15 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles

Discover the best of LA's restaurant here.
Last Updated
:
September 13, 2024
République LA interior
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Listen up, fellow foodies—we have the inside scoop on the tastiest places to chow down in La La Land! As an L.A. local who gets hangry for a good meal approximately every three hours, we’ve stuffed our faces at restaurants all over this city. Sure, the hikes are nice and the weather’s perfect, but we Angelenos know the real reason to love L.A. is getting to sample outstanding cuisine from every corner of the globe without ever leaving a single massive traffic jam.

Through years of fearless eating (and maybe wearing our “I ❤️ Brunch” sweatpants a few sizes too small after one too many trips to the buffet…), We’ve discovered the most mouthwatering meals this city of stars has to offer. We’re talking life-changing tacos, succulent steaks, drool-worthy dumplings—you get the picture.

We should honestly be using this expertise to score ourselves a Food Network show, get on that, producers!

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The 15 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles

Anyway, stick with us and we’ll map out the tastiest bites so you can eat L.A. like a true local. Grab those stretchy pants and get ready to dig in—‘cause these are the best dang restaurants in town!

Bestia

Bestia Restaurant interior
Bestia
  • Address: 2121 E 7th Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90021
  • Located near/in: –
  • Contact: (213) 514-5724
  • Hours: Mon – Sun (5:00 PM – 11:00 PM)

Bestia is an excellent Italian restaurant in Los Angeles that opened about more than two years ago. The dynamic couple behind Bestia, Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis, have made the restaurant a favorite among foodies in the city. Their Italian-influenced menu features dishes that are inspired by classic Italian flavors. The dishes at Bestia are complemented with innovative and unique preparations. The restaurant has earned recognition from Food & Wine, Jonathan Gold, and LA Weekly.

This Italian restaurant is located in the Arts District of Downtown LA. The restaurant offers delicious Italian dishes that are prepared in a wood-burning oven. Dishes on the menu include Spaghetti Rustichella, Thai Basil and Onion Seed, and Calabrian chili. Bestia also serves a range of internationally sourced Italian wines.

Service options: Dine-in | Kerbside pickup | Delivery

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République

République LA interior
République
  • Address: 624 S La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036
  • Located near/in: –
  • Contact: (310) 362-6115
  • Hours: Mon (8:00 AM – 2:00 PM), Tue – Fri (8:00 AM – 2:00 PM) | (5:30 PM – 10:00 PM), Sat (8:00 AM – 2:00 PM) | (5:00 PM – 10:00 PM), Sun (8:00 AM – 2:00 PM)

République is a Modern French-inspired restaurant with a diverse menu. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Guests can indulge in dishes like pork belly sausage sandwiches, fried chicken waffles, and duck confit chili. Its interior is decorated in a sophisticated, elegant style, with a high ceiling and communal tables. The chef-driven menu changes daily, and the atmosphere is casual but elegant.

The menu changes seasonally, but the food is always fresh and well-executed. The staff is hospitable and the food is very affordable. The chef has also been known to collaborate with top chefs from around the world.

Service options: Dine-in | Kerbside pickup | Delivery

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Hayato

Hayato Los Angeles interior
Hayato Restaurant
  • Address: 1320 E 7th St #126, Los Angeles, CA 90021
  • Located near/in: ROW DTLA
  • Contact: (213) 395-0607
  • Hours: Mon – Tue (Closed), Wed – Sun (6:30 PM – 10:30 PM)

For an authentic Japanese dining experience, head to Hayato in downtown Los Angeles. This multi-course restaurant has only seven tables and specializes in sakizuke, a type of Japanese cuisine. The menu is seasonally attuned and time-honored. The restaurant’s owner is a trained master chef, and his menu is steeped in the subtleties of washoku.

Hayato, a downtown kaiseki restaurant, is a traditional Japanese eatery that has been a downtown landmark for three years. The same can be said for Melisse, a Santa Monica fine dining establishment that previously earned a Michelin star. Other notable Los Angeles restaurants include Addison in San Diego, Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura in Beverly Hills, and Knife Pleat in Costa Mesa.

