The Resy Hit List: Where In L.A. You’ll Want to Eat Right Now

Bar di Bello turns Silver Lake’s Milanese aperitivo daydreams into a meal you can actually book. Set in a snazzy new Sunset Blvd. strip mall, burgundy curtains part to reveal this stylish new Italian restaurant from the teams behind Gigi’s and Wexler’s Deli. In Milan, you’d start with a spritz or a Negroni, and Bar di Bello doesn’t care to argue: the Splendido Spritz is a bittersweet, slightly sharper cousin of the Aperol spritz, while the $44 Negroni di Basso arrives in an almost comically gigantic goblet that feels tailored for toasts. The kitchen’s putting in work, too, with briny Sicilian anchovy toast, ribbons of 24‑month prosciutto di Parma, and breaded chicken cutlets glossed in a shallot–guanciale–caper sauce. Eastsiders used to dream of restaurants like this; now they’re finally here.

Once upon a time, Angelenos chased Anna Sonenshein and Niki Vahle’s coveted fried fish sandwich pop-up across the city like it was a rare celestial event, but with their second permanent outpost—this time, in trendy Melrose Hill—the duo proves Little Fish is not only here to stay, but that it has more to offer than just a really good lunch. Compared to its Echo Park counterpart, Little Fish’s Melrose Hill location is more grown up: locally sourced seafood is served in a stylish bistro, where warm wood glows in the daytime and marble tabletops shine at night. While you can—and should—order that panko-encrusted icon during the day, stay for dinner, when the kitchen flexes its fine dining muscles with rotating dishes like bay scallop crudo, lobster grilled with a persimmon glaze, and pan-fried skate wing with brown butter and sauerkraut.

The latest restaurant from Last Word Hospitality, Hermon’s joins siblings Found Oyster, Barra Santos, Queen’s, and Rasarumah in a bid for East Side supremacy. Named after the tiny neighborhood it’s situated in, tucked between Highland Park and South Pasadena, Hermon’s is a rustic, 89-seat space that combines Art Deco vibes with the area’s prevalent Craftsman style. The menu is defined by chophouse-style dishes with modern twists, like loaded potato fritters, two-sheet lasagna vongole (inspired by the clam toast at Dudley Market, where chef DK Kolender previously worked), and mushroom Bourguignon with a dash of miso. The bar program, created by Eric Alperin and Angus McShane, centers on classic, ice-cold martinis served in freezer-stored glasses, available in both regular and “tiny” portions, proving that good things can indeed come in small packages.

When you hear the word “bistro,” certain scenes come to mind: plates whizzing by, lively conversation, a jovial atmosphere, and prices that make becoming a regular feel attainable. The bistro concept is timeless for a reason, and Regelade, from the team behind neighboring Oste, is poised to become a new classic in Beverly Grove. No one here is trying to reinvent the wheel, and we mean that as a compliment. The dining room is elegant, yet practical, with a vibrant zinc-topped bar and green leather banquettes lining the walls. Expect faithful recreations of hearty French classics: mussels offered four ways, French onion soup, buttery escargot de Bourgogne, and duck confit with cherries and a port reduction. This is Parisian dining translated for L.A., with a fidelity rarely seen this close to the Pacific.

This charming Persian spot in Silver Lake feels casual, but packs a powerful punch, quietly shaping the city’s conversation surrounding Iranian food, identity … and kebabs. In a little terrarium along Sunset, partners Cody Ma and Misha Sesar serve the kind of homestyle dishes their families made for gatherings, not restaurant menus. It’s a welcome deviation: there’s the soul-soothing barley-and-bean ash-e jo soup with kashk and mint oil, turmeric-braised Jidori chicken, and that giant kofteh Tabrizi, a softball-sized meatball stuffed with prunes, apricots, barberries, and walnuts in a dried‑lime tomato sauce. Order at the counter, then angle for a seat on the shaded patio. You’d be wise to add one of Azizam’s excellent sandwiches, like the beef tongue with tomatoes, pickles, and herbs. A sour cherry limeade or sekanjabin spritz in hand doesn’t hurt, either.

