfast!)
Mexican Food Truck - Tacos Tamix, Leo's Tacos, Mariscos Jalisco, Taqueria La Guadalupana, Los Originales Tacos Arabes de Puebla, Angelica's Cemitas Originales
Mexican Fast Casual - Sonoratown (chorizo and asada on a flour tortilla), Loqui (chicken taco), Mi Ranchito (Veracruzan specialties)
Mexican in a Parking Lot - Tire Shop Taqueria, Tacos Juarez
Mexican Barbacoa - Aqui es Texcoco, La Barbacha
Mexican Carnitas - Adobo Taco Grill, Carnitas Loya
Mexican Ice Cream and Paletas - La Michoacana (San Fernando)
Panaderia - Tlaxcala Bakery, Panaderia San Fernando
Patty Melt - Cassell's Hamburgers
Persian - Sadaf (ground chicken kabob), Taste of Tehran (all), Raffi's Place (Armenian/Persian - great people watching)
Peruvian - Chio's, Kotosh, Pollo a la Brasa, Listo el Pollo
Pie - The Pie Hole, Cassell's Hamburger (banana dulce de leche), Horseless Carriage
Pizza - DeSano's, Provami Pizzeria, Stella Barra Pizzeria, L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele
Poke - Jus' Poke
Portuguese - Nata's Pastries
Ramen - Men-Oh Tokushima Ramen, Hokkaido Ramen Santouka, Tentenyu Ramen, Ramen Tatsunoya, Okiboru House of Tsukemen
Rotisserie Chicken - Pollo a la Brasa (Gardena), Listo el Pollo
Steak - I recommend doing your red meat eating at Korean Barbecue restaurants. All top chefs frequent Park's BBQ, but I prefer Chosun Galbi as the best in LA. In the Valley, Shik Do Rak in Northridge has comparable galbi.
For traditional steakhouse fare -- Arroyo Chop House, Ruth's Chris (not a fan of the steak at Fleming's, Morton's or Mastro's).
Sandwich - Proof Bakery (most authentic French-style sandwiches), Domingo's, Cavaretta's, Cricca's, The Heights Deli, Waxpaper
Seafood - The Jolly Oyster, Connie & Ted's, Water Grill, HC Seafood, Redondo Beach Pier restaurants such as Quality Seafood and other Korean seafood/live crab restaurants, The Drunken Crab, Channel Islands Sportsfishing (stock up and catch your wild local seafood!)
Spanish - La Española Meats (paella, sandwiches, groceries), Gasolina Cafe, Taylor's Cafe (Basque)
Sushi - Sushi Spot, Mori Sushi, Sushi Iki (luxurious sushi), Go's Mart (exotic sushi)
(I Love) Tacos - Taqueria Mi Ranchito (best carne asada tacos in LA), Holbox (octopus tacos), Chori-Man (chorizo tacos), Tacos el Negro (tacos de labio), Mi Ranchito Veracruz (shrimp tacos), Tacos Tamix (best al pastor in Los Angeles), Mariscos Jaliscos (shrimp hard shell tacos), Taqueria La Guadalupana (all the tacos are solid), Tire Shop Taqueria, Ricky's Fish Tacos, Loqui (chicken tacos), Guisados (taco sampler or quesadilla taco!), Taco Maria (lunch only tacos), Cheko El Rey Del Sarandeado (marlin tacos), Tacos Quetzalcoatl (vegetarian), Carnitas Loya (carnitas), Adobo Taco Grill (vampiro de carnitas), Guerrilla Tacos, Sonoratown, Arturo's Puffy Tacos (best puffy tacos), Aqui es Texcoco (barbacoa), Petty Cash Taqueria (chef Oso's octopus taco from Tijuana), Mexicali Taco & Co., Tacos Arabe de Puebla, Los Cinco Puntos (carnitas), Chichen Itza
Taquitos - Cielito Lindo (a plate of taquitos with green sauce)
Tasting Menu - Le Comptoir, Providence, Wolvesmouth
Tea - Funnel Mill, Conservatory For Coffee, Tea & Cocoa
Tempura - Hannosuke, Tempura Endo (super luxe)
Thai - Sri Siam (get the crispy rice salad! get the pork ribs! shrimp paste fried rice!), Sapp Coffee Shop (boat noodles, jade noodles), Wat Thai Temple (street food festival every weekend), Bua Siam (fried shredded catfish and papaya salad, dynamite wings, weekend only housemade Thai sausage), Chai Tung, Isaan Station (papaya salad with red egg)
Vegan - Vinh Loi Tofu, Veggie Grill, VeStation, Araya's Place, by CHLOE
Vietnamese - Pho Hoan My, Golden Deli, Pho 45
Wine - Augustine Wine Bar, Covell, K&L Wine Merchants (order online and pickup - join the club for deals on craft beer and wine)
Australian - EP & LP (Asian Fusion via Melbourne)
Bagels - Yeastie Boys, Belle's Bagels
Bakery - Long Beach Beer Lab, Tartine, Proof Bakery, Chaumont, Clark Street Bread, Renaud's, Gjusta, Lodge Bread
Barbecue - Moo's Craft Barbecue, Bludso's Bar & Que, Maple Block Meat Co., Boneyard Bistro
Beer - Brewster's Beererie, Southland Beer, Boneyard Bistro, The Dough Room, Surly Goat, Library Alehouse, Beachwood Barbecue, Highland Park Brewery, Monkish Brewing Co.
