LAGuide
LA’s New Restaurant Openings
photo credit: Kim Fox
If you tried to keep track of every new restaurant and bar in LA, your head might spin. So just read this list instead. These are the openings that seem like they have the most potential. Although, keep in mind, we make no promises about the places we haven't visited yet. Go forth and be a pioneer—or just keep up with our Hit List to see which new restaurants we checked out and loved.
MAY
Awan’s original West Hollywood window makes some of the best ice cream in LA. So naturally, we squealed a little when we heard they were opening a proper scoop shop in Larchmont. The cave-like space looks like one big terracotta pot, and the rotating menu is made up of Indonesian-inspired, coconut-based ice creams that just so happen to be vegan and gluten-free. Expect unique flavors like Kluwek chocolate chip, Valencia Orange, Balinese vanilla bean, and something called Green Glow.
This Palestinian falafel shop stays open until 5am six nights a week, which makes it a clutch last stop after a long night out in Koreatown. Located in a strip mall near 3rd and Vermont, Salam Falafel serves a tight menu of dishes like fatteh, ribeye hummus, and falafel pitas. If you’re not out and about in the wee hours, Salam Falafel also looks great for a quick, casual dinner—just drop by after 8pm.
Two Vanderpump Rules stars just opened this tiny sandwich shop in West Hollywood. It’s been mobbed with fans, but if you care to wait in line, you’ll find a half-dozen tables inside surrounded by Tiffany-blue trellises. All of the sandwiches hover around $15 and are named after actresses from ‘90s rom-coms, like Drew Barrymore, Diane Keaton, and Reese Witherspoon.
POWERED BY
After closing late last year, Manhattan Beach beer bar Brewco is back to show off its big renovation. The space has been transformed from a seaside taproom to a spa-like retreat, with a new gastropub-y menu from the chef behind Redbird. You’ll find sushi rolls with snow crab, golden-brown schnitzel, and spicy pork ribs available at lunch and dinner. One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is the massive beer list.
The team behind Calic Bagels has a new fusion-y pizza place located in the same strip mall space on 8th Street in Koreatown. Show up after 5pm for Detroit-style square pies topped with things like gochujang pepperoni, al pastor, or marinated short rib sourced from Parks BBQ. They’ve also got a few sandwiches, beer, and makjeoli to pair with your pizza.
One of our favorite spots for hand-pulled noodles in the SGV just opened a second location at The Original Farmers Market. Their new matchbox-sized takeout counter serves braised beef noodle soup, spicy cumin beef fried rice, and a Xian-style dry noodle stir-fry that could work for a quick lunch or casual weeknight dinner.
There’s a new Southeast Asian fine dining spot in Pasadena, and it’s part of an upscale chain with locations across Asia. At the first U.S. location of Star Leaf, you’ll find shrimp-stuffed spring rolls, glistening masago fried rice, and spicy tom yum soup prepared tableside. The fancy wood-paneled dining room seats over 200, and there’s an attached bar with a Happy Hour that runs daily from 3-5pm.
This vaguely London-inspired bistro is serving a fusion-y menu of dishes like tikka masala fried chicken, sweet corn ravioli, and lamb tartare next door to Fia in Santa Monica. The moody dining room looks full of those big crescent booths Bond villains are always scheming in, which could make Chelsea a solid option for a Westside date night.
It’s possible to walk out of Ananuko, a new cafe in Culver City, as a more presentable and caffeinated version of your former self. That’s because this coffee spot doubles as a fancy barbershop, and each haircut at Aanuko comes with a complimentary drink, like a sparkling matcha yuzu lemonade or minty mojito iced latte.
The premise at this quick-service Taiwanese fried chicken spot in Hacienda Heights, co-owned by the 85°C Bakery people, is simple: crispy, spice-dusted chicken available in popcorn, cutlet, or sandwich form. Those options look good, but what also caught our eye are the night-market-style sides like fried squid bites and golden fishcakes.
The West Coast debut of this grab-and-go chain is a big deal, especially on busy days when all you need is a quick, pre-packaged sandwich lunch. Originally from London, Pret A Manger has long been popular with NYC office crowds—and now it's making a play for the UCLA bubble in Westwood, too.
