Eat Your Way Through a Day in Los Angeles
advertisement
VOICE OVER: Rebecca Brayton
WRITTEN BY: Savannah Sher
Whether you're into finding the best cheap eats, sampling high end cuisine or heading to a timeless culinary institution, Los Angeles has something for everyone. Welcome to MojoTravels, and in this video, we're going to lead you through a perfect day of eating in LA.
Because LA is so geographically spread out, we're going to try to tackle restaurants from a variety of neighborhoods.
Because LA is so geographically spread out, we're going to try to tackle restaurants from a variety of neighborhoods.
Eat Your Way Through a Day in Los Angeles
Whether you’re into finding the best cheap eats, sampling high end cuisine or heading to a timeless culinary institution, Los Angeles has something for everyone. Welcome to MojoTravels, and in this video, we’re going to lead you through a perfect day of eating in LA.
Because LA is so geographically spread out, we’re going to try to tackle restaurants from a variety of neighborhoods.
Brunch has become the hottest weekend meal all over the country, but you can trust the City of Angels to get this mid-day meal just right, with a mix of incredible fresh food and of course, a hint of trendiness. The most emblematic brunch restaurant in the city is unquestionably Jessica Koslow’s Sqirl, in Silver Lake. Seasonal eating is key here, so you’ll be guaranteed to find something market fresh, no matter what time of year it is. It’s better to hit this spot up on a weekday if you can, because of its extreme popularity.
If you want to see and be seen in an absolutely gorgeous setting, head over to the Line Hotel in Koreatown to pay a visit to Commissary. This rooftop greenhouse oasis located beside the hotel pool is a breath of fresh air, and the light and trendy fare you’ll find there will start your day off right. Expect to find pressed juices and of course, avocado toast. And it sure doesn’t hurt that this place is perpetually Instagrammable!
If you’re looking for more of a grab and go option, consider Gjusta in Venice. Eater called it, “Possibly the best daily breakfast place in the city” and for good reason. This bakery/cafe specialises in their baked goods, but they also offer cured fish, steak and eggs and delicious breakfast sandwiches. There isn’t a whole lot of seating, but on the plus side you’re only a couple of blocks from the beach if you want to take your breakfast to go.
Once you’re ready for your first snack of the day, you of course have to hit up an In-N-Out Burger. If you haven’t heard of this West Coast chain, you may have been living under a rock for the last few years. It’s a favorite of celebrities and foodies alike, and even famed chefs like Julia Child, Gordon Ramsay and Anthony Bourdain are fans. The menu may be small, but the key is asking for items from the not-so-secret secret menu, like animal-style burgers and fries (which feature caramelized onions and, well, “animal sauce”).
One of the essential can’t miss cuisines found in LA is sushi. Outside of Japan, you’d be hard pressed to find better sushi than in this city, though you have to be prepared to spend a pretty penny on it. The most esteemed high end option is probably Sushi Ginza Onodera. The key here is to get the “omakase” which translates roughly to “I’ll leave it up to you”, meaning it’s the chef’s choice. At this West Hollywood spot, that will run you at least $300...per person.
Another great West Hollywood option is Sushi Park. The strip mall location might put you off, but this is actually an incredible spot for authentic Japanese cuisine. They make it clear from a sign posted near the entryway that they are not serving your typical Americanized sushi. It lists things like “No California rolls”“No teriyaki” and “No tempura”. The bill here won’t run quite as high as at Ginza Onodera, but it’s definitely not cheap.
If you do want to try something a little less expensive, then you have to stop by one of the many Sugarfish outposts around the city. Chef Kazunori Nozawa, creator of the acclaimed Sushi Nozawa, wanted to offer up traditional no-frills sushi without the hefty price tag. Their lunch deals are especially affordable, and because they’re scattered throughout the city you’ll never be too far from one of their locations.
Of course, being only a few hours from the border, LA is also renowned for its superb and varied Mexican cuisine. While there are tons of restaurant options to choose from, we’re going to focus on the everyday marvels: taco trucks. One of the most revered is Mariscos Jalisco, which specializes in seafood tacos. The shrimp fried tacos are their specialty, so make sure to order at least one!
Next on the must-eat-at taco trucks list is Guerrilla Taco. Located in downtown LA, this spot was opened by chef Wes Avila in 2012 and has only become more popular year after year. These aren’t your typical street tacos, as Avila puts his own spin on everything he serves. It’s only open for lunch (except on Thursdays) to make sure to stop by during their limited hours!
There are so many other great taco spots in the city that it’s impossible to highlight them but a tiny fraction. There are always new ones cropping up and they are, of course, always on the move. So your best bet before heading out in search of some of LA’s best tacos is ask a local to point you in the right direction!
When it comes to choosing a spot for dinner, your biggest dilemma might just be that there are too many options! There’s always a new trendy pick, but there are also enduring icons like Spago, in Beverly Hills. We’re going to recommend what we call “new classics”: restaurants that have opened in the past few years but have already shown that they’re poised to become institutions. The first is Bestia, which has been credited to breathing new life into a formerly neglected section of downtown. Their homemade pastas and charcuterie, as well as their signature bone marrow dish, are simply fantastic. Even though they opened in 2012, it’s still one of the hardest reservations to snag in the city, so plan ahead.
Located in the Melrose neighborhood near West Hollywood is Animal, the brainchild of Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo. They pride themselves on their snout to tail approach, focusing on offal and less-glamorous cuts of meat. Their newer venture is Italian restaurant Jon & Vinny’s, so if you want something a little less flesh-centric, that could be a good pick.
David Chang may be famed for his New York-based Momofuku empire, but, lucky you, in 2018 he made the move to LA, opening his restaurant majordōmo. His signature pork buns may be missing from the menu, but diners are in for something totally different at this resto, which has been called a “love letter to LA”. Getting a reservation may be a real challenge, but you owe it to yourself to make sure you grab a spot here before leaving town.
