When visiting Los Angeles, you’ll find that your dining options are many and varied just like the city itself. Be it in terms of cuisine, price range, or experiences they come with, you can feel quite lost trying to decide where to eat. This list of the best restaurants in Los Angeles has in it restaurants serving American, French, Italian, Thai, & Middle Eastern cuisines. There’s a high-end seafood restaurant, strip mall eatery, and even a deli!
1. Republique
One of the best restaurants in Los Angeles right now is Republique on La Brea Boulevard. This upscale place has a leaning towards French cuisine and is thought of as one of the ‘best places in town for brunch.’
Some of the favorite items at this chef-couple-owned restaurant are French Toast, Eggs Benedict, and pastries. Republique is open for breakfast, lunch, & dinner, but if it’s for dinner that you want to visit, make sure you have reservations.
Diners also seem to be charmed by Republique’s high ceilings, the ambience, and the friendly & professional service. You’ll also find outdoor seating here.
2. Bestia
Bestia (meaning beast in Italian) is housed in an industrial setting and is quite a beast when it comes to Italian food. This restaurant, also run by a couple, was opened only in 2012 but has managed to make a big impression on Los Angeles’ restaurant space.
The pizza and pasta at Bestia are made right from the scratch. Oxtail pasta, cocktails, & desserts by the owner are the other popular things in Bestia. Their Roasted Bone Marrow appetizer & alla ‘nduja pizza are super-hits too.
With Bestia being among the best restaurants in LA, it does get busy. So make your booking much in advance if you want to dine there. Bestia also has tables outdoors and take-out, too. For the take-out, they make sure to give you all the heating instructions so it’s close to what you’d have while eating in.
3. Bavel
Also in the downtown area, among the best & also owned by the husband-wife-duo who run Bestia, is Bavel. Bavel, however, serves Middle Eastern food.
Bavel is said to be the best place for pita & hummus, lamb, & salads. This place too, like its sister restaurant, serves great desserts. The specials here are malawach (a kind of bread), baba ghanoush, prawns, & duck ‘nduja hummus. And then there’s the Persian ice cream.
At Bavel, the food is great, the service is top-notch, and they do well on the portions & prices as well.
4. Providence
If you want to try a fine-dining option where the focus is on seafood, the place to go to is Providence.
This is a Michelin-starred restaurant and the menu here changes with the season. Enjoying a tasting menu here is a whole experience, so you should go dine there on a special night. Providence is known for high-quality food & creative dishes. It scores high on the presentation of the food, too.
5. n/naka
For a Japanese feast, the restaurant to check out would be n/naka. Also a Michelin-recognized restaurant, n/naka makes it a point to cook with fresh and seasonal produce, many of which they grow themselves.
At n/naka you can choose between 2 tasting menus, each with 13 courses, & with one of the menus comes a vegetarian set of items. Make sure you have 2-3 hours to spend enjoying the colors & textures of the kaiseki style of cooking done here.
Getting a reservation at n/naka is difficult and it might take a few months to be get a table booked for yourself. They do have take-out, however, so you could look for a slot to pick up some food from there.
6. Spago
Another one of the best restaurants in the Los Angeles area is Spago. Having been around for around 40 years, Spago is a food staple around here. This bistro-style restaurant in Beverly Hills is a neat mix of the old & new.
Renovations and menu changes have kept it evolving. You’ll find seafood and Asian & European-inspired dishes here. Some of the favorites here seem to be agnolotti & Wagyu beef. They have a massive wine collection, too. And your lunch can be California Tasting Menu or an la cartè meal.
The service at Spago is very attentive. And you can sit outdoors or indoors when you dine here.
7. Langer’s
Langer’s is a deli that fits right into the best restaurants in Los Angeles. Along with the cold meats & cheeses sold at this historical delicatessen, you’ll find that it has corned beef, pastrami, sandwiches, & chili cheese fries that attract people from all over town.
The biggest draw here though is the #19 on their menu, which is their famous hot pastrami on crispy-crust hot rye, which has been ruling the roost for over 60 years now.
It’s delicious & filling and worth traveling for.
8. Jitlada
When in a mood for Thai flavors & spicy food, you should find your way to Jitlada, a Thai restaurant on Sunset Boulevard.
Jitlada is an unassuming little restaurant in a strip mall, known most for the spicy dishes served there. You can always go for mild if spicy is not your kind of food.
This restaurant is said to be among the best for Thai food in LA, and it almost always has a line of people waiting outside during mealtime, so you might want to go prepared for a bit of a wait. The restaurant has a lengthy menu so you could ask for the house specials, which includes their Jazz burger.
9. Rossoblu
Here the food is Italian; Bolognese mostly. Go here for Italian wines & handmade pasta. The general favorites here are pork shoulder, suckling pig, fuck pappardelle, & tortellini. Rossoblu has vegetarian, vegan, & gluten-free options, if needed. And their weekend brunches are quite a treat, too.
You can dine indoors or out at Rossoblu. There’s also the chef’s counter if you’d like to watch the action in the kitchen. The service is great, so is the ambience. The prices are on the higher side but the food should make it worth the while.
10. Majordomo
If you’re not quite able to decide on what cuisine to go for, you could try Majordomo. The food here is a fusion of different styles of cooking. The restaurant says it’s a reflection of all the cultures that are present in southern California.
This highly-rated restaurant is an upscale restaurant whose interiors are industrial yet stylish. Another reason people love coming here is the fact that it’s owned by celebrated chef, David Chang.
Majordomo is a great place to go as a group — for business dinners or family dinners, as they have portions designed for groups. Bing (bread), egg, & smoked roe are some of the popular dishes here.
