Carla Torres

You know the saying "only boring people get bored"? Charles Bukowski—L.A.'s poet laureate of dive bars and cheap wine—lived by that ethos. He also lived in East Hollywood, drank at the same few spots (looking at you, Musso & Frank's), and probably never drove 45 minutes for tacos. If you’re reading this, you’re probably seeking more stimulation than Bukowski, and the country's most sprawling food mecca has it in spades. The best meal of your life might be in a strip mall off the 10, a Little Tokyo office building basement, or walking distance from LAX. You may have to drive, but you won’t have to fly, because generations of immigrants have turned L.A. into a city where you can eat your way around the world without ever leaving town. Our list of L.A.'s best restaurants spans the Michelin-starred, the buzzworthy, the under-the-radar, and the mom-and-pop spots you might otherwise overlook because that Law Brothers or Chris Hemsworth billboard caught your eye. If it's on the list, we think it's worth the drive, the hype, and the price—and worth coming back to again and again. We promise you won’t get bored. Best L.A. restaurants at a glance: Best for inventive Thai: Anajak – a recently renovated 44-year-old institution passed from parents down to former Imagineer turned James Beard Award–winning chef Justin Pichetrungsi. (Sherman Oaks; $100+ pp) Best place to hit up during a layover: Tomat – one of the city’s most sustainable restaurants, minutes from LAX (Westchester; $50+ pp)

It’s widely agreed upon that Los Angeles is the best Korean barbecue destination outside of Korea. Most of the gems are packed into a few blocks of Koreatown, where you can't walk down the street without whiffs of beef and pork enticing you toward a nearby sizzling tabletop grill. You know the drill: red meat comes to the table, you (or a server) work the tongs, and small bowls of banchan keep showing up while the soju flows. More often than not, the meal also includes a bubbling stew, a pile of corn cheese, and a finale of kimchi fried rice scraped tableside. It's no wonder KBBQ is the city's default dinner move. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Los Angeles For this guide, I've rounded up the spots worth the drive, the wait, and the dry-cleaning bill. On the list, you’ll find many Koreatown institutions, plus a few key picks farther afield. Whether you're hosting out-of-towners, celebrating a birthday, or planning a meaty date night, there's a spot here for you. Updated April 2026: This update welcomes MUN Korean Steakhouse and Patio, Pigya, Dae Sung Ro, and Baekjeong to the list. We've also said goodbye to Mapo Chicken and Jae Bu Do—while both are delicious, KBBQ purists would argue that chicken stir-fry and a seafood grill aren't quite the same as barbecue. Rankings have been revised with authenticity in mind. Park's BBQ remains the gold standard, but factoring in price, Soowoon Galbi delivers a comparable experience without punishing your wallet, so it’s been promoted

Ah, Santa Monica. The muscle beach from Rocky III. The iconic pier from Forrest Gump. The place where Barbie enters the real world. A beautiful, sun-blasted, deeply vibes-forward beach city within a city. But what you really need to know about Santa Monica is that there's an overwhelming amount of good food to be had here, beyond the pier and promenade tourist traps, cooked by chefs who live and breathe Santa Monica and can be spotted at the farmers' market every Wednesday. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants on the Westside From Southeast Asian to omakase to Italian to Californian and everything in between, Santa Monica is a culinary destination in its own right. This guide is by no means exhaustive, but these are the Santa Monica restaurants we think you shouldn't miss. Updated March 2026: Birdie G’s, Berbere, and Socalo have closed their doors and have been removed from our list. Huckleberry has also been removed. Holy Basil and Cosetta, which opened in the last year, have been added, as well as Jyan Isaac Bread, Tartine, and Fia Steak. We’ve also revisited many of the restaurants on the list, reordered and revised them, and added a slew of new tips.  Food and drink venues included in most guides now have star ratings, with five stars corresponding to “amazing,” four to “great” and three to “good,” and we’ve also standardized how most listings are structured. For more on our new policies, feel free to check out how we review at Time Out.