Expect beach air and Baja shrimp cocktails at Riviera Mexican Cantina, a new waterfront restaurant in Redondo Beach that’s the seaside sibling of Riviera Mexican Grill, also in Redondo Beach. The menu features a classic array of Mexican seafood dishes, but the real draw here is the patio that overlooks the pier, so plan on dropping by early to eat mariscos in the sunshine.
Fiorelli Pizza is a new outdoor pop-up run by the chef behind Love & Salt serving wood-fired pies from The Cook's Garden, a small urban farm in Venice. The menu features small, puffy pizzas topped with things like potato and roasted asparagus, along with snacks and drinks, available Thursday through Sunday from 1:30-7pm (weather permitting).
The chef behind the now-closed Angler is back in LA with an Italian-ish restaurant in the old La Brea Bakery space near Mid-Wilshire/Hancock Park. While Neapolitan pizzas with unexpected toppings (and lots of caviar) seem to be Leopardo’s main focus, the restaurant is also serving twists on small plates like elk tartare and polenta waffles with cob butter.
Hong Kong-style french toast, pineapple pork chop buns, and curry beef brisket are all on the menu at this colorful Macau-themed Chinese cafe that just opened in San Gabriel. Much like traditional cha chaan teng, HK Macau Bistro has a massive menu and stays open until 2am.
LA’s best bourekas are now available at a second brick-and-mortar location in Van Nuys. Besides a bigger patio, the new location also has a larger kitchen where they’ll eventually offer sandwiches, desserts, and more.
If you’ve been looking for a dinner spot to impress someone you might share a streaming password with someday, 4 Shore could have potential. This vaguely Italian restaurant in Long Beach's canal-lined Naples neighborhood serves steak and seafood in a room full of velvet booths. Despite the ridiculous name, it looks like a dark and sexy spot designed for date night.
Not to be confused with Kazan in Beverly Hills, the new Tonkotsu Kazan in DTLA is a ramen chain from Singapore that specializes in “volcano ramen.” The signature noodles arrive with a cone-shaped lid that erupts with steam as the tonkotsu broth boils in a stone bowl underneath. If you like a bit of theater with your dinner, you’ll find it here.
This avante-garde coffee shop from Berlin has officially joined the cool clique of Arts District cafes with great natural light, alongside spots like Maru, Kodo, and Boxx. Expect tables made from cement blocks, little wooden stools, and stylish people posing with hojicha lattes.
One of our favorite places to eat in Anaheim recently expanded with a second location in Westwood and we couldn’t be happier. The menu at House of Mandi is centered around mandi platters with roasted lamb, chicken, or fish, piled on a mountain of fragrant rice and soft Yemeni flatbread measured by the yard. Orders can feed anywhere between 3 to 18 people, so come with a crew—this is group dining at its finest.
The city’s fancy croissant scene is hot right now, and the latest addition can be found in Santa Monica’s Petit Grain Boulanger. This tiny French bakery, run by the co-owner of LA’s best-known baking school, has the Westside lining up for buttery laminated pastries—and they’ve been consistently selling out before noon. If you can’t get your hands on one of their croissants, try some blueberry ginger scones, maple pecan coffee cakes, or seeded sourdough loaves instead.
LA is already home to a Tokyo-inspired pizzeria, sandwich shop, and listening bar, so the arrival of a Tokyo-inspired coffee shop next makes sense. The drink menu at Loop Espresso Club in Eagle Rock runs the gamut from black sesame cortados to hazelnut lattes. Espresso aside, this wood-paneled cafe looks like a nice place to get some work done and snack on housemade brown butter madeleines.
If you’ve spent much time tracking down the best flat white in Seoul, there’s a chance you’ve heard of Camel Coffee, a hip Korean coffee chain that just opened its first US location in Silver Lake. Look for their signature Camel Latte that’s subtly flavored with chocolate and orange, drinks made with matcha or misugaru (roasted grain powder), and a selection of fancy pastries including freshly baked (you guessed it) croissants.
