Clockwise from top left: pies from Friends & Family; a salmon dish from Yang’s Kitchen; braised pork belly bao from Woon; pork jowl over red cabbage from Here’s Looking At You; and a pizza from LaSorted’s.
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times, Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times, Jakob N. Layman)
The best places to eat and drink in L.A. this month, according to our food writers
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Los Angeles County has had a heavy start to the new year. In the first week of January, wildfires broke out across the Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Pasadena, Altadena, the Hollywood Hills, San Fernando Valley and Simi Valley, leaving thousands of homes, businesses and other structures damaged or destroyed, and claiming 29 lives.
Among this destruction were long-standing restaurants such as Reel Inn in Malibu, Rosenthal Wine Bar & Patio off Pacific Coast Highway and the Little Red Hen Coffee Shop and Pizza of Venice in Altadena. For weeks, local restaurants closed due to poor air and water quality, damaged facilities and to support staff who were displaced by the fires.
The forced temporary closures occurred during what is typically the slowest time of the year for restaurants, but that hasn’t dissuaded the local food industry from providing free meals and hosting an array of fundraisers to support first responders and wildfire victims.
In Echo Park, Little Fish owners Anna Sonenshein and Niki Vahle are using the restaurant kitchen to cook up comforting soups to those in need. In Chinatown, La Sorted’s owner Tommy Brockert created the L.A. Pizza Alliance alongside 25 of the city’s best pizza makers and 90 volunteers.
This month, we’re departing from our usual habit of sharing new restaurant openings to celebrate some of the treasured stalwarts stepping up for our communities.
Showing Places
(Jenn Harris/Los Angeles Times)
Amor Y Tacos
Cerritos Mexican $
Thomas Ortega, behind Amor Y Tacos, told columnist Jenn Harris that he misses the days when food was about the food and diners weren’t so obsessed with epic cheese pulls and gratuitous toppings that look better on camera than they actually taste. Ortega’s Cerritos taqueria serves one of the best tacos in Los Angeles, alongside a Tijuana-style Caesar salad, enchiladas and Oaxacan mole.
See what L.A. chefs and restaurant owners put on their 2025 wishlist.
See what L.A. chefs and restaurant owners put on their 2025 wishlist.
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(Kat Thompson)
Ayara Thai
Westchester Thai $$
Ayara Thai chef and partner Vandu Asapahu told columnist Jenn Harris that she hopes 2025 is the year that people stop using the word “authentic” to describe food, explaining how cuisines change based on location, ingredients available and as recipes are passed down over time. Open for more than 20 years, the Westchester favorite is known for its moo krata nights, when communal hot pots help keep customers warm on the restaurant’s patio, with premium meats, veggies and herbs cooked over a personal charcoal grill. Ayara Thai has also been offering donations and meals for wildfire relief.
Read about what L.A. chefs are hoping for in 2025.
Read about what L.A. chefs are hoping for in 2025.
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(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Bob's Big Boy
Burbank American $
The death of acclaimed director and artist David Lynch brought hordes of his L.A. fans to Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank, including Food general manager Laurie Ochoa and reporter Stephanie Breijo. Visiting the coffee shop and diner for a milkshake and coffee was a daily ritual for Lynch during his early years in Los Angeles, and in the 1989 documentary “Don’t Look At Me,” he returned to his former haunt with director Guy Girard and critic John Powers, only to find the once-iconic chocolate milkshake disappointing. An impromptu memorial with quotes from Lynch’s films and other mementos are piled under the cartoonish Big Boy mascot out front.
Read about the impromtu David Lynch memorial at Bob’s Big Boy.
Read about the impromtu David Lynch memorial at Bob’s Big Boy.
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(Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)
Dulan's on Crenshaw
Hyde Park Southern $$
Greg Dulan remembers the long drive from South L.A. to visit his uncle Floyd in Altadena as a kid. The mountainside community has a long history of Black home and business ownership, and when Dulan heard of the devastation caused by the Eaton fire, he immediately called partner Kim Prince to bring their Dulanville food truck to the area to provide hot meals, even partnering with World Central Kitchen to deliver food directly to those who need it most. The soul food restaurant on Crenshaw is still open for regular business hours while Dulan and Prince mobilize to feed those in need, with standouts such as smothered pork chops, rosemary-glazed salmon and mac and cheese on the menu.
Read about how Dulanville and other Black-owned restaurants are supporting the Altadena community.
Read about how Dulanville and other Black-owned restaurants are supporting the Altadena community.
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(Jakob N. Layman / Friends & Family)
Friends & Family
East Hollywood Bakery $$
Baker-owner Roxana Jullapat runs Friends & Family, a bakery with locations in East Hollywood and Silver Lake focused on heirloom grains, with a daily-changing menu of breads and pastries alongside breakfast and lunch items. Jullapat told Harris that she is hopeful food prices will decrease this year, in particular eggs and chocolate — two ingredients facing recent shortages and driving the cost up for chocolate chip cookies. The bakery is one of numerous L.A. food businesses that have been mobilizing for wildfire relief efforts, including a weekend cinnamon roll fundraiser with 100% proceeds supporting Angelenos who lost their hosts to wildfires and local animal shelters.
