Facebook
Delicious
Twitter
Axe
A tip from acclaimed interior designer Michael S. Smith:
“This restaurant in Venice Beach serves amazing food, a lot of it sourced from the local farmers’ market.”
Destination: California: Los Angeles
Relaxed but Refined Text Size A A A
A.O.C.
Chef Suzanne Goin of Lucques turns out small plates of sophisticated fare, including cheeses and charcuterie, at her chic nearby wine bar, A.O.C. Fifty wines can be ordered by the glass or carafe or in preselected flights.
BLD
The initials stand for “breakfast, lunch, dinner,” and Neal Fraser, whose more elegant, crowded and expensive restaurant Grace (7360 Beverly Blvd.; 323-934-4400; www.gracerestaurant.com) is nearby, has created a place you’re happy to return to at any time of day. The fare is good, original and reasonably priced. Opt for a “self constructive dinner” and you get one protein, two sides and a sauce of your choice for between $18 and $26. Be sure to order the pair of cupcakes for dessert.
Capo
An Indagare member raves, ‘I love their phenomenal (though pricey for LA) Italian cuisine in a beautiful setting, and it is a short walk from Shutters on the Beach.’
Hamasaku
Everyone has a favorite neighborhood sushi place, and this small, handsome spot, filled with lovely orchids, is mine. I don’t care that onetime Hollywood powerhouse Michael Ovitz owns it, or that there are entire regiments of reserved tables, for Anne Hathaway, Ellen Pompeo and a couple of dozen other stars. Located in a nondescript strip mall with valet parking.
JiRaffe
It’s hard to believe that chef-owner Raphael Lunetta, the man behind this pure, fresh California-French bistro fare, is a local surfer boy. Open for dinner only, JiRaffe borders on being a special-occasion place.
Tavern
Where James Beard award-winning chef Suzanne Goin and partner Caroline Styne (the duo behind AOC and Lucques) go, Angelenos follow. This time to a chic new restaurant in Brentwood. Designed by Jeffrey Alan Marks in a soothing color scheme of celadon, silver, ice blue and cream, the space is gorgeous. Up front, there’s an airy café with camel-colored couches where you can linger over cappuccino and stock up on prepared foods, homemade granola and exquisite cupcakes. The main restaurant (which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner) is divided into two rooms: a beautiful bar (a scene at night) and a glorious, light-filled atrium with soaring ceilings, big skylights, exposed brick, and leather button-back couches in place of banquettes. Goin excels at elevating homey lunch classics with superb ingredients: a BLT with heirloom tomatoes and avocado, a Niman Ranch burger with fontina, a Cobb salad with Point Reyes blue. Even the kid menu is well thought out, including a cornbread muffin with honey butter. This is a lovely spot for a ladies’ lunch or a leisurely breakfast.
Search By Keyword
Submit A Postcard
Popular Destinations
Asia/Pacific: French Polynesia: Bora Bora
This island has unspoiled coral reefs and protected lagoons so...
U.S./Canada: American West: American West
The country's most stunning landscapes and exhilarating outdoor activities center...
New on Indagare
Give the Gift of Indagare The perfect present for travelers: a membership to Indagare. Buy now
Indagare Insider Trips: Cuba, Myanmar and India: We’re planning trips throughout the year. Contact Indagare (212-988-2611) to be added to the wait list.
Indagare’s Mapped Out City Guides on Paris, London, Rome & more
Le Dolce Città: Rome & Florence Updates
Chile’s Landscapes: Patagonia and Atacama
Fashion Spotlight: Migrants du Monde
SPECIAL OFFERS
Member Reviews
- Community: Share advice with fellow members asking about your favorite travel discoveries.
- Indagare Insiders: Three-day itineraries for families in London and art lovers in Vienna. Plus, fashion insider Chiara Ferragamo’s picks on what not to miss in Florence, Bonnie Gokson, owner of Hong Kong’s lofty Sevva on Hong Kong, Culinary Insider: Budapest.
- Rant & Rave: Indagare members can share their advice with the community by logging in first, then clicking here: Rants & Raves.
- Give the Gift: Indagare: Give the gift of travel intelligence with a membership to Indagare. For details or to order, call us at 212-988-2611 or click here: Gift Membership.
- Indagare Plus: Remember that hotels marked by an Indagare Plus symbol offer preferential rates and benefits to members.
- Indagare Share Feature: Share articles, postcards and reviews with family and friends on such networking sites as Twitter, Facebook and Delicious. Simply click on the three small dots that symbolize our connect icon, at the end of every article, and follow the link to the networking site of your preference.
- Sample Indagare: With free bi-weekly email blasts on new hot spots and insider tips when you sign up for our mailing list.
- Profile feature: Members share your profiles, comments, favorite articles and IQs. Just click on the Profile tab on the upper right of your screen and look for the Edit My Profile blue tab.
- Indagare means to discover, explore, seek, scout in Latin.
