Clockwise from top middle: Tacos from Marvito, beef tartare from Monsieur Dior by Dominique Crenn, smoked bologna sandwich and fries from Mario’s Butcher Shop, spicy albacore with onigiri and seared scallops from OyBar, and a fish sandwich from Bopomofo cafe.
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times, Ron de Angelis / For The Times, Philip Wang)
The best places to eat and drink in L.A. this month, according to our food writers
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Happy New Year, Los Angeles! 2025 was a challenging year for local restaurants, but there’s also reason to be hopeful.
The annual 101 Best Restaurants guide from critic Bill Addison and columnist Jenn Harris included an impressive 31 new entrants for 2025. Black chefs and restaurateurs are experiencing an unprecedented “blossoming,” and though they’re not immune to industry challenges, many are confident they will weather the storms. The overarching plea from L.A.’s food industry remains the same: Support local restaurants whenever and however you can, and don’t wait until a closing announcement to start showing up.
If you’re looking for more dining ideas to start 2026 off right, head to a San Gabriel boba cafe for a gussied-up take on McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish sandwich, to Beverly Hills for a chic French Californian meal in a luxurious setting or to West Hollywood for comforting Mexican-inspired plates paired with an excellent tequila list.
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Bopomofo Cafe
San Gabriel Valley Asian American $
(Philip Wang)
Head to this San Gabriel cafe for a glowed-up take on McDonalds Filet-O-Fish that tastes better than the original. Columnist Jenn Harris says the version that Bopomofo Cafe is serving across its Southern California location is three times larger than the original, with buttery brioche, a meaty Alaskan pollock filet encased in potato starch and nori breading, a slice of cheddar cheese, tartar sauce and thinly shaved red onions. Harris also recommends the cheesy mapo tots topped with a generous scoop of fiery mapo tofu. Pair your food with the cafe’s signature matcha and boba milk teas.
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Jyan Isaac Bread
Santa Monica Bakery $$
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Already a destination for some of the best crusty, chewy bagels in town, as well as sourdough loaves that baker-owner Jyan Isaac first became known for during the pandemic, the bakery’s shokupan is also a coveted item. Isaac visited The Times’ test kitchen to demonstrate his recipe for pillowy Japanese milk bread, but a visit to the Santa Monica bakery means you can skip baking at home and stock up on additional items like a croissant loaf or jalapeño schmear.
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Mario’s Butcher Shop
Newport Beach Butcher Shop Sandwich Shop $
(Ron De Angelis / For The Times)
Columnist Jenn Harris calls Mario Llamas of Mario’s Butcher Shop in Newport Beach the king of sandwiches. Llamas melds his childhood favorites with the sandwiches he fell in love with while working as a chef in Mexico City and Guadalajara, resulting in highlights such as a charcoal- and white oak-fired steak sandwich drizzled with chimichurri and a smoked bologna sandwich. In December, the butcher shop was ranked on the 101 Best Restaurants guide for the second year in a row.
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Marvito
West Hollywood Mexican $$
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
The new West Hollywood saloon from co-owner Max Marder and chef-partner Ricky Moreno expands beyond the French fare the pair became known for at Marvin, its sibling wine bar in Beverly Grove, with comfort-driven Mexican and Italian dishes including veal Parmesan, jumbo shrimp enchilada and a 10-ounce house burger, plus classic and creative cocktails. The restaurant is expected to launch lunch service in the new year.
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Monsieur Dior by Dominique Crenn
Beverly Hills French Californian $$$
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Dominique Crenn’s first L.A. opening in 20 years is on the second floor of luxury retailer Dior on Rodeo Drive, where the three-Michelin-starred chef is serving haute cuisine that celebrates the brand’s designs and history with French-California cuisine and artful plating. The dining room menu includes caviar service, guinea hen with maitake mushrooms and potato millefeuille and a Lady Dior-inspired dessert of chocolate sponge cake with mousse and cherry confiture, while bar bites are available in the lounge, at the bar and on the patio.
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OyBar
Studio City Jewish American $$
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
One of our favorite bar-restaurants in the San Fernando Valley, OyBar is a destination thanks to Jeff Strauss’ creative (and often-changing) menu that pulls influence from Jewish, Japanese and local cuisines. For Hanukkah, he brought in eight different L.A. chefs to offer their cultural takes on latkes, but if you’re curious about Strauss’ global approach, check out the recipes that Strauss shared during his visit to the L.A. Times test kitchen, including an aloo tikki version and another that uses Korean kimchi.
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Paradise Dynasty and Le Shrimp Ramen
Glendale Singaporean Chinese $$
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
After years of anticipation, Paradise Dynasty has finally opened at the base of the Americana at Brand shopping center in the former Din Tai Fung space. The Singapore-founded dumpling specialist is serving its signature xiao long bao, wok-fired dishes and soups. The opening coincides with Le Shrimp Noodle Bar, which offers Chinese-Japanese-inspired ramen, dry noodle bowls and bao.
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