There's no better setting to spill the tea than over an actual pot of it. The English pastime of afternoon tea might just be the city's most underrated excuse to gather your friends, settle into a plush chair and gossip for two hours straight over finger foods á la sandwiches and scones, rare teas, and—at most spots—a glass of something bubbly. What was once the domain of a five-star hotel lobby has bloomed (pun intended) into a full-on tea scene, stretching from Beverly Hills to the San Gabriel Valley. Whether you're after a confectionery interpretation of Hollywood award season’s red carpet, a psychic tea reading, or a harpist serenade, there's a version of afternoon tea for every mood and budget. Here's the tea on afternoon tea in Los Angeles.  Updated April 2026: Sugarbird Sweets Cafe in Glendale has shut its doors and therefore has been removed from the list. Price points and seasonal offerings have been revised. Our rankings reflect where to get the most steep for your spend. For more on our new policies, feel free to check out How we review at Time Out.

There are a few prerequisites to calling yourself an Angeleno: hiking Runyon Canyon, dismissing the Walk of Fame for anything other than the Chinese Theatre, and waiting in line for brunch. In a city where the weather is good ten months out of the year, a line for brunch is just part of the hang. And it’s only the beginning. Whether you’re nursing a hangover, planning a sunny first date, or just looking for a meal that’s going to get you through the week, this list has your number. Sure, you’ll find solid eggs Benedict. But also, the thickest French toast you've ever seen, duck confit—wait for it—chilaquiles, and cocktails that make day-drinking fun again. Don’t worry, you won’t be the only one shooting food-porn. Read on for what we think are the best brunches in Los Angeles. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Los Angeles Updated April 2026: After one-too-many tries hoping for something better, we’ve opted to remove BlueJam Cafe from our list. Newcomers include the low-key Aussie café Blueys and celeb fave Little Dom’s in Los Feliz. As for rankings, you know the deal—restaurants ebb between good and great all the time. Our changing order reflects the reality that some classics fall behind and others surge ahead. How we review at Time Out.

Venice Beach has been through a lot. At the turn of the 20th century, Tobacco millionaire Abbot Kinney had a vision of creating the Italy of America (hence the Venice canals)—a high-minded and creative seaside utopia—only for it to become a wasteland dubbed "the slum by the sea" by the 1950s. The decades that followed brought bodybuilders, skateboarders, punk culture, and a crack epidemic that got dark for a while. Then came the skate park, then the tech boom, and Abbot Kinney Boulevard's transformation into one of the most recognizable shopping streets in the country. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Los Angeles right now Despite the turns of fate, Venice has remained an artistic, bohemian enclave where the vibe always comes first. The Doors famously met here. Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac hung out here. And Leonardo DiCaprio's favorite pasta spot is here (ahem, Felix). From taco trucks to modern izakayas to one of the city’s only Panamanian restaurants, eating in Venice Beach is a guaranteed good time.   Updated April 2026: Since our last update, we’re sad to report that Lincoln Boulevard standout Camp Pho has closed. Cafe Gratitude has also been removed. Meanwhile, RVR, Barrique, Market, and La Isla Bonita join the list. Time Out has also instituted a sitewide change in review policies. All food and drink venues included in guides now have star ratings, with five stars corresponding to “amazing,” four to “great” and three to “good.” We’ve also standardized how most l

Fact: L.A. County is home to the most diverse, high-quality array of Chinese cuisine in the country. While many of the area’s best Chinese restaurants are in the San Gabriel Valley—and technically outside city limits—you’ll still find plenty of excellent, more centrally located options in Chinatown, West L.A. and Silver Lake, among other neighborhoods. In recent years, a newer generation of chefs has also expanded the definition of Chinese food, blending old family recipes with seasonal, high-quality ingredients and uniquely L.A. flourishes.  L.A. has plenty of Cantonese, Taiwanese, Shanghainese and Sichuan heavyweights, plus dim sum options and cross-regional specialists that wear multiple hats. For the purposes of this guide, I looked for destination-worthy bangers, and I found them in spades, albeit only in certain styles and categories.  Whatever you’re in the mood for, you’ll probably find something to love in my carefully researched guide to the best Chinese restaurants in L.A.—from a farm-to-table Chinese eatery to the best no-frills, cash-only storefronts. For planning purposes, I’ve indicated with an asterisk (*) all places located within city limits—so you can find a great Chinese meal even when where you live, work and play isn’t all that close to the SGV. Updated February 2026: With Chinese New Year fast approaching, there's no better time to explore L.A.'s vast and unrivaled Chinese dining scene. This year, we've trimmed the fat off our guide, removing a few spot

