I currently have a
friend visiting me from New Zealand and she keeps asking me: “what do you guys
do in LA? What’s your favorite thing to do?” My answer is always the same:
Well, we have ridiculously good food and the coolest restaurants. So. I like to
eat. Pretty much all the time. My favorite activity, as embarrassing as it may be to admit, is trying new restaurants!
Yes, in Southern
California, we do other things. But by far the best way to spend your time over here is by eating your way through LA!
Because I’m a
professional food taster (jk, I wish), I have compiled a list of the best new
restaurants in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas! Definitely check them
out, but watch out because you’re gonna get hungry ;)
- Jon & Vinny’s off of N.
Fairfax Avenue. Jon and Vinny’s is a place that redefines comfort food. The
chefs expand a mini empire to develop their ultimate vision for the restaurant.
The Italian canon is carried out with the rarely seen delicateness of each
perfected dish. Raw zucchini curls rest beneath flakes of pepato for a salad;
an eggplant slice perfectly dipped in egg wash and fried ensures that their eggplant
parmigiana showcases stewed San Marzano tomatoes instead of oil. Check this
place out—you will be waiting outside for a while for a table, but it’s
definitely worth it.
- Hatchet Hall in Culver City. The
Southern-ness of this place is absolutely unmistakable and oh so charming. This
menu is ambitious, diverse, and executed beautifully. From the yellowtail
sandwiched with thin-sliced habanero peace, all wrapped up in a sliver of
translucent fat shaved from a Johnson Mangalitsa country ham, to the skillet-fried
quail served with peaches, honey, black pepper, and bursts of fresh basil.
Visit this restaurant to really understand what the best Southern cooking is
these days.
- Birch in Hollywood. I love this
restaurant because it’s perfect for food lovers, pre-clubbers, and cocktail
appreciators. Tables are fairly easy to snag because the restaurant is so new
and not many people know about it yet! The food, being that the restaurant was
started by a Nottingham native, brings to life a combination of the multi-ethnic
United Kingdom food and old English food. Perfect for the anglophiles out there
(or, lovers of all things English!). Yum!
- The Bellwether in Studio City.
This restaurant brings a seasonal American fare and classic cocktails to the
Studio City strip. Every seat is granted a view into the bustling kitchen, but
the dining room remains relaxed and refined. If you are looking for a solo
dinner, the long bar is the perfect place to stop in for a few small plates.
From the stewed chickpeas with tomato-date ragout and harissa, to the thick-cut
French fries with chive crème fraîche, the eclectic menu here will not
disappoint!
- Dudley Market in Venice. I am an
absolute brunch lover and obsessor and this brand new restaurant just steps
from the beach in Venice offers a handy brunch menu that is boasting pancakes
with lemon curd, a spicy harissa and crème fraiche potato hash, and a French omelette
with softshell crab! Unlike most brunches, Dudley Market starts serving brunch
at 8 am on the weekends! It’s got a killer location and an even better menu!
Check it out!
Head to these restaurants and let us know which one is your favorite and why! They are all delicious and offer such an incredible variety of foods! Perfect for any and all foodies out there :)
Hope you enjoy their menus as much as we do!