In addition to these Los Angeles restaurants, you can try the omakase restaurant Morihiro, a new restaurant by chef Morihiro Onodera in San Diego. Then, there is Pasta Bar in Encino, chef Phillip Frankland Lee’s pasta bar, and Phenakite, a new Vietnamese restaurant by chef Minh Phan.

While visiting Hayato, don’t be afraid to make reservations. The restaurant opens for reservations on the first day of every month at 10:00 AM. During peak season, Hayato is busy, and a reservation will be a necessity. For solo diners, an odd seventh seat may be easiest to secure.

Service options: Dine-in | Takeaway | No delivery

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Orsa & Winston exterior
Orsa & Winston

Orsa & Winston

Orsa & Winston exterior
Orsa & Winston
  • Address: 122 W 4th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
  • Located near/in: –
  • Contact: (213) 687-0300
  • Hours: Mon (Closed), Tue – Sat (5:00 PM – 10:00 PM), Sun (Closed)

Orsa & Winston is an upscale restaurant known for creative and innovative dishes that blend Italian and Japanese flavors. The chef, Josef Centeno, has earned his first Michelin star and is constantly searching for new combinations of ingredients.

This fine dining establishment, located near the Continental Building, serves Italian and Japanese cuisine. Some of its signature dishes include koshihikari rice risotto with uni, geoduck foam, and medium-rare squab. The restaurant also offers a wide selection of desserts, including chocolate and hazelnut cake, rosemary-butterscotch ice cream, and pear-ricotta strudel. It also offers a well-rounded wine list, featuring both expensive and affordable labels.

Although Orsa & Winston is a small restaurant, it features an elegant, sophisticated atmosphere. It has an open kitchen and a dining area of about 600 square feet. The interior was designed by Amaryllis Knight, a talented Los Angeles designer.

Service options: Dine-in | Takeaway | Delivery

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Damian

Damian Los Angeles interior
Damian
  • Address: 2132 E 7th Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90021
  • Located near/in: –
  • Contact: (213) 270-0178
  • Hours: Mon – Tue (Closed), Wed – Fri (5:30 PM – 10:00 PM), Sat (5:00 PM – 11:00 PM), Sun (11:00 AM – 2:00 PM) | (5:00 PM – 10:00 PM)

Located in DTLA’s Arts District, Damian is a new addition to the Los Angeles dining scene. The chef, Damian Olvera, understands the laid-back atmosphere of LA and incorporates premium ingredients to create delicious dishes. Whether you’re in the mood for kimchi or the creamiest guacamole, Damian is the place to be.

With a chic and contemporary interior, Damian’s cafe has an inviting ambiance with comfortable leather chairs. The menu pays tribute to the flavors and ingredients of California, Mexico and Baja. Dishes include duck al pastor, carne asada, octopus huarache, and kimchi-inspired costillas enmoladas.

Damian shares much of its DNA with Cosme, a popular New York City Mexican restaurant. Besides serving Mexican-inspired dishes, the menu features rockfish ceviche, uni tostadas, and smoked clams. It also offers the signature Cosme meringue dessert. The menu rotates with the season, meaning that each dish will have a slightly different flavor.

Service options: Dine-in | No delivery

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n/naka interior
n/naka

n/naka

n/naka interior
n/naka
  • Address: 3455 Overland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90034
  • Located near/in: –
  • Contact: (310) 836-6252
  • Hours: Mon – Tue (Closed), Wed – Sat (5:30 PM – 9:00 PM), Sun (Closed)

N/naka is a Japanese restaurant that celebrates seasonality and ritual. The chef is a native of Los Angeles but has spent several years studying kaiseki in Japan. The concept of kaiseki is a way of dining that is highly respected in Japan and is a staple in many of its restaurants. Chef Nakayama and her sous chef, Carole Iida-Nakayama, created their own interpretation of this traditional style of dining.

