The best places to eat and drink this month, according to our food writers

A feeling of tension and anxiety has settled over the greater Los Angeles area since June 6, when Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents targeting immigrants for sudden deportation touched down in the region.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators joined anti-ICE protests held across Southern California, and an evening curfew was imposed on downtown L.A. The neighborhood has remained quiet since the curfew was lifted, with local restaurants and shops suffering significant loss of business as workers and customers stay home out of fear of being profiled and targeted by ICE.

Despite widespread confusion and alarm, Angelenos continue to show up for one another. One Oaxacan-Mediterranean restaurant in Boyle Heights began delivering groceries to immigrants sheltering at home. Mexican supermarket chains including Vallarta and Northgate Gonzalez have offered free or discounted delivery, and countless restaurants and pop-ups have held fundraisers to support local immigrant communities.

L.A. restaurant owners are also scrambling to protect their staff and customers, with strategies ranging from informational events to train managers on what to say in the event of an ICE raid to the launch of rapid-response networks.

Amid present circumstances, restaurateurs are still contending with the ongoing issues that make running a restaurant in this city challenging, including rising rents and the compounded financial loss from January wildfires and 2024 entertainment industry strikes.

That makes it all the more important for diners to support their local food scene in whatever ways possible, from grabbing tacos at a favorite street vendor to making a reservation for a newly opened restaurant. This month presents opportunities to dine at a stylish new destination for Caribbean cuisine, a freshly reopened Korean barbecue stalwart and an iconic California-inspired wine bar that’s scheduled to close on Aug. 1.