Travel Spotlight

Los Angeles Dining: 11 New Restaurants Not to Miss

By Nikki Erlick

L.A. is a crucible of the new and hot—from entertainment to real estate to fabulous food. These are the latest Los Angeles dining spots we’re salivating over now.Contact us for assistance planning a customized trip to Los Angeles.

West Hollywood / Melrose

Ardor

John Fraser, the lauded chef known for his veggie-focused fare, is behind this restaurant at the newly debuted West Hollywood EDITION on the Sunset Strip, the first venture in Los Angeles for the NYC-based chef. Fitting for its vegetable-centric menu of Californian cuisine, Ardor is decked out with lush plantings and made to feel like a stylish greenhouse, drawing hotel guests, locals and celebrities alike.Neighborhood: West Hollywood

Auburn

This fine-dining restaurant has earned rave reviews for both its experimental cuisine and its modern, minimalist space on Melrose Avenue. In a unique twist on the traditional tasting menu, guests can choose their own dishes to craft a personalized four-, six- or eight-course dinner experience, with options including Japanese sea bream, Sonoma duck, venison tartare and more.Neighborhood: Hollywood / Melrose

Olivetta

One of the first big debuts of 2020, Olivetta opened on Melrose Avenue this January. The extravagantly decorated restaurant comprises four different dining spaces, including a “living room” up front, a main dining room and a bar with live music in the evenings, where stylish guests can tuck into dishes featuring an array of Italian, Greek, Spanish and French flavors.Neighborhood: West Hollywood

Santa Monica

Birdie G’s

Ranked among the hottest new restaurants in Santa Monica, Birdie G’s is a true crowd pleaser (there’s even an excellent kids’ menu taste-tested by the chef’s young daughter, for whom the restaurant is named). The wide-ranging menu is filled with interesting and delicious takes on familiar favorites, like upscale Texas Toast sandwiches, noodle kugel, steak frites and sausage ravioli.Neighborhood: Santa Monica

Pasjoli

One of the most anticipated debuts of late 2019, Pasjoli is a relaxed but refined French bistro with an à la carte menu from chef Dave Beran, who made a name for himself with his formal tasting menus at some of Chicago’s top tables. The menu changes, but options may include beef short rib, lobster, a truffle omelet and caviar to share. The pressed duck, a decadent culinary experience that includes a table-side carving, must be pre-ordered before arrival.Neighborhood: Santa Monica

Downtown

Bon Temps

Most meals at this upscale French restaurant in the Arts District begin with the delightful canapés and end with some of the city’s top-rated desserts. In between, savor elevated brasserie fare, including seafood, steak and chicken. The all-day restaurant also turns out delicious pastries in the morning.Neighborhood: Arts District

M. Georgina

When M. Georgina opened in late 2019, critics rejoiced that the restaurant brought a welcome dose of culinary cred to Row DTLA, the hip downtown shopping and dining complex (home to L.A.'s outpost of Smorgasburg). Launched by one of San Francisco’s top chefs, Melissa Perello, M. Georgina serves sophisticated, seasonally-driven and beautifully plated cuisine, without feeling stuffy.Neighborhood: Downtown

Tacos 1986

There was citywide excitement when Tacos 1986, the wildly popular taco stand heralded as L.A.’s hottest street-food phenomenon, opened its first permanent storefront downtown, serving up its signature Tijuana-style tacos in its small, casual eatery.Neighborhood: Downtown

Off The Beaten Path

All Day Baby

From the partners behind popular Koreatown restaurant Here’s Looking at You, this new eatery on Sunset Boulevard takes its name from its all-day breakfast menu (and will soon offer all-day dining; it’s currently open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.). All Day Baby feels like an elevated, trendier diner, with hearty breakfast dishes, both sweet and savory, plus barbecue meats and classic comfort foods.Neighborhood: Silver Lake

Hotville Chicken

Kim Prince, whose family is credited with starting the “hot chicken” trend in Nashville more than eight decades ago, brought the craze to Los Angeles in December with the debut of Hotville Chicken. The casual menu of fried chicken, fish and classic barbecue sides surely brings the heat—though hesitant diners can choose from four levels of spiciness, ranging from “West Coast Plain” to “Nashville Hot.”Neighborhood: Crenshaw

Yang’s Kitchen

From Chinese-American chef Chris Yang, this tiny café in the San Gabriel Valley serves unique Asian fusion cuisine, putting a California spin on traditional Taiwanese dishes, with an emphasis on high-quality ingredients. The braised pork rice and beef noodle soup are two of the most popular choices here, but the food is praised all-around.Neighborhood: AlhambraContact us for assistance planning a customized trip to Los Angeles.