The restaurant’s interior is dimly lit and calming, with wood panels and dividers. The restaurant seats 26 people and has a wine cellar. Unfortunately, there is no vegan menu, and the staff respectfully declines requests from vegans. In addition, this restaurant does not accommodate every dietary restriction, so you should be prepared for some dietary restrictions.

In Echo Park, n/naka serves Japanese fare in a casual atmosphere. It is located in a building with vines that had been previously occupied by a Korean seafood restaurant. The restaurant’s new owners invited Yoji Tajima, former chef of Yojisan in Beverly Hills, to lead the kitchen. In addition to its own location, n/naka is planning a pop-up residency at the Toshizo Watanabe Culinary Cultural Center.

Service options: Dine-in | Takeaway | No delivery

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Salt & Straw Larchmont exterior
Salt & Straw

Salt & Straw (Larchmont)

Salt & Straw Larchmont exterior
Salt & Straw
  • Address: 240 N Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004
  • Located near/in: –
  • Contact: (323) 466-0485
  • Hours: Mon – Sun (11:00 AM – 11:00 PM)

Salt & Straw is a Portland-based ice cream maker that is expanding its operation in Southern California. It’s a great spot to grab a delicious coffee and indulge in a dessert. They have a variety of desserts and drinks to choose from, and delivery is available. You can view their menu online or call to place an order. The restaurant is opening its third outlet in Studio City tomorrow. The space is small and apothecary-like with a single stand for merchandise, a payment counter, and a pint cooler for take-out.

Besides that, Salt & Straw offers ice cream in several flavors. They’ve also won awards for the best ice cream in LA and Portland. Their menu contains more than 20 delicious flavors, and they offer a membership program where you can get new flavors each month.

Service options: Dine-in | Takeaway | No-contact delivery

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Raffaéllo Ristoránte

Raffaéllo Ristoránte interior
Raffaéllo Ristoránte
  • Address: 457 W 7th St, San Pedro, CA 90731
  • Located near/in: –
  • Contact: (310) 514-0900
  • Hours: Mon – Fri (11:30 AM – 2:00 PM) | (5:00 PM – 9:00 PM), Sat – Sun (11:30 AM – 9:00 PM)

Raffaéllo Ristoránte is an award-winning and also family-owned Italian restaurant serving traditional Italian dishes with lots of love. The owner, Wendy, focuses on providing an exceptional dining experience for her customers. She takes pride in the fact that every person at her restaurant is treated as if they’re her family. The dining room is a nice, airy space – it’s not like the cramped space of some of the more expensive restaurants in the city.

The pizzas here have excellent crust and good toppings. Among the choices are marinated artichoke hearts, diced ham, sauteed shrimp, and Marsala-soaked porcini mushrooms. The quattro stagioni pizza is an excellent option, with four different toppings and marinated artichoke hearts. There are regular Sinatra nights, and the owners come out to greet diners. They serve generous portions of classic red sauce dishes, as well as vegetarian dishes.

Service options: Dine-in | Kerbside pickup | No-contact delivery

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Providence

Providence Restaurant LA
The World’s 50 Best
  • Address: 5955 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038
  • Located near/in: –
  • Contact: (323) 460-4170
  • Hours: Mon (Closed), Tue – Fri (5:45 PM – 9:15 PM), Sat (5:30 PM – 9:15 PM), Sun (Closed)

Providence has become one of the most acclaimed restaurants in the United States, thanks to its modern American seafood cuisine. The restaurant features two types of tasting menus, the Signature Menu (with seven premium courses) and the Chef’s Menu (with 20 courses of fine fare). The restaurant also has an impressive wine list.

The restaurant’s chef, Michael Cimarusti, has been working in the industry for over a decade and focuses on sustainable seafood. The tasting menus feature an array of seafood from around the globe. Some of the creative dishes include radish purses, spicy oysters, and salmon-wrapped anchovies. Another standout dish is Wagyu beef, rolled creatively into cylinders and served in an open cigar box.

