10 Restaurants You Just Have To Try in Los Angeles
Los Angeles is ripe with excellent food and restaurants. It can be rather difficult to weed through them all to find the best of the best – although we’re pretty sure you can’t actually go wrong anywhere. When 2020 hit along with Covid-19, many of our favorite eateries were forced to close their doors. Two years later restaurants are opening back up and restaurateurs feel hopeful about diving into new, innovative, and unique restaurant concepts.
2020 may have changed the way many restaurants function but it didn’t affect quality. In fact, chefs had to get creative and we think that led to something great.
We searched around and found ten of the hottest and best restaurants in and around LA this summer. Some of them are brand new concepts, others have recently re-opened their doors, and one Los Angeles staple just got back on its feet after a 17-year hiatus.
Check them out:
Location: 4604 Eagle Rock Blvd.
Bite-Sized Description: Trendy Italian Aperitivo and cocktails.
About: Joe and Helen Sams opened The Capri in 1963 in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles. They were known for good food at a reasonable price and a nice cozy place to eat. They ran the restaurant for 30 years before handing over the reins to local regulars, the Thiels.
For years the parents ran the restaurant while their kids enjoyed the hot food and a new experience. In 2006 the sons’ Jeff and Jim Thiel took over the family business. They put their own spin on the menu and concept while operating the restaurant until 2019 when they decided to retire and focus on their health.
After a major remodel and renovation of the historic space, “Capri Club” was brought back to life once again by restaurant industry veteran Robert Fleming. Paying homage to its long and storied past, Capri Club offers a pared-down menu of classic Italian Aperitivo fare and cocktails.
The food menu was curated by Puglia-native Chef Francesco Allegro and pairs effortlessly with the long list of Amari, refreshing Negronis, and classic Martinis by celebrated beverage director and operating partner Nic Vascocu.
Location: 3501 Eagle Rock Blvd.
Bite-Sized Description: Rustic American heritage cooking.
About: Chef Brian Dunsmoor is the brains behind this culinary adventure into American heritage cooking. Long tables meant for communal sitting look upon a large open hearth. Chef Dunsmoor turns out dishes such as Cornish Game Hen, Shrimp Stuffed Rainbow Trout, and Wood-Roasted Oysters breathing new life into rustic American cooking.
Location: 7998 Santa Monica Blvd.
Bite-Sized Description: Classic burgers and fries from a historic staple.
About: Established in 1946 and a historic staple of Route 66, Irv’s is considered an institution and one of the original roadside burger stands in Los Angeles. It’s known for its classic burgers and fries, wrapping everything together with its passionate hospitality for customers and communities.
Originally known as Queen’s Burgers, the burger stand caught everyone’s attention with the off-the-wall signage, “No Lobster, Just Burgers”. Despite changes in owners through the ages, the burger stand continues to serve delicious food and warm vibes in the community, luring the likes of The Clash, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Seth Rogen, Drew Barrymore, and was most notably featured on Linda Ronstadt’s album cover, “Living in the USA”, sealing the brand in Hollywood’s Pop Culture canon.
They are available 7 days a week for pickup, delivery, and catering special events.
Location: 5003 Melrose Ave
Bite-Sized Description: Filipino dishes – fast and casual.
About: Kuya Lord is an elevated fast-casual restaurant concept by Chef Lord Maynard Llera featuring regional Filipino dishes that he grew up eating in Lucena City, Quezon Province, Philippines. While the food harkens back to his childhood, Chef Maynard applies his classical techniques in enhancing and reinventing traditional Filipino dishes.
The moniker Kuya Lord is derived from the Tagalog word for “older brother” combined with the chef’s name “Lord Maynard.” This was also the name of the garage pop-up which developed quite a substantial following, prompting the chef to use the same brand for this Los Angeles Koreatown location.
Before the pandemic hit in 2019, Llera launched his Kuya Lord pop-ups that brought his spin on Southern Tagalog cuisine to wine bars, breweries, food events, and private dining rooms. Through those pop-ups, he was able to showcase all of his three restaurant concepts: fine dining, fast casual, and street food.
With the world opening up once again, he has decided to give this concept a permanent home at a 21-seater space in their Los Angeles Koreatown location.
Location: 1320 E 7th St #100
Bite-Sized Description: New York Style Pizza by the slice.
About: The West Coast has been calling Chris Bianco for some time now, and at long last, he will finally open Pizzeria Bianco in Downtown Los Angeles. Located in the Row DTLA, the restaurant is an adaptive reuse of a former coffee roaster and cafe.
While much of the space remains intact, a wood-burning oven now inhabits the room where the roasting machine was formerly housed; a large window offers diners a view of pizzas being made.