Nong La, the reliable Vietnamese mini-chain known for a great banh mi among other things, just opened its third location in downtown Culver City. The new space is bigger than the Sawtelle and La Brea locations. Plus, there’s a small sidewalk patio that looks nice for a casual pho dinner.
N2 Pink might sound like the name of a girl-pop group that just went viral, but it’s actually a new Thai restaurant in the heart of Koreatown on 3rd Street. The focus is on yen ta fo, a popular noodle soup from Bangkok stocked with seafood and an unmistakable hot pink broth made with fermented red tofu. They’re also serving less colorful but tasty-looking dishes like salted egg yolk fried shrimp, boat noodles, and pork belly sticky rice.
Located in the former Village Idiot space, Carmel is a new Mediterranean spot on Melrose that looks like an immediate contender for our “see and be seen” tag. The menu features a wide selection of pasta, a few raw plates, plus dishes like smoked eggplant masahaba and octopus skewers with labneh. Carmel also stays open until 2am on Thursday through Saturday for the late-night cocktail crowd.
Donut and fried chicken concept Birdies has officially rebranded itself as Duchess in DTLA. Other than the new name, the menu has mostly remained unchanged. Expect the same fried chicken sandwiches, thick breakfast burritos, and frosted sprinkle donuts as before, with the addition of hot chicken tenders, boneless wings, and fun-looking “party packs” designed for group takeout meals.
APRIL
Before it closed down during the pandemic, one of LA’s best cocktail bars was hidden in a small, mid-century-ish lounge behind Scopa Italian Roots in Venice. Now, like wide-leg jeans, Old Lightning has made its big return. Expect a huge collection of rare spirits, classic cocktails, and sharply dressed bartenders. Reservations are required and can be booked online.
Yet another business has thrown its hat into the “best Mediterranean chain in LA” ring. After opening a location in a San Gabriel Valley food hall, Limone just landed a brick-and-mortar at The Enclave food mall in Torrance. Expect rice plates topped with shawarma, grilled fish, or falafel that cost less than a movie ticket.
Goobne is a Korean baked chicken chain from Seoul that just opened a location in Koreatown. Boneless and bone-in wings make up most of the menu, and you can get them glazed in soy garlic or galbi sauce. Beyond chicken, you’ll find bowls of tteokbokki and waffle fries that have also never met a fryer.
With recent spots like Kuku Cafe and Azizam, Persian food seems to having a mini-moment in LA. Now there’s a new all-day Persian cafe on Sunset, located in Hollywood’s western-themed strip mall Gower Gulch. Swing by for chicken shish kabob, or grab a table in the beige-toned dining room for a plate of grilled salmon and cherry rice followed by saffron ice cream.
Sookdal has already established itself as a destination KBBQ spot in Garden Grove, and now this global chain has set up shop in Koreatown to compete with other new arrivals K-Team BBQ and Origin KBBQ. Sookdal specializes in wet-aged pork cuts like belly and shoulder, but their selection of steak looks promising, too. The menu here leans upscale, so expect combo platters designed feed two for about $100.
Heavy Handed has a devoted following of LA smashburger heads, which explains the Santa Monica burger spot’s recent expansion to Studio City. Their second location is much bigger (and even more colorful) than the original on Main Street, but you’ll find the same menu featuring single, double, or triple smashburgers with housemade pickles, beef tallow fries, dipped soft serve cones, and local beers on tap.
Fondry is the latest cafe opening from the Kumquat folks, and while this new spot does serve espresso drinks, the main attractions here are the laminated pastries. Their aesthetically pleasing Instagram states they’re “baking fine croissants” but we also spy other glossy baked goods, like kouign-ammans, pain suisse, and yuzu-flavored "croffins."
We recently visited Fondry. Read our thoughts here.
With the speed of an HGTV makeover show, Gran Blanco in Venice has completely flipped its decor (and personality). The Mexican-ish, Mediterranean-ish cocktail lounge that once graced our Tulum-inspired restaurant guide is no longer Tuluminous. It’s now gone full-on Japanese izakaya, with a noticeably darker decor, sake options, and a broadly East Asian menu featuring katsu chicken curry, cheeseburger spring rolls, and “sticky rice sticks.”
