Clockwise from top middle: enchiladas from Socalo, a basturma brisket pita from Yerord Mas, mushroom coca from Le Dräq, green juice from Beverly Hills Juice and gluten-free biscuits from Hello You’re Welcome.
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times; Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times; Silvia Razgova / Los Angeles Times)
The best places to eat and drink in L.A. this month, according to our food writers
- Share via
The beginning of January marked the one-year anniversary of the Palisades and Eaton fires that ravaged thousands of homes, businesses and other structures across L.A. County. But there’s reason to be hopeful, with restaurants like Betsy and Miya Thai bringing residents together in Altadena, and coastal destinations across Malibu, Pacific Palisades and Topanga Canyon serving as vital community gathering places.
Across the country, organizers and activists have been demonstrating their right to protest ICE immigration raids that have resulted in the deaths of several people this year alone, including U.S. citizens and Minnesota residents Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
Nationwide protests culminated in a call for a general strike on Friday, Jan. 30. On the heels of another difficult year for local restaurants, many food businesses chose to support the cause by remaining open and dedicating a portion — and in some cases all — of the day’s business to organizations supporting immigrant rights.
Amid the current uncertainty, local restaurants remain integral third spaces where community can be nurtured and solace can be found among friends and a fresh meal. From a pioneering juice bar in Beverly Hills to the bricks-and-mortar debut of a fan-favorite Armenian pop-up, here are some of the most exciting places to eat and drink in L.A. this month.
Showing Places
Azay
Downtown L.A. Japanese $$
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
After closing for months of repairs after a fire in the building caused water damage, Azay has reopened in Little Tokyo with Japanese-style breakfast and lunch. Times Food general manager Laurie Ochoa recommends making a reservation since walk-ins on the weekends are usually met with a wait. Breakfast begins with a hot cup of barley tea, then your choice of mackerel, tofu or miso black cod in the traditional breakfast set that also comes with Koda Farms kokuho rose rice, farmers market salad and tsukemono. After a brutal season of closures, the reopening offers a bit of hope for the year ahead.
Show more Show less
Route Details
Berenjak
Downtown L.A. Persian $$$
(Ron De Angelis)
Berenjak, a London-based Iranian kebab house, hopped the pond to open its fourth location at Soho Warehouse in downtown L.A. The menu will be familiar to fans of Persian cuisine, with an array of kebabs, puffy taftoon bread and classic dips, but it’s the sparkling surroundings, in particular the garden patio dotted with citrus and olive trees, that set it apart from the city’s homestyle Persian restaurants.
Show more Show less
Route Details
Betsy
Altadena American restaurant
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
A year after the Eaton fire, the community of Altadena is still recovering. Betsy, which debuted just weeks before the fires as Bernee and closed for months afterward only to reemerge with a new name last summer, has been integral to those efforts as an essential gathering space cast in warm light alongside hearth-fired dishes. Restaurant critic Bill Addison highlights the ricotta gnocchi as a recommended dish, which he paired with a full-bodied bottle of white wine, recommended by server Courtney Johnson, who curates the wine list.
Show more Show less
Route Details
Beverly Hills Juice
Beverly Grove Juice Bars $
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
It’s hard to pinpoint when L.A.’s juicing craze first began, but many trace the trend to Beverly Hills Juice, which opened in 1975 and is now run by co-founder Jennifer Otto and her son Philip Otto. The family sources fresh, locally grown fruit and vegetables from farmers markets two to three times a week, featuring seasonal specials such as cara cara, persimmon and tangerine alongside popular juices, wheatgrass shots and Banana Manna “shakes.”
Show more Show less
Route Details
Broken Spanish Comedor
Culver City Mexican $$
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Angeleno chef Ray Garcia is responsible for codifying Alta California cuisine at his restaurant Broken Spanish, which was forced to close after five years in 2020. After helming local projects including Qué Bárbaro in downtown L.A.’s Level 8 complex, Asterid adjacent to Walt Disney Concert Hall, and the Rose Venice, Garcia recently launched Broken Spanish Comedor, a more casual take on the famed restaurant, housed in the former Best Bet and A-frame space in Culver City. The menu features the return of fan-favorite dishes such as refried lentils, duck albondigas and lamb neck consommé, plus hand-pressed blue corn tortillas and an agave-focused cocktail program.
