Los Angeles is renowned for its vibrant food scene that offers cuisines from all around the world. From fine dining establishments to hip new eateries, LA has it all. Choosing the top restaurants in such a dynamic city can be overwhelming. This article will highlight 12 of the best restaurants in LA that should be on every foodie’s bucket list.
| Restaurant | Cuisine | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Bestia | Italian | Handmade pastas, wood-fired pizzas. |
| Mélisse | French | Modern French cuisine, Michelin-starred. |
| Broken Spanish | Mexican | Modern, inventive Mexican cuisine. |
| Providence | Seafood | Seafood-focused, Michelin-starred. |
| Vespertine | Experimental | Avant-garde, multi-sensory dining. |
| Felix Trattoria | Italian | Neapolitan pasta, authentic flavors. |
| n/naka | Japanese Kaiseki | Modern kaiseki, omakase dining. |
| Musso & Frank Grill | American | Old Hollywood, classic steaks. |
| République | French | French dishes with California twist. |
| Majordōmo | American | Seasonal American with Korean influences. |
| Jon & Vinny’s | Italian-American | Casual, Italian comfort food. |
| Kismet | Middle Eastern | Vegetable-focused, vibrant flavors. |
Known as the entertainment capital of the world, Los Angeles is also making its mark as a top food destination. The diversity in culture and ethnicity has resulted in a culinary landscape like no other. You can find hidden gems serving authentic ethnic cuisines alongside celebrity chef hotspots. From tacos to sushi, Korean BBQ to craft beer, LA has it all.
The city’s location by the Pacific Ocean means there is an abundance of fresh seafood on offer. Produce is sourced from local farms to ensure the ingredients are farm-to-table fresh. Many restaurants are focusing on sustainability and seasonality. The food truck culture is also booming, offering quick bites on the go.
This list features 12 must-try restaurants in LA, from long-standing classics to new hotspots. There is something for every taste and budget. These restaurants have been chosen for their delicious food, unique ambiance, and excellent service. They perfectly capture the diversity and quality that the Los Angeles dining scene has to offer.
1. Bestia
Name and Location: Bestia is an Italian restaurant located at 2121 7th Place in the Arts District of Los Angeles.
History and Significance: Husband-wife owners Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis opened Bestia in 2012, gaining national praise for its housemade pastas, rustic Italian fare and comprehensive wine program. Its industrial-chic ambiance matches the Arts District.
What to Expect: Bestia’s dinner menu focuses on handmade pastas, wood-fired pizzas, Italian small plates and charcuterie options. Reserve well in advance for a lively atmosphere filled with locals, out-of-towners and celebrities.
Visitor Information: Bestia serves dinner nightly starting at 5pm. Casual dress but reservations strongly recommended, around 30 days in advance for peak weekend seatings. Limited street parking nearby.
- Located in the Arts District, this lively Italian spot is always booked out months in advance.
- Owned by husband-wife duo Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis, the seasonal menu features handmade pastas, wood-fired pizzas, and meat cooked over charcoal.
- Standout dishes include the egg yolk raviolo, tender marrow bones, and whole roasted branzino.
- The whiskey cocktail list is excellent. The vintage-chic warehouse interior with candlelit communal tables creates a bustling and hip vibe.
- Despite being impossible to score a reservation, you can try your luck at the walk-in bar.
2. Mélisse
Name and Location: Mélisse is a contemporary French restaurant located at 1104 Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica.
History and Significance: Opened in 1999 by Chef Josiah Citrin, Mélisse has earned two Michelin stars for its seasonal French-California cuisine and extensive wine cellar housing over 2,200 labels. The elegant interior matches its lauded status.
What to Expect: A variety of prix-fixe tasting menus feature standouts like langoustine risotto and Rack of Lamb paired with exceptional wines and top-notch hospitality. Jackets are required for gentlemen.
Visitor Information: Mélisse serves a Thursday-Saturday dinner alongside Friday lunch. Reservations are essential, booked a month out Fridays and Saturdays. Valet parking available.
- This elegant French restaurant in Santa Monica is the domain of Chef Josiah Citrin, renowned for his innovative modern French cuisine.
- Awarded two Michelin stars, Mélisse offers tasting menus only, allowing the chef to fully exhibit his creative talents.
- Expect exquisitely composed plates with complex, explosive flavors. Signature dishes include langoustine with caviar, scallops with truffles, and their famous potato chips with crème fraiche.
- The dining room exudes class and refinement with white tablecloths, crystal glassware, and formal service. An extensive wine list pairs well with the highly technical cooking.
- Mélisse provides a refined and rarefied fine dining experience perfect for special occasions. Reservations are essential.
