Dune

Fun fact: falafel means “little ball” in Arabic. Real fact: Dune has some of the best falafels in LA, and they are curled up in soft thick pita which has just come out from the grill, with a little za’atar and some turmeric yogurt. The falafels at Dune have an oval shape, crisp and slightly burnt on the outside, soft and green inside. For the meat-eaters, there’s a pasture-raised lamb sandwich with Lebanese toum and pickled onions. The beet sandwich bread is a ciabatta from Bub & Grandma’s, which we already love and find in other hipspots: Cliff’s Edge, Dinette, Here’s Looking at You… The hummus and tabbouleh plate are also worth the trip to Atwater Village, and we raise our (lemonade) glass to the quinoa in this Cali-conscious version of a traditional tabbouleh. For dessert, Dune has dates with rose water and sea salt, as well as baklava. And for drinks? An iced mint tea, a rosemary lemonade or a Mexican Coke will come handy if you have had too many spicy mango pickles while waiting for your order.