Show more Show less
Route Details
Cheesesteaks by Matū
Pasadena Sandwich Shop $$
(Bill Addison / Los Angeles Times)
Wagyu steakhouse Matū used to limit its luxury cheesesteak sandwiches to patrons dining at the bar or during lunch, but now, with the launch of Cheesesteaks by Matū in Pasadena, diners can purchase the sandwich daily from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., with longer hours planned once the initial swell of virality wears off. Composed of unctuous Wagyu beef, white Cooper Sharp cheese, grilled onions and long peppers on a sesame roll, Times restaurant critic Bill Addison deems it the best cheesesteak he’s had in Los Angeles.
Show more Show less
Route Details
Cinque Terra West
Venice Italian $$
(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
After losing multiple businesses in the Palisades fire last year, Gianbattista “Gianba” Vinzoni and his wife Marlo opened a Venice outpost of their popular Ligurian restaurant last June, thanks in large part to community donations and support. Find Cinque Terra West at the former Bluestone Lane space on Rose Avenue, serving croissants and omelets for breakfast, with Gianba’s regional cooking on display for lunch and dinner, featuring dishes such as traditional seafood-packed zuppa di mare.
Show more Show less
Route Details
Harun Coffee
Leimert Park Coffee
(Danielle Dorsey / Los Angeles Times)
The historically Black neighborhood of Leimert Park has struggled in recent years, with long-standing businesses such as Swift Cafe and Eso Won Books forced to close. But thanks to a surge of investment from Community Labs, Degnan Boulevard is more lively than ever, including the recent reopening of Harun Coffee with a stronger focus on African coffee traditions and an evening speakeasy that hopes to reignite local nightlife. Alta Adams chef-owner Keith Corbin is behind the culinary program, including biscuit sandwiches packed with house-smoked lox or fluffy eggs, and coffee cake inspired by the version served at LAUSD schools.
Show more Show less
Route Details
Hello You're Welcome
Pasadena Bakery Coffee $
(Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times )
A slew of standout bakeries have opened in Pasadena as of late, including a gluten-free bakery from Leah Di Bernardo and daughter Gigi, that’s home to one of the best chocolate chip cookies in the city. Hello You’re Welcome also offers biscuits made with almond flour, almond- and coconut-flour crust Basque cheesecakes and doughnuts glazed with seasonal flavors, such as passion fruit.
Show more Show less
Route Details
ID-Eclair
Pasadena French Bakery $
(Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times. )
Among Pasadena’s new crop of outstanding bakeries is ID-Eclair, with French-inspired vegan creations including cinnamon twists, almond and chocolate croissants, sweet and savory danishes and, of course, eclairs.
Route Details
Le Dräq
Downtown L.A. Eclectic $$
(Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times)
Josef Centeno, who once dominated the corner of 4th and Main streets in downtown L.A. with his “Centenoplex” of restaurants, all centered around cozy Bäco Mercat, closed his Tex-Mex-ish restaurant Bar Amá in December to open Le Dräq, which brings the most popular dishes from the two restaurants onto one menu, including cheesy bäco bread, a mushroom coca made with vegan dough and green chicken enchiladas. Expect the menu to rotate often but to consistently feature eight dishes from Bäco Mercat, eight from Bar Amá and eight from Takoria, a new market-driven concept. The house burger is a standout, with pillowy milk bread from Centeno’s Orsa & Winston restaurant next door, a thick beef patty, Havarti cheese, and iceberg lettuce and raw red onion for crunch.