LA is no stranger to themed restaurants (see: Universal City Walk), but Torrance Yokocho might be the first one inspired by an alleyway. This long, narrow, dimly lit spot in the South Bay is designed to replicate Tokyo’s famed “yokocho,” where various food shops are packed into nooks and crannies of the city’s old passageways. Expect a huge menu covering yakitori, oden, ramen, sushi, and more, with each individual “shop” acting as a hidden seating area.
Located inside the Long Beach Exchange shopping complex, Bar Becky is an Italian-American spot from a SoCal chef who was runner-up on Gordan Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen. The food here looks to be stylized takes on homey Italian, like an antipasto salad with provolone and pepperoncini, pappardelle with stewed beef cheeks and chanterelles, and branzino in a caper-raisin butter sauce.
The people behind Quarters BBQ are clearly busy, because this is their second restaurant opening in two months. Lasung House is a tonkatsu specialist with crispy pork, chicken, and fish cutlets to choose from. They come coated in curry sauce, too, and with creamy sides like macaroni salad and slaw. And if you’re not feeling a fried slab of meat, there are various sides (that look entree-sized), such as spicy cold buckwheat noodles and creamy seafood pasta.
The menu at Toast & Rice covers a lot of ground: donburi bowls, big sandwiches, plus Peruvian dishes like lomo saltado. This Asian-Latin American fusion spot in Koreatown tops its rice bowls with tempura, poached eggs, and meats like bulgogi or something called borracha brisket. And we’re not exaggerating when we call those sandwiches big: These giant toasted milk bread sandos come loaded with fried chicken, hash browns, and generous amounts of the chef’s “secret sauce.”
photo credit: Brant Cox
Another big restaurant comeback story for 2024: Cobras & Matadors, the neighborhood Spanish spot that was one of 2022's best new restaurants, has quietly reopened in the former Spartina space on Melrose after shuttering early last year. Several of our favorites from the old menu have made their way back as well, like the garlicky gambas, crispy green lentils with shredded bits of jamón, and the excellent roasted chicken bathed in tangy jus.
photo credit: Brant Cox
Ever heard of a tiki bar on top of a hot dog stand? Neither had we until Lucky Tiki. This secretive, reservation-only West Hollywood spot is located above Tail O’ The Pup and is accessed by buzzing a hidden intercom inside a pickle barrel on the first floor. Inside you’ll find a tropical paradise full of beaded entryways, bamboo huts, and cocktails served in treasure chests and edible sandboxes. Reservations are already booked out for months, so plan on setting up every watilist notification possible.
We recently visited Lucky Tiki and added it to the Bar Hit List.
We’ve eaten many smashburgers at this job, and we agree with a lot of you: if you’ve had one, you’ve (mostly) had them all. But Ban Ban Burger looks different. This Sawtelle spot from the Tuk Tuk Thai people is making Thai-inspired smashburgers (woah), with creations like a wagyu laab burger with mint gremolata, and a grapow-seasoned smash topped with a runny egg. Also on the menu are panang fried chicken sandwiches, plus laab fries, and pandan milkshakes.
We recently visited Lucky Tiki and added it to the Hit List.
Nardo West Hollywood (Nardo *Beverly Grove* if we’re being technical) is the second location of an upscale Italian spot from Huntington Beach. The specialty is Neapolitan pizza, which comes in nearly 20 varieties, plus calzone and fried pizza options if that’s your thing. Besides the standard margherita, there are pizzas topped with cured chorizo, mortadella, and smoked mozzarella. There’s also decently sized pasta, small plates, and protein menus if you prefer calamari, lasagna, and a milanese cutlet.
Westfield Century City Mall is becoming something of a ramen hub with its newest addition: Ramen Ochi. It’s the first U.S. location of the Japanese ramen chain, known for its award-winning “sanju broth” made with pork, beef, and chicken. Their signature Nikutama ramen is finished with pork belly, chives, fish cake, and a golden egg yolk that gets mixed in. A few tsukemen options are also available, as well as karaage and some plump-looking gyoza.
