23 Feb 2017
Los Angeles has one of the most dynamic dining scenes in the world, serving up everything from cutting-edge street food sourced from cult-worthy food trucks through to James Beard Foundation Award Winning restaurants.
Food aficionados can experience the restaurants of Wolfgang Puck, Thomas Keller and Nobu Matsuhisa, as well as a new generation of culinary stars like Kogi BBQ Truck founder Roy Choi and Top Chef champion Michael Voltaggio.
Los Angeles consists of 88 different neighbourhoods so it's no surprise that the world-class culinary scene reflects the many cultures that call the city home. As a result, these many cultural influences are also coming together to create exciting fusion fare.
L.A.'s culinary influence can be felt across the country and celebrated with a range of calendar events including Winter and Summer dineL.A.
Please see below for an update on L.A.'s newest culinary offerings.
EAST LOS ANGELES
DOWNTOWN L.A.
Brack Shop Tavern (Downtown)
Located in Downtown on the thriving intersection of Seventh and Grand, this new bar from Last Word Hospitality offers craft cocktails alongside a selection of beers on tap plus hand craft sodas on tap. Guests can expect an assortment of delicious, fresh, and seasonal snacks in place of traditional, fried bar fare. The bar is from the team behind Silver Lake's cult favourite, Same Same. www.brackshoptavern.com
miro (Downtown)
Strategically set at the major intersection of Wilshire and Figueroa, miro is within walking distance for business professionals and visitors alike. miro features a re-imagined bar and cocktail program on the upper and lower level including The Basement Bar and The Whiskey Room. www.mirorestaurant.com
Smorgasburg (Downtown)
This weekly food and retail event from the East coast launched on 19 June, 2016 in the Alameda Produce Market. There are 45 vendors expected every Sunday and include McConnell's Fine Ice Cream, Pizzanista! Donut Friend and Venice Cold Brew. The event will take place every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., admission is free. http://la.smorgasburg.com/
Sonoratown (Downtown)
The restaurant located in Downtown's Fashion District offers Northern Mexico / Sonoran-style tacos. Sonora is Mexico's unofficial home of carne asada grilling and flour tortillas, which is reflected in this new restaurant. www.sonoratownla.com
P.Y.T. (Downtown)
Taking a cue from Los Angeles's most pervasive new trend, Josef Centeno opened P.Y.T., a vegetable restaurant, in half of Ledlow's current space. The menu features leafy greens and lots of vegetables as a base for most of the menu. Breads, fruit, dairy and meat are not off the menu. www.pytlosangeles.com
CHINATOWN
Amboy / Unit 120 (Downtown)
Amboy is the latest iteration from Alvin Cailan, the chef and founder of Eggslut. The Filipino food window with the menu features grilled meats and vegetables. Amboy is moving to a dinner slot on Tuesday nights at Unit 120 to test the concept as a full-fledged dinner service experience. www.unit120.com
Howlin' Ray's (Downtown)
Originally a food truck, Howlin' Ray's opened last March in Chinatown's Far East Plaza by Chef Johnny Zone. This restaurant is a tiny counter-only outpost for Nashville-style fried chicken, seasonal salads, hearty sides and more. www.howlinrays.com
Easy's (Chinatown)
The lunchtime burger concept arrived to Chinatown's Far East Plaza in August when Jeremy Fall from Nighthawk Breakfast Bar, replaced Amboy.
Lao Tao Street Food (Chinatown)
Situation on the second floor of Far East Plaza, Lao Tao Street Food from chef/owner David Wang serves Taiwanese street fare like fried chicken, braised poke and plenty more. http://laotaostreetfood.com/
KOREATOWN
Golden Pouch (Koreatown)
At Gold Pouch Dim Sum House, the same team behind Quarters Korean BBQ and Klat Coffee serve handcrafted Korean-inspired dim sum from a counter service window that is supplemented by an air conditioned Airstream trailer.
