Bastide

”Thanks, though, to chef Alain Giraud's exquisite modern French cooking and co-owner Joe Pytka's insane infusion of cash, Bastide is...”  More

Campanile

Catch

Chateau Marmont

”The ultimate Hollywood experience. The tables at this celeb-filled restaurant inside André Balazs’s famed hotel must be reserved well in...”  More

Fraîche

”Fraîche owner and general manager Thierry Perez came away from stints at Daniel and Bouley Bakery in New York City...”  More

The Hungry Cat

”The Great Pumpkin Bartender Tim Staehling thinks outside the pie plate: pumpkin purée, lemon juice, and simple syrup with bourbon...”  More

Il Grano

”Although Salvatore Marino’s West Side Italian restaurant has actually been open since 1997, it was reborn last year with the...”  More

Jin Patisserie

”In a tiny, minimalist space with a tranquil garden out front, Choo sells the chocolates she painstakingly makes and paints...”  More

La Terza

”Perhaps the most influential Italian chef in Los Angeles, Gino Angelini is slowly expanding his empire with this second outpost...”  More

Lemon Moon

”Melisse’s Josiah Citrin and JiRaffe’s Raphael Lunetta (the “lemon” and “moon,” respectively) join forces for this popular, upscale cafeteria, serving...”  More

Lucques

”Smash-hit Sunday Suppers featuring California-French cuisine ...”  More

Ortolan

”On his tasting menu, he serves a spectacularly tasty and simple dish made from a single egg encased in dough...”  More

Osteria Mozza

”This lively Italian restaurant from Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali, and Joseph Bastianich, is located next door to popular sister establishment...”  More

Paperfish

Patina

”The Frank Gehry–designed Walt Disney Concert Hall, one of the biggest attractions to open in L.A. in the past decade...”  More

Pecorino

”Two Italian chefs serve exquisite dishes based on specialties from their native regions of Marche and Abruzzo as well as...”  More

Providence

”An ambitious collaboration between Italian-born Donato Poto—he’s the elegant maître d’—and the gifted chef Michael Cimarusti, Providence announces its serious...”  More

R-23

Sona

”David Myers throws constant curveballs with his freestyle tasting menus. But his staff does an impressive job finding brilliant wine...”  More

Urasawa

”Hiro Urasawa, a protégé of Masa Takayama, is one of America’s most accomplished Japanese chefs. At his small Beverly Hills...”  More

Violet

”At this upbeat neighborhood spot, young chef Jared Simons prepares creative comfort food....”  More

V-Vinbar at Valentino

25 Degrees

”Tim Goodell, an F&W Best New Chef 2000, recently opened a burger joint, 25 Degrees, in Hollywood. He uses organic...”  More

3 Square Café

Ago

”Co-owned by Robert De Niro, Miramax honchos Harvey and Bob Weinstein, and Ridley Scott, Ago serves updated Tuscan fare, such...”  More

Akasha

”Chef to the stars Akasha Richmond has cooked holiday dinners for actor Billy Bob Thornton and catered parties for actor...”  More

Angelini Osteria

AOC

”A meal at A.O.C., in La Brea, is a must....”  More

The Apple Pan

Arroyo Chop House

”The scotch-and-sirloin set flocks to the Parkway Grill for lobster-filled cocoa crêpes and to the wood-paneled Arroyo Chop House for...”  More

Avenue

”Christian Shaffer, chef and owner of Chloe in Playa del Ray, has a second restaurant, Avenue, in Manhattan Beach....”  More

Axe

”Playing Alvy Singer in 1977’s Annie Hall, Woody Allen famously described Los Angeles as a place whose only cultural advantage...”  More

Balboa

”Unless you're a vegetarian, order the 40-day dry-aged Aurora Angus New York strip. Choose from among nine sauces—'housemade' Worcestershire, 'J.1.'...”  More

Ballona Fish Market

”If you squint, you might think you were in a Cape Cod village. The chef himself constructed the faux facades...”  More

Bar Lubitsch

”Bar Lubitsch has an army of vodkas 200-strong and a dance floor appropriately named Red Room. Co-owned by Sean MacPherson...”  More

Beacon

”Chef Kazuto Matsusaka spent nearly a decade at Wolfgang Puck's influential Chinois on Main beginning in the '80s. Now he's...”  More

Belvedere

”Bracken's sense of whimsy shows on the plate—a welcome twist in a pretty-but-staid dining room. Bluefin tuna 'lollipops' consist of...”  More

Birriería Jalisco

Bistro 45

”Need a foie gras fix? Bistro 45 will fit the bill with stellar goose liver, escargots, and bouillabaisse in an...”  More

Bluebird Cafe

”An unexpected perk along a lonely stretch of warehouses in Culver City, this bakery's shaded patio and turquoise window frames...”  More