If you like food on sticks and a variety of drink options, Kushiba seems like your kind of place. This Echo Park izakaya from the chef behind Shibumi specializes in Japanese kushikatsu, deep-fried skewers popular in Osaka. Kushiba fries up things like shrimp, “wieners” wagyu, and shitakes— that you order a la carte or as a six-skewer omakase. There’s also beer, sake, and Japanese whiskeys to pair, plus appetizers like potato salad with smoked eel. We recently visited Kushiba. Read our thoughts here.
Originally a food truck and roaming pop-up, onigiri specialist Supamu finally has a permanent home in the former Michin Dak space in Koreatown. The casual walk-up stand serves a unique style of onigiri from Okinawa, which involves rice and nori sheets folded up with fillings, sandwich-style—take your pick of things like grilled spam, tamago, spicy tuna, and fried soft shell crab.
The people behind Ktown’s Tokki have pivoted with a new concept in the same space called Danbi. Well, it’s not all that new—it’s still a Korean small plates spot as before, just with an overhauled menu. The relatively short list of dishes includes thinly sliced pork jowl, charcoal-grilled bone marrow, and a sexy-looking uni bibimbap. The drinks menu is twice as long as the food, featuring everything from makgeolli-spiked espresso martinis to unfiltered rice wines and Korean beer.
Vespertine is back and seems unrelatable as ever. Located in its original, undeniably cool building in Culver City, the experimental fine dining restaurant will serve a “multi-sensory” 16-course tasting menu titled “The Origin of Everything,” for $395 per person. There will be fungi, algae, and fish sourced from the deepest, darkest ocean. There will be aged dairy calf raised strictly on its mother’s milk, and also papaya juice. (All of these are real.) Expect an atmospheric, synth-heavy soundtrack in the dining room, too.
We recently visited Vespertine. Read our thoughts here.
Unlike the weekend lines at its Venice location, All’Antico Vinaio moves fast. Less than six months after opening its first LA location, the viral sandwich shop from Florence now has a second branch in Koreatown, where you can order focaccia panini filled with cold cuts, stracciatella, and creamy truffle spread (without the Westside crowds, we hope).
Venice’s Coucou just opened a second location in West Hollywood, which makes sense to us. This French-ish spot has a chic bistro look and serves oyster platters, steak frites, and their so-called “perfect martini.” (We’ve had the one in Venice, and it lives up to the name) Also, their signature soft serve sundaes are off-menu, but still available.
We recently visited Coucou Weho. Read our thoughts here.
Anyone in the Hancock Park/Hollywood area has likely seen this building and thought, “When is this place going to open?” or “Sushi from Germany? Hmm.” Well, after two years, Sushi Palace is finally happening. The German chain specializes in showy dishes like caviar-topped wagyu nigiri, beetroot-stained cut rolls, and tuna tartare with a little quail egg on top. There’s also stuff that’s not remotely sushi-related, like burrata over diced avocado.
This popular smashburger spot has a new location right on the Venice Boardwalk, and you can expect the same tight menu as the Beverly Grove shop: two smashburgers available as a single or double, plus a grilled cheese and fries. The Oklahoma burger—topped with a mountain of onions mushed into the salty patty—is our favorite.
photo credit: Prima Lo
Burgette is a Parisian-inspired burger spot next door to Santa Monica’s Bar Monette (owned by the same people), and likely the only place in LA serving a salmon belly smashburger. If that grabbed your attention, so will most things on their menu: wagyu smashburgers with bone marrow butter and raclette, fried chicken cordon bleu with asparagus relish, and the namesake La Burguette with “Parisian sauce” and mimolette. Small plates, charcuterie, and a sexy chocolate croissant dessert are also up for grabs. We recently visited Burgette. Read our thoughts here.
The owner of Larchmont’s Le Petit Greek has moved to a new spot on West 3rd Street called Greek Eats. For a small counter-service spot, the menu is huge. They're making spanakopita, giant cubes of lamb souvlaki served with fries and tabbouleh, and a gyro section with various meat options, plus grilled halloumi.
We recently visited Greek Eats. Read our thoughts here.