3. Broken Spanish
Name and Location: Broken Spanish is a Mexican restaurant located at 1050 S. Flower Street in downtown Los Angeles on the ground floor of the LINE hotel.
History and Significance: Led by Chef Ray Garcia, Broken Spanish modernizes Mexican cuisine through shared plates and family-style fare paired with an extensive mezcal and tequila program since opening at the LINE in 2014.
What to Expect: The lively, industrial-chic space matches Garcia’s inventive take on tacos, tostadas, veggie-centric plates and more colorful dishes incorporating Mexican flavors and SoCal ingredients. Brunch options too.
Visitor Information: Broken Spanish serves weekend brunch, weekday lunch and nightly dinner. Reservations recommended at dinner. Validated valet parking available through the LINE hotel.
- Located downtown, this hip Mexican restaurant is equal parts cool and delicious. The modern industrial interior matches the inventive cooking by Chef Ray Garcia.
- The menu showcases Mexican cuisine through a contemporary lens, with dishes like scallop aguachile, chicken stuffed with pipián mole, and foie gras tostadas.
- Cocktails are creative riffs on classics like margaritas and piña coladas. The buzzing vibe and colorful plates attract a stylish crowd.
- Broken Spanish also has a taqueria section offering tasty tacos and snacks in a more casual setting. It gets busy so reservations are recommended.
4. Providence
Name and Location: Providence is a two Michelin-starred seafood restaurant led by Chef Michael Cimarusti at 5955 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood.
History and Significance: Since opening in 2005 across from Paramount Studios, Providence has earned acclaim for its dedicated seafood focus and refined yet welcoming ambiance, cementing its status as one of America’s premier fine dining destinations.
What to Expect: The acclaimed 6- and 8-course seasonal tasting menus masterfully showcase seafood alongside premium wine pairings. Jackets are required in the elegant, well-appointed dining room.
Visitor Information: Providence serves a Tuesday-Saturday dinner starting at 6pm, closed Sundays & Mondays. Reservations are essential, booked a month out Saturdays. Valet parking available.
- Located in Hollywood, Providence earns two Michelin stars for its elegant seafood-focused cuisine courtesy of Chef Michael Cimarusti.
- The daily changing tasting menus highlight seasonal seafood and impeccable technique, seen in dishes like sea urchin with beer foam or squid ink spaghetti.
- The sleek dining room provides a refined yet relaxed vibe with little touches like tableside sorbet service. Providence also offers an extensive wine list and exceptional service.
- As one of LA’s most acclaimed restaurants, reservations are difficult. Try booking a month in advance or eat at the bar. Providence provides a world-class fine dining experience.
5. Vespertine
Name and Location: Vespertine is an avant-garde Culver City restaurant located at 3599 Hayden Avenue, known for its creative tasting menu.
History and Significance: Chef Jordan Kahn opened Vespertine in 2017 by architect Eric Owen Moss, garnering attention for its architectural structure and experimental dishes combining technology like 3D food printers with nature.
What to Expect: The $250, 12+ course experience spans inventive plates with unexpected textures/temperatures, meant to evoke cuisine as performance art through all senses. Dress code is resort formal.
Visitor Information: One seating available nightly at 7pm. Reservations are prepaid and essential, booked 60+ days out. Valet parking provided at this unique destination.
- The most experimental entry on this list, Vespertine provides a multi-sensory culinary experience. Chef Jordan Kahn’s space-age establishment in Culver City is like a living art exhibit.
- Guests are taken on a “culinary journey” with microscopic bites, unexpected textures, and theatrical presentation. Dishes arrive on branches, inside origami, and hanging from ribbons.
- The seasonal tasting menu changes based on Chef Kahn’s creative whims and the location’s elaborate garden. Expect food, architecture, music, and aromas to tell a story.
- Reservations are booked up months in advance. Vespertine’s high price tag provides the ultimate avant-garde dining experience.
6. Felix Trattoria
Name and Location: Felix Trattoria is an Italian restaurant located at 366 N. La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles.
History and Significance: Founded in 2019 by Chef Evan Funke, Felix Trattoria imports rare Italian grains and flours to produce its authentic fresh pastas, pizzas baked in a Neapolitan wood-fire oven, and other regional Italian fare crafted with respect for tradition.
What to Expect: Felix’s market-driven menu features handmade pastas, coastal seafood, slow-roasted meats and California produce with an Italian focus. The sleek atmosphere matches its upscale yet convivial vibe. Reservations recommended.
Visitor Information: Felix serves lunch and dinner daily starting at noon. Street parking is limited, so reservations 30+ days out suggested. Smart-casual attire welcomed.