Blue on Blue

”As settings go, it's hard to beat the Mid-Century Modern poolside patio at Blue on Blue in the Avalon Hotel...”  More

The Blvd

”The Blvd gets so packed, and the hotel has just upgraded its room-service menu, I eat in. I have a...”  More

BondSt

”A clone of a stylish Japanese restaurant in downtown Manhattan, housed in Beverly Hills’s trendy new Thompson Hotel....”  More

Boule

”The silky cheesecake is made with fromage blanc...”  More

Breadbar

”Executive chef Rogelio Marhx and breadelier Daniela Galarza make a rich pumpkin-butternut squash soup and pumpkin tarts topped with vanilla...”  More

Breadbar

”Executive chef Rogelio Marhx and breadelier Daniela Galarza make a rich pumpkin-butternut squash soup and pumpkin tarts topped with vanilla...”  More

Café Surfas

Carnitas Michoacán #3

Chichén Itz

Chung King

”The house specialty—fried chicken with toasted chiles—arrived radiating an aroma of smoky capsicum that reminded us of Mexican mole....”  More

Cinch

”Fire-breathing statues are no competition for the creative Australia-inspired cuisine at Santa Monica's trendiest restaurant....”  More

Clifton's Brookdale Cafeteria

”Playing Alvy Singer in 1977’s Annie Hall, Woody Allen famously described Los Angeles as a place whose only cultural advantage...”  More

Cobras and Matadors

”Conveniently located next to a liquor store, this BYOB tapas place stays open past midnight. On the walls: sepia photographs...”  More

Comme Ça

”David Myer's (of Sona fame) channels the Left Bank at his new brasserie. The menu has all the classics, including...”  More

Cora's Coffee Shoppe

”A camera-ready greasy spoon with only a few counter stools. A tented patio has enough room for surfboards, a feature...”  More

The Counter

”Design-your-own organic burgers....”  More

Craft Los Angeles

”Power lunchers adore this outpost of New York celebrity chef (and Top Chef host) Tom Colicchio, whose daily-changing menus are...”  More

CUT

”Steak lovers should check out Wolfgang Puck's Cut for the Japanese Wagyu rib eye and the prime filet mignon carpaccio...”  More

Dainties Cupcakes

”Caterers Bill Dertouzo and partner Susan McAlindon sell cupcakes in striped boxes with inner rings to hold the confections in...”  More

Dakota

Dining Room

”Not many Angelenos know him by name, but Craig Strong, the young and unassuming chef-de-cuisine of the Dining Room is...”  More

Din Tai Fung

”We watched through plate glass as a crew of chefs composed the golf ball–sized dumplings in a spotless kitchen, rolling...”  More

Dolce Forno Bakery

Drago Centro

Drago Ristorante

El Borrego de Oro #2

El Carmen

”There are cool pictures of Mexican wrestlers along the wall, an empty booth in the corner and music we don’t...”  More

El Taurino

”For an even later Mexican food fix, taco aficionados, including Jar's Suzanne Tracht, hit the no-frills El Taurino, which is...”  More

Empress Pavilion

”On weekend mornings you might wait two hours for a table, watching through floor-to-ceiling windows as an army of waiters...”  More

Enoteca Drago

Father's Office

”For great burgers and beyond; more outposts are opening....”  More

Filling Station

”Ben Ford is launching the Filling Station in Culver City....”  More

Firefly Bistro

”I'm trying to stay healthy, so I've become addicted to the Italian chopped salad at Wild Thyme Café & Bakery...”  More

F.O.

”Last spring Yoon opened a second outpost...”  More

The Foundry on Melrose

Gardens

”This restaurant most closely approaches the 19th-century idea of what a good hotel dining room should be: welcoming in an...”  More

Geisha House

”In L.A., try the guaro-based green-tea martini at the Hollywood hot spot Geisha House....”  More

Globe Venice Beach

”Happy-hour (5 to 7:30 p.m.) oysters at Globe Venice Beach...”  More

Grace Restaurant

”Wednesday night is doughnut night at this sophisticated L.A. spot....”  More

Greenblatt's Deli

”Another place that scores high on the quirky list is Greenblatt's Deli. It's an old-school deli from the 1920s attached...”  More

The Grill

”Chef Craig Strong is young and ambitious—a successful leading man in Ritz-Carlton's plan to update its cuisine. The staid and...”  More

Guelaguetza

Hatfield's

”Chefs Karen and Quinn Hatfield (who worked as a pair at Los Angeles's Spago, and separately at Manhattan's Gramercy Tavern...”  More

Hidden Restaurant

”Don't miss the coral tree–shaded dining patio at Hidden Restaurant. Dishes to try: thin-crust pizza with mozzarella, mushrooms, Italian ham...”  More

Hotel Bel-Air

The Ivy

”The tarte tatine is amazing and the mint tea made with fresh mint leaves. Dining outside is very transporting—it makes...”  More