Providence restaurant is also known for its innovative cocktails. Its bar director, Kim Stodel, is committed to reducing waste and recycling, utilizing leftover seasonal produce in the creation of these drinks. The Providence restaurant is a unique dining experience in Los Angeles, and a visit here is worth it.

Service options: Dine-in | Delivery | No takeaway

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Brent’s Deli Northridge

Brent's Deli Northridge interior
Brent’s Deli
  • Address: 19565 Parthenia St, Northridge, CA 91324
  • Located near/in: Corbin/Parthenia Center
  • Contact: (818) 886-5679
  • Hours: Mon – Fri (#:00 AM – #:00 PM), Sat (#:00 AM – #:00 PM), Sun (#:00 AM – #:00 PM)

If you’re looking for a great place to get a great sandwich in the Northridge area, you can’t go wrong with Brent’s Deli Northridge. This bustling deli features classic sandwiches, sizing sandwiches, and an all-day breakfast menu. With free Wi-Fi and a full menu, you can enjoy a meal without even leaving your house. The staff is not only friendly, but the food is delicious, too.

You can order from the Brent’s Deli Northridge menu online or on the Uber Eats app. Once you’ve placed your order, you’ll be able to track your order and pick up your food at a time that’s convenient for you. Brent’s Deli is one of the best delis in Los Angeles. It offers Kosher food at an affordable price, and it also offers food delivery. Its decor is gorgeous and its atmosphere is pleasant, which is another major plus. The deli is rated 4.7 on Google.

Service options: Dine-in | Kerbside pickup | No-contact delivery

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Tocaya (Hollywood)

Tocaya Hollywood interior
Tocaya
  • Address: 6550 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
  • Located near/in: –
  • Contact: (323) 472-5802
  • Hours: Mon – Sun (10:30 AM – 9:00 PM)

Tocaya is a Mexican restaurant that serves Los Angeles residents throughout Central, West, and North of Rose. Their menu is varied and focuses on organic produce. They have several locations, including a West Hollywood location. If you are looking for a unique meal, you should try their tacos.

The menu features dishes that are organic, locally sourced and are vegetarian-friendly. This restaurant also features sustainable seafood and meats and is available for take-out or indoor dining. They also has a large patio and a take-out window.

For lunch, Tocaya offers organic and vegetarian options. Their carne asada Barrio Style taco is hormone-free and made with organic ingredients. They also offer vegan picadillos made from pea-based protein. Guests can also enjoy a refreshing cucumber mint limeade. The Churro Waffle Ice Cream Sandwich is a popular dessert, and it can also be made vegan.

Service options: Dine-in | Takeaway | No-contact delivery

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Langer’s

Langer's Delicatessen-Restaurant interior
Langer’s Delicatessen-Restaurant
  • Address: 704 S Alvarado St, Los Angeles, CA 90057
  • Located near/in: –
  • Contact: (213) 483-8050
  • Hours: Mon – Sat (8:00 AM – 4:00 PM), Sun (Closed)

Langer’s is a casual deli known for its hot pastrami on rye bread. The meat melts onto the bread and melds perfectly with the bread. The deli is also known for its delicious side dishes. The sides are not overly complicated, yet they are perfect cool downs after eating a heavy sandwich. Their delivery service allows you to order from the deli and have it delivered directly to your car. It is not open on Sundays, so it is best to eat there on weekdays.

While the deli’s delivery service is not available everywhere in Los Angeles, you can always order through Uber Eats. You can order Langer’s food through the app or through the website. Once you’ve reviewed the menu, you can place an order for delivery. Alternatively, if you’d prefer to pick up the food yourself, you can use Postmates or another delivery service.