Perched on the edge of Chinatown, Baby Bistro joins its Alpine Street neighbors Perilla, Baker’s Bench, Cassell’s, and Heavy Water Coffee in what is quickly becoming one of the city’s quirkiest courtyards, and a must-visit destination for in-the-know diners. A self-described “bistro of sorts,” the former roving pop-up is the brainchild of chef Miles Thompson (formerly of Michael’s and Konbi) and co-owner Andy Schwartz, a seasoned wine pro from Lolo in East Hollywood. Set in a restored 100-year-old Victorian bungalow, the intimate 35-seat dining room feels plucked from a different era (or maybe just Europe), with its warm-wood interior, built-in wine shelves, and rustic outdoor seating. The menu is focused and tight, with eight-ish dishes that rotate with the seasons. Or you could just ask them to fire the whole menu. Yeah, maybe do that.

Inspired by the cured meat shops and kitchens of Italy, this is Echo Park’s newest shiny addition, a cozy all-day space that seamlessly transitions from a sun-drenched market-deli by day to a candlelit dinner destination at night. Owner Max Lesser, an alum of Chi Spacca, has crafted a menu that feels both deeply Californian and nostalgically Roman, where you might grab a chicken Milanese sandwich topped with radicchio and Caesar aioli for lunch, or settle in later for short rib rigatoni or ricotta dumplings stuffed with chanterelle mushrooms. The dining room is a fun, eclectic mishmash of mismatched art and banquette seating, the ideal backdrop for lingering over a glass of delicious wine, curated by Katie Vonderheide (previously of Silverlake Wine).

Founded by lifelong friends Natasha Price and Tatiana Ettensberger, Wilde’s has quickly become the hottest place to eat in Los Feliz. This new restaurant blends rustic British heritage with fresh California ingredients, through classic dishes like bangers and mash, a flaky meat pie for two, and sticky toffee pudding. It’s elegant and charming, without a whiff of pretentiousness, and its cozy, warm wood interior evokes a British countryside pub. Beyond dinner service, the venue operates as a daytime bakery offering coffee, scones, and spiced carrot tea cake. And since demand has been sky-high since they opened late last year, the team recently announced they’re adding more Resys to cut down on wait times — a smart call, indeed.

Evil Cooks is the rare restaurant where the Satanic branding somehow undersells how wild and wonderful the food gets. In a black‑walled space in El Sereno — fittingly, 3333 N Eastern, which doubles neatly into 6666 — Alex “Pobre Diablo” García and Elvia “La Bruja” Huerta have turned their front‑yard pop‑up and Smorgasburg hit into a metalhead taqueria and one of L.A.’s most inventive modern Mexican kitchens. Devils and “Hell Sereno” jokes mark the entrance; out back, a patio with angels crying jamaica‑red tears and skeletons watching over the tables sets the tone. The Devil’s Pack lets you mix and match tacos, including inky black al pastor on equally black tortillas. El Taco Arabe nods to Puebla and the Middle East at once, while the Prince of Darkness burrito and Megadeth torta go gloriously over the top with pastor, green chorizo, bacon, a fried egg, and even a hot dog. At Evil Cooks, being bad feels very, very right.

Nestled in the foothills below the San Gabriel Mountains in Sierra Madre, you’ll find Bess, where thrifted vintage furniture fills the dining room, creating an intimate, natural charm: multi-globe lamps glow incandescently above the retro wood-paneled photo booth; red leather stools sit symmetrically across soft black leather booths. It’s the perfect scene-setting for giant platters of salumi and silky slips of prosciutto, or Bess’s signature lasagna, spread thick with herbaceous lemon ricotta. Pair them with wines from a thoughtful list anchored in classic regions (think Tuscany, Piedmont, Bordeaux, the Loire, and Beaujolais), plus some always-welcome California representation. The non-alcoholic Italian sodas are a treat, too: icy glasses brimming with seasonal flavors like lemon, red grapefruit, and lavender.