The restaurant will open for lunch (only) to start and offer counter service at The Counter at Pizzeria Bianco DTLA. Diners can enjoy their food in the bar area, on the patio, or take it to go.
The menu will feature a selection of sandwiches on house-baked focaccia and salads as well as New York-style pizza by the slice. When dinner service commences, the menu of Pizzeria Bianco DTLA will largely mirror the Phoenix locations and feature the six signature pies regulars have come to love such as the Rosa and Sonny Boy.
Small plates, sandwiches, salads, and sides will round out the offerings and a focused list of food-friendly wines and beers will complement the menu.
Location: 2917 Main Street, Santa Monica
Bite-Sized Description: Elevated nachos and margaritas.
About: French-trained with a strong Italian cooking background, Chef Ivan Barros breaks into New Mexico Cuisine. A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, Barros built a reputation for outstanding leadership and culinary creativity early in his career, running the kitchens of multiple famed James Beard award-winning chefs.
After launching his career in Miami working at acclaimed restaurants Scarpetta and Macchialina, Barros took his talents to NYC to be the corporate Sous Chef for Scott Conant before making his way to Los Angeles where he spent 5 years at the helm of Alimento in Silverlake.
Vamos, Vamos is an ode to his life long love affair with margaritas and nachos. You can also find wood-fired pizza and New Mexico specials such as the green chile burger on the menu.
Location: 4111 Viking Way, Long Beach
Bite-Sized Description: Indian twists on American dishes.
About: Chef Mural Manjunath has received four consecutive Michelin stars for his modern take on Indian cuisine. He took an innovative approach by blending traditional Indian flavors with Southeast Asian cuisine to deliver a truly unique experience. At CaliChilli, we hope to bring you a similar experience through an Indian twist on traditional American dishes.
Located in the quiet neighborhood of Village Park in Long Beach, CA, CaliChilli radiates comfort and class through its delightful interior with playful splashes of color. Taste flavors that represent a contemporary twist of colors and texture of unauthentic Indian cuisine curated by Michelin Star Chef Manjunath Mural – a perfect blend of signature Indian flavors in international classics.
Boasting a vibrant bar, intimate and cozy seating, and some outdoor seating to enjoy the weather, CaliChilli is perfect for any occasion – a romantic date night or just a fun evening out with your closest friends.
Location: 111 S San Pedro St.
Bite-Sized Description: Upscale sushi and drink pairings.
About: An intimate 8-seat, 17 courses night bar, with an Edomae application.
At sawa, traditionalism meets the city nightlife. Guests will walk from the busy streets of the DTLA to the inconspicuous basement of the Kajima Office building. Within, lies a quiet collaboration of an exclusive traditional sushi experience, and the flair of Japanese-inspired cocktails and whiskey.
Drinks will be a fundamental part of the dining experience, as they utilize many staple ingredients within the sushi realm. We hope to create a playful synergy between the familiar and the undiscovered.
Whether it is to escape the vibrations of the ever-flowing cityscape or to relish in a more modern adoption of the beloved sushi scene, we hope your visit to sawa fulfills your image of an intimate and exclusive getaway in the form of an Edomae-inspired Japanese bar.
Location: 100 South Grand Ave.
Bite-Sized Description: Traditional Spanish dishes with a California lens.
About: San Laurel is one of the flagship restaurants in Chef José Andrés’ collection at Conrad Los Angeles. Here, he effortlessly combines his signature forward-thinking approach to Spanish cuisine with the gorgeous produce found at Southern California’s year-round farmers’ markets. San Laurel is open daily for breakfast and dinner service.
The restaurant’s interior combines organic, earthy tones and natural wood finishes with richer hues to complement what’s on the plate: the flavors of Spain as seen through a California lens.
Located within the stunning Frank Gehry-designed The Grand LA, the Conrad Los Angeles was a natural fit for chef Andrés, who is an avid supporter of the arts and architecture.
Location: 8512 Santa Monica Blvd.
Bite-Sized Description: Newly reopened classic hot dog stand.
About: The return of Tail o’ the Pup is a direct reflection of 1933 Group’s dedication to preserving, protecting, and reviving Los Angeles history. Tail o’ the Pup’s giant hotdog-shaped building has been attracting visitors to Hollywood since 1946, but this revival isn’t just about nostalgia. They aim to not only celebrate Tail o’ the Pup’s past but also pave the way for new endeavors and memories which can be celebrated for years to come.
The team is dedicated to creating tasty dogs, snacks, shakes, and more that satisfy modern tastes while honoring Tail o’ the Pup’s history. They work tirelessly to source high-quality ingredients and develop house-made recipes with guests in mind. They are proud to feature a diverse menu featuring vegetarian and gluten-free options.
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