Serving high-quality coffees alongside a range of sweets and savouries, the moody-broody 18th Street Coffee House draws a loyal crowd of locals who also happen to be successful...
1725 BroadwayVenice attracts a mixed crowd; and this café, which arrived on Abbot Kinney long before most of its neighbours, is no exception. Affluent home-owners mix with starving artists;...
1401 Abbot Kinney BoulevardLocated in a seen-better-days strip mall, Alegria transcends its unbecoming location and drab interior with some lively and agreeably messy Mexican food. The dinners are good,...
3510 W Sunset BoulevardOver at West LA's Apple Pan, diners ring a U-shaped counter to inhale burgers slathered with hickory sauce. However, the burgers aren't anything to write home about. For a more...
10801 W Pico BoulevardDespite the name, this Chinatown spot serves more than just noodles: the house speciality is the spicy, slightly sour soup called sinigang, and the kitchen is also known for...
643 N Spring StreetThe name of this cheap but very cheerful hostel is slightly naughty, since it's not in West Hollywood at all. Still, the location is nonetheless excellent: close to both WeHo...
5920 Hollywood BoulevardThe name of this cheap but very cheerful hostel is slightly naughty, since it's not in West Hollywood at all. Still, the location is nonetheless excellent: close to both WeHo...
603 N Fairfax AvenueThis unpretentious hotel underwent decorative renovations recently. Although it's still modestly furnished, it offers something most other Santa Monica hotels don't: free...
2001 Ocean AvenueFor a full education in the range of Thai sweets, visit this bakery.
5271 Hollywood BoulevardThe dim-lit Bourgeois Pig lives on a stretch of Franklin Avenue in Hollywood that's particularly hip right now, thanks in no small part to the presence nearby of the Upright...
5931 Franklin AvenueBuster's only adds to the quaint aura of charming South Pasadena. The menu includes everything from simple drip coffees to elaborate sundaes (made with LA's favourite ice...
1006 Mission StreetCacao is all tiki, all the time. OK, so there's also some UFO paraphernalia, but it's mostly an island-themed spot. Plain old coffee is available; however, the proprietors have...
11609 Santa Monica BoulevardAfter a long run as a budget beach hostel, the pink Cadillac has been transformed into a boutique hotel by a new team. All the rooms, the lobby and the lounge have been...
8 Dudley AvenueThis much-cherished Cuban café in Silver Lake offers coffee, extra-sweet pastries and lovely empanadas (meat pies). With its cosy and earnest Cuban American vibe, it's a...
2900 W Sunset BoulevardThis fairly basic and unpretentious little café can get lost amid the flash and glitz of the luxury emporiums around it. However, if you're looking for a cheap pick-me-up after...
428 N Bedford Drive