Los Angeles Food Guide
The very best places to eat in the sunny City of Angels
Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area meant that I was indoctrinated into being skeptical of Los Angeles. I didn’t know much about the city other than what I had seen in movies and television shows. The stereotypes spooked me out, I admit. But then, when I was a freshman in college at UC Berkeley, I met a really, really cute guy from LA. He was charming, good-looking, kind, and brilliant. He played beach volleyball and knew how to surf. All of my high school friends teased and gave me a hard time when that cute guy and I started dating. Like a real-life West Side Story. He brought me home to meet his family in Pasadena and they too were all sincere and intelligent. The false ideas I had of Los Angeles started to crumble. The cute guy’s mom invited me to hike to the waterfalls with her. (Waterfalls?! In LA?) His dad introduced me to the city’s many wonderful art museums. We ate some of the best food I’ve ever tasted in my life. I ended up marrying that cute guy—in LA no less—at a restaurant owned by a woman who would become my greatest mentor (love you, Suzanne Goin!). I’ve made a complete about-face on Los Angeles. Turns out, it is one of the best food cities in the world. Turns out, Angelenos are smart, thoughtful, deeply cultured, and yes, beautiful people indeed. LA is a glorious place to live and to visit.
Unlike our SF Bay Area Food Guide, this one has a vacation vibe to it. When I’m in LA these days, it is primarily for business or pleasure, so these recommendations capture that spirit of enjoying every bite and of living life to its fullest. Our LA Food Guide also has a special bonus feature: an itinerary for my dream day of eating, shopping, and lounging on the beach. I hope you enjoy it!
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