We don’t have too many details on this coffee shop, so we can’t answer the cliffhanger question. Here's what we know: it’s in Montrose and one of the owners runs Footwork Coffee Service, a roaming DJ/coffee/pastry pop-up. We’ll be sure to keep an eye out for more details, but feel free to snoop for yourself on Instagram.
MARCH
Wax Paper’s Chinatown location closed last year, but now it’s back open for business, serving the same NPR-host-named sandwiches and fancy swirled soft serve. Our favorites remain the Ira Glass with sharp cheddar, avocado, and a mountain of sprouts, and the Larry Mantle, a hefty Italian sub with bologna, salami, and pecorino.
The people behind Park’s BBQ have opened a more casual, pork-focused Korean barbecue spot called K-Team, which sounds like a new Marvel series on streaming. The K-Team menu is short and sweet, with six pork cuts and three beef, including pork collar steak, thick-cut pork belly, and beef brisket. The sides look great, too, including kimchi stew, spicy acorn noodles, and bubbling steamed egg.
We recently visited K-Team BBQ. Read our thoughts here.
In other spinoff news, the Iki Ramen folks just launched this new handroll concept across the street from their Hollywood location. The food looks like a whole lot of seafood luxury wrapped in nori: lobster, minced toro, and uni topped with caviar. Handroll set menus and a la carte sushi and sashimi are also available.
Ever seen a photo of a sandwich and feel butterflies? That’s what happened when we saw the French-style ficelle at La ‘Croque in Long Beach. This “European-style” sandwich spot specializes in croque monsieurs, but there’s also a vegetarian sandwich with avocado and sun-dried tomatoes, a pesto-y caprese on a pretzel roll, and the aforementioned ficelle: a cherry-walnut-orange-flavored baguette filled with prosciutto, brie, and French butter.
There’s a new strip mall sushi spot in Koreatown that’s caught our eye: Hato Sushi. The menu is huge, the nigiri looks enticing, and so does the $80 omakase. Expect traditional nigiri like toro, hotate, and shime saba, busy rolls full of crispy onions and tempura, hot udon, and appetizers like karaage and gyoza.
Who is Guac Daddy? We may never know, but here’s what we do know about this casual taquería attached to the Los Feliz theater. There’s sidewalk seating, virgin mango mojitos, and a large menu of tacos, California burritos, vampiros, and, their specialty, Baja-style tacos with shrimp or fish. If you’re not into seafood, they've got options like asada, birria, mushrooms, and even bulgogi.
This popular cookie pop-up has a full-time home in West Adams. Operating as a walk-up window, Fleur et Sels stocks over 20 different flavors, including sea salt chocolate chip, caramelized butter pecan, and lemon poppyseed crinkle.
Echo Park’s beloved Cuban bakery closed due to family drama in late 2023, but now it’s reopened under new ownership—could this be the baked goods feel-good story of the year? Among the new owners is a former line cook at Quarter Sheets (and founder of DC ice cream shop Milk Cult), but you can still expect their classic guava cream cheese pastries and cubano sandwiches on the menu.
We recently visited Cafe Tropical. Read our thoughts here.
photo credit: Sylvio Martins
Remember Kogi? If you inhaled a short rib burrito at one of their trucks over the last decade-plus, of course you do. The chef behind the iconic Korean taco operation has a new concept that fires up in Palms starting at 5pm. The charcoal-powered street taquería serves tacos and burritos on housemade tortillas, with asada, al pastor, chicken, and grilled mushrooms as protein options. Like the Dodgers, Tacos Por Vida is doing a few spring training pop-ups in late March before fully opening in April. Check their IG for dates.
We recently visited Tacos Por Vida. Read our thoughts here.
photo credit: Layla Restaurant
Layla is a new Jordanian restaurant on the ground floor of the Sonder Beacon Santa Monica hotel that looks like a romantic spot to split some mezze. While the mezze looks good (with puffy, freshly baked bread), it's the bigger dishes that left a twinkle in our eyes: short rib kabobs, neatly stacked piles of stuffed grape leaves, lamb tagine, and grilled-until-charred sea bass with blood orange chermoula.
