Mid-Range in Los Angeles

Cognoscenti Coffee ★ 4.8

6114 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232

Yeekai Lim's Cognoscenti Coffee in Culver City, Los Angeles is a multi-roaster bar pouring rotating Heart, Verve and Coava since 2010. A reference LA cafe.

Monkish Brewing ★ 4.8

20311 S Western Ave, Torrance, CA 90501

Monkish Brewing in Torrance, Los Angeles County brews some of the most-sought-after hazy IPAs in California. Bottle releases sell out in minutes online.

Holbox ★ 4.8

3655 S Grand Ave, Mercado La Paloma, Los Angeles, CA 90007

Gilberto Cetina Jr.'s Holbox in Mercado La Paloma, Los Angeles serves Mexican seafood: aguachile, tostadas, kanpachi, ceviche. A Michelin Bib Gourmand pick.

Tip: The aguachile flight is the order; come on a Wednesday at 13:00 when the market is quiet and you can sit at the counter.

Leo's Tacos Truck ★ 4.7

1515 S La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90019

Leo's Tacos Truck on La Brea, Los Angeles carves al pastor until 02:00 nightly. Three permanent truck locations, the La Brea stop is the busiest.

Chichen Itza Restaurant ★ 4.7

3655 S Grand Ave, Mercado la Paloma, Los Angeles, CA 90007

Chef Gilberto Cetina's Chichen Itza in Mercado La Paloma, Los Angeles serves Yucatecan dishes from a market counter. At 3655 S Grand Ave. Booking recommended.

Tip: Closes at 17:00 daily, no dinner; come at 12:30 weekdays when there is no line and the cochinita has just come off the rotisserie.

Republique ★ 4.7

624 S La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Walter and Margarita Manzke's Republique on La Brea, Los Angeles plates brunch in a 1928 commissary, with a French pastry counter and a long sit-down menu.

Tip: Pastry queue is for the counter; sit-down brunch is a separate reservation system that opens 30 days out.

Bavel ★ 4.7

500 Mateo St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis's Bavel in the Arts District, Los Angeles plates Eastern Mediterranean weekend brunch from the Bestia family.

Tip: The brunch menu overlaps with dinner but adds a few egg dishes; book the patio for the strongest light.

Tsujita LA Artisan Noodle ★ 4.6

sawtelle · 2057 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025

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.

Tip: Tsukemen is served exclusively before 15:00; after 15:00 the menu switches to ramen and stays open until 02:00.

Maru Coffee ★ 4.6

1936 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Maru Coffee in Los Feliz, Los Angeles serves Heart and Tim Wendelboe roasts on a 12-seat Korean-Californian counter, with the city's tightest cortado.

Highland Park Brewery ★ 4.6

1220 N Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Bob Kunz's Highland Park Brewery in Chinatown, Los Angeles brews crushable lagers and west-coast IPAs from a 5,000 square-foot taproom and brewhouse.

Sun Nong Dan ★ 4.6

710 S Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90005

Sun Nong Dan in Koreatown, Los Angeles is open 24 hours and serves the city's reference seolleongtang and a TikTok-famous cheese galbi jjim.

Tip: 02:00-04:00 has no wait; come at 22:00 Friday and the wait is 90 minutes.

Kuya Lord ★ 4.6

5003 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Lord Maynard Llera's Kuya Lord in Melrose Hills, Los Angeles runs a Filipino lechon counter that grew from Smorgasburg. At 5003 Melrose Ave.

Tip: The lechon belly is the order; come at 11:30 when the kitchen first slices, after that the line stays steady all afternoon.

Botanica ★ 4.6

1620 Silver Lake Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Botanica in Silver Lake, Los Angeles is Heidi Swanson and Emily Fiffer's vegetable-forward brunch room. Tomato toast and a turmeric latte to go.

Tip: Heidi Swanson and Emily Fiffer's room books out two weekends in advance; sit on the patio for the strongest light.

KazuNori ★ 4.5

downtown-la · 421 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

KazuNori on Main Street in downtown Los Angeles is the original temaki handroll bar, with the five-roll set delivered within 30 seconds of rolling.

Tip: Walk-in only, the line moves once a seat opens; eat each handroll within 30 seconds, the nori loses snap fast.

Kismet ★ 4.5

silver-lake · 4648 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson's Kismet in Los Feliz, Los Angeles plates a vegetable-led California Mediterranean menu in a sunny corner room.

Tip: Brunch on weekends from 09:00 takes walk-ins; dinner is a 30-day-out booking.

All Time ★ 4.5

silver-lake · 2040 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027

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.

Tip: Brunch is walk-in only Saturday and Sunday from 09:00; dinner books two weeks out.

Pine & Crane ★ 4.5

silver-lake · 1521 Griffith Park Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026

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.

Tip: Counter service, fast turnover; this is the casual sibling of the more formal Joy in Highland Park.

Sun Nong Dan ★ 4.5

koreatown · 710 S Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90005

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.

Tip: 24-hour, two-hour wait at 22:00 Friday; come at 23:30 instead, lines clear.

Hippo ★ 4.5

highland-park · 5916 1/2 Figueroa 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.

Tip: The chalkboard menu changes weekly; reservations only on OpenTable, four weeks out.

Smog City Brewing ★ 4.5

1901 Del Amo Blvd, Torrance, CA 90501

Smog City Brewing in Torrance, Los Angeles County brews a wide stylistic range from sours to coffee porters, with a family-friendly taproom and food trucks.

Sun Nong Dan ★ 4.5

710 S Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90005

Sun Nong Dan in Koreatown, Los Angeles simmers seolleongtang ox-bone soup 24 hours a day and serves a cheese-finished galbi jjim with TikTok-driven crowds.