Javan Restaurant

”Authentic Persian cuisine, with excellent fesenjan....”  More

JiRaffe

”Pastry chef Mitchelle Dy of Los Angeles’s JiRaffe restaurant sautés plums in Chambord, a black raspberry liqueur, to give the...”  More

Joan's on Third

”Joan McNamara’s L.A. institution is famous for its stellar prepared foods....”  More

Jones

”One of Colicchio’s favorite Los Angeles hangouts, with an old-school Italian-American feel, red booths, pizzas and classic drinks....”  More

Julienne

”I often take my wife, Lisa, and our son, Edward, to Julienne, a food shop that serves breakfast and lunch....”  More

Juquila

Katana

”The team behind the ever popular Sushi Roku mini-empire has struck again with the Japanese grill, Katana, where spiny crab...”  More

Katsuya

”If you think this hyperdesigned Japanese hot spot—created by Philippe Starck with shiny-white floors, walls, and ceilings reminiscent of bento...”  More

Koi

”Koi—in L.A. near Melrose—is a popular Japanese restaurant. I have their tuna served with crispy rice at least once a...”  More

Kokekokko

”This L.A. restaurant, whose name is Japanese for 'cock-a-doodle-doo,' serves piping-hot chicken yakitori....”  More

La Dolce Vita

Lamill Coffee Boutique

”Owner Craig Min, who has been selling beans wholesale since 1997, has a serene new café in Silver Lake with...”  More

Literati II

”Kimberly Sklar, pastry chef at Literati II in Los Angeles, was baking a crème fraîche-spiked chocolate cake and, by accident...”  More

Little Sheep

”At Little Sheep, diners huddled over steel bowls of roiling broth set into large, circular tables and dunked chopsticks loaded...”  More

Lodge Steakhouse

”There's a new steak house on every corner in L.A. The Lodge Steakhouse is the best of the bunch, with...”  More

Lot 1224

”In Los Angeles, a town where you're defined by what you don't eat, chef Eric Rillos of Lot 1224 presents...”  More

Macau Street

”And don’t even think of passing over the chicken knees. Chewy and crunchy at once, these spice-dusted nubbins are a...”  More

Madre's

”With its shabby chic-meets-Havana interior, Madre's may be the most attractive restaurant in Pasadena—hardly surprising since it's owned by newlywed...”  More

Maison Akira

”As its name suggests, Maison Akira is French with a Japanese twist. Chef Akira Hirose combines Asian and Provençal techniques...”  More

Malibu Seafood

Matsuhisa

”Nobu opened L.A.'s Matsuhisa in 1987, shocking the country with his deft mingling of Japanese, Peruvian and European ingredients. His...”  More

Monte Alban

”Oaxacan mole negro (a sauce with chocolate and chiles) at Monte Alban— so good Spago's Mexican prep cooks order it...”  More

Mori Sushi

”Mori, a perfectionist among perfectionists, hulls his own rice every day; his choice of fish is equally exacting, featuring rarities...”  More

Mr. Cecil's California Ribs

”Deep-fried turkeys are famously juicy, but the cooking process is messy. A short cut: Chef Jonathan Burrows’s deep-fried birds just...”  More

Mr. Chow

”Modern Beijing cuisine (green prawns, hand-pulled noodles) in a contemporary black and white space....”  More

Noé

”When Noé opened last year at the Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza, it marked a comeback for Robert...”  More

Norman's

”Norman's, a branch of the legendary Miami restaurant, has an incredible pig roast every Friday. The restaurant starts cooking the...”  More

O-Bar

”Joseph Antonishek's cosmopolitan comfort food ranges from pot-roasted short ribs to chile-rubbed tuna with sweet potato tamale....”  More

Oceanfront

”Oceanfront, the restaurant at Hotel Casa del Mar in Santa Monica, has been trying to find its sea legs for...”  More

Opus

”Chef Josef Centeno (who cooked at Aubergine) prepares an internationally influenced menu, pairing items like octopus with crispy warm pork...”  More

Orris

”Orris, a wood-and-stainless-steel creation from chef Hideo Yamashiro, has French-inflected Japanese tapas that distinguish it from the multitudes of ramen...”  More

The Otheroom

”Expect made-to-order sandwiches and a raw bar, available until three in the morning....”  More

Pacific Dining Car

”But everyone orders the dry-aged beef, so we dig into a medium-rare New York strip steak cooked exactly right....”  More

Parkway Grill

”The scotch-and-sirloin set flocks to the Parkway Grill for lobster-filled cocoa crêpes...”  More

Pinkberry

”Created by 32-year-old Korean expat Hyekyung Hwang, the tangy, nonfat, 100-percent-natural treat is available in two flavors (green tea and...”  More

Pizzeria Mozza

”That obligation came when Silverton (an F&W Best New Chef 1990) and star chef Mario Batali found a space for...”  More