We recently visited Layla. Read our thoughts here.
Located in the former Mori Sushi space in West LA, Mori Nozomi is a woman-owned, high-end omakase that runs for $250 per person. There is one service each night, Thursday through Saturday. We don’t know many details about their menu, but based on their social media, expect glistening nigiri with things like surf clams, thread-sail filefish, and marbled toro. Reservations required.
The people behind the Roger Room and Bar Lubitsch have a new spot called The Moon Room. This cocktail spot in Beverly Grove promises to be “chic as f*ck,” and if it’s anything like its sibling bars, the drinks will be good. The space itself is sleek, dark, and a smidge risque, with checkered floors, all-black walls, and tons of paintings of naked people.
Located behind Dada Market (home to Little Fish) is Dada Echo Park, a Berlin-inspired cafe that—based on its social media presence—feels too cool for you? What does this post mean? We don’t know. But we do know it’s a big restaurant space with two bars to sit at, an analog sound system, and cocktails.
We can’t say this restaurant’s name aloud and keep a straight face. But besides that, these breakfast sandwiches look good. Muffin Can Stop Us now has a total of three locations, including this latest one in Downtown. It’s a very yellow counter-service spot where you can order english muffin egg sandwiches with crispy bacon, breakfast sausage, or pastrami. Tater tots, pastries, and various busy coffee drinks are also available.
A slow morning at this Monterey Park shop sounds like a great start to your day. Congee & Noodles House serves, well, congee and noodles. The congee menu, however, is very enticing, with options like shrimp, pig liver, beef filet, and abalone to choose from. There’s also a very juicy-looking hainan chicken rice that caught our eye.
Located on a busy stretch of Santa Monica in East Hollywood, Chick’N 82 is a food stand that serves Korean-style popcorn chicken a few ways. Everything is under $12: a bucket of plain nugs, nugs over rice or salad (or both), and nugs over rice coated in several lashings of spicy mayo.
We see taqueros, tamaleros, and entire food trucks dedicated to mariscos in LA, but we don’t see enough gorditas. At least we now have Gorditas La Baja in Norwalk. Originally a street vendor, this gorditas specialist opened a brick-and-mortar in the neighborhood serving a short eight-item menu. These thick-looking gorditas come stuffed with things like chicharrón verde, chicken tinga, and chorizo with potatoes.
Hear ye, hear ye: The champions of our Smashburger Power Rankings have a new location in Van Nuys. Expect the same menu as the other outlets, featuring a very good fried chicken sandwich and their signature smashburger with lacy edges and grilled onions pressed into the patties.
It’s clear that we, collectively, haven’t emotionally recovered from Souplantation’s recent demise. Fortunately, this spot in Rancho Cucamonga—a copycat concept located in a former Souplantation—offers the same concept every Little League team knows all too well: AYCE salad and buffet at reasonable prices, including soup, pizza, pasta, soft serve, and more. Soup N’ Fresh is already drawing hour-plus lines, even though it’s still in its soft opening phase.
Pali Wine Co. has rebranded itself as Neighborhood Winery, but it’s more than just a name change. The Arts District wine bar is serving a Jewish deli-inspired food menu to pair with its natural wines, like a savory kugel, caviar-topped latkes, and a classic reuben. Look for a wide range of colorful new bottles too, like a sparkling cider-wine hybrid made in collab with Benny Boy Brewing.
There is no shortage of Italian sandwiches in LA, but these ones come on wheels. Operating out of a converted school bus, Sì Roma in Glendale sells a short menu of paninis served on fluffy-looking “Italian-style baguettes.” Fillings include things like Sicilian pecorino, housemade pesto, and the usual cold cuts such as mortadella, salami, and prosciutto cotto.
Chef Kang of Seoul Night by Chef Kang, Chef Kang Food Rehab, and Haneuem by Chef Kang (you get the point) now has Dasom...by Chef Kang. According to their Instagram page, this casual Ktown spot specializes in “legit Korean cuisine,” with dishes like pork belly kimchi stew, oxtail soup, and spicy marinated raw oysters.