Read about L.A. chefs and restaurateurs hopes for 2025.
Read about L.A. chefs and restaurateurs hopes for 2025.
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(Mariah Tauger/Los Angeles Times)
Here's Looking at You
Koreatown New American $$
Jonathan Whitener, the trailblazing chef-partner at nationally acclaimed Koreatown restaurant Here’s Looking at You, died last month at age 36. Whitener ran two restaurants with Lien Ta, whom he met while working at Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo’s now-closed Animal restaurant. The chef was inspired by the breadth of Southern California cuisine, including his experiences growing up near Little Saigon in Orange County. You’ll find broad influence from Mexican, Vietnamese, Japanese and French cuisines on the menu at Here’s Looking at You, while Silver Lake’s All Day Baby puts a focus on American comfort and breakfast foods. Both restaurants, which were named two of L.A.’s best in the 2023 edition of the 101 Best Restaurants guide, remain open during regular business hours.
Read about the legacy of chef Jonathan Whitener.
Read about the legacy of chef Jonathan Whitener.
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(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
LaSorted's
Chinatown Pizza Bar Bites $$
Some of the city’s best pizzerias banned together to form the L.A. Pizza Alliance, which sent out 245 pizzas spanning foldable New York slices, crispy Detroit rectangles and saucy Sicilian squares to those impacted by recent L.A. County wildfires, including first responders, displaced residents and volunteer workers. The food drive was held at LaSorted’s in Chinatown, which has been offering a “pay it forward” program that sends a pizza to someone in need for every $25 donation. offered a “pay it forward” program, where a $25 online donation sends a pizza to someone in need. LaSorted’s owner and event organizer Tommy Brockhert assured reporter Stephanie Breijo that the alliance will continue to host events, not just to support wildfire relief but to ensure that local pizzerias can remain open.
Read about the L.A. Pizza Alliance.
Read about the L.A. Pizza Alliance.
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(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Little Fish
Echo Park Breakfast/Lunch Seafood $
Anna Sonenshein and Niki Vahle, behind the seafood-centric walk-up window at Echo Park’s Dada Market, have been providing ongoing meals to those impacted by L.A. County’s recent wildfires alongside Karla Subero Pittol of the forthcoming Chainsaw restaurant, featuring comforting soups packed with seasonal produce donated by L.A. Grocery & Cafe and other vendors. Alongside other local food figures such as seafood purveyor Kelsey Lee, a grassroots effort for wildfire relief called Rogue Foods was formed; through collaborative efforts with other volunteers, the group has been able to provide more than 22,000 meals since the fires began. Little Fish remains open while its chef-owners remain focused on providing food to those in need, with its titular fried fish sandwich, fish or mushroom congee and cottage cheese pancakes, plus a coffee bar with specialty lattes.
Read about the Rogue Foods initiative and get their soup recipes.
Read about the Rogue Foods initiative and get their soup recipes.
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(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Linden
Hollywood Eclectic $$
In Hollywood, chef Jon Harris’ Linden restaurant is an homage to the diverse flavors he grew up around in Long Island and Brooklyn, blending influences from across Caribbean, Southern, Jewish and Italian cuisines. Harris told columnist Jenn Harris that this year, he hopes to see more chefs who embrace the art of cooking and storytelling through food. At Linden, that creativity translates to dishes such as spicy lobster “Reggaetoni” with caviar, house-made rigatoni, broccoli and peppers.
Read about what local chefs are manifesting for 2025.
Read about what local chefs are manifesting for 2025.
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(Mariah Tauger/Los Angeles Times)
Meals by Genet
Carthay Ethiopian $$
High food costs have been plaguing consumers for over a year, and restaurants aren’t immune from these inflated costs. Meals by Genet chef-owner Genet Agonafer told columnist Jenn Harris that she’s crossing her fingers that food prices will alleviate this year, allowing her to keep limited hours for her homey dining room in Little Ethiopia.
Read about the resurgence of Meals by Genet.
Read about the resurgence of Meals by Genet.
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Oh My Burger
Gardena Burgers $
Local restaurateurs and chefs have faced unprecedented challenges in the years since the pandemic, including rising food and labor costs. Chef Brandyn Powell of Oh My Burger told columnist Jenn Harris that he hopes that grants geared toward supporting the restaurant industry become more common and easier to access. Powell’s Gardena burger joint features burgers with steak or turkey patties, a breakfast burrito, shrimp and grits and the “Oh My Luther,” with two glazed donuts serving as a bun, a steak patty, cheddar cheese and four strips of steak bacon.
