Today’s post is all about Where to eat and drink in Los Angeles, but don’t hesitate to also check out my post on “What to see and do in Los Angeles” here,

Downtown Los Angeles

Where to eat and drink in Los Angeles

I have been meaning to write this post for a couple of months now, as I was lucky enough to have a ‘local’ guide to the best places to eat and drink in Los Angeles on my most recent visit.

Los Angeles’s restaurants and bars are as varied as its neighbourhoods and also spread out over a large area. In this guide to where to eat and drink in Los Angeles I have grouped the bars and eating places by area to make it easier to plan your day.

Beverly Hills/ Miracle Mile

Beverly Hills offers a shoppers’ heaven, located within an area known as the ‘Golden Triangle’, which encompasses world famous Rodeo Drive, the quaint pedestrian ‘Two Rodeo Drive’ and ‘Department Store Row’, where you can find many of the well-known American department stores, such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman-Marcus and Barneys New York.

If you feel in need of refreshment after all that shopping then you can continue in Julia Roberts’s footsteps and drop into the Beverly Wilshire for a cocktail!

There are several restaurants in the area, notably on Two Rodeo Drive, but there are also many cheaper restaurants on Beverly Drive, Wilshire Drive and West Pico Boulevard.

Los Angeles

An excellent choice for Sunday brunch is Marie Callender’s (5773 Wilshire Boulevard), where the buffet brunch is extensive and includes Callender’s famous pie selection. Have a look at the menu on Marie Callenders site

Continue down Wilshire to the Grove, which is one of the nicest outdoor shopping areas in Los Angeles, with a wide variety of high-end boutiques and restaurants.

Los Angeles
Los Angeles

My favourite restaurant at the Grove is “The Cheesecake Factory”, made famous by ‘The Big Bang theory’. This chain of over 20 restaurants provides a good value for money selection of pizza, pasta, burgers, steaks, fish, seafood and “superfoods”; and, as the name implies, the choice of cheesecakes is extensive and I have yet to find one I don’t like!! For a list of locations and the menu; have a look at the Cheesecake Factory site

Los Angeles

The dancing water fountain, which is located in front of the theatre and close to Barneys New York, is a great feature and you can also catch a movie or take a free trolley ride between the Grove and Farmer’s Market. For information about the shops and restaurants you can look at The Grove site

Just next to the Grove, you will find the ‘Farmer’s Market’, renowned for it’s fresh food stalls and also it’s many healthy eating stalls and restaurants from American to Asian, French, Mexican and Italian. However, you should bear in mind that not all