Los Angeles’ Newest Restaurant Openings, Now on Resy

Sri Lankan tradition meets SoCal flair in this modern space filled with soft light, wood accents, and greenery. Classics like kottu roti and banana leaf-wrapped lamprais (a perfect rice dish) share the menu with inventive takes on things like string hopper pilau. Grab a seat at the chef’s counter for exclusive dishes and next-level flavor combinations.

This hideaway behind Mother Wolf is unmistakably chef Evan Funke’s, pairing Roman street food with artful drinks. Think carbonara-stuffed frittatina, cacio e pepe arancini, and wood-fired pizzas folded like pockets and topped with oxtail meatballs or smoked salmon. Cocktails are bright, bold, and built for late nights and long conversations.

Like the original in Seoul, this ganjang gejang specialist features the sweet, juicy female blue crabs marinated in soy sauce or spices, best served spooned over hot rice with banchan on the side. Complete the soy-marinated experience with add-on abalone or shrimp, plus a yuzu sool highball to cool things down.

Just steps from Veterans Park and the ocean, you’ll find a full bar, cozy lighting, and an airy patio that’s ideal for game day or date night. Don’t miss the impeccable meatballs, cacio e pepe, and next-level tiramisu. Brunch on weekends, happy hour on weekdays — it hits all the right neighborhood notes.

If you’re a fan of The Benjamin Hollywood’s buzzy energy, glowing Art Déco space, and brasserie-inspired menus, you’ll love this upstairs extension. The bar expands on the signature cocktail menu from its downstairs counterpart with complex, creative drinks from experts Jason Lee (of N/Soto and baroo) and Chad Austin (of Bootlegger Tiki). The duo pulls from global flavors in cocktails like the Fesenjoon, inspired by a Persian walnut-and-pomegranate stew, or the Bad Bunny, a carrot-hazelnut-aquavit milk punch.

If the excellent margaritas feel familiar, that’s because this Valley offshoot is backed by the same award-winning team as Los Feliz’s Mírate. Like its predecessor, the cocktails showcase Mexican spirits and dishes are market-driven takes on staples (aguachiles, tacos, and branzino asado), but here, the team goes all-in on margaritas with an entire menu of variations, including a blended version with fresh avocado, and the Dirty Shirley margarita with a “sprite” cordial and pomegranate liqueur.

From morning coffee drinks (try the koji caramel latte) to afternoon bento boxes filled with grilled arctic char and seasonal greens, the big draw to this Virgil Village spot is its thoughtful Japanese-Californian menu and comfortable community-minded space. At night, the menu expands with a grass-fed beef burger with Comté and pickle aïoli, hand rolls, and fried chicken with a little kick of spice.

Destined to become a neighborhood staple, this modern Cal-Ital spot breathes new life into a storied space. Inside and out, it’s a great hang for handmade pizzas and pastas, snacks like focaccia with whipped ricotta, and crispy rice balls stuffed with cheese, or larger dishes that center a meal (think whole snapper or pork collar). Don’t skip the drinks — cocktails come alive with unique twists on classics.

Because it’s a neighborhood cantina from a family of restaurants backed by chef Jackson Kalb (Jame Enoteca, Ospi, Jemma). And they’re not holding back on flavor here: from fresh guacamole topped with corn or black garlic chile crunch, to a pastor-like pork shank with pineapple glaze, with plenty of tacos, taquitos, queso, and margaritas in between.

This stylish Italian spot is a multi-tool of a restaurant, ready to welcome whatever occasion you are seeking. The fantastic pizzas, raw bar-fueled small plates, and generous dishes like barbecue Maine lobster are always comforting, plus beverages cover creative cocktails, wines, and zero-proof options, and there’s enough space for families. Chef Zach Pollack’s breezy California-centric spot even has a parking lot, too.

Chef Miles Thompson is never one to shy away from creative, contemporary, ingredient-driven cuisine, whether it’s at an iconic Westside restaurant or one of his roving pop-ups. At this Victor Heights brick-and-mortar, the tiny, cottage-like space is intimate and rustic with modern vibes — just the place for the ever-evolving seasonal menu and well-curated wines to match.

Chef Mei Lin has a knack for turning classic dishes from her upbringing into something revelatory. You’ll find it at her swanky Beverly Hills spot in every bite of char siu pork, glistening nam yu-roasted chicken, and sesame prawn toast. It’s all familiar, yet nothing like you’ve had before. The space is gorgeous and full of good-luck symbolism, from tiger paintings to jade-colored walls.

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When you get a classically trained chef dishing out things like country-fried chongqing chicken, egg custard, and roast duck, there’s only one place that feels right for it: The Mandarin Plaza in Chinatown. Firstborn’s menu changes seasonally, which means you’ll want to stop in for highlights on the regular.

Nestled among the many restaurants on Canon Drive, this spot stands out with its dramatic space and a menu that features modern takes on dishes from the Caucasus: things like Wagyu-stuffed dolma, khachapuri with truffle, and khorovats (aka Armenian barbecue).

You can trust the sibling restaurant to Lasung House with soul-affirming Korean food. Case in point: Lasung’s sotbap, a rice dish cooked in a stone pot with a crackling-crisp bottom, and their soondubu, the soft tofu stew made with a long-simmered broth. Don’t overlook the extras (all standouts), from clams, pollack roe, and grilled eel you can get with the sotbap, to lobster for the stew.

Leave it to Adam Leonti to build the Italian restaurant of your dreams. The stunning West Hollywood space (all curves and bright colors, with a playfulness to it all) sets the stage for what the Alba team is calling a “vacation Italian” menu — think spritzes, gorgeous pastas, and a “garden” section that shows off the season’s best. Pro tip: The house focaccia is required ordering — Leonti’s a wiz in the bread department, and you’re not going to want to miss this signature item.

Now open in Santa Monica is Cosetta, the beautiful new Cal-Italian star from chef Zach Pollack, whose work you may remember from bygone beloved spots like Alimento and Cosa Buona. His newest restaurant blends Italy and Southern California with a menu full of crudos, salads, pizza, and even wings.

At Vin Folk, the chefs are your servers, bringing plates from the kitchen, and explaining them, too — head cheese toast, mussels tart, and jowl with mackerel are but some of the enticing offerings at this cozy wine bistro. Sit back, watch the kitchen groove, and dive in for something a little different.