The geographic centre. Republique on La Brea, Petit Trois on Highland, Providence on Melrose. Where classic LA fine dining still happens.
Walter and Margarita Manzke's Republique in Los Angeles serves pastries, lunch and a French-Californian dinner from a 1928 commissary on La Brea Avenue.
OrderThe kouign-amann at breakfast, then the half roast chicken at dinner.
TipPastry counter opens at 08:00 weekends; queue forms by 09:30. The dinner side reopens at 17:30 with a separate menu and easier walk-ins.
Evan Funke's Roman follow-up to Felix runs out of a 1930s Citizen News building in Hollywood. Mother Wolf serves Roman pasta in a marble-and-gold room.
OrderSuppli al telefono, then the tonnarelli cacio e pepe.
TipThe bar room serves the full menu without a reservation, but you need to be in line by 17:15 on a Friday.
Michael Cimarusti's Providence on Melrose has been LA's two-Michelin-star seafood room since 2005. The tasting menu builds around West Coast producers.
OrderThe full tasting menu; the spot prawn course in season is the one to remember.
TipBar seats serve a shorter four-course at half the price; book those a week ahead instead of a month.
Ludo Lefebvre's 20-stool bistro on Highland Avenue runs walk-in only and pours strong Bordeaux. Petit Trois is the most-imitated counter in Los Angeles.
OrderThe Big-Mec burger at lunch or the bouillabaisse at dinner.
Tip20 stools, no bookings at the original; the larger Sherman Oaks sibling takes reservations and pours the same wines.
Musso and Frank Grill on Hollywood Boulevard has poured martinis since 1919, and still pours them stiffer than anywhere else in Los Angeles.
OrderMartini at the bar and the Thursday chicken pot pie.
TipThe original 1919 bar is the seat to ask for; reservations are for the dining room, not the bar.
Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis's Saffy's in East Hollywood, Los Angeles, is a wood-fire shawarma room from the Bestia team. Open since 2023.
OrderLamb shawarma off the rotating spit, with hot pita and hummus.
TipThe bar serves the full menu walk-in; reservations are for the dining patio out back and book three weeks ahead.
Cofax Coffee Shop on Fairfax, Los Angeles updated the LA breakfast burrito with chorizo verde and house-fermented hot sauces. A reliable Mid-City stop.
OrderChorizo verde breakfast burrito and a flat white.
TipCounter and patio only; queue at 09:30 weekends, walk-in fine weekdays.
Chi Spacca on Melrose, Los Angeles is Nancy Silverton's Mozza-family Italian steakhouse, plating a bistecca for two and a focaccia di Recco worth a detour.
OrderBistecca alla Fiorentina for two; the focaccia di Recco to start.
TipWalk-in counter seats serve the full menu; Nancy Silverton's bakery shares the building.
Taste of Soul closes Crenshaw Boulevard for one Saturday each October, drawing more than 300,000 people to hundreds of soul food vendors and three music stages.
TipPark south of Stocker and walk north; the Obama end fills first. Vendors run out by mid-afternoon, so eat before 14:00.
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