Food
Savouring Los Angeles: The Essentials Dining Guide
From legendary hot dogs to chic seaside dining with a side of celeb-spotting, the LA restaurant scene is as tasteful and eclectic as the city’s diverse clientele
Dreamers flock to Los Angeles in search of fame and fortune. But beyond the city’s star-studded glamour, multicultural LA has a vibrant culinary scene for foodie travellers chasing bold flavours. With its sunny skies and proximity to California’s agricultural heartland, the City of Angels is a paradise of quality produce and alfresco dining. From the palm-fringed boulevards of the super-rich to the humble local hot dog stand, the city is always ready for its close-up.
For Stunning Views: Mastro’s Ocean Club Malibu
A stylishly converted 1970s beach house with shimmering ocean vistas and friendly, smiling staff, Mastro’s in Malibu draws a loyal crowd of residents, offering solace to a community still healing from recent wildfires. Go for the robustly flavourful Asian-style bigeye tuna or the showstopping seafood tower of jumbo tiger shrimp, giant lobster tail, king crab legs and creamy East Coast oysters, all shrouded in a dramatic cloud of dry ice. Comforting white cheddar mac ‘n’ cheese, topped with lobster claw meat, and a warm butter cake round out a menu that’s as heartfelt as it is high-end.
For The Next Neighbourhood Hot Spot: Tre Lune
Tucked into Hollywood’s rising Sycamore District, Tre Lune delivers impeccably fresh Italian cuisine with a distinctly Californian soul. Neighbourhood creatives, ensconced among the black-and-white decor and raw industrial beams, sip ‘filthy martinis’ with house-made olive brine, while a pizza diavola emerges from LA’s last legally built white oak pizza oven. The carpaccio di Manzo is edible silk – a wafer-thin filet mignon under gauzy Parmesan sheets – but those looking for a heartier bite should try the ossobuco veal atop a golden bed of saffron risotto, perfumed with rosemary.
[Photos: Wonho Frank Lee]
For Gourmet Gastronomy: Muse Santa Monica
Muse is an intimate 30-seat dining sanctuary, nestled by the beach and oozing French finesse. Set against fluted timber walls and a soundtrack of retro Parisian pop, guests are treated to playful culinary theatre by chef Fardad Khayami: jewelled globules of red pepper gelée and avocado crown delicate tuna tartlets. Veal ‘bonbons’ arrive with a miniature saucepan of sauce verte to pour yourself, while airy brioche feuillettée is pleated like couture. A halo of julienned vegetables encircles an exquisite salade niçoise, and ultra-rare herb-crusted lamb cutlets melt like velvet. Khayami’s pastry chef brother, Nikdad, crafts a rose-petal-textured chocolate mousse to finish.
For Honest Eats: Pink’s Hot Dogs
This iconic indoor/outdoor eatery has been serving the city’s favourite street snack since 1939. The simple joy of a moist, all-beef hot dog cradled in a soft bun, topped with ketchup and mustard, lures hopeful young actors and sunglass-clad stars alike. The celebrity wall, adorned with signatures from legends like Dolly Parton and Quentin Tarantino, speaks to its popularity among entertainment pros, who have inspired a gourmet wonderland of customisable dogs à la the hearty 23cm “Brando” or the “Martha Stewart” piled with sauerkraut and relish. Other indulgent toppings range from chilli and guacamole to crispy bacon bits and zesty jalapeños. Despite the variety, the humble hot dog stands proudly on its own.
For People-Watching: Dante Beverly Hills
Observe the West Coast elite at play in this oasis, where curved velour booths and balcony tables overlook the panoramic Hollywood Hills, just steps from the poolside cabanas of The Maybourne. Dishes here are light and luminous: yellowfin tuna crudo dazzles with herbaceous pimentón oil and zesty blood orange, and the Branzino is superbly grilled. Salads celebrate the seasonal harmony of mint-kissed crushed peas or heirloom tomatoes and golden peaches. Order a pizza bianca from the poolside fire oven, and spoon your own cloud of whipped ricotta over drizzled thyme and honey. Word to the penny wise: Dante’s world-famous martinis are just USD 10 during Happy Hour, from 3-5pm daily.
