Burritos La Palma in East LA, Los Angeles wraps birria de res in handmade flour tortillas from Jerez, Zacatecas. James Beard finalist since 2018.
Must order: Birria de res burrito wrapped in Zacatecas flour tortilla.
Tip: Open 09:00 to 17:00; the burritos sell out by 14:00 on weekends. Eat in the car.
Address: 5200 Monte Vista St, Los Angeles, CA 90042
Matt Molina's Hippo in Highland Park, Los Angeles is a 50-seat Italian-California room serving handmade pastas from the Mozza alum since 2021.
Order: Mortadella and pickle, the focaccia, and any pasta on the chalkboard.
Tip: The chalkboard menu changes weekly; reservations only on OpenTable, four weeks out.
Tito's Tacos in Culver City, Los Angeles has fried hard-shell beef tacos at the same walk-up window on Washington Place since 1959. Cash only.
Order: Hard-shell beef taco and a chile relleno burrito.
Tip: Cash only at the original walk-up window; the picnic tables are 1959 vintage.
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.
Sun Nong Dan in Koreatown, Los Angeles serves seolleongtang ox-bone soup 24 hours a day and a cheese-topped galbi jjim that built a TikTok following.
Order: Galbi jjim braised short rib with cheese, finished tableside.
Tip: 24-hour, two-hour wait at 22:00 Friday; come at 23:30 instead, lines clear.
Tsujita LA in Sawtelle, Los Angeles is the LA outpost of Tokyo's Tsujita, simmering tonkotsu broth for 60 hours and serving it as ramen and tsukemen.
Order: Tonkotsu tsukemen at lunch only.
Tip: Tsukemen is served exclusively before 15:00; after 15:00 the menu switches to ramen and stays open until 02:00.
Matt Molina's Hippo in Highland Park, Los Angeles is a 50-seat Italian-California room serving handmade pastas from the Mozza alum since 2021.
Order: Mortadella and pickle, the focaccia, and any pasta on the chalkboard.
Tip: The chalkboard menu changes weekly; reservations only on OpenTable, four weeks out.
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.
