All Cities

Letter of Recommendation

You know that one restaurant that’s just right because of that one special thing? Yeah, us too. That’s why we’re introducing our newest franchise: Letter of Recommendation. These are tributes to spots that offer something unique — restaurants we can’t live without. They may not be the most buzzy, but they provide something essential.

Header illustration by Pamela Chen

Los Angeles

Barra Santos Feels Like A Dinner Party Every Night

The Cypress Park hotspot dishes up cool Portugal-inspired cuisine, natural wine, and excellent neighborhood hang vibes.

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Los Angeles

There’s Never Been A Better Time to Visit Kismet Than Right Now

A writer rediscovers the joy of revisiting the restaurants that make a neighborhood. First up: Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson’s Cal-Med classic, Kismet.

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Dishes at the pass at Lutèce

Washington D.C.

How Lutèce Became America’s Perfect Take on the Neobistro

The Washington, D.C., restaurant and chef Matt Conroy have captured the spirit of Paris’ new-wave dining scene, in a form that also reflects this country’s deep love of French cooking.

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New York

How Red Hook’s Café Kestrel Sank Its Talons Into Me

I don’t live in Red Hook, but for basically the entirety of the 14 years I’ve been a New York…

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Philadelphia

A Love Letter to La Viola, the Restaurant That Helped Me Fall in Love With Philly

I’ve lost count of how many dates I’ve had at La Viola West since my college days in the early…

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New York

A Love Letter to The Golden Swan, a Restaurant for Celebrations Small and Big

When I first heard about The Golden Swan, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The French tavern opened in the…

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San Francisco

Mijoté Is a San Francisco Sleeper Hit Hiding in Plain Sight

Mijoté is perhaps the closest thing you’ll come in The City to eating at the hip cool bistronomy spots in Paris.

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An artist's illustration of a group of diners celebrating a birthday at Il Mulino in New York, surrounded by waiters.

New York

Il Mulino, and the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pasta

“Where do you want to go this time?” asked Tammy. With my birthday just over a month away, my friend…

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The kitchen counter at Yess

Los Angeles

A Night at Yess. Or, a Meal That Came So Close to Never Happening

The third dish from my evening at Yess — a grand little restaurant in downtown L.A. that reminded me so…

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Los Angeles

Lunch at the Chateau Marmont Is the Ultimate Treat to Yourself

What is there to say that hasn’t already been said about the Chateau Marmont? It’s the Chateau, baby—one of the…

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