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.
Signature: Bone-marrow pasta, Kouign-amann
Order: The kouign-amann at breakfast, then the half roast chicken at dinner.
Tip: Pastry 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.
Signature: Tonnarelli cacio e pepe, Suppli al telefono
Order: Suppli al telefono, then the tonnarelli cacio e pepe.
Tip: The 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.
Signature: Hokkaido uni, Santa Barbara spot prawn
Order: The full tasting menu; the spot prawn course in season is the one to remember.
Tip: Bar 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.
Signature: Big-Mec burger, Omelette
Order: The Big-Mec burger at lunch or the bouillabaisse at dinner.
Tip: 20 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.
Signature: Martini, Chicken pot pie Thursday
Order: Martini at the bar and the Thursday chicken pot pie.
Tip: The 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.
Signature: Lamb shawarma, Hummus
Order: Lamb shawarma off the rotating spit, with hot pita and hummus.
Tip: The 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.
Order: Chorizo verde breakfast burrito and a flat white.
Tip: Counter 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.
Order: Bistecca alla Fiorentina for two; the focaccia di Recco to start.
Tip: Walk-in counter seats serve the full menu; Nancy Silverton's bakery shares the building.