For An Iconic Experience: The Culver Hotel
Relive golden age glamour in the storied hotel that once hosted film legends like Greta Garbo. Today, this Art Deco gem still towers over pedestrian-friendly Culver City, and the lobby restaurant honours its legacy while embracing a new chapter. Live jazz plays during the week, framed by soaring arched windows and flickering classic films projected on the wall. The new menu leans into vintage allure, too, with Jazz Age cocktails, sparkling rosé in coupe glasses, and delightfully retro dishes. Devilled eggs arrive with whimsical “eyes”, soft-shell crab is tucked into butter lettuce, prawn cocktail is artfully arranged, and the roast chicken – with its apricot mostarda glaze – is tender and nostalgic. On Wednesdays, a burlesque dancer glides through the room.
For Local Flavours: Jar
Revered chef Suzanne Tracht delivers an elevated take on American classics in a retro-modern setting at Jar, whose timber interiors and signature flying saucer light fixtures make it a timeless backdrop for Hollywood productions such as La La Land and Entourage. SoCal produce reigns here – a seasonal white peach and fennel salad bursts with brightness, while homemade plum syrup adds a sultry depth to whisky sours – but this updated chophouse also celebrates carnivore comfort food at its most refined. Tracht’s swoonworthy pot roast is slow-braised until meltingly tender, and the 17oz (480g) prime rib is sumptuously marbled with browned fat. Don’t skip the sauces, like lemon caperberry relish or the piquant house-made applesauce with ginger.
[Photos: Anne Fishbein]
For Exotic Cuisine: Cobi’s
Executive Chef Arnie Marcella brings intense, exotic flavours to Main Street, Santa Monica at Cobi’s. Approachable prices and neighbourhood appeal draw a loyal younger crowd to the tables filled with communal, family-style plates that seamlessly fuse Southeast Asian and Indian influences. The Raw Bar features a delicate kingfish in a light coconut dressing with zingy lime leaf oil, while among the mains, the beef rendang and wood-grilled beef short rib are unforgettably seasoned. Inside, whimsical European wallpaper and rose-patterned china wittily contrast with the menu’s culturally rich character.
[Photos: Katrina Frederick]
For A Night Cap: The Victorian
Also on Santa Monica’s Main Street, just a block from the beach, The Victorian blends heritage charm with coastal ease. Housed in a reimagined three-story Victorian home, this hot spot offers lively DJ sets and a relaxed dance floor. Fairy-lit trees and scattered white-linen furnishings make the spacious patio an inviting place to wind down and share plates like truffle fries or a bucket of honey-spiked fried chicken. Creative cocktails include the Kentucky bourbon-based “I Get My Peaches out in Georgia” or a no-holds-barred “The Wolf of Main Street” doused with mezcal, rum and Cointreau. Whether you’re slow-dancing to 1980s pop or lounging under the trees, it’s a perfect end-of-night escape.
[Photo: Santa Monica Travel & Tourism]
For A One-Of-A-Kind Experience: Magic Castle
There are exclusive clubs. There are vintage Hollywood landmarks. And then there’s the Magic Castle, where ghosts play piano and magic isn’t just on stage – it’s in the air. Perched on a hill, this spellbinding hideaway is housed in a Gothic mansion, which guests enter by saying “open sesame” to reveal a hidden bookcase door. On the menu are decadent club classics like beef Wellington and scallops and pork belly, followed by crème brûlée or hot chocolate bombs. Nightly magic shows, from parlour sleight-of-hand to theatrical stage magic, inhabit every nook and corner, while the vintage glam dress code for guests casts its own spell.
Insider Tip: Non-members can gain access by reserving an affordably priced suite at the neighbouring Magic Castle Hotel, a mid-century gem with the warmest of welcomes: Champagne on arrival, free snacks and laundry, and a poolside “popsicle hotline”.
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