Pollo Campero

”But going loco for pollo just got easier; the chain has landed in L.A.....”  More

Polo Lounge

”Allen's new five-course Cal-French tasting menu might well include exquisite asparagus and morels, served in a tiny cast-iron crock, and...”  More

R23

”Playing Alvy Singer in 1977’s Annie Hall, Woody Allen famously described Los Angeles as a place whose only cultural advantage...”  More

Raymond Restaurant

”Hidden away in a 1909 cottage, the Raymond Restaurant changes its four-course menu (beef medallions with port, roast duckling) weekly...”  More

Realm

Red Pearl Kitchen Los Angeles

Röckenwagner

”The great pretzel burger at Röckenwagner, with fresh-cut shoestring fries...”  More

Ruen Pair

”A late-night strip-mall restaurant favored for its authentic Thai dishes, like a salad of braised duck’s feet and wide noodles...”  More

Rustic Canyon

”Zoe Nathan, the pastry chef at Rustic Canyon in Santa Monica, California, prefers to be called a baker, which better...”  More

Sai Sai

”New-style Japanese, courtesy of Ricardo Zarate, the Peruvian-born chef, is the order of the day. Don't miss kaki shishito—a single...”  More

Saladang Song

”For fiery chiles, the classic Thai dishes (green papaya salad, spicy curries) at Saladang Song shouldn't be missed. Ask for...”  More

Sanamluang Café

”A whole section of the menu at this perennially popular Thai restaurant is dedicated to late suppers, which are served...”  More

S Bar

”S Bar and its restaurant companion, Katsuya, are leading the resuscitation of the sketchier stretches of Hollywood Boulevard. The Philippe...”  More

Shibucho

”The luxurious toro slices brighten up the fruit in a beautiful old red (a little hit of wasabi enhanced the...”  More

Simon L.A.

”In 2006, when he opened Simon L.A. at the Sofitel hotel in Los Angeles, Glazer and Lynch were among the...”  More

Social Hollywood

”Equal parts democratic and elitist: the downstairs bar and restaurant are open to the public, but upstairs is strictly members-only....”  More

Spago

”Wolfgang Puck’s nine-year-old restaurant is still one of the best places to eat in America. Chef Lee Hefter’s French-Asian dishes...”  More

Sprinkles Cupcakes

”At Sprinkles Cupcake in Beverly Hills, making cupcakes is an art. The lighthearted name and nostalgic typography of this cupcakery...”  More

Stroh's Gourmet

”Regulars filling up on barbecued pastrami sandwiches and Zapp's potato chips rely on owner Jason Stroh for deli-style comfort food...”  More

Sushi Dokoro Ki Ra La

”Though the small room has all the ambience of a concrete shed, the omakase tastings—rich slices of akinomo (monkfish liver)...”  More

Susiecakes

”The patrons have Madeline and Mildred to thank for the bakery's treats: owner Susan Sarich's grandmothers carefully recorded recipes on...”  More

Table 8

”After winning over the Hollywood set, Table 8 is going bicoastal when it opens at Miami's Regent this spring. Chef...”  More

Table One

”Executive chef Douglas Dodd whips up seven-course tasting meals for Table One VIP's at Hotel Bel-Air....”  More

Tacos Baja Ensenada

Tender Greens

Terrace at Sunset Tower Hotel

”With views of the Hollywood Hills and a pool flanked by a wall of mirrors, the Terrace draws passels of...”  More

Three Square Café &43; Bakery

”This Bavaria-inspired restaurant has the weekend brunch crowd hooked on pretzel burgers, German apple pancakes with crème fraîche, and elderflower...”  More

Torafuku

”Torafuku, a luxe chain with five plush locations in Japan, specializes in toasty kamado rice, which is made in a...”  More

Upstairs 2

”The 200-bottle list includes choices like the Sonoma Coast's Radio-Coteau, paired with Mediterranean small plates. ...”  More

Vert

”Regulars order the rigatoni with meatballs and spaghetti bolognese even when they're not on the menu....”  More

Via Café

Violet's Cakes

”Denise Weber leads her staff and daughter Olivia through the steps of baking and decorating as cheerfully as Snow White...”  More

Wabi-Sabi

”Crowds wait for tables in the sun-drenched front lounge; in seats beside the soaring brick wall, shoppers recount the day's...”  More

Waffle

White Lotus

”For a little trip-hop with their California rolls, Angelenos head to White Lotus. The best seats are on the patio...”  More

Wild Thyme Cafe & Bakery

”I'm trying to stay healthy, so I've become addicted to the Italian chopped salad at Wild Thyme Café & Bakery...”  More

Wilson

W Westwood

”In September, Los Angeles will see one of its highest-profile (and longest delayed) openings this year. Ludovic Lefebvre, former executive...”