Service options: Dine-in | Drive-through | Delivery

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Rossoblu

Rossoblu interior
Rossoblu
  • Address: 1124 San Julian St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
  • Located near/in: –
  • Contact: (213) 749-1099
  • Hours: Mon – Thu (5:00 PM – 9:00 PM), Fri – Sat (5:00 PM – 9:15 PM), Sun (5:00 PM – 9:00 PM)

Rossoblu is one of the best restaurants LA has to offer. It specializes in regional Italian cooking, and chef Steve Samson draws inspiration from his childhood memories in Bologna. It has been named to the Los Angeles Times’ 101 Best Restaurants list for several years. The restaurant serves dishes such as erbazzone, a savory pastry filled with cheese and swiss chard. The menu also features a variety of pasta, including a ricotta tortelloni and “ribbon smooth tagliatelle” in ragu.

Rossoblu’s menu is themed around Bolognese cuisine, and is inspired by the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. Its menu features plates of pasta from the region, such as sfoglia lorda (cheese-stuffed pasta pillow), as well as Italian gelato. Desserts include Italian-style pancakes and chocolate ice cream. The wine list includes a number of well-chosen wines.

The decor at Rossoblu is grand and lavish. There are high ceilings, soaring concrete columns, and a stunning mural. It feels like you’re dining in a rich Italian family’s Roman loft. The restaurant also has a wine cellar. The food is excellent, and the prices are fair.

Service options: Dine-in | Kerbside pickup | No-contact delivery

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Guelaguetza

Guelaguetza Restaurant interior
Guelaguetza
  • Address: 3014 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90006
  • Located near/in: –
  • Contact: (213) 427-0608
  • Hours: Mon (Closed), Tue – Thu (11:00 AM – 9:00 PM), Fri – Sun (9:00 AM – 10:00 PM)

Guelaguetza is a family-run restaurant that specializes in authentic Mexican fare from the remote southwest region of Oaxaca. This unique regional cuisine has become a staple in L.A. restaurants, capturing the attention of foodies and critics alike. Its bright orange exterior is framed by murals of a boy wearing a sombrero and holding a rooster. In addition to being a must for any foodie, the family-owned restaurant has an informal and familial feel.

Located in the Beverly Center parking garage, Guelaguetza Restaurante is considered one of the best restaurants in Los Angeles. It features an open kitchen where every dish touches the wood-fired grill. The restaurant also has an aquarium where the freshest catches of the day are showcased. Signature dishes include banana pancakes stuffed with caviar.

Service options: Dine-in | Kerbside pickup | No-contact delivery

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Tito's Tacos exterior
Tito’s Tacos

Tito’s Tacos

Tito's Tacos exterior
Tito’s Tacos
  • Address: 11222 Washington Pl, Culver City, CA 90230
  • Located near/in: –
  • Contact: (310) 391-5780
  • Hours: Mon – Sun (11:00 AM – 8:00 PM)

Known for its crispy tacos, Tito’s Tacos is one the most popular fast food chains in the city. The restaurant offers takeout, counter service, and the option to eat in. It is also a popular destination for people who are in a hurry. There are several locations in Los Angeles, including one in downtown. It is best to make reservations ahead of time.

For customers who are on a tight schedule, Tito’s Tacos has a delivery option. The restaurant partners with a courier service called StreetSmart Messengers. To deliver the food, a driver must complete a California Certified Food Handler course and a custom food safety course designed for the restaurant. Orders are packaged in tamper-proof containers and delivered within five miles of the restaurant. Customers may also place orders ahead of time for pick up.

Tito’s Tacos has a long and loyal following, offering top-quality Mexican cuisine. The restaurant prepares fresh ingredients every day using top-secret recipes. The result is a mouth-watering Mexican meal that has become a favorite among family members.

Tito’s Tacos is a beloved Los Angeles restaurant that has been around since 1959. Located in Culver City, it is always packed with people who are craving tacos, burritos, and chips and salsa.

Service options: Dine-in | Takeaway | Delivery

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