The Los Angeles food scene is hard to keep up with. How do you know when to prioritize something new over something tried-and-true? Maybe you have a celebration that demands a Michelin Star splurge (check out our comprehensive Michelin Star guide), or maybe you're working your way through our list of L.A.'s Best Restaurants and don't want to get sidetracked. Either way, that's what we're here for—to log the miles across the 88 towns that make up Los Angeles County and seek out the new spots that actually demand an investment of your time and coin.  Updated March 2026: For this update, we’re featuring the brick-and-mortar return of the beloved Fiorelli, the hotly anticipated Larchmont diner Max & Helen’s from Phil Rosenthal and Nancy Silverton (clocking one of the longest waits in L.A. dining history), and Holy Basil’s migration to the Westside. Plus, Hermon residents (approximately 3,500) just got their first namesake neighborhood restaurant. All the new restaurants on this list have opened within the last 6 to 9 months, most closer to the six-month mark. That said, there's plenty on our shortlist we haven't made it to yet (and the pedigree speaks for itself): Wilde’s, the new Los Feliz home of Sarah Durning, one of our Best Young Chefs; Corridor 109, Brian Baik’s long-awaited Korean-inflected fine dining experience in East Hollywood; and the other Nancy Silverton affiliated-project Koreatown pasta bar Lapaba. Ready, set, eat! 

Valentine’s Day falls on a Saturday this year, which means many of L.A.’s most desirable restaurants have been booked solid for weeks—spontaneity rarely pays off in this town. But before you resign yourself to a sad prix fixe of charcuterie, Caesar salad, and filet mignon, take heart: there are still great last-minute tables to be had. You’ll find panoramic city views, a candlelit canyon hideaway, and multi-course feasts that feel like a true special-occasion splurge. Because Valentine’s Day should be an excuse to shake things up, not settle for blasé—nor stay in and rewatch Heated Rivalry. You’ve got the rest of the year for that. RECOMMENDED: The best bars in L.A. to toast to your sweetheart 

Three years in, Angelenos still descend on Sunset Boulevard thirty minutes before opening, hoping to snag a seat at Donna's, the Eastside red-sauce neighborhood joint that's worth all the hype and then some. The place feels like Cheers, if Cheers were set in Echo Park and had a cast of hipsters. The intimate dining room is both rustic and retro, and you could spend the whole dinner getting lost in the floral wallpaper and knick-knacks you'd find at your nonna's house. But you could also very well get lost in what is one of the best garlic breads and one of the best fusilli alla vodka renditions in town. The bread, country sourdough sourced from local baker Out of Thin Air, is piled with garlic, oregano, parsley, and parmigiano. It’s decadent enough to last the meal and perfect for sopping up vodka sauce once you've stirred the dollop of whipped ricotta into your fusilli. The menu reads like a greatest hits of Italian-American classics: fried calamari, shrimp scampi with head-on blue Caledonian prawns, stracciatella, spaghetti and meatballs (meatballs available à la carte), linguine vongole with a kick of Calabrian chili, veal piccata, lasagna, and branzino. We haven't met a dish here we haven't loved, all the way down to the cannoli, tiramisu, and panna cotta. The bar holds up its end, too. Leading the program, Karla Flores Mercado wants to know your name and your poison; as you'd intuit, negronis, spritzes, and martinis reign here. Guests are properly sent off with a shot

