Now Open on Resy: Vibrato, Nando Trattoria, Broken Spanish, Botanica, and More

Because chef Ray Garcia’s chicharron, handmade tortillas with lentils, and duck albondigas are too good to miss. After closing the original DTLA Broken Spanish, the team resurfaced for a residency at the swank Neuehouse Hollywood, complete with a plant-filled, candlelit patio. Add a few margaritas and a breezy night, and it’s like a hideaway that offers a taste of what life can be again.

Dining Status: Open for outdoor dining by reservation only through May 1.

Chasing dreamers like chef Brian Bornemann and artist Leena Culhane is that much easier now that the dynamic duo has opened a brick-and-mortar location of their wildly successful roving Mediterranean-inspired raw bar. The oysters, tuna tartare, wood-fired salmon with minted yogurt, and Sicilian-style ceviche are all worth fighting the busy Main Street crowds.

Dining Status: Opens for outdoor dining on April 14. Reservations will be available soon, along with takeout. More info here.

With the Pacific Ocean and bougainvillea as a backdrop, it doesn’t get any more L.A. The menu rallies around the family’s Latin and South American roots, which means guava and cheese pastillos, chorizo and potato omelets, and pepita butter and jam toast for all. Plus naturally minded wines, and plenty of margaritas, which make any beach day brighter.

Dining Status: Open for all-day patio dining.

Head here for mezcals not found on most L.A. bar shelves. For passionate owner Ivan Vasquez, whose Oaxacan heart and soul fills the open space and patio. And for things like oysters with ceviche de chauplin (grasshoppers), rich moles, and a banging brunch. The West Hollywood location is probably the most elevated out of the Madre trio, but still laid-back and fueled by agave spirits.

Dining Status: Open daily for indoor and outdoor dining. Order takeout and delivery here.

From the top of the Santa Monica Pier, the views from just about anywhere in this Santa Monica staple are hard to beat. And with Govind Armstrong overseeing the menu, the food is now, too. It’s the lobster, of course, served grilled or boiled or salad-ed, that you come here for, but also the black chitarra pasta with shellfish, Dungeness crab fried rice, and even a few meaty dishes. Beach vibes, sunsets, and cocktails? Absolutely.

Dining Status: Open for outdoor dining. Order takeout here.

Because not all Italian food needs to be based around cheese, meat, and more cheese. New York-born chef Tara Punzone has a way with plant-based pasta and pizza that will turn the heads of even the most die-hard carnivores. Biodynamic wines and organic cocktails help. A stroll along the beach isn’t mandatory, but it’s hard to resist.

Dining Status: Open for indoor and outdoor dining.

Like its predecessor, Cipriani in New York, you can’t go wrong with classics like carpaccio, prosciutto-topped pizza, and a Bellini or three. It’s a hotel restaurant, sure, but there’s enough ambiance to make it feel like a secret Italian getaway.

Dining Status: Open for indoor and outdoor dining.

Absolutely perfect waterfront views from the second floor of an apartment building — and anyone can dine there. It’s like a private retreat, only in full view of the sand, the waves, the sun, the swaying palms. Straightforward bites include breakfast-all-day burritos, giant shrimp cocktail, Korean-spiced cauliflower bites, and good old-fashioned beach burgers (beef or falafel, depending on the mood).

Dining Status: Open for limited indoor dining and outdoor dining on the patio.

Go to this Valley staple for Armenian and Lebanese staples, from mezze platters to mixed grill deals that come with everything from tabbouleh and hummus to kefta kebabs, lamb chops, and vermicelli rice pilaf. The secluded garden patio out back is a hidden gem.

Dining Status: Open for indoor and outdoor dining.

Because chef Dario Vullo comes from a long line of Italian restaurateurs that started generations ago in Sicily, and joined his brother at Nando Trattoria in Chicago before opening his own outpost on the West Coast. There’s a lot of love that goes into each pillowy gnocchi, every twist of tagliatelle, and all the seafood-stuffed ravioli. A T-bone for two and a bottle of Barolo feels almost celebratory.

Dining Status: Open for limited indoor dining; outdoor patio tables are available. Order takeout here.

Like many Venice stalwarts, this go-to for great happy hour deals, solid nigiri, and creative sushi rolls has a quintessential Westside beach vibe. The iconic neon sign hasn’t changed, even if the interior has (slightly), and it still beckons for all the classics: spicy tuna on crispy rice, miso cod, shrimp tempura, seared albacore, and yellowtail sashimi, plus sake for every taste (and budget).

Dining Status: Open for indoor and outdoor dining.

Trumpet great Herb Alpert designed one of the most acoustically sound dining rooms in all of L.A., a swank date-night spot tucked into the hills above Bel Air. The lights are kept low, the martinis are ice cold, and the jazz factor is high — just the kind of place to attract locals (i.e. celebrities), musicians, and music aficionados looking for a good steak and a bit of stardust. 

Dining Status: Open for outdoor dining under an elaborate tent for dinner and weekend brunch.

Botanica is one of those places that’s “so L.A.,” but in the best sense. Think bright and globally-inspired vegetable-based fare, a health-minded beverage program, and an adorable marketplace that begs you to leave with a souvenir. 

Dining Status: Reopening for in-person dining on April 9, with dining available in the wine garden (i.e. patio) for dinner. The bakery and marketplace is currently open for morning coffee and daytime takeout. Get more info here.

Jon & Vinny’s is a heck of an homage to the red-sauce joints that owners Jon and Vinny grew up eating at. It’s an essential and beloved L.A. gem, and this Brentwood location also boasts an expansive outdoor dining space, plus more pizza, more pasta, and more soft-serve ice cream for all.

Dining Status: Open for outdoor seating in the new parking lot patio by reservation only; Order takeout here.

Enrique Olvera brings his Cosme and Atla magic to the Arts District with this mostly outdoor stunner. Draped in greenery, the restaurant has as much California sensibility as it does Mexico City soul, where Japanese and Korean influences meld with farmers market produce and Mexican traditions. And in true West Coast fashion, the no-waste beverage program means sipping margaritas with a clean (living) conscience.

Dining Status: Open for outdoor and limited indoor dining. The Ditroit taqueria window behind the restaurant is open for takeout.

When you’re at Dama, you’re not in L.A. anymore. From the food to the drinks to the vibe (hint: sit outside), Antonia Lofaso has re-produced the magic of Latin American cities (think Mexico City or Bogotá) right smack in the middle of Downtown.

Dining Status: Open for indoor and outdoor dining. Order takeout here.

Named for chef-owner David Kuo’s childhood nickname, xiǎo pàng — a term of endearment, we promise — this West L.A. charmer is a staple for Taiwanese comfort foods, from Sunday Gravy (a.k.a. lu rou fan) and scallion pancakes to 3 cups chicken and beef noodle soup.

Dining Status: Open for indoor and outdoor dining. Order takeout here.