With only one day in LA, there’s only so much you can eat, so we know we’ve left off a ton of great places. Check back for new lists, and we’ll dive even deeper into this eater’s paradise!
Whether you’re into finding the best cheap eats, sampling high end cuisine or heading to a timeless culinary institution, Los Angeles has something for everyone. Welcome to MojoTravels, and in this video, we’re going to lead you through a perfect day of eating in LA.
Because LA is so geographically spread out, we’re going to try to tackle restaurants from a variety of neighborhoods.
Brunch has become the hottest weekend meal all over the country, but you can trust the City of Angels to get this mid-day meal just right, with a mix of incredible fresh food and of course, a hint of trendiness. The most emblematic brunch restaurant in the city is unquestionably Jessica Koslow’s Sqirl, in Silver Lake. Seasonal eating is key here, so you’ll be guaranteed to find something market fresh, no matter what time of year it is. It’s better to hit this spot up on a weekday if you can, because of its extreme popularity.
If you want to see and be seen in an absolutely gorgeous setting, head over to the Line Hotel in Koreatown to pay a visit to Commissary. This rooftop greenhouse oasis located beside the hotel pool is a breath of fresh air, and the light and trendy fare you’ll find there will start your day off right. Expect to find pressed juices and of course, avocado toast. And it sure doesn’t hurt that this place is perpetually Instagrammable!
If you’re looking for more of a grab and go option, consider Gjusta in Venice. Eater called it, “Possibly the best daily breakfast place in the city” and for good reason. This bakery/cafe specialises in their baked goods, but they also offer cured fish, steak and eggs and delicious breakfast sandwiches. There isn’t a whole lot of seating, but on the plus side you’re only a couple of blocks from the beach if you want to take your breakfast to go.
Once you’re ready for your first snack of the day, you of course have to hit up an In-N-Out Burger. If you haven’t heard of this West Coast chain, you may have been living under a rock for the last few years. It’s a favorite of celebrities and foodies alike, and even famed chefs like Julia Child, Gordon Ramsay and Anthony Bourdain are fans. The menu may be small, but the key is asking for items from the not-so-secret secret menu, like animal-style burgers and fries (which feature caramelized onions and, well, “animal sauce”).
One of the essential can’t miss cuisines found in LA is sushi. Outside of Japan, you’d be hard pressed to find better sushi than in this city, though you have to be prepared to spend a pretty penny on it. The most esteemed high end option is probably Sushi Ginza Onodera. The key here is to get the “omakase” which translates roughly to “I’ll leave it up to you”, meaning it’s the chef’s choice. At this West Hollywood spot, that will run you at least $300...per person.
Another great West Hollywood option is Sushi Park. The strip mall location might put you off, but this is actually an incredible spot for authentic Japanese cuisine. They make it clear from a sign posted near the entryway that they are not serving your typical Americanized sushi. It lists things like “No California rolls”“No teriyaki” and “No tempura”. The bill here won’t run quite as high as at Ginza Onodera, but it’s definitely not cheap.
If you do want to try something a little less expensive, then you have to stop by one of the many Sugarfish outposts around the city. Chef Kazunori Nozawa, creator of the acclaimed Sushi Nozawa, wanted to offer up traditional no-frills sushi without the hefty price tag. Their lunch deals are especially affordable, and because they’re scattered throughout the city you’ll never be too far from one of their locations.
Of course, being only a few hours from the border, LA is also renowned for its superb and varied Mexican cuisine. While there are tons of restaurant options to choose from, we’re going to focus on the everyday marvels: taco trucks. One of the most revered is Mariscos Jalisco, which specializes in seafood tacos. The shrimp fried tacos are their specialty, so make sure to order at least one!
Next on the must-eat-at taco trucks list is Guerrilla Taco. Located in downtown LA, this spot was opened by chef Wes Avila in 2012 and has only become more popular year after year. These aren’t your typical street tacos, as Avila puts his own spin on everything he serves. It’s only open for lunch (except on Thursdays) to make sure to stop by during their limited hours!
There are so many other great taco spots in the city that it’s impossible to highlight them but a tiny fraction. There are always new ones cropping up and they are, of course, always on the move. So your best bet before heading out in search of some of LA’s best tacos is ask a local to point you in the right direction!
When it comes to choosing a spot for dinner, your biggest dilemma might just be that there are too many options! There’s always a new trendy pick, but there are also enduring icons like Spago, in Beverly Hills. We’re going to recommend what we call “new classics”: restaurants that have opened in the past few years but have already shown that they’re poised to become institutions. The first is Bestia, which has been credited to breathing new life into a formerly neglected section of downtown. Their homemade pastas and charcuterie, as well as their signature bone marrow dish, are simply fantastic. Even though they opened in 2012, it’s still one of the hardest reservations to snag in the city, so plan ahead.
Located in the Melrose neighborhood near West Hollywood is Animal, the brainchild of Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo. They pride themselves on their snout to tail approach, focusing on offal and less-glamorous cuts of meat. Their newer venture is Italian restaurant Jon & Vinny’s, so if you want something a little less flesh-centric, that could be a good pick.
David Chang may be famed for his New York-based Momofuku empire, but, lucky you, in 2018 he made the move to LA, opening his restaurant majordōmo. His signature pork buns may be missing from the menu, but diners are in for something totally different at this resto, which has been called a “love letter to LA”. Getting a reservation may be a real challenge, but you owe it to yourself to make sure you grab a spot here before leaving town.
With only one day in LA, there’s only so much you can eat, so we know we’ve left off a ton of great places. Check back for new lists, and we’ll dive even deeper into this eater’s paradise!