You might just miss Lucia—sandwiched between rolling shutters—if it weren't for the golden snake door handle and fun-house mirrors that catch the eye as you stroll down Fairfax Avenue. Follow the snake inside, and a whole other world opens up: the Afro-Caribbean culinary diaspora, set in what feels like the golden era of Atlantis (the lost empire, not the hotel). Towering shell domes crown palm-patterned velvet booths along the edges of the room, all with direct views of the white terrazzo bar anchored by 18-foot sculptural palms. Should you want a bit more privacy and quiet (a DJ spins every night beginning at 8pm), a rear dining area with non-shell booths is just as vibey. Owner Sam Jordan, formerly of Olivetta and Issima, originally tapped Top Chef Canada semi-finalist Adrian Forte (also Drake's private chef) to conceptualize the menu. But Lucia has changed quite a bit since it opened last May, and that's a good thing. Gone is the photo-driven fare claiming the Caribbean label—caviar bumps and sauced-up coconut fried chicken. Instead, newly appointed executive chef and Miami native Cleophus "Ophus" Hethington, a two-time James Beard "Emerging Chef" finalist, is bringing his Trinidadian roots to an evolving menu. The result is Afro-Caribbean comfort cuisine with a modern twist you can't get anywhere else in L.A. To start, opt for the hefty spiced Jamaican bun with coconut butter and sorrel-apricot jam, or the hearty wagyu beef patty with hot sauce and mango calypso. Mango i

Dae Sung Ro is a small but mighty K-Town BBQ joint known for its K-pop party vibes and kalbi tacos—yes, you read that right, tacos. Here, you can order a side of tortillas with onion and cilantro to turn your KBBQ into a Mexican fusion dish. But let’s be honest, meat and soju is the name of the game at DSR, where the vibe is best described as neo-industrial garage band. You'll understand what we mean when you start knocking back soju shots with your server and joining in on a singalong with the table nearby. The DSR combo ($88) feeds three and gives you a good bang for your BBQ buck: your choice of wagyu brisket or beef belly, plus kurobuta pork belly, house beef, marinated short rib, and either chadol doenjang or gochujang stew (both are delightful, but I'm partial to the chadol). Banchan is limited, and some á la carte dishes like dried filefish, cuttlefish, and fish cake soup aren't available until after 8pm—but that's not the case for incredibly thick pork jowl, radish kimchi fried rice, or steamed egg, which you'll definitely need to have a complete experience here. One thing to know before you go: DSR is one of the smokier spots in K-Town, so keep the suede and leather at home and tuck anything you want to protect from the barbecue smell inside your chair, which doubles as a cubby.

MUN Korean Steakhouse and Patio is an upscale Koreatown spot with two distinct vibes under one roof—a sleek, all-black indoor dining room equipped with smokeless grills, and a 4,000-square-foot dog-friendly stringlit patio out back. The menu leans heavily into prime cuts with glorious marbling—ribeye, aged boneless short rib, hanging tender (tossi), and chuck tail flap. It's the kind of beef program you'd expect at a high-end chophouse. But it's the cauldron-style cooking that sets MUN apart: they grill the pork belly on the raised center, let the fat render down into the moat, then drop kimchi into the pool of pork fat to caramelize. Along with yuzu highballs and blackberry sage margaritas. Combos vary from the Steakhouse to the Patio. For MUN Steakhouse, the OMG Combo ($200) feeds four and includes prime beef belly, prime ribeye, seasoned hanging tender, seasoned short ribs, pork belly, and pork jowl—plus the endless procession of banchan, which includes wonderfully meaty king trumpet mushrooms. Out back, MUN Patio swaps the yang steakhouse aesthetic for a campground-meets-pojangmacha vibe, complete with a DIY ramen bar and treats for your four-legged friends. Try the Pabulous combo (pa’ kimchi and pork belly, fried rice and jajangmyeon) and the two newest additions to the menu: the Arirang Saap ($49 regular; $69 large)—a Thai-style pork bone tower drenched in tangy chili-lime sauce, and the Awe-ssam ($49)—a build-your-own-bite situation with sweet and spicy bulgogi, ssam w