Tip: The 02:00-04:00 window is when locals book the back room; the cheese galbi jjim arrives sizzling and is finished tableside.

All Time ★ 4.5

2040 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Tyler and Ashley Wells's All Time in Los Feliz, Los Angeles plates a 30-seat neighbourhood brunch on weekends, with the best brunch eggs in Eastside LA.

Tip: Walk-in only at brunch; the patio is the seat to ask for. The kitchen often runs out of pancakes by 12:30.

Gjelina ★ 4.5

1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291

Travis Lett's Gjelina on Abbot Kinney, Venice, Los Angeles plates a wood-fire brunch menu with vegetable plates and pizzas. A reservation a week ahead.

Tip: The patio takes walk-ins before 11:00 on weekends; after that book or sit at the bar inside.

Destroyer ★ 4.5

3578 Hayden Ave, Culver City, CA 90232

Jordan Kahn's Destroyer in Culver City, Los Angeles plates a Nordic-influenced morning menu at a counter, with grain bowls and a daily pastry case.

Tip: Jordan Kahn's daytime counter is a slow, deliberate menu; the pastries from the case sell out by 11:30.

Jitlada ★ 4.4

thai-town · 5233 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Jitlada in East Hollywood, Los Angeles has been LA's southern Thai room since the 1980s. Owner Jazz Singsanong runs the dining room front of house.

Tip: Ask for the green Southern Thai menu, not the laminated one.

Sqirl ★ 4.4

silver-lake · 720 N Virgil Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029

Jessica Koslow's Sqirl on Virgil Avenue, Los Angeles invented the ricotta toast format in 2012 and still draws a daily brunch line at the counter.

Tip: Order at the counter, sit at a sidewalk picnic table; the queue is for groups, not solos.

Joy ★ 4.4

highland-park · 5100 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042

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.

Tip: Sister to Pine and Crane but takes bookings; ask the host for the back patio when you book.

Stereoscope Coffee Company ★ 4.4

1501 W Sunset Blvd, Suite B, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Stereoscope Coffee in Echo Park, Los Angeles is the Fullerton roaster's Sunset Boulevard cafe, roasting single-origin filters and a clean signature espresso.

Sqirl ★ 4.4

720 N Virgil Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029

Jessica Koslow's Sqirl on Virgil Avenue, Los Angeles has plated the ricotta toast format since 2012 and still draws a daily brunch line from 08:00.

Tip: The line at 09:30 weekends runs 45 minutes; midweek 10:00 has no wait.

Salazar ★ 4.4

2490 Fletcher Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90039

Salazar in Frogtown, Los Angeles plates a Sonoran-style Mexican grill brunch on a riverside patio. Chilaquiles and micheladas, walk-in only on weekends.

Tip: Frogtown patio is the seat; come at 11:30 sharp on a Saturday and the host seats you immediately.

Guelaguetza ★ 4.3

koreatown · 3014 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90006

The Lopez family's Guelaguetza in Koreatown, Los Angeles has cooked Oaxacan moles, tlayudas and clayudas for the city since 1994. A James Beard winner.

Tip: The Lopez family runs a moles-by-the-jar takeaway out the side door; carry one home on the plane.

Cofax Coffee Shop ★ 4.3

mid-wilshire · 440 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

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.

Tip: Counter and patio only; queue at 09:30 weekends, walk-in fine weekdays.

Cassell's Hamburgers ★ 4.3

koreatown · 3600 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020

Cassell's Hamburgers inside the Hotel Normandie in Koreatown grinds its own chuck for griddled patties, a recipe in continuous use since 1948.

Tip: Cassell's grinds beef in-house every morning; the breakfast burrito is the under-rated order from the same kitchen.

Boomtown Brewery ★ 4.3

700 Jackson St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Boomtown Brewery in the Arts District, Los Angeles brews crisp lagers and a clean West Coast IPA from a tall-ceiling Chinatown taproom on Jackson Street.

Frogtown Brewery ★ 4.3

2931 Gilroy St, Los Angeles, CA 90039

Frogtown Brewery in Elysian Valley, Los Angeles brews German pilsners and clean IPAs by the LA River bike path. A small taproom that the cyclists adopted.

Camphor ★ 4.3

923 E 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Camphor in the Arts District, Los Angeles is Lijo and Max's French-Indian tasting room, with a Michelin star awarded in 2023 and bar seats walk-in available.

Tip: The bar serves the full menu walk-in; sit there if the dining room is booked, the pours are the same.

Great White ★ 4.3

1604 Pacific Ave, Venice, CA 90291

Great White on Pacific Avenue, Venice, Los Angeles brings the Australian flat-white-and-avocado brunch format to the beach. Open daily 07:30-15:00.

Tip: Beach-block location is ideal for a 09:00 walk-in before the Venice tourist crowd hits at 11:00.

Cognoscenti Coffee (DTLA) ★ 4.2

Downtown LA · 1118 San Julian Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015

Cognoscenti Coffee on San Julian Street in Downtown LA is the specialty bar architect-turned-barista Yeekai Lim built from the city's first pop-up coffee.

Pijja Palace ★ 4.2

2711 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Avish Naran's Pijja Palace in Silver Lake, Los Angeles fuses Italian-American pasta and pizza with Indian sauces in a sports-bar room. Open since 2022.

Tip: Walk in at 17:00 sharp to avoid a 90-minute wait; the sports bar is part of the experience, ask for the patio booth.

Pijja Palace ★ 4.1

silver-lake · 2711 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Avish Naran's Pijja Palace in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, fuses Italian-American pizza and pasta with Indian sauces in a sports-bar room. Walk-in only.

Tip: Walk-in only, three TVs always on sports; the wait at 19:30 is 90 minutes, at 17:00 it is zero.