California neighborhood$$silver-lake
Tyler Wells and Ashley Wells's All Time in Los Feliz, Los Angeles runs a 30-seat neighbourhood room with the best brunch eggs in Eastside LA.
Order: Eggs benedict on the brunch menu, lemon-pepper chicken at dinner.
Tip: Brunch is walk-in only Saturday and Sunday from 09:00; dinner books two weeks out.
Taiwanese$$silver-lake
Vivian Ku's Pine and Crane in Silver Lake, Los Angeles serves Taiwanese family recipes at a counter and a dozen tables on Griffith Park Boulevard.
Order: Dan dan noodles and the three-cup chicken.
Tip: Counter service, fast turnover; this is the casual sibling of the more formal Joy in Highland Park.
Korean-Mexican$boyle-heights
Roy Choi's Kogi BBQ truck has rolled around Los Angeles since 2008, inventing the Korean-Mexican taco and the modern American food-truck movement.
Order: Short rib taco and the kimchi quesadilla.
Tip: Follow the truck's daily schedule on the website or Twitter; usually four stops a day across LA.
Taiwanese$$highland-park
Vivian Ku's Joy on York Boulevard, Highland Park, Los Angeles serves Taiwanese family-style on a covered patio. Sister room to Pine and Crane in Silver Lake.
Order: Beef noodle soup and the scallion pancakes.
Tip: Sister to Pine and Crane but takes bookings; ask the host for the back patio when you book.
Korean-American$downtown-la
Broken Mouth - Lee's Homestyle in Downtown Los Angeles serves Korean-Hawaiian rice bowls and spam musubi at lunch from a single counter on Hill Street.
Order: Spam musubi and the kalbi rice bowl.
Tip: Lunch counter, downtown business district; closed Sundays. Cash and card both.
Mexican$highland-park
Burritos La Palma in East LA, Los Angeles wraps birria de res in handmade flour tortillas from Jerez, Zacatecas. James Beard finalist since 2018.
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.