Sun Nong Dan
The problem with hidden gems is that we would like them to stay that way. Sun Nong Dan is every chef’s favorite spot, a hole-in-the-wall where they meet after service to share a last meal. The kind of place that...
Lunch
NoMad Truck
If you can’t afford Daniel Humm’s famed $98 roast chicken at the NoMad Downtown, his truck drives around LA to feed foodies and novices alike. First Act: the Humm dog, with bacon-wrapped sausage, a brioche bun, truffle mayonnaise and celery...
Potato Chips Deli
Potato Chips is the kind of neighborhood deli that Los Angeles needs more of. Held by a friendly French man, in a miniature canteen with flea-market finds, and good food on the go: meatball sandwich, or sopressata, mortadella, provolone, roast...
La Casita Mexicana
Don’t go looking for Tacos in Bell: at La Casita Mexicana, mole rules. After driving East for more than an hour (channeling your inner Jonathan Gold), order a margarita pitcher and start counting the piñatas above you. A plate of...
Mayura
Yet another excellent restaurant hidden on a strip mall: Mayura is no exception to the secret rule of LA’s best restaurants. Do not expect typical Indian dishes, Mayura honors the specialities of Kerala, a widely vegetarian region of Southern India....
Milo and Olive
No need to beat around the bush, Milo and Olive knows its pizza. Skip the salads and pastas, and order pizzas to share. Make sure you get a garlic knot while you’re waiting: a ball of pizza dough filled with...
Bay Cities Deli
What would Los Angeles be without Bay Cities Deli? And what would Bay Cities Deli be without The Godmother? Fortunately, we’ll never have to know the city without this heavenly sandwich. A crusty bread, fresh out of the oven every...
Spago
Spago is the epitome of fine dining in Los Angeles, perhaps neck-and-neck with Providence. Those who mourn the departure of the Red Guide also cite Spago as an example of a “Michelin-starred restaurant” as if it were another era. But...
Cafe Gratitude
Cafe gratitude is the kind of place where you meet a chia pudding named “I am free”, tacos dubbed “I am transformed” or a pad thai which brags: “I am terrific”. You’ll have to get used to having a waiter...
Tacos Tu Madre
In a social network era, Tacos Tu Madre has found the key to success: a pop-colored calavera mural by “The Art of Chase”, i.e. the perfect background for Instagram pictures. Joshua Pourgol (from Groundworks Coffee) and Oliver Mateen dynamited the...