Here's Looking at You (Koreatown)
This is Koreatown's newest dinner option from co-owners Lien Ta and Chef Jonathan Whitener. The fusion-focused menu is based around “SoCal food,” and features a blend of flavours from Vietnamese, Mexican and modern American. The restaurant is 1,000 square feet and can hold roughly 50 seats.
HOLLYWOOD
Baroo (Hollywood)
Set in a minimalist, 16-seat space, Baroo is a concept of a free-style experimental kitchen by Chef/Owner Kwang Uh and specialises in fermented food and playful takes on East Asian staples. Baroo is a bowl that Buddhist monks are allowed to possess and use for their meals until their last breath. Baroo was recently recognised by Bon Appetit as one of the best new restaurants 2016. http://baroola.strikingly.com
Gwen (Hollywood)
Chef Curtis Stone and his brother Luke opened Gwen, named after their grandmother, in July 2016. The restaurant is comprised of 83 seats in a high-ceiling Art Deco-style dining room with adjoining European-style butcher shop in the front. Dinner is a meat-focused five course tasting menu with seasonal ingredients that are pulled from the nearby Hollywood Farmers Market. www.gwenla.com
Tabula Rasa Bar (Hollywood)
Negin & Flores developed this concept to add an everyday option to that stretch of Hollywood Blvd., creating a beautiful and cosy space that is ideal for everything from a night out and a casual drink after work, to a first date, or even a group celebration. Armed with the knowledge they accrued during their years of working in high-end establishments, Tabula Rasa Bar features a curated and dynamic beer and wine list that is appealing across the board. In terms of food, Tabula Rasa Bar offers an abbreviated menu with specials like Negin's signature Cuban sandwich. The menu is executed by Jessica Wang, who has worked at Elysian and Madcapra. www.tabularasabar.com
Paley. (Hollywood)
Chef Greg Bernhardt who is at the forefront of the California farm to table movement, serves a dynamic menu of seasonal and local ingredients in classic dishes with a modern twist – a nod to the inspiration behind the restaurant itself. Paley. is located in Columbia Square, the birthplace of the Golden Age of Hollywood. During its heyday, the restaurant at Columbia Square was home to the celebrities, executives and others working in the area. www.paleyhollywood.com
SILVER LAKE
Sawyer (Silver Lake)
This new seafood-focused restaurant in Silver Lake is led by Chef Alex McWilliams, centring on large format dishes and shared plates alike. The restaurant features a back patio for al fresco dining and a sliding door that leads to Clover Juice.
Kettle Black (Silver Lake)
Kettle Black is from the same team behind Sawyer. The main dining room was designed by Laughlin and partners Bret Cranston and Jay Milliken, and comprises some 3,000 square feet of tile, wood and glittering black bar. The space itself was formerly a bank, which is why there is a cool looking old vault towards the back. As for the food, Chef Sydney Hunter, formerly of Petit Trois and the late Superba Sack Bar in Venice, is leading the charge with an array of Italian options on the plate such as gnocchi with braised lamb, an array of quick-fire pizzas, etc. www.kettleblackla.com
EAGLE ROCK
Red Herring (Eagle Rock)
The concept is from husband and wife team, Dave and Alexis Martin Woodall. Red Herring is a mix of glamorous but comfortable décor, a strong menu of shareable plates and larger format dishes, and a surprising separate second flood dining room that offers strong views of Colorado Boulevard and beyond. www.redherringla.com
ECHO PARK
Winsome (Echo Park)
Located on the ground floor of the Elysian building along Sunset Boulevard, Winsome is the same duo behind Spare Room. The menu is Modern American by Chef Jeremy Strubel (formerly Rustic Canyon) and desserts by Leslie Mialma (formerly Republique). www.eatwinsome.com
FAIRFAX
Beefsteak (Melrose)
Beefsteak is by Top Chef contestant, Marcel Vigneron, and features mostly meatless, healthy-dining options focusing on bowls, wraps, salads and snacks. The restaurant is located next to its sister concept, Wolf. www.beefsteakveg.com
