The Los Angeles Restaurants We Loved in 2025

It was a challenging year for L.A. restaurants…

… and frankly, I applaud all chefs and owners who stuck it out. I reserve a little bit of extra applause for those who opened this year, a risky endeavor in itself, and even more so, those who took risks with their menu or concept. Case in point: Baby Bistro, the idiosyncratic neo-bistro from Miles Thompson and Andy Schwartz in Victor Heights. To me, Baby Bistro feels like a fun, funky, highly personalized endeavor, with a tight, frequently-rotating menu that’s not for everyone (spaghetti squash with passionfruit?), but is very much for diners willing to roll with the punches. Is it a little polarizing? Sure. Is it weird? Yep. Do I think that’s a good thing? In the city of L.A. in the year of 2025, the answer is a resounding yes.

— Jamie Feldmar, Resy Los Angeles Editor

After the Eaton Fire, it felt hard to imagine how Altadena would rebuild…

… but one thing that’s for certain is that restaurants are helping us get there. Betsy, which opened in December 2024, has been one of a handful of reopened businesses rejuvenating the town after the devastating wildfires in January.

Anyone who’s had the pleasure of dining at Betsy knows how special it is. Step into the restaurant’s warm, wood-paneled interior and you’ll be immediately greeted by its unmissable open hearth that forms the centerpiece of the dining room. Seasonally rotating vegetable dishes highlight produce at its peak, flavored by char, but you should go off-grill and order the generously-dressed Caesar salad with market lettuces, plenty of parmesan, and fresh anchovies. The Wanderer New York strip steak is consistently memorable, grilled over open fire and served with a generous pad of hotel butter. Notably, the restaurant recently announced the return of their pillowy dinner rolls that are baked in the wood-fired oven and served with cultured Normandy butter. If the sweet, homey energy of the dining room wasn’t enough, make sure to save room for Betsy’s seasonal fruit cobbler or the Basque-style cheesecake, both of which showcase dessert on the open flame.

— Sharon Brenner, Los Angeles Writer, Resy Editorial

I made it my mission…

… to work my way through a good chunk of L.A.’s Armenian food scene (I love Armenian cuisine), going to restaurants, takeout spots, and bakeries. For whatever reason, I hadn’t made it to Marouch until recently, and feel like I missed out on what could’ve been many years of great eating.

Their kebabs — especially the luleh — are some of the more tender and delicate in town, and the hummus, one of the smoothest and creamiest I’ve had in ages. The beef mantee, topped with a garlic-yogurt tomato sauce, hit all the right flavor notes and textures. And the muhammara is just straight-up vibrant. Thinking about it now, I need to plan another trip stat. No wonder it’s been around for decades.

— Sara Ventiera, Los Angeles Writer, Resy Editorial

Getting a reservation at…

… n/naka is about as easy as winning the lottery, but that’s fine: N/Soto is right there, waiting for you with open arms. In a handsome, softly lit room on Washington Boulevard, chef-owners Niki Nakayama and Carole Iida-Nakayama bring the same Michelin-starred prowess that made n/naka an international culinary destination, but loosen the reins. Gone is the kaiseki framework; in its place, Japanese classics are reimagined with immaculate technical precision and a wink.

The chawanmushi worships umami, with its silky custard and ribbons of king crab. And you can forget your standard yakimono fare — here, it’s Wagyu strip loin, where the marbled fat looks satiny, almost pearlescent. But alas, n/soto eighty-sixed my beloved $95 tasting menu, and with it, the chicken katsu sandwich (which was my iPhone screensaver for a while). Think impossibly soft shokupan; pickles that are sharp and bright; and panko crust that cuts your mouth in a good way. I hope they bring it back one day. For your sake, as much as mine.

— Kat Hong, Los Angeles Writer, Resy Editorial

If there’s a better pizza…

… than those at Pizzeria Sei, I will never know. Why risk being disappointed in the unknown? Sei’s the sort of place that’s so good at what they do, it keeps me coming back again and again. With his own blistered take on Tokyo-Neapolitan pizza, chef William Joo’s fanatical obsession with dough has led to a world-class crust that pleasantly tears and chews like fresh, warm mochi.

Start with the Santa Monica farmers market pickles and make sure you pick at least one classic pie. The Margherita here shows you exactly why this combination has been around since it was first invented for its namesake queen in 1889. Where I find the most joy, though, is in that first bite of mala-spiced sausage pizza — a housemade, tingling lamb sausage that’s topped with a heavy hand of coriander flowers. If that’s not L.A. in pizza form, I don’t know what is.

