Let’s face it; LA has a dirty little secret: we are by geographical nature a strip-mall culture. Those ugly storefront structures in almost every neighborhood can’t be ignored. The good news: many of them have some of the best food finds in the city. Here we highlight over a dozen gems, from Michelin-star-quality restaurants to great deals tucked into gritty, dark corners probably lurking somewhere near you.
Saint Martha
740 South Western Avenue, Koreatown
This tiny, unassuming spot from the team behind Tart at the Farmer’s Daughter Hotel on Fairfax Avenue pays homage to the saint of cooks and servants. The 38-seat restaurant features a sublime tasting menu rolling out steak and oyster tartare with bone-marrow beignets and sea urchin with seaweed “Doritos” paired with over 50 unique wines by the glass. Religious and Gothic-themed paintings purchased at the Rose Bowl Flea Market tie in nicely with the one-of-a-kind menu items.
Trois Mec
716 North Highland Avenue, Hollywood
One of the hottest French chefs in town, Ludo Lefebvre, has teamed up with two of LA’s top culinary duos, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo (Animal), to take over an old Raffallo’s Pizza storefront strip for one of the best restaurants in LA. The fine-dining venue offers prix fixe menus for $75 with optional wine pairings, but you’ll need to plan ahead, as a seat in the petit space can be sourced only via online ticketing, just as if you’re heading to a concert — except you won’t know exactly what’s on the menu until you get there.
Petit Trois
718 North Highland Avenue, Hollywood
The next-door, more casual neighbor to Trois Mec, located in an old tacky Thai eatery, offers classic French fare such as croque-monsieur, roasted chicken with perfectly crunchy skin, and the best omelet stuffed with Boursin cheese and butter we’ve had this side of the Seine. Again, this is a small space with just over 20 bar-style seats, and they don’t take reservations. But you’ll be up close and personal with the chefs flipping and plating your food, so order a glass of rosé and enjoy the show.
Papilles
6221 Franklin Avenue, Hollywood
This American version of the French bistronomique movement comes in the form of a 32-seat former pizzeria (whose name translates to “taste buds”) in a nondescript area near the 101 freeway. The décor consists of flea-market-style paintings and a wall of wine bottles holding vintages mostly from France. The open-air kitchen churns out only two choices for each of the three-course prix fixe menu items ($34), which changes weekly, ranging from crispy duck breast to a rib eye for two with bone marrow and roasted garlic.
The Carving Board
7300 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles
There is no denying the recent wave of gourmet-sandwich causal eateries hitting LA in recent months. One of the best on the market also lies on an unforgettable stretch of Sunset Boulevard. This high-end deli concept is not just offering your typical turkey on whole wheat or pastrami on rye. Here you can indulge in the Bentley — a delicious concoction with filet mignon, blue cheese, spinach, and grilled onion on a ciabatta bun — or a crab-cake grilled-cheese sandwich.
Hamasaku
11043 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles
If you’re wondering where your agent is having lunch, you might want to check out this top sushi stop hidden off the busy intersection of Santa Monica and Sepulveda Boulevards, owned by former CAA (Creative Artists Agency) head honcho Michael Ovitz. The modern décor gives way to a mix of traditional Japanese cuisine, from robata skewers to popular “theme” sushi rolls. But they also serve one of the best omakase menus in town.
Vito’s Pizza
846 North La Cienega Boulevard, Beverly Hills adjacent
On the long stretch of La Cienega, a.k.a. Restaurant Row, many East Coast transplants claim that this is the best old-school-style New York pizza in town. The pies here are not cheap — ranging close to $30 –but they are large enough to share with several people. Popular neighborhood staples include the white pies, fresh mozzarella, and Mediterranean veggie, and they even offer a gluten-free option. Also on the menu is a full array of pasta dishes, calzones, and sandwiches, such as the filling eggplant Parmesan, meatball, or Italian sausage.
Nook Bistro
11628 Santa Monica Boulevard #9, West LA
It’s doesn’t get more tucked away than this. If there weren’t a sign with an arrow pointing from the street, you’d probably never find it. Once you’re inside the minimalist space, the shiitake and Gruyere pudding should catch your eye. Move on to the small plates of pork belly with black-eyed peas or New Zealand mussels pan-roasted with linguiça sausage as well as the $10 wine specials (Tuesday only). Surprisingly, they have a full bar and whip up creative cocktails with cachaça and mezcal too.
Monte Alban
11929 Santa Monica Boulevard, West LA
Authentic Oaxacan food can be found in this corner of Santa Monica Boulevard near Bundy — from the hand-painted wall murals to the colorfully framed embroidered dresses to the pottery to the house special of mole negro. The classic chicken dish is made with over 30 spices, dry chiles, and chocolate served over white rice. You can also find barbacoa — or goat stew with avocado leaves; a variety of empanadas and tortas — along with plenty of huevos and homemade menudo for breakfast.
sugarFISH
11640 San Vicente Boulevard, Brentwood
It’s interesting to note that master sushi chef Nozawa actually started with a one-off revolutionary “trust me” sushi concept in a valley strip mall decades ago. Now LA foodies can find his more user-friendly and affordable sushi outlets around town, but this cozy spot in Brentwood — next door to a SoulCycle spinning place — can’t be beat for the high quality and different options of sashimi, rolls, and sushi specials during lunch or dinner.
Santouka Ramen
3760 South Centinela Avenue, Mar Vista adjacent
Located inside the chaotic Mitsuwa Marketplace off Venice Boulevard, this top ramen spot makes you feel like you’re actually in bustling Tokyo. Order the tempura with a steamy bowl of ramen from the plastic food displayed in the front window, which serves as a menu at the walk-up counter. Ramen fans flood the communal tables at lunch, so be sure to get there early and bring plenty of cash, as they don’t take plastic.
South End
2805 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice
Take two former pizza chefs from Mozza in Hollywood and team them up with a French-Italian wine connoisseur — Mario Vollera from Piccolo — and you have a hit in the form of a hidden gem off the trendy Venice strip (you actually enter on Washington Boulevard). The entire wine-bar-style space is only a few communal wooden tables, but when the Neapolitan-style wood-burning-oven pizza is this good and half the price of pizzas at other nearby haunts, you won’t mind a bit.