WOLF (Fairfax)
In his newly opened restaurant, WOLF, Top Chef alum, Chef Marcel Vigneron practices 'zero-waste cooking' by using every edible part from flower to root and nose to tail. The inspiration stems from the variety of cultures that make up Los Angeles, from Thai Town to Taco Trucks. www.wolfdiningla.com
ELYSIAN VALLEY
Salazar (Frogtown)
Located in the neighbourhood of Frogtown, in between Silver Lake and Glendale, Salazar is serving Northern Mexican-style flour tortillas and grilled proteins. Behind this mainly outdoor restaurant is Billy Silverman and Mexicali Taco & Co co-founder, Esdras Ochoa. The space was once an auto body shop and has been given a top-to-bottom renovation of the landscaping by The Yard. www.salazarla.com
HIGHLAND PARK
Café Birdie (Highland Park)
Café Birdie comes from the Friends & Family Hospitality Group, the same team that owns popular Horse Thief BBQ at Grand Central Market. The Cal-Med neighbourhood bistro offers seasonally driven menu of small and large plates, craft cocktails and an immersive space that envelops the visitor in colour and texture. The chef is Joey Booterbaugh, formerly of the Hungry Cat, and his menu features dishes such as Moroccan-spiced fried chicken with harissa, mint, and lime; Manila clams with chorizo, crispy garbanzo beans and green garlic, served with toasted ciabatta, etc. www.cafebirdiela.com
Highland Park Bowl (Highland Park)
Highland Park Bowl is L.A.'s oldest operating bowling alley dating back to 1927. After years as a punk rock club, it was turned back into an elegant bowling hall this year. Highland Park Bowl features eight wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pizza, craft beers and a wide variety of libations. http://highlandparkbowl.com/
WEST LOS ANGELES
CULVER CITY
AR Cucina (Culver City)
Chef Akasha Richmond is replacing the former Sambar (Indian concept) in Downtown Culver City with a colourful Italian restaurant inspired by her travels through Italy. The menu will feature strong Italian favourites, from burrata to fritto misto to lighter pizzas made in the restaurant's hulking back oven. www.arcucina.com
Destroyer (Culver City)
Jordan Kahn, from Red Medicine, which closed in 2014 opened up a neo-coffee shop featuring vegetable-centric plates. Destroyer was created as a collective resolution to bring about social change in the community. This restaurant will use the 'neighbourhood café' as a platform to bring various artists and creatives together. www.destroyer.la
VENICE BEACH
Nighthawk Breakfast Bar (Venice)
Nighthawk Breakfast Bar is a late-night bar and restaurant concept by Jeremy Fall, serving elevated breakfast-themed fare and cocktails. The food menu, helmed by Spago-alum Chef Greg Schroeppel includes items such as a breakfast banh-mi bowl, benedict fries, a duck confit hash, an award-winning breakfast burger, and more. The cocktail list includes spiked cereal milks, a slushy bloody mary, boozy floats and alcoholic coffee drinks. www.nighthawkrestaurants.com
WESTWOOD
Northern Café (Westwood)
Northern Café sells 10 varieties of dumplings that are hand-made at the owner's Temple City restaurant, which has a larger kitchen. The juice steamed pork dumplings (xiao long bao), first popularised in Shanghai and by international practitioners like Din Tai Fung, make its way onto Northern Café's menu thanks to Betty Ren, one of L.A.'s most prolific Chinese restauranteurs. Northern Café is a stand-out and affordable Chinese restaurant in the heart of Westwood.
Kato (West Los Angeles)
Kato Restaurant serves the freshest seafood and locally-grown produce. The restaurant is focused on delivering remarkable small plates influenced by the aromatic flavours of Taiwan and Japan. The five course tasting menu is priced as $49. Young Chef Yao is in many ways only at the beginning of his own larger culinary journey, but the story he's telling with Kato speaks volumes to his brief time spent in kitchens at finer dining spots in San Francisco like Benu or at Downtown's Alma. The food is subtle, surprising, and wholly inspiring. http://katorestaurant.com/
