From the mouthwatering juiciness of the brisket at Silverlake’s hipster Jewish deli to the most creative caviar you’ve ever eaten in Beverly Hills, it’s been a delish year for food. Browse our list and see which reservations you need to make, stat.
11 New Restaurants of 2018 We Absolutely Love
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Published Dec 21, 2018
Yelp/Marcus M.
The Hipster Deli: Freedman's In Silverlake
Neighborhood scenesters flock to this joint behind an unassuming storefront for traditional fare like Reuben sandwiches and cheffy plates of trout roe popovers. And there are crazy-cool wallpapers too.
2619 Sunset Blvd.; 213-568-3754 or freedmansla.com
The French Bistro: Petit Trois In Sherman Oaks
A perfect omelet, an impeccable French onion soup and a trout amandine followed by a glass of Lillet. That’s your perfect day at this breakfast-lunch-dinner spot from star chef Ludo Lefebvre.
13705 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks; 818-989-2600 or valley.petittrois.com
The Gables
Hello, Beachy Diner: The Gables In Santa Monica
This airy all-day spot is equidistant from the beach and the Third Street Promenade, but you’ll be hard-pressed to venture forth to either since the cashew butter French toast lulls you into, you know, just hanging.
331 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica; 424-280-4470 or thegablesla.com
The Arty Pastaeria: Hippo In Highland Park
Nothing is over $25 at buzzy Hippo, a rare bargain for such a high-profile chef (Matt Molina won a James Beard Award, basically the Oscars of chefdom). Oysters, grilled pork ribs and light pastas along with creative cocktails and a solid wine list would be more than enough reason to come…but there’s also the eye-candy mural by local street artist/activist Eric Junker.
5916½ N. Figueroa St.; 323-545-3536 or hipporestaurant.com
Elephante
The Boffo Beach View: Élephante In Santa Monica
Hello, gorgeous: This place has an outdoor wraparound patio with a panoramic vista and an Italian-leaning seasonal menu that is as vibrant as its view (with only slightly more calories). Start with the whipped eggplant, bigeye tuna crudo or, if you’re looking for something more substantial, the mascarpone and prosecco arancini.
1332 Second St., Santa Monica; 424-320-2384 or elephantela.com
Yelp/Sandra P.
The Nouvelle Mediterranean: Bavel In Dtla
Middle Eastern fine dining is trending, and this spot attracts a beautiful crowd of fashion and media types. Friendly service and perfectly balanced flavors are the draw at Bavel: The foie gras halvah, for example, is a creamy pâté dotted with date paste, and the duck hummus has chunks of the fowl in its creamy chickpea whip.
500 Mateo St.; 213-232-4966 or baveldtla.com
Sam E./Yelp
The Word-of-mouth Wonder: Mh Zh
You haven’t really made the Silverlake scene until you’ve stood in line at this no-reservations, vegetable-heavy restaurant. And after all that waiting—surprise!—most of the seating is curbside, there’s no website and also no plates (instead, chow is served on corrugated cardboard). But Israeli-inspired fare like creamy, garlicky hummus, charred cauliflower and lemon-scented lamb make the wait and lack of creature comforts worthwhile.
3536 Sunset Blvd.; @Mhzh.la
The Exchange
The Hotel Hot Spot: The Exchange In Dtla
In the Freehand Hotel, this place is worth visiting just for the delightful space that glows with amedley of blue and warm wood tones courtesy of design stars Roman and Williams. But you’ll be coming back for the chraime, a sort of Sephardic bouillabaisse, here spiced up with charred tomatillo.
416 W. Eighth St.; 213-395-9531 or freehandhotels.com
The New California Cuisine: Kismet In Los Feliz
Middle Eastern food made with a Cali light touch, an emphasis on sourcing from local growers and dishes as tasty as they are Instagram-friendly have earned this Los Feliz restaurant a spot on Bon Appetit’s national list of best new restaurants. Perfect meal: Order a glass of orange wine to go with your lemony chicken and pine nut pie.
4648 Hollywood Blvd.; 323-409-0404 or kismetlosangeles.com
Bar Garcia
The Global Nomad: Bar Garcia In Dtla
Chef Juan Pablo Torre trained with Michelin-starred chefs in Europe and is inspired by his global travels, resulting in standout dishes such as a Peruvian-style branzino that is fried in olive oil and served with ramen, a jicama and papaya salad, and a sweet-and-spicy orange yuzu dipping sauce. Best part: You eat it with your hands.
820 S. Spring St.; 213-947-3815 or bargarcia.com
Yelp/Steven C.
The Tasting Menu: Somni At The Bazaar By JosÉ AndrÉs
This restaurant-within-a-restaurant (the Bazaar by José Andrés) is a ten-seat counter where you watch chefs prepare your 20-course tasting menu highlighting inventive presentation, such as truffle-scented caviar served like snuff on a wooden hand. Bonus: Each seat has its own overhead light for your perfect food shot.
SLS Hotel Beverly Hills, 465 S. La Cienega Blvd.; 310-246-5543 or sbe.com