Breakfast - Hungry Fox (best chicken and waffles), More Than Waffles, Blu Jam Cafe (French toast), Du-Par's or Norm's (pancakes with blueberry compote), Nat's Early Bite and The Kettle (honey bran muffins)
Breakfast Burrito - Cofax, Athenian Grill, Cilantro Mexican Grill
Burrito - Burritos La Palma (La Puente, Smorgasburg every Sunday, or Santa Ana), Poquito Mas (shrimp San Felipe burrito)
(Mexican) Breakfast - Carrillo's Tortilleria (get the mole tamale! get a table full of breakfast foods to share!)
Cake - Mastro's (buttercake), Sweet Lady Jane mixed berry cake
Charcuterie - Bestia (This is the only item I would eat there)
Cookies - Proof Bakery, Cookie Good
Cannoli - Eagle Rock Italian Deli, Factory Kitchen
Chinese - San Gabriel Valley (Just go and take your pick. Look for the most crowded places!) Lunasia Dimsum House, Kang Kang Food Court (sheng jian bao), King Hua, Elite Chinese Restaurant (dim sum), Newport Seafood, Mama Lu's, 101 Noodle Express
Clam Chowder - Horseless Carriage (Fridays only)
Cocktail Bars - Bar Clacson, Tiki Ti, Tonga Hut, The Varnish
Coffee - G&B Coffee, gget, Dinosaur Coffee, Cognoscenti Coffee, Coffee Commissary, The Boy & the Bear
Columbian - Sazon Colombia
Croissant - Chaumont, Renaud's, Tartine
Best. Donuts. Ever. - Sidecar Donuts
Dim sum - Lunasia Chinese Cuisine (my favorite), Elite Restaurant (more exotic items), King Hua (luxury), A&W Seafood (the place to go for dim sum in the Valley)
Diner - The Horseless Carriage (lobster omelet, anyone?, get prime rib dinner and try the pie), Mary's Market (follow them on Instagram and see what I mean)
Empanadas - Johnny Pacific (nothing like this empanada... get the spinach and cheese)
Filipino - LA Rose Cafe (get the tocino and cebuchon), Max's of Manila, Dollar Hits (an experience!), Oi Asian Fusion
Fine Dining - Providence
Fish Tacos - L Fish, Ricky's Fish Tacos, Best Fish Taco in Ensenada, Cheko El Rey del Sarandeado, Ensenada Fish Tacos (Sundays in the Farmers Market)
French - Cafe Beaujolais, Petit Trois
Fried Chicken - Wendill's Chicken House, Crawford's, Hotville Chicken & Chops, Pann's, Howlin' Rays, Free Range LA, Son of a Gun, Hungry Fox
Greek - Firehouse Restaurant (chicken gyro sandwich will change your life)
Guatamalan - Restaurante Amalia's, La Cevicheria, Puchica Bar & Grill
Hamburger - HiHo (best burger in LA), Bill's Hamburger, Apple Pan, Pie 'n Burger, The Back Abbey, Shake Shack, In-N-Out, Connie 'N Teds
Hidden Gem - Mary's Market
Ice Cream - McConnell's, Salt & Straw, CVT Soft Serve
Indian - India's Sweets & Spices (Canoga Park), Badmaash
Israeli - Tel Aviv Grill
Italian - Pasta Sisters, Angelini Osteria (insider's pick as the best Italian in the city), Officine BRERA (risotto), Factory Kitchen (handkerchief pasta), Angelini ALIMENTARI (life changing porchetta sandwich)
Italian Deli - Cavaretta's, Domingo's, Cricca's
Japanese - Otafuku Noodle House, Torihei
Jewish Deli - Greenblatt's, Nate 'n Al Delicatessen, Langer's Deli
Korean - Park's BBQ, Kang Ho-dong Baekjeong, Ham Ji Park (pork ribs), Oo Kook (for AYCE)
Modern Mediterranean - Mizlala
Modern Mexican Restaurant - Anepalco French-Mexican dinner menu, also sister restaurant Maestro (Pasadena)
Mexican Hidden Gem - Carrillos Tortilleria (breakfast!)
