Restaurants in Los Angeles
L.A. is the birthplace of California cuisine and Wolfgang Puck's Spago in Beverly Hills is still going strong. Nobody cooks a rib eye like Mastro's Steakhouse, and celebrities poke at their salads at The Ivy. If you like fun with your food, sip sake with the sushi chefs at Restaurant Hama in Venice or create the perfect dog at Pink's Hot Dogs in Hollywood. Add a tip of 15% to 20%. Last orders are around 10pm.
Patina
Disney Hall dining
Located within the Walt Disney Concert Hall complex in downtown L.A., Patina
is a popular post-performance dining destination, beautifully decorated with
billowing walls of laser-cut walnut and floor-to-ceiling glass panels. Enjoy
contemporary French dishes such as crispy skinned yellowtail snapper served
on a bed of fava bean purée. Jackets are suggested but not required.
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Opening Hours
Tue-Sat 5pm-9.30pm; Sun 4pm-9.30pm
Address
141, South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90012
Telephone
+1 213 972 3331
Campanile
Fine dining
Campanile occupies a Tuscan-style building in Mid-Wilshire, originally built
as Charlie Chaplin's private offices in 1929, and is consistently ranked as
one of LA's finest restaurants. Spago alumnus chef/owner Mark Peel heads up
the kitchen and is particularly known for his grills and roasts. Try dishes
like wood-grilled prime rib smeared with black-olive tapenade.
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Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 12pm-2.30pm; Mon-Wed 6pm-10pm; Thu-Sat 5.30pm-11pm; Sat 10.30am-1.30am; Sun 9.30am-1.30am
Address
624, South La Brea, Los Angeles CA 90036
Telephone
+1 323 938 1447
Spago
Wolfgang Puck's place
The Beverly Hills branch of Spago, celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck's empire, is
still the best place to experience his innovative California cuisine such as
honey-lacquered duck topped with foie gras. A jacket-and-tie is the
proper attire when dining among the Hollywood celebrities and power brokers,
and the romantically lit outdoor patio offers the best seating.
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Opening Hours
Mon-Thu & Sat 12pm-2.30pm; Fri 11.30am-2.30pmSun-Fri 6pm-10pm; Sat 5.30pm-11pm
Address
176, North Canon Drive, Los Angeles CA 90210
Telephone
+1 310 385 0880
Asia de Cuba
Asian-Latino fusion food
Located within the Mondrian Hotel on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, Asia
de Cuba isn't quite as prestigious - or pretentious - as the famous Sky Bar
next door, but close. Although the Asian-Latino cuisine served here is quite
good, it's the see-and-be-seen atmosphere that attracts the fashionable
crowds looking to spot celebrities or be discovered.
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Opening Hours
Daily 7am-11pm (until 12am Fri & Sat)
Address
Mondrian Hotel, 8440 West Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles CA 90069
Telephone
+1 323 848 6000
Mastro's Steakhouse
Serious steaks
Mastro's Steakhouse in Beverly Hills is one of the finest steakhouses in
California. Fred Flintstone-size slabs of hand-cut USDA beef are served on
sizzling hot plates so steaks stay warm and juicy throughout the meal. Slide
into a plush black leather booth and start the decadent feast with an Iced
Seafood Tower appetiser.
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Opening Hours
Sun-Thu 5pm-11pm (until 12am Fri & Sat)
Address
246, North Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles CA 90210
Telephone
+1 310 888 8782
Restaurant Hama
Sushi hotspot
Located in Venice, Restaurant Hama is crowded every night with locals dining
on melt-in-your-mouth fish such as yellowtail, albacore, unagi and
speciality rolls. Standard Japanese hot plates such as chicken teriyaki and
grilled Chilean sea bass are available as well. Request a stool at the bar
to watch the sushi chefs in action.
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Opening Hours
Mon-Thu 6pm-11pm; Fri & Sat 6pm-11.30pm; Sun 5pm-10.30pm
Address
213, Windward Avenue, Venice, Los Angeles CA 90291
Telephone
+1 310 396 8783
Beacon
Asian-fusion favourite
Chef Kazuto Matsusaka trained at L.A.'s top restaurants such as Spago and
Chinois on Main, mastering the art of Asian-fusion cooking before opening
Beacon, one of the most popular restaurants in Culver City. Diners start
with the outstanding Kaki Fry appetiser - warm crispy oysters set in cool
lettuce cups with yuzu tartar sauce.