- Located in Venice, this lively trattoria comes from Chef Evan Funke, known for his dedication to classic Neapolitan pasta.
- The menu features beautifully crafted pastas like cacio e pepe, carbonara, and noodles tossed tableside in a giant cheese wheel.
- Simple Italian flavors are elevated by expert technique and superb ingredients like house-cured meats and homemade ricotta.
- The energetic atmosphere matches the bold flavors. The authentic Italia experience extends to the all-Italian wine list.
- Felix doesn’t take reservations, so be prepared to wait, but the top-notch pastas are well worth it.
7. n/naka
Name and Location: n/naka is a contemporary kaiseki restaurant located at 3455 Overland Avenue in Palms, Los Angeles, helmed by Chef Niki Nakayama.
History and Significance: Open since 2011, n/naka pioneered modern kaiseki cuisine in America by Chef Nakayama, elevating Japanese tradition through seasonal tasting menus utilizing SoCal ingredients. reservation required Its intimate dining room has drawn acclaim.
What to Expect: The $250+ multicourse menu rotates ingredients regularly, meant to reflect nature’s seasons through beautifully plated seafood, vegetables, meat and more over 2-3 hours in a tranquil setting befitting of the culinary ritual.
Visitor Information: n/naka serves one nightly seating for 10 guests at 6:30pm. Reservations are prepaid up to 60 days out when booked. Valet parking is available after 5pm at this refined destination.
- Taste modern Japanese kaiseki cuisine at this tranquil restaurant in West LA. Chef Niki Nakayama whips up artful presentations using traditional techniques.
- The lengthy tasting menu includes sashimi, wagyu beef, and dishes enhanced with French and Chinese influences. Standouts include sea urchin rice and cherry blossom cake.
- The serene dining room provides an intimate, zen-like setting for this unique culinary experience. Reservations are essential to secure a coveted spot at the bar or private dining room.
- n/naka provides an omakase dining experience without stuffiness or pretense.
8. Musso & Frank Grill
Name and Location: Musso & Frank Grill is an old-school Hollywood restaurant and bar, located at 6667 Hollywood Blvd in Hollywood since 1919.
History and Significance: Opened in 1919, Musso & Frank Grill is the oldest restaurant in Hollywood, offering a vintage red leather interior and menu of classics like grilled lamb, martinis and flamed steak dishes favored by celebrities, writers and industry legends over its 100+ years.
What to Expect: Sturdy cocktails, thick-cut chops and seafood, served by white-jacketed waiters to tourists and local regulars sitting in wooden booths. The vibe captures Old Hollywood glamor and nostalgia. Cash only.
Visitor Information: Lunch and dinner served Tuesday through Saturday. No reservations; walk-ins seated on a first-come basis. Validated parking available. Established attire is welcomed but not required.
- For a taste of old Hollywood, head to Musso & Frank in Hollywood, the oldest restaurant in LA. This iconic spot has been open since 1919.
- The red leather booths, mahogany bar, and bartenders in red jackets provide a vintage backdrop while you dine on steak dinners and martinis, just like classic celebs.
- Signature dishes include the flannel cakes, chicken pot pie, and thick cuts of steak. Make sure to end the night at the bar sipping a martini.
- Musso & Frank offers a delicious dose of nostalgia, making it a quintessential LA dining experience. Reservations recommended.
9. République
Name and Location: République is a modern French restaurant located at 624 South La Brea Ave in the Hancock Park area of Los Angeles.
History and Significance: Founded in 2013 by renowned Chef Walter Manzke and Margarita Manzke, République draws crowds for its classic rustic French fare like grand aioli, escargots and rotisserie specialties served in a chic, sprawling space conducive to power lunches and dinners.
What to Expect: The vibrant Parisian-inspired brasserie serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily with signature dishes like duck confit, salmon rillettes, pastries and wines that complement the energetic ambiance. Walk-ins welcome but reservations advised.
Visitor Information: Full breakfast weekdays and brunch weekends; lunch and dinner daily. Metered street parking available but limited, so reservations strongly suggested 30 days out for groups 6+.
- This bustling Parisian-style brasserie in Hancock Park is perfect for a leisurely lunch or dinner. The elegant yet relaxed dining room matches the cuisine by Chef Walter and Margarita Manzke.
- Traditional French dishes like steak frites, salmon meunière, and bouillabaisse have a California twist utilizing local ingredients. The baked goods, like croissants and tarts, are sublime.
- République also offers breakfast, brunch, coffee service, and a bakery section, making it an ideal spot for any meal or craving. Arrive early to beat the crowds.
10. Majordōmo
Name and Location: Majordōmo is a modern Korean barbecue restaurant located at 1725 Naud St in Chinatown, Los Angeles.