Read about what local chefs and restaurateurs are wishing for in the new year.
Read about what local chefs and restaurateurs are wishing for in the new year.
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(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)
Perle
Pasadena French $$$
Not only were dozens of restaurants damaged or destroyed by recent wildfires, numerous local chefs also lost their homes. Dean Yasharian, chef-owner of Perle restaurant in Pasadena, lost his Altadena home to the Eaton Canyon fire, and also had several staff members impacted, forcing him to keep the restaurant — his primary form of income — closed for several days. The French restaurant has since reopened for dinner Wednesday through Sunday, with happy hour featuring $12 cocktails from 5 to 6 p.m. (and all night at the bar). Perle is also participating in DineLA through Feb. 7, with a prix-fixe menu that includes French onion soup, salad Lyonnaise and other popular dishes.
Read about the recently reopened Pasadena restaurant.
Read about the recently reopened Pasadena restaurant.
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(Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times)
Playa Provisions
Playa del Rey American
Columnist Jenn Harris interviewed a handful of L.A. chefs and restaurateurs ahead of the new year and asked them what they would put on a 2025 wishlist. Chef-owner Brooke Williamson of Playa Provisions told Harris she wishes more happy customers would share their experiences on review platforms such as Yelp, but diners typically only share feedback when its a complaint. The New American restaurant is just blocks from the beach with three dining concepts under one roof, including a speakeasy whiskey bar.
See what L.A. chefs are wishing for in 2025.
See what L.A. chefs are wishing for in 2025.
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(Mariah Tauger/Los Angeles Times)
Providence
Hollywood Seafood $$$$
The seafood-centric fine dining restaurant from chef Michael Cimarusti puts a focus on sustainability and endeavors to utilize every part of the fish to reduce waste. Co-owner Donato Poto told columnist Jenn Harris that he hopes this becomes a wider trend in 2025, and to work with the city to create a food bank that uses restaurant leftovers to feed local unhoused communities.
Read about what L.A. chefs and restaurateurs are wishing for in 2025.
Read about what L.A. chefs and restaurateurs are wishing for in 2025.
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(Bill Addison / Los Angeles Times)
Ronan
Fairfax Italian
Caitlin Cutler owns Ronan, an Italian restaurant on Melrose Avenue, with her husband chef Daniel Cutler, and told columnist Jenn Harris that she’s hopeful restaurant operators will receive financial assistance this year. The restaurant often provides assistance to other local restaurants and causes, including providing free meals to locals displaced by recent wildfires. Cutler told Harris that financial relief might allow the pair to stop worrying about day-to-day struggles and be creative in the kitchen again.
Read about the challenges that chefs and restaurant owners hope to overcome this year.
Read about the challenges that chefs and restaurant owners hope to overcome this year.
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(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Woon
Pasadena Chinese $$
Keegan Fong opened the Pasadena location of his homestyle Chinese restaurant just a week before the Eaton fire. Fong, who lives in Altadena and was raised in Pasadena, hoped that the larger space and expanded menu would cater to the local community, especially those with children. After a couple weeks of closure, the restaurant reopened on Jan. 18, but business has been unsteady with much of Fong’s customer base displaced after the fires. The restaurant is focusing on takeout business and has expanded its delivery radius, hoping that dishes such as braised pork belly bao and chewy wok-charred noodles will eventually convince diners to visit the new location in person.
Read about the reopening of Woon Pasadena.
Read about the reopening of Woon Pasadena.
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(Mariah Tauger/Los Angeles Times)
Yang’s Kitchen
Alhambra Chinese $$
Yang’s Kitchen chef-owner Christian Yang is transparent about higher menu prices that allow the restaurant to pay staff livable wages and to minimize its environmental footprint, but told columnist Jenn Harris that customers who don’t understand this ethos are often the most vocal in online reviews. When asked what he’d put on a 2025 wishlist, he asked for more understanding from diners, and for loyal customers to share their experiences on review sites.
See what else local chefs are wishing for in 2025.
See what else local chefs are wishing for in 2025.
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(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Zef BBQ
Simi Valley Barbecue $$
When wildfires spread to Simi Valley and led to a handful of cancelled catering gigs for lifelong resident Logan Sandoval, he decided to use the food he’d already purchased to feed his community and support those in need. Alongside his wife Anna Lindsey and Zef BBQ team, Sandoval made hundreds of pulled pork sandwiches, smoked pork ribs, roast chicken and banana pudding to giveaway. The proceeds from that food drive were then used to launch another January fundraiser. This month, Zef BBQ is offering takeout feasts for Super Bowl Sunday, with brisket smoked for 12 to 14 hours over California white oak, Carolina-style pulled pork and pork belly burnt ends coated in a special seasoning blend with pickled mustard seeds and scallions.
Watch the video of Zef BBQ’s food relief pop-up.
Watch the video of Zef BBQ’s food relief pop-up.
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