Pigya is a shrine to pork in K-Town that took over the former Honey Pig space on 8th Street, keeping the signature domed grills that crisp kimchi and bean sprouts around the meat. As its name suggests, Pigya is a yes on pork—and it leans all the way into pig, with pork belly, pork chadol, pork cheek, pork collar, and a slew of pork stews on offer. Sit back and let the friendly staff do the grilling for you. The pork gyu tasting menu ($89 for 2-3 servings or $109 for 4-5 servings) is the move if you want beef in the mix—it comes with short rib and a yuzu-dressed wagyu carpaccio. The space is industrial chic, energetic, and well-suited for groups. Wash it all down with the lone Hakkaisan sake (Junmai Daiginjo) on the menu, which happens to be the official sake of the Dodgers. Crafted in Niigata, Japan with water from Hakkaisan mountain, it's a crisp, dry must-drink. From start to finish—which here means a mound of kimchi fried rice and a bowl of hangover ramen—Pigya is a whale pig of a time. 

It’s shocking that in a place like Venice Beach—L.A.'s enclave for new-age hippies and tech bros alike—a fantastic restaurant could fly under the radar for 17 years. But Venice is a collection of paradoxes. And right smack in the middle, a street away from the hullabaloo of Abbot Kinney, is an Italian breath of fresh air that is zero hype and one-hundred percent authentic.  Enter Barrique, a modest two-story yellow house, which, when walking by during the day in the absence of a valet and a branded welcome mat, you might look up on Zillow—only to discover it is a restaurant. Its facade says a lot: inviting yet unassuming, rustic yet bold, unpretentious yet utterly charming. Simply put, Barrique is a pantydropper and chef-owner Antonio Murè is an artist.  If the name Antonio Murè rings a bell, it’s because he was the chef of La Botte, which earned a Michelin star and shuttered in 2014. Murè has opened many restaurants, but none hold as special a place in his heart as Barrique. Italian hospitality is the name of the game here. Stroll in on a slower, wintery Wednesday night and Murè will likely welcome you at the foyer-slash-host stand. The first floor consists mostly of the kitchen (and restroom). Head up the hobbit-like stairs to what might just be the most romantic dining room in Los Angeles. The room hums with Italian accents under a low-angled ceiling lit in a way that evokes a 17th-century castle. It’s cozy but not cramped, and the generous sound paneling makes the space e

If you thought the days of disemvoweled brand names were over, think again, because RVR—chef Travis Lett's follow-up to MTN on Abbot Kinney (in the same spot)—is here to stay, or so we hope. The California-influenced izakaya marks Lett's return to L.A. after what can only be described as a hero's journey. If you know Gjelina, you know Lett. He was the co-founding chef in 2008, and was hugely responsible for making Angelenos crazy for California's seasonality and produce. In 2017, MTN opened down the street from Gjelina (as part of the same restaurant group), drawing Gjelina's clientele and the praise of Jonathan Gold. But after Lett sold his stake in the company in 2019, MTN's Japanese-inspired menu couldn't survive the pandemic and his departure. Fans were eager to see what Lett would do next—a project in the former Johnny's Pastrami spot on West Adams was in the works for a bit, but nothing ever came of it. Instead, Lett took a leave of absence from L.A., spending time in Big Sur, contemplating farming and practicing mixed martial arts, before quietly coming back to the iconic thoroughfare that catapulted his chefdom and opening RVR (pronounced "river"). Apparently, after one has climbed the MTN, one finds the RVR.  The vibe: Moody and mysterious. Whole lotta dark wood happening here—from the handful of booths to the bar that gives you a view into the busy kitchen to the window counter seating overlooking Abbot Kinney for top-notch people watching. At the communal table, di