History and Significance: Led by Chef David Chang protegee David Park, Majordōmo merges Korean flavors, American steakhouse elements and Momofuku inspiration on its acclaimed menu since 2018, housed in a striking minimalist industrial space.
What to Expect: Share plates like banchan starters, pork jowl, Korea-inspired tacos and chili crab preface tabletop BBQ featuring Wagyu, short ribs, octopus and bone marrow. Cocktails incorporate Soju. Vibe draws foodies.
Visitor Information: Weekday lunch and nightly dinner served. Reservations strongly recommended 30+ days out for parties under 8. Validated valet parking available at nearby lots; garment district location.
- Chef David Chang brings his Momofuku magic to LA with this artsy eatery located downtown. The menu showcases seasonal American cuisine alongside Korean influences.
- Shareable plates like celery root dumplings, smoked quail eggs, and stuffed roti showcase creativity while larger dishes satisfy with smoked pork shoulder or dry-aged ribeye.
- The modern industrial space features an open kitchen and bar. Attentive service and an acclaimed beverage program enhance the experience. Majordōmo brings top-notch cuisine without being stuffy.
11. Jon & Vinny’s
Name and Location: Jon & Vinny’s is a casual Italian restaurant with multiple locations across Los Angeles.
History and Significance: Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo of Animal, Son of a Gun brought their laidback style to traditional red sauce joints and pizzerias when opening the first Jon & Vinny’s on Fairfax in 2015. More outposts followed to bring bold flavors minus the formality.
What to Expect: Jon & Vinny’s offers hearty plates of pasta, pizza, heroes plus daily mains in a lively trattoria setting. Whole rotisserie chickens, cured meats and Italian desserts like tiramisu round out the menu at an affordable price point.
Visitor Information: Jon & Vinny’s is counter-service by day, table-service dinner nightly. Reservations accepted exclusively for parties of 6+ at select locations only. Street parking at most locations.
- For delicious Italian-American food served in a casual, cool setting, check out Jon & Vinny’s. With locations in Hollywood, Brentwood, and the Arts District, there’s one close-by.
- Menu highlights include pizza with fun toppings like clams casino, eggplant parm sandwiches, pastas, and garlic bread. Everything is made from scratch using quality ingredients.
- The stripped-down vibe, with hanging lights and communal picnic tables, draws a stylish crowd. This is Italian comfort food at its best – both affordable and satisfying.
12. Kismet
Name and Location: Kismet Rotisserie is located at 4648 Hollywood Boulevard in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles.
History and Significance: Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson brought their signature whole rotisserie chicken concept from Madcapra Falafel to Kismet in Los Feliz in 2019. Their Mediterranean-inspired menu incorporates California produce, meats, and spices.
What to Expect: Kismet takes a vegetable-forward approach on Eastern Mediterranean small plates and platters with shareable lamb ribs, eggplant, heirloom beans and more revolving around its star – the crispy spiced rotisserie chicken carved tableside.
Visitor Information: Kismet serves dinner nightly starting at 5pm. Reservations recommended one month out, especially weekends when wait lists start forming before opening. Street parking can be limited.
- Transport your palate to the exotic flavors of the Middle East and India at this sleek restaurant in Los Feliz. The vegetable-focused menu from Chef Sara Kramer is vibrant and creative.
- Expect dishes like turmeric grilled pineapple, malawach flatbread, or and grilled carrot with harissa, enriched by heady spices. The flavors, textures, and colors dazzle the senses.
- The airy, modern space provides a relaxing backdrop for the transportive cuisine. Kismet’s veggie-forward fare satisfies carnivores and vegans alike with depth and complexity.
Conclusion
Los Angeles offers diners cuisine from all around the globe. The 12 restaurants discussed above represent the diversity and innovation found in LA’s dynamic dining scene. From traditional icons like Musso & Frank to modern sensations like Vespertine, these restaurants capture the essence of LA’s culinary identity.
Foodies should sample esteemed establishments like Mélisse and Providence that showcase technical prowess. Adventurous eaters will enjoy the novel, multi-sensory experience of Kismet and Vespertine. Comfort classics abound at Musso & Frank and Jon & Vinny’s. For an authentic taste of Italy, Felix Trattoria and Bestia deliver. Whatever your tastes, LA serves it up in style.
Expanding one’s palate is one of the great joys of visiting Los Angeles. This list only scratches the surface of what’s on offer. Wherever you choose to dine in LA, prepare for an exceptional meal created with local, seasonal ingredients by acclaimed chefs. Let your tastebuds discover why LA earns its reputation as an outstanding food city.