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Opening Hours
Mon-Sat 11.30am-2pm; Sun & Tue-Wed 5.30pm-9pm; Thu-Sat 5.30pm-10pm
Address
3280, Helms Avenue, Culver City, Los Angeles CA 90034
Telephone
+1 310 838 7500
Border Grill
Gourmet Mexican
The tastiest and most unique Mexican dishes are served at Border Grill, a
vibrantly painted and cavernous space in Santa Monica that's packed every
night. Favourites include tender duck tamale (steam-cooked corn dough),
plantain empanadas and roasted lamb tacos with poblano chillies and manchego
cheese. For dessert, try tres leches, a melt-in-your-mouth milk cake.
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Opening Hours
Daily 11.30am-10pm (until 11pm Fri & Sat)
Address
1445, 4th Street, Santa Monica, Los Angeles CA 90401
Telephone
+1 310 451 1655
Fogo de Chao
Brazilian-style steakhouse
This enormous Southern Brazilian-style steakhouse in Beverly Hills is packed
nightly with fans of the churrasco style of cooking - large cuts of beef,
chicken, pork and lamb slow-roasted over an open wood flame, then deftly
sliced onto your plate until you say "Stop!" There are also various side
dishes and 10,000 bottles of wines.
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Opening Hours
Mon-Thu 5pm-10pm; Fri 5pm-10.30pm; Sat 4.30pm-10.30pm; Sun 4pm-9.30pm
Address
133, North La Cienega Boulevard, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles CA 90211
Telephone
+1 310 289 7755
The Ivy
Celebrities and Caesar salads
Beverly Hill celebrities are often seen having lunch at The Ivy's charming -
and coveted - brick patio with its profusion of fragrant flowers and
perpetual sunshine. Less famous patrons are usually seated inside at one of
the two rustic dining rooms filled with antiques. Try the Caesar salad,
crispy crab cakes or tender lime-marinated grilled chicken.
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Opening Hours
Mon-Thu 11.30am-10.30pm; Fri 11.30am-11.30pm; Sat 11am-11.30pm; Sun 10.30am-10.30pm
Address
113, North Robertson Boulevard, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles CA 90048
Telephone
+1 310 274 8303
Transport
Car or taxi
Philippe The Original
A cafeteria with character
Good old-fashioned value is what this legendary Downtown cafeteria is all
about. A cup of coffee still costs the same as when the diner opened in
1924: nine cents! Philippe The Original claims to have invented the
French-dipped sandwich, and it remains the most popular menu item. Try the
cinnamon-dipped French toast for breakfast.
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Opening Hours
Daily 6am-10pm
Address
1001, North Alameda Street, Los Angeles CA 90012
Telephone
+1 213 628 3781
The Apple Pan
Burgers and pie
Open since 1947, beloved The Apple Pan in Westside is famous for its juicy
burgers, house-baked apple pie, grumpy service, and an authentic frills-free
atmosphere. The hickory burger with a side of fries is the most popular
order. Expect to wait a bit during the lunch rush, but the queue moves
fairly fast.
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Opening Hours
Tue-Thu & Sun 11am-12am; Fri & Sat 11am-1am
Address
10801, West Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles CA 90064
Telephone
+1 310 475 3585
Transport
Car or taxi
Pink's Hot Dogs
Hot-dog haven
A Hollywood icon, Pink's Hot Dogs was started by the late Paul and Betty
Pink, who opened for business in 1939 selling ten-cent wieners from a used
hot-dog cart. Now 2000 dogs are served daily on soft steamed rolls. There
are 24 varieties of dogs available, many named after the celebrities who
order them.
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Opening Hours
Daily 9.30am-2am (until 3am Fri & Sat)
Address
709, North La Brea Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles CA 90038
Telephone
+1 323 931 4223
Swingers
Fashionable diner
A former motel coffee shop-turned-diner in West Hollywood, Swingers is all
the rage, with Andy Warhol-style graphics, plaid upholstery, a punk-rock
soundtrack and a retro 1950s ambience. The eclectic menu offers everything
from cheeseburgers and grilled Jamaican jerk chicken to steel-cut Irish
oatmeal and vegetarian fare. Highly recommended is the peanut butter
& banana milkshake.
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Opening Hours
Daily 6.30am-4am
Address
8020, Beverly Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles CA 90048
Telephone
+1 323 653 5858
Pizzeria Mozza
Gourmet pizza
It might be necessary to make reservations several weeks in advance for an
opportunity to experience celebrity-chef Nancy Silverton's artisanal pizzas.
Despite the celebrity clientele, the decor of this small restaurant in West
Hollywood is refreshingly unpretentious. Try the Fennel Sausage pizza with
roasted red onions, or the Gorgonzola Dolce with fingerling potatoes,
radicchio and rosemary.
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Opening Hours
Daily 12pm-12am
Address
641, North Highland Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles CA 90036
Telephone
+1 323 297 0101