Kikata Ramen Ban Nai is a ramen chain from Japan that’s already gained a following in Orange County and is now expanding to LA with its first location in Torrance. Kikata does a few things differently, like using Chinese-style shina soba (a slightly chewier, thicker noodle), and their signature shio broth comes spiked with green chili. Expect nine bowls on the brief menu, including tsukemen, spicy miso, and tan tan ramen, plus some appetizers.
Here’s what you need to know about this new conveyor belt sushi spot on the second floor of Gardena’s giant Tokyo Central supermarket: you order off a touch tablet, the sushi is made with real wasabi and red vinegar from Japan, and the waits are reportedly very long. The menu features a range of premium nigiri, plus hand rolls and cut rolls stuffed with spicy tuna and shrimp tempura. There’s even a separate menu of wagyu sushi menu to explore, too.
Chatterbox, the dark cocktail spot in Downtown’s Theatre District with pool tables, live music, and pinball machines, has been rebranded as The Grayson. We’re still waiting to hear more details about any drink or decor changes, but what we do know is that it’s still serving Fabby’s Sandwicherie’s incredible tortas until midnight. That should be enough of an excuse to come check it out.
photo credit: Sal's Place
John Waters, Anthony Bourdain, and Sal’s Place have one thing in common: they’re all Provincetown, MA legends. This Italian institution has a 75-year history, and, following an extended pop-up last year, is putting down (semi) permanent roots with a location in Weho: Sal’s will spend six months on the West Coast and six months back in P-town, snowbird-style. The Weho location boasts an old-school look with linen curtains and pinstripe booths and a menu of dishes like lobster alla vodka pasta and citrusy endive salad.
We recently visited Sal's Place. Read our thoughts here.
Located at the old Madeo address in Weho, Stella is an Italian restaurant by a big-name Toronto chef who drizzles Canadian olive oil on burrata. (Apparently, Canada produces some very good olive oil.) But that’s just one of the interesting things on Stella’s menu, which features wagyu beef tongue carpaccio, aged peking duck in blood orange ragú, and bowls of su filindeu—a thread-like Sicilian pasta in lamb and chicken broth.
We recently visited Stella and added it to the Hit List.
Azizam is a term of endearment in Farsi, and good Persian food is the key to our hearts. In other words, we’re into this former pop-up’s new look. At their new daytime cafe in Silver Lake, Azizam is offering various mazeh plates, like yogurt drizzled with mint oil and marinated olives, as well as dishes like sibzamini (fried potatoes with sumac and parsley) and beef kofteh. There’s hot tea, creative drinks, and plenty of baked goods, too, including a Persian mille-feuille layered with pistachios and cream.
We recently visited Azizam and added it to the Hit List.
This popular taco truck now has a brick-and-mortar in West Whittier. Tacos La Carreta is a Mazatlán-style taquería, which means mesquite grill and drippy chorreadas with asada and a big splatter of salsa. Vampiros, papa locas, and tacos on flour or corn tortillas are also on the menu.
photo credit: Leah Ferrazzani
Semolina & Ferrazzani’s Pasta & Market
We feel an urge to throw our money at this small shop in Pasadena. Part artisanal pasta vendor, part sandwich counter, Semolina & Ferrazzani is a place to peruse imported vinegars, Italian cheeses, and tiny piles of freshly made bucatini. For lunch, the counter makes a short list of sandwiches with things like calabrian chili butter, mortadella, and pickled fennel. There’s housemade Italian ice, too.
Provecho Calimex pops up at the Mar Vista and Marina Del Rey farmers markets, but now you can stop by its first brick-and-mortar cafe in West LA, too. This all-day Mexican spot is known for its loaded breakfast burritos, but they also do a bunch of other stuff, like enfrijoladas, chilaquiles, and veggie burgers for the plant eaters out there.
Urban Dessert Lab is a vegan dessert shop from New York with a new location in West Hollywood. It claims to be the world’s first oat milk ice crème shop (note the accent) with flavors like salted pecan, strawberry shortcake, and cinnamon apple crisp. We’re particularly intrigued about the brûléesants: sugar-coated croissants that are torched until crackly and served with vegan whipped cream.
