Los Angeles has quietly become one of the great restaurant cities in the world; a function of its extraordinary produce, its immigrant communities, and a generation of chefs who have chosen to cook here rather than in New York.
The argument about whether Los Angeles is a great restaurant city used to be a real argument. It is no longer. The combination of year-round extraordinary produce from the Central Valley and the coast, the largest and most diverse immigrant communities in the country, and a generation of chefs who have actively chosen Los Angeles over New York has produced a food culture that is genuinely world-class, and in several categories, the best in the United States. The taco landscape alone would justify the trip. Los Angeles has the best tacos outside Mexico, and the range is extraordinary; from the Sonoran-style carne asada of Sonoratown in Downtown to the creative market-driven approach of Guerrilla Tacos, from the braised meat tacos of Guisados in Boyle Heights to the late-night taco trucks of the Eastside that operate from midnight to 4am. The distinction between Sonoran-style tacos (flour tortillas, carne asada, the influence of northern Mexico) and Mexico City-style tacos (corn tortillas, a wider range of proteins, the influence of the capital) is worth understanding before you eat your way through the city. Los Angeles has both traditions operating at the highest level. Koreatown is the most underrated food neighborhood in America. The most densely populated neighborhood in Los Angeles, K-Town operates on a schedule that most of the city does not; restaurants and bars that are full at 11pm on a Tuesday, Korean barbecue restaurants where the quality of the beef and the banchan would be remarkable in Seoul, late-night spots that serve until 4am. Quarters Korean BBQ and Park's BBQ are the two most celebrated KBBQ destinations in the city, and both require reservations. The soju culture (the Korean distilled spirit served in small bottles at every table) is part of the experience. Koreatown is the neighborhood that most rewards visitors who venture off the standard tourist circuit. The sushi culture in Los Angeles is the best outside Japan, and the argument can be made that it is the best in the world for a specific style of omakase. The proximity to the Pacific, the Japanese-American community that has been in Los Angeles since the early twentieth century, and the concentration of extraordinary talent have produced a sushi culture that is distinct from New York's; more ingredient-focused, more connected to the seasons of the Pacific, less influenced by the fusion traditions that have shaped East Coast Japanese cooking. Urasawa in Beverly Hills and n/naka in Palms are the two most celebrated omakase destinations in the city; both require reservations months in advance and represent a significant financial commitment. Shunji in West LA is a more accessible entry point into the serious omakase tradition. The fine dining scene in Los Angeles has matured significantly over the past decade, and the Michelin Guide's arrival in the city in 2019 formalized what the food community already knew. Providence on Melrose is the most celebrated seafood restaurant in the city; chef Michael Cimarusti's tasting menus are among the most technically accomplished in the country. Osteria Mozza, Nancy Silverton's Italian restaurant on Melrose, remains one of the most reliably excellent restaurants in the city after nearly two decades. Republique, in a 1929 Charlie Chaplin building on La Brea, is the best expression of the French-California cooking style that has defined Los Angeles fine dining for a generation. Grand Central Market on Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles has been operating since 1917 and has been transformed over the past decade into one of the great food halls in California. The market's permanent stalls now include Wexler's Deli (the best Jewish deli in Los Angeles, serving pastrami and lox that would be notable in New York) Eggslut, which popularized the soft-scrambled egg sandwich that has been replicated across the country, and Sticky Rice, which serves some of the best Thai food in the city. The market's historic arcade, with its neon signs and tile floors, is one of the more beautiful food environments in the country. The breakfast and brunch culture in Los Angeles is a serious matter. Sqirl in Silver Lake (chef Jessica Koslow's small restaurant on Virgil Avenue) has been one of the most influential breakfast restaurants in the country since it opened in 2012. The ricotta toast, the sorrel pesto rice bowl, and the rotating seasonal dishes have defined a style of California breakfast cooking that has been widely imitated. Gjusta in Venice, the bakery and deli from the Gjelina group, is the other essential morning destination; the pastries, the smoked fish, and the grain bowls are all exceptional. Both restaurants have lines; both are worth the wait. Nobu Malibu is the most scenically positioned restaurant in Los Angeles; a glass-and-wood structure perched above the Pacific on the Malibu Pier, with views of the water from nearly every table. The black cod miso, which has been on the menu since Nobu Matsuhisa opened his first restaurant in Beverly Hills in 1994, remains one of the great dishes in the city. The celebrity factor is real (Malibu is home to a significant portion of the entertainment industry's upper tier) but the food justifies the visit regardless of who is at the next table. Reservations are essential and should be made weeks in advance. The farmers market culture is the foundation of Los Angeles cooking. The Wednesday morning Santa Monica Farmers Market is the most important market in California; chefs from every serious restaurant in the city shop here, and the produce quality reflects the extraordinary agricultural abundance of the region. The Saturday Santa Monica market is more accessible for visitors. The Hollywood Farmers Market on Sunday at Ivar and Selma is the most visitor-friendly option, with a strong prepared food section alongside the produce vendors. Practical notes for eating in Los Angeles: reservations at top restaurants are essential and should be made weeks in advance; Providence and n/naka book months ahead. The valet parking culture is real; most restaurants in West Hollywood and Beverly Hills offer valet as the primary parking option, typically $8–$15. The tipping standard is 20 percent at sit-down restaurants. The city's restaurant scene is concentrated in a handful of corridors (Melrose, La Brea, Abbot Kinney, Sunset in Silver Lake, and the Broadway-Spring corridor in Downtown) and exploring these streets on foot is the best way to discover what is new.
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