Show more Show less
Route Details
Miopane
Pasadena Bakery $
(Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times )
Be prepared for a wait at Miopane, a Taiwan-founded bakery that just opened its first U.S. outpost in Pasadena. While columnist Jenn Harris highlights the upside-down sticky bun as a top choice, it’s the filled bagels and flavored croissants that have been drawing consistent lines out the door. Founder and Pasadena native Jimmy Liu wanted to create a bagel with ingredients baked-in ahead of time to simplify the eating experience, from peanut butter and jelly to strawberry shortcake. The croissants take a similar approach with fillings such as jalapeño and cream cheese.
Show more Show less
Route Details
Miya
Altadena Thai $$
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
Just around the corner from Betsy in Altadena, Miya Thai has reopened and become as an essential community touch point for residents. Stop by for lunch or dinner to enjoy Southern Thai-style fried chicken thighs garnished with crispy shallots alongside sticky rice and papaya salad. From owner David Tewasart, who also operates four locations of Sticky Rice and Moon Rabbit in Grand Central Market, the restaurant emphasizes homestyle cooking from multiple regions across Thailand, with the Thai-Chinese noodle dish rad na, crab fried rice and morning glory making appearances on the dinner menu.
Show more Show less
Route Details
Smorgasburg L.A.
Downtown L.A. Eclectic $$
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
The weekly Sunday market overseen by Zach Brooks launched a new slate of vendors this year, including Melnificent Wingz, a wings-focused pop-up from chef Melissa Cottingham that previously had a residency at Maydan Market; Hot Grease, which honors the history of the fish fry as an vital site for Black activism and organizing; Long Beach-based Terrible Burger, with creative smashburgers, including a Korean-inspired option with gochujang and bulgogi sauce; and Franzl’s Franks, with Austrian sausages and pretzels, plus a side of opera from chef-owner Patrick Murray, a USC alumnus and former Fulbright scholar who studied opera in Vienna and now offers live performances at his stall.
Show more Show less
Route Details
Socalo
Santa Monica Californian Mexican $$
- Route
-
- Share via
-
(Silvia Razgova/Silvia Razgova)
The Santa Monica restaurant from esteemed chefs Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken announced that it will close in February, with Valentine’s Day being the last day of service. The modern Mexican restaurant from the founders of Border Grill opened in 2019 just months before the COVID pandemic, and never fully rebounded after the quarantine closures, especially as much of the local workforce remained remote. Take advantage of signature dishes such as pipian enchiladas and jackfruit tinga tacos that the Food section named some of the best in Los Angeles before the restaurant closes permanently, though Feniger and Milliken are hopeful they’ll be able to reopen an outpost of their famed Border Grill restaurant that currently operates as a catering food truck.
Show more Show less
Route Details
Sweet Red Peach
Pasadena Desserts $
(Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times)
One of columnist Jenn Harris’ favorite new bakeries is Sweet Red Peach, a micro-chain from Karolyn Plummer that specializes in Southern desserts, with the name pulling from three of her best sellers — sweet potato pie, red velvet cake and peach cobbler. Harris also highlights the “Sock-It-To-Me” cake, which she describes as “the perfect marriage of coffee cake and pound cake.” Whatever you order, don’t skip the gooey cinnamon roll that’s served in an individual foil bowl and blanketed in sweet icing.
Show more Show less
Route Details
Yerord Mas
Glendale Armenian $
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
After building a loyal following with years of pop-ups, including a Smorgasburg residency, chef Arthur Grigoryan has opened Yerord Mas, a counter-service restaurant in Glendale that pulls from his Armenian heritage with plenty of L.A. influence, such as chi kyuftah topped with Aleppo pepper and Sichuan chili crisp, pistachio hummus and a basturma brisket pita. Grigoryan plans to start grilling on the sidewalk once the weather warms, including a weekly kebab omakase alongside al-fresco seating.
Show more Show less
Route Details
No matching entries.
Please reset filters to see all entries.
No matching entries.
Please reset filters to see all entries.
More From the Los Angeles Times
Most Read in Food
Top