Brownstone Pizzeria
WHY Huge, floppy New York-style pies and hearty traditional pasta dishes. Eat your pizza quickly—they get soggy if they sit around, and they don’t take home well. WHAT Huge, ultra-thin-crust pizzas are...
View ArticlePollos a la Brasa Western
WHY Where else can you get a Peruvian-style chicken cooked over real wood in the middle of a sea of Korean eateries?; WHAT Come here for deeply flavored roast chicken that reflects the smoky flavor...
View ArticleTaco Zone
WHY Simple, perfectly grilled pork, beef and chorizo tacos. WHAT Some love the carne asada, others prefer the lengua (tongue), but all agree this truck parked outside the Vons market on Alvarado grills...
View ArticleAnnapurna Cuisine
WHY Dosas and southern-style curries in a tech-savvy setting complete with Bollywood offerings on plasma screens. WHAT Annapurna showcases classic southern Indian cooking in an urbane setting (complete...
View ArticleJR Bistro
WHY Chinatown restaurants can seem all too similar, but JR stands out for hot pots, lobster specials and well-prepared standards. WHAT The same owners’ JR Restaurant was one of the westside’s top...
View ArticleGolden Gopher
WHY One of the first spruced-up bars of Downtown’s renaissance. Kogi fans take note that the taco truck sometimes parks outside. WHAT The funky name and neon sign date from the bar’s original...
View ArticleSmoke House
WHY Famous for the garlic bread, the Smoke House is best at old-school dinner-house fare like steak Sinatra, prime rib and shrimp Louie. A popular brunch buffet on weekends, early-bird specials and...
View ArticleChaya Downtown
WHY Terrific L.A.-style Euro-Asian fusion food, a swinging happy hour, four hours of free parking and a free shuttle to the Music Center. WHAT The youngest member of the great Chaya family is a hit....
View ArticleVarnish, The
WHY The closest L.A. has to a speakeasy, with a discreetly marked door at the back of Cole’s and exquisitely crafted cocktails. WHAT 1920s-style barmen, a jazz soundtrack and fresh fruit juices make...
View ArticleLet’s Be Frank
WHY Because there’s no guilt—well, almost no guilt—involved in enjoying these all-natural, grass-fed beef hot dogs with organic accoutrements. It elevates the hot-dog cart to a haute level. WHAT Even a...
View ArticleSpice Station
WHY All manner of fresh and fragrant exotic spices and a tea annex, too. WHAT Hidden down a Sunset Junction passageway, Spice Station is filled with spices and dried herbs from around the world. With...
View ArticleStarry Kitchen
WHY Starry Kitchen spices up the Downtown lunch scene with a modern, irreverent approach to Vietnamese-influenced cooking. WHAT California Plaza is a little less corporate with the success of...
View ArticleBarbrix
WHY A bohemian-chic indoor/outdoor wine bar with spot-on Mediterranean-inspired small plates. WHAT Interesting, well-priced wines from California to Croatia are the centerpiece of this...
View ArticleYai’s on Vermont
WHY Spicy papaya salad, minced chicken with red curry and fried trout are recommended; make sure to specify your desired spice level. WHAT On the easternmost end of Thai Town with ample free parking,...
View ArticleAl Gelato
WHY For red sauce-dishes like rigatoni, as well as pizza, prosciutto or meatball sandwiches and salads. The tuna sandwich and the chili have many admirers. WHAT Gelati (or the amazing coffee granita)...
View ArticleCheese Store of Pasadena
WHY L.A.’s passion for cheese spreads eastward, into a spacious gourmet shop facing Shopper’s Lane. WHAT A solid collection of imported and domestic cheese is kept in a temperature-controlled cold...
View ArticleProof Bakery
WHY Sophisticated pastries, excellent coffee and fresh bread in a fast-transforming neighborhood. WHAT Though owner Na Young Ma is a Glendale native, Proof has a Parisian look, with marble-topped...
View ArticleSurly Goat
WHY A low-key West Hollywood tavern for discerning beer enthusiasts. WHAT Ryan Sweeney opened the Surly Goat after making a splash in the local beer community with his first bar, the Verdugo. His new...
View ArticleEagle Rock Brewery
WHY A place to taste made-in-L.A. beer right at the source. WHAT Actually in adjacent Glassell Park, Eagle Rock Brewery is a friendly spot to quaff the brews that are pioneers in L.A.’s craft-beer...
View ArticleLotería Grill
WHY Tacos stuffed with chicken mole, mushrooms, cactus or squash, huevos rancheros for brunch and stunning aguas frescas made from fresh fruits or jamaica flowers. WHAT This little stand turns out some...
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