Mexican Food Truck - Tacos Tamix, Leo's Tacos, Mariscos Jalisco, Taqueria La Guadalupana, Los Originales Tacos Arabes de Puebla, Angelica's Cemitas Originales
Mexican Fast Casual - Sonoratown (chorizo and asada on a flour tortilla), Loqui (chicken taco), Mi Ranchito (Veracruzan specialties)
Mexican in a Parking Lot - Tire Shop Taqueria, Tacos Juarez
Mexican Barbacoa - Aqui es Texcoco, La Barbacha
Mexican Carnitas - Adobo Taco Grill, Carnitas Loya
Mexican Ice Cream and Paletas - La Michoacana (San Fernando)
Panaderia - Tlaxcala Bakery, Panaderia San Fernando
Patty Melt - Cassell's Hamburgers
Persian - Sadaf (ground chicken kabob), Taste of Tehran (all), Raffi's Place (Armenian/Persian - great people watching)
Peruvian - Chio's, Kotosh, Pollo a la Brasa, Listo el Pollo
Pie - The Pie Hole, Cassell's Hamburger (banana dulce de leche), Horseless Carriage
Pizza - DeSano's, Provami Pizzeria, Stella Barra Pizzeria, L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele
Poke - Jus' Poke
Portuguese - Nata's Pastries
Ramen - Men-Oh Tokushima Ramen, Hokkaido Ramen Santouka, Tentenyu Ramen, Ramen Tatsunoya, Okiboru House of Tsukemen
Rotisserie Chicken - Pollo a la Brasa (Gardena), Listo el Pollo
Steak - I recommend doing your red meat eating at Korean Barbecue restaurants. All top chefs frequent Park's BBQ, but I prefer Chosun Galbi as the best in LA. In the Valley, Shik Do Rak in Northridge has comparable galbi.
For traditional steakhouse fare -- Arroyo Chop House, Ruth's Chris (not a fan of the steak at Fleming's, Morton's or Mastro's).
Sandwich - Proof Bakery (most authentic French-style sandwiches), Domingo's, Cavaretta's, Cricca's, The Heights Deli, Waxpaper
Seafood - The Jolly Oyster, Connie & Ted's, Water Grill, HC Seafood, Redondo Beach Pier restaurants such as Quality Seafood and other Korean seafood/live crab restaurants, The Drunken Crab, Channel Islands Sportsfishing (stock up and catch your wild local seafood!)
Spanish - La Española Meats (paella, sandwiches, groceries), Gasolina Cafe, Taylor's Cafe (Basque)
Sushi - Sushi Spot, Mori Sushi, Sushi Iki (luxurious sushi), Go's Mart (exotic sushi)
(I Love) Tacos - Taqueria Mi Ranchito (best carne asada tacos in LA), Holbox (octopus tacos), Chori-Man (chorizo tacos), Tacos el Negro (tacos de labio), Mi Ranchito Veracruz (shrimp tacos), Tacos Tamix (best al pastor in Los Angeles), Mariscos Jaliscos (shrimp hard shell tacos), Taqueria La Guadalupana (all the tacos are solid), Tire Shop Taqueria, Ricky's Fish Tacos, Loqui (chicken tacos), Guisados (taco sampler or quesadilla taco!), Taco Maria (lunch only tacos), Cheko El Rey Del Sarandeado (marlin tacos), Tacos Quetzalcoatl (vegetarian), Carnitas Loya (carnitas), Adobo Taco Grill (vampiro de carnitas), Guerrilla Tacos, Sonoratown, Arturo's Puffy Tacos (best puffy tacos), Aqui es Texcoco (barbacoa), Petty Cash Taqueria (chef Oso's octopus taco from Tijuana), Mexicali Taco & Co., Tacos Arabe de Puebla, Los Cinco Puntos (carnitas), Chichen Itza
Taquitos - Cielito Lindo (a plate of taquitos with green sauce)
Tasting Menu - Le Comptoir, Providence, Wolvesmouth
Tea - Funnel Mill, Conservatory For Coffee, Tea & Cocoa
Tempura - Hannosuke, Tempura Endo (super luxe)
Thai - Sri Siam (get the crispy rice salad! get the pork ribs! shrimp paste fried rice!), Sapp Coffee Shop (boat noodles, jade noodles), Wat Thai Temple (street food festival every weekend), Bua Siam (fried shredded catfish and papaya salad, dynamite wings, weekend only housemade Thai sausage), Chai Tung, Isaan Station (papaya salad with red egg)
Vegan - Vinh Loi Tofu, Veggie Grill, VeStation, Araya's Place, by CHLOE
Vietnamese - Pho Hoan My, Golden Deli, Pho 45
Wine - Augustine Wine Bar, Covell, K&L Wine Merchants (order online and pickup - join the club for deals on craft beer and wine)