The family-run restaurant, led by chef Sang Tae, serves inventive Japanese food in a space that feels sophisticated and polished without theatrics. The earnestness feels like a tangible part of Ine: dishes capture Tae’s sincere love of Japanese cooking, in a dual menu that changes almost entirely between lunch and dinner. Daytime offerings include Kyoto-style ramen noodles and plenty of hand rolls (kelp-cured salmon, seared yellowtail belly, and cucumber paired with tart, fermented plum). Evenings usher in elegant remixes, like a miso-enhanced ratatouille, clam and squid ravioli, and a riff on gyudon featuring one whole savoy cabbage leaf—blistered and subtly sweet—covering the rice and tender beef.

What began as a series of Monday night pop-ups at his parents’ legendary Kobawoo House in Koreatown has matured into Melrose Hill’s most compelling fine-dining reservation. To reach chef Brian Baik’s sanctum, one must slip past the chatter of Bar 109 and cross the threshold into a serene, walnut-clad dinner theater designed by Montalba Architects (Nobu Malibu, among others). Here, just 10 seats face a glowing open kitchen where the evening unfolds as a genre-bending seafood omakase imbued with personal meaning. Baik (who has previously worked at fine-dining institutions including Eleven Madison Park, Sushi Noz, Bouley, and Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare) sources pristine catch from Japan to orchestrate an eleven-course menu, a highlight of which is his signature aji toast, where house-made milk bread is topped with a glorious cut of horse mackerel, an aioli-esque spread, and pickled red peppers.

Book on Tock. 

Two Hommés began as a pop-up from lifelong friends Marcus “Chef Mando” Yaw Johnson and Abdoulaye “Chef AB” Balde. Now, it’s an Inglewood date-night favorite, where West African cuisine meets California ingredients. On the corner of La Brea and Centinela, the dining room feels cozy yet tuned-in, with West African textiles, Ghanaian light fixtures, and comfy banquettes—and makes for an ideal pre‑SoFi (or Intuit Dome) dinner. Jollof rice functions as an anchor: a smoky, tomato-rich grain found beneath lamb chops, fried catfish, and chili garlic chicken, among other things. From there, the menu sprawls deliciously, covering sticky honey berbere chicken bites, root beer-braised short ribs, and wildly comforting garlic noodles. Order the Mezcalifornia—Espadín mezcal, cucumber juice, grapefruit syrup—which cools everything down just enough to make a second round feel like fate.

When Bar Sinizki opened in 2024, the all-day café felt like a natural extension of Atwater Village, as if the hospitality gods had read everyone’s minds and zapped in exactly what they’d wished for. From the team behind Elf and Dune, the former Kaldi Coffee space now runs from 7 a.m. to midnight on a simple premise: that coffee, pierogi, and cocktails all belong under one roof. Royal blue checkered floors, a curved Calacatta marble bar, and a tiny, darling dining room spill out to the sidewalk patio. When chef Scott Zwiezen’s father died, his family unearthed notebooks of Ukrainian, Polish, and Slovak recipes from his great-grandfather Elias; those notebooks now guide much of the menu, from cardamom French toast in the morning to old-fashioned pierogi, halušky, kielbasa, steak frites, and a nearly perfect Bub & Grandma’s Bistro Burger at night.

Name a temple of haute cuisine, and chances are Craig Hopson has worked there (Le Cirque, Guy Savoy, and Picholine, to name a few). After spending decades mastering French fine dining, Hopson has settled in Mar Vista, where last summer he and his wife, Mai Sakai, opened Electric Bleu on buzzy Centinela Avenue. The ultramarine-hued modern bistro playfully reflects Hobson’s rock ‘n’ roll Perth roots and Sakai’s eye for design. Food, however, remains serious business. You’ll want the roasted chicken, a juicy classic with crispy skin, plus an order of “electric fries” dusted with chicken salt (a misnomer; the spice blend contains zero meat). Sakai curates a wine list heavy on esoteric French varietals, plus lots of sake. For the indecisive diner, Electric Bleu also offers a four-course tasting menu ($64).