Fia Steak is the kind of upscale steakhouse that, if you didn't know any better, you'd think takes itself too seriously. It might have something to do with the stained glass window of St. Fiacre—the 7th-century Irish patron saint of gardeners—who watches over the brick and red-walled dining room. Or the oversized portraits of Scorsese, Michael Jackson, and Pam Anderson on her knees. Or the exquisitely dapper servers who either moonlight at The Magic Castle or could be vampires. But once you're seated in what our server called the "Chapel of Fia," you realize sacrilege is the point—and you're in on the joke. You won't get out of here for less than $150 per person, but it’s well worth the experience. Fia Steak is built for celebrations—birthdays, anniversaries, bachelor parties (all of which were in full swing during a recent visit). The cocktail menu is stacked and worth the full tour (across multiple visits, of course). Even more surprising: the NA penicillin and spicy paloma come dangerously close to the real thing—and are among the best NA cocktails in L.A. Skip the $99 tasting menu and go à la carte. The largest portion of grilled Castelvetrano olives with olive oil and sea salt you've ever seen will have you snacking through the entire meal, as they should (and do in Italy). A spicy ahi tuna cigar is as absurd as it is delicious—arriving at the table in a humidor, your server offering to light it should you want a photo op smoking caviar (did we mention it's loaded with c

Hiding in plain sight, chef-owner Brian Bornemann’s shrine to sustainable seafood and raw fish is Main Street's pearl. The Tasting Kitchen protégé and former Michael's Santa Monica chef runs a loose but steady ship at  Crudo e Nudo. First launched as a pop-up during the pandemic, Crudo e Nudo is a tiny, charming operation with a cozy built-out parklet that serves as the bulk of its seating. Its size means Bornemann is able to take in rare catches in quantities too small for bigger restaurants to justify. There's no formal menu, just a chalkboard updated daily to reflect what fishermen from Baja to Monterey reeled in. Employees have a four-day workweek (sans Bornemann), and everyone is trained in sukibiki (the Japanese method of descaling fish without bruising the flesh). You’re mainly here for the crudo, which shines with the freshest possible fish and bright, modern tweaks (think orange leaf oil) to the typically stalwart oil-and-lemon Italian raw dish. But just as much emphasis is placed on local bread (from Jyan Isaac), excellent olive oil (a blend of four types from Santa Ynez on a recent visit), and thoughtfully curated biodynamic wines. Lunch and dinner are of the leisurely, European kind—a farmers' market salad is always on offer, vegan dishes rotate in, and thoughtfully curated natural wines (available by the porrón for $40) round out a laidback gourmet experience that'll quietly upstage your everyday sushi joint. For the complete Crudo e Nudo experience, the $95 Nept

A Santa Monica mainstay for 20 years and counting, Rustic Canyon has been serving the best locally sourced meat and produce to tourists and neighborhood regulars alike long before farm-to-table menus became fine dining de rigueur in L.A. Now helmed by Executive Chef Elijah DeLeon, who served as chef de cuisine since 2024 before stepping up after Jeremy Fox's departure, the kitchen hasn't missed a beat—and DeLeon's Mexican-Filipino heritage has been quietly influencing the menu. The kitchen changes seasonally, though you'll always find the wonderfully snacky lavender almonds alongside locally sourced seafood and sustainably farmed pork and beef, offset by the season's finest produce. Devotees of Fox's iconic beets and berries will note its absence—raspberries and castelfranco with walnuts and whipped cream cheese are its spiritual successors. Start with the à la carte bread service—sonora flour bolillo with cultured butter and wildflower honey, one of L.A.'s best bread offerings—then the bright, citrusy bluefin tuna crudo with blood orange, chipotle and dried olive. Among the latest seasonal additions, Hope Ranch mussels arrive in a piquant white-wine and green-garlic sauce with mint and leeks. You’ll want another bread to sop up the sauce. The white cheddar-covered steak tartare tostada, while inventive, would benefit from a lighter hand with the cheese—or none at all, if you're a tartare purist. No matter what you order, though, Rustic Canyon's dishes are fresh and comforti

