Packed since the day it opened in 2012, Ori and Genevieve Menashe’s acclaimed California-Italian restaurant has made a name for itself for excellent cocktails, wood-fired pizzas, and now-iconic dishes like slow-roasted lamb neck. Housed in a former warehouse, the cavernous, industrial-chic restaurant ushered in a new era of Arts District dining—and feels just as vibrant and energetic as it did a decade ago.

Open since 2008, Venice’s Gjelina still turns out some of the best seasonal, vegetable-forward food in the city—not to mention excellent thin and charred wood-fired pizzas that you’ll spot on every table. Snag a table by the windows to watch the world go by on Abbot Kinney while you sip a glass of Albariño and dig into dishes like grilled oyster mushrooms with tarragon butter or coal-roasted conehead cabbage with bagna cauda.

Head to this stunning spot for elegant New American cuisine laced with Los Angeles influences. Housed in a former cathedral in downtown LA, the restaurant’s modern-meets-classic design, complete with an open-air ceiling, makes it a showstopper. Dishes like grilled hamachi collar with ancho chile and California sea bass with spring gazpacho, from acclaimed chef Neal Fraser, make the restaurant standout from the crowd even more.

This MICHELIN-Starred restaurant from legendary, James Beard Award-winning chef and owner Nancy Silverton is the obvious choice for special occasions. The refined lineup of Italian food like grilled octopus, crispy duck confit, and housemade pasta—plus an impressive Old World wine list to match—makes for an outstanding meal, but touches like the mozzarella bar where Silverton herself may plate your food keep things approachable.

Whereas the original Petit Trois is just as its name implies—small—Ludo Lefebvre’s second, much larger iteration of the restaurant in Sherman Oaks is all high ceilings, gold accents, and comfy mint green banquettes. You can still order all of the hits, like steak frites and the famous Le Big Mec burger, but a word of advice: Book a seat at the compact chef’s counter to get a view of all the action in the kitchen.

Few chefs can work a hearth like Brian Dunsmoor, who cut his teeth at Southern star Hatchet Hall before opening his namesake restaurant in 2022. The long tables adorned with flickering candles make the restaurant an ideal place for a date, as do fiery dishes like wood-roasted oysters and mushroom-crusted pork chops. The cornbread, slathered in cultured butter, is the stuff of dreams.

James Beard Award-winning chef Justin Pichetrungsi is the second-generation owner of this definition-LA restaurant that his father opened in Sherman Oaks in 1981, and Angelenos still can’t get enough. Thrilling plates fill the menu, like barbecue pork collar with coriander-soy molasses, alongside a remarkable selection of Rieslings to pair with your dinner. Come Tuesdays, the popular Thai taco specials include options like shrimp tostada with coconut curry and chile crisp.

AOC isn’t just a classic because of James Beard Award-winning chef Suzanne Goin’s California-French food, it also has one of the most beautiful patios in town. It’s pure romance, outfitted with a wood-fired hearth, trees, and ivy curling up the side of the restaurant. It’s the ideal place to linger over bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with Parmesan and clams sherry with green garlic—as well as a glass from co-owner Caroline Styne’s deep wine list.

Acclaimed chef Ludo Lefebvre is still turning out some of the best French food in the city at his award-winning postage stamp-sized bistro in Hollywood open since 2014. Sit shoulder-to-shoulder at the cozy marble bar to sample Lefebvre’s simple but masterfully prepared dishes, like steak tartare, escargots drowned in butter, and a perfectly prepared omelet that puts most others to shame.

Bavel, with its bright, cavernous space outfitted with tons of greenery and stunning Middle Eastern fare from Ori and Genevieve Menashe of Bestia, is an escape in the heart of the Arts District. Dredge blistered housemade pitas through spreads like duck ‘nduja-topped hummus and baba ganoush made with eggplant and beets before moving on to beef cheek tagines, and you won’t be disappointed.

Culinary king David Chang’s LA flagship is peak Momofuku with its masterful use of Asian-leaning ingredients through a global lens. That comes together at Majordōmo in dishes like a citrus salad with ricotta and shiso, the iconic smoked bo ssäm, and tres leches cake—seemingly disparate flavors that Chang blends with ease using gorgeous produce for a uniquely Californian meal. The industrial Chinatown space also has a sun-drenched patio that’s perfect for LA’s temperate days.

One of only two LA restaurants to earn prestigious three-MICHELIN-Starred status, Providence is what seafood dreams are made of. James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Cimarusti puts sustainability front and center in his blockbuster tasting menus starring the likes of Santa Barbara spot prawns and Golden Kaluga caviar. Expect excellent wine pairings and exceptional service that never feels stuffy—just the way dining at one of LA’s most acclaimed restaurants should be.

Aguachiles and ceviches are just the beginning of the seaworthy delights at Loreto, a sweeping, modern indoor-outdoor restaurant that transports you straight to the Mexican sea. Explore the menu that dives deep into the flavors of the California Peninsula: Think scallop tostadas with wasabi aioli and whole branzino served with black beans, rice, avocado, habanero onions, and mini quesadillas. Toast it all with an oyster-infused martini.

Of Ori and Genevieve Menashe’s three restaurants, Saffy’s is the most laid-back—but still has a laser focus on technique. Dig into shareable plates like wood-fired lamb and beef shawarma, hearth-grilled lobster tail skewers, and 18-hour spiced short rib in a gorgeous dining room that pays homage to mid-century Morocco. Playful cocktails and a Mediterranean-focused wine list add to the always-lively vibe.