Lalibela is a classic restaurant in Little Ethiopia with one of the best plant-based meals in town: The Veggie Utopia.

Madre on Fairfax is a fantastic Oaxacan restaurant with good food and even better mezcal.

Dave's Hot Chicken is one of the better Nashville-style hot chicken spots in LA.

Umbrella Taco is a Melrose taco shop and a good quick lunch if you’re out shopping.

Box Food is a street vendor on Melrose with jerk chicken worth driving across town to eat.

Chao Krung is one of the oldest Thai restaurants in LA with a newly revamped menu that’s tremendous.

Open Sesame is a restaurant in La Brea with traditional Lebanese food and a low corkage fee.

Spartina, a casual Italian restaurant on Melrose, is one of West Hollywood’s better backup restaurants.

Michael’s is a New York-style pizza spot in Beverly Grove that serves good slices and stays open late.

Yarrow is a daytime cafe on Fairfax near the Grove with lots of vegetarian and vegan food.

Wirsthaus is a sleepy German beer garden in Fairfax that has 30-something beers and solid German food.

Ta-eem is a Kosher Mediterranean restaurant that's home to some of our favorite shawarma in the city.

Point Five is an Australian cafe in the Fairfax district that’s good for breakfast.

Blackbird is a casual pizza spot on Melrose serving decent deep-dish.

Project Taco in Beverly Grove is a modern taco spot for a casual meal.

Tom Bergins on Fairfax is one of LA’s oldest bars, and with the addition of a whiskey club and a new food menu, now is the time to be drinking here.