— Hillary Eaton, Los Angeles Writer, Resy Editorial

We all know Cal-izakayas are having a moment…

… and RVR got that ball rolling since opening late last year. I met an old friend there one sunny spring evening and we started with hand rolls filled with crispy fish, which felt like an izakaya spin on a Cali fish taco. Equally impressive was a perfectly balanced shrubby mocktail and creative plates full of roasted local veggies, but the real showstopper was a delicate miso black cod, and the slightly random but delightful option of carrot cake for dessert (turns out it’s lowkey popular in Japan). I haven’t been back just yet but it will surely be my go-to the next time I venture to Abbot Kinney.

— Kelly Dobkin, Los Angeles Writer, Resy Editorial

When I try someplace new…

… especially in a different city, I go in without reading a single review, and was so happy I did when I went to Yess Restaurant. It’d been on my radar since it opened, and my husband and I were blown away the moment we entered.

The high ceilings, open kitchen, and few tables hinted that this was a restaurant by people who cared — it was calm, mature, and confident. We were wildly impressed by the wine and sake list filled with tough-to-find bottles and exceptional offerings by the glass, only one or two intentional picks. As for the food, everything was incredible, from the fresh, soft tofu topped with salsa macha; to the smoke-kissed, ultra meaty bluefin tuna; and our favorite, the most unique iteration of eggplant we’d ever had, roasted and topped with a sweet fig-soy glaze, fresh figs, and walnuts. This isn’t a restaurant for everyone, but it was for us. After our meal, we saw that the restaurant had gotten mixed reviews. But this goes to show that you shouldn’t judge a restaurant from something you’ve read, especially if time has passed since then: Restaurants evolve and we should allow them to change without abandoning them.

— Kyle Beechey, New York Writer, Resy Editorial

It’s pretty rare when a new restaurant space blows my mind…

… but walking into Lucia for the first time will give you an instant jolt of main character energy. Between the soaring ceilings, beach shell-inspired booths, and Art Deco-glam bar area, it’s one of the most unique and dazzling spaces I’ve seen in a minute. What’s equally as singular is the food, highlighting deep-cut dishes from the Caribbean with a fine dining lens (oxtail pepper pot et al). The coconut fried chicken and savory plantains were the standouts, but the cocktails were also memorable, including a take on a piña colada and an okra martini. Consider it your new default for impressing out-of-town friends (or anyone) in 2026.

— Kelly Dobkin, Los Angeles Writer, Resy Editorial

In a year marred by wildfires…

… SNAP cuts, and ICE detentions, I found myself craving the bright, multicultural flavors that drew me to L.A. to begin with. I often found myself craving the dry tom yum noodles at Mae Malai, specifically: a riot of spicy-sour-sweet flavors from a zero-frills strip mall storefront, best paired with an order of funky, coarsely ground, lemongrass-infused sai oua sausage. And I also returned to my beloved Angel’s Tijuana Tacos time and again for the city’s finest al pastor, drawn in by the plumes of smoke and the sweetly charred aroma wafting off the griddle late at night. The taqueros there put on a show, slicing and dicing pork off a massive trompo; but the real star is on the plate, where simply dressed and sizzling-hot four-bite tacos take center stage.

— Jamie Feldmar, Resy Los Angeles Editor

It’s fun to impress out-of-towners…

… and Baby Bistro delivers. I took my parents here shortly after the restaurant’s opening and it was a perfect choice. Tucked away in the charming Alpine Courtyard, with intuitive service and a wine list that’ll pique your curiosity (not to mention a volume level that’s ideal for a parental visit), Baby Bistro met the mark. It’s rare to find a restaurant that is so approachable yet clearly expert in each element of the experience. We savored the individually paced dishes, from the turnips and tofu salad with raspberries to the striped bass and onion bread (cooked onions and butter on soft house bread). The star of the show was a pine nut cookie with savory cucumber cream, candied rhubarb, and fennel fronds — a visual delight that epitomized the creativity of each dish that preceded it.

— Sharon Brenner, Los Angeles Writer, Resy Editorial

With the never-ending tasks of adult life…

… I don’t eat out nearly as much as I used to. But I’ve somehow made it to Quarter Sheets over and over again this year. There are a bunch of reasons why. The rotating selection of natural wine always offers solid options. The Detroit-ish style slices are right up my alley with chewy crusts and great toppings (I’m a huge fan of ‘roni cups). I’ve never had a Sicilian Corner variation I haven’t liked, and I crave that sesame seed-studded crust. Then there’s the salad and princess cake — both of which knock it out of the park.

— Sara Ventiera, Los Angeles Writer, Resy Editorial

More Los Angeles staff picks, right this way.

The views expressed in this article reflect personal experiences of American Express employees at the applicable restaurants — not American Express — and do not constitute professional business advice.