Italians have it all figured out. Aperitivo. Bread. Salad. Wine. Pasta. Pizza. Digestivo. It's a glorious way to live. Which is why Los Angeles native Zach Pollack switched from pursuing a career in architecture to a life of cooking after studying abroad in Florence (he was enrolled at Brown). And we're so glad he did. It gave Angelenos places like Sotto, Alimento, Cosa Buona, and now Cosetta—a family-friendly neighborhood joint with perfectly executed pizza, too-easy-to-drink cocktails, and some of the best alfresco seating in Santa Monica. It’s worth mentioning that Cosetta is a departure from Pollack’s previous establishments, though some of his greatest hits have come along for the ride, namely the legendary chicken liver all’Alimento with seasonal mostarda (pear on my visit) and Cosa Buona’s NY chicken wings alla buffalo that are still thrice-cooked with Zach’s red hot sauce and paired with gorgonzola dip. Of course, his signature leopard-spotted, airy pizza crust has made the trip to the Westside, too—but beyond that, this is new territory.  The vibe: The 50-person dining room blends seamlessly with the 100-person lush patio, complete with a fire pit. Designed by Studio UNLTD (the team behind Bavel and Bestia), the unified space is airy and bright. Hot take: the bar, marked by a Dalí-esque array of arches, has the best—and most comfortable and kid-free—seats in the house. Especially the lower corner, where you can still see the entire dining room and out into the patio.

You know how some people just ooze hospitality? That’s the case for Michael Fiorelli and Liz Gutierrez, friends turned business partners and the duo behind some of L.A.’s best pizza. Bold statement, we know.  What started as a pop-up at Cook’s Garden on Abbot Kinney has now evolved into a permanent home in Beverly Grove. At 750 square feet—500 of which is kitchen—and with only seven indoor seats, you're basically eating in the kitchen. That's part of the charm, and so is the butcher block table that doubles as a dough-making station in the mornings.  Fiorelli and Gutierrez met while working at Boujis Group (Olivetta)—Gutierrez was an HR director and Fiorelli was in charge of culinary operations. They simultaneously reached their corporate breaking point. Fiorelli, a Long Island native, is low-key and uninterested in the spectacle, which is why when the chance to honor his Italian roots with a brick oven arose, he simply couldn’t resist. He and Gutierrez poured their life savings into Fiorelli’s pop-up. No business plan, no investors, no staff. They'd prep and wash dishes at home, then show up and sling pies to whoever wandered in. For months, that was no more than a handful of people (at best) daily, till word got around about his pies—a Neapolitan-New York hybrid (i.e., no flop at the center). Fiorelli’s devotion to perfect pizza is why their Westside regulars make the drive to West Third and bear gifts in the form of orchids for Liz and Michael. If a pizza doesn’t come out

Chef Debbie Lee's new-school take on a Korean gastropub in Highland Park—a fusion of her Northern Korean heritage, Southern upbringing, and decades in Los Angeles—is as unconventional as it is deeply personal. Photograph: Stan LeeYi Cha The chef-owner, who has appeared on Food Network Star, Chopped, and Morimoto's Sushi Master, darts around the long, narrow dining room delivering platters of jangjorim (wet beef jerky) and fish jerky to tables, sharing her story in the process. Kimchee is made with salt and shrimp, the Northern Korean way, as opposed to the fish-and-oyster style down south. Paired with tofu and crispy pork belly, it's a delectable dish—best with a side of barley rice, which holds sentimental value for North Koreans since the communist regime banned white rice at markets (barley’s the next best thing). RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Los Angeles Debbie's not trying to do Korean the OG authentic way; there are plenty of great restaurants in Koreatown for that, she'll tell you herself. At Yi Cha, she's putting a modern spin on what Korean food looks like. This, of course, earns her the occasional side-eye from Korean aunties, but also a devoted Korean couple who drives from Venice, orders the whole menu, and calls their leftovers meal prep for the week. Photograph: Stan LeePick Me Up cocktail from Yi Cha A lineup of cocktails and Korean spirits pair well with the food, which, as you can imagine, has a lip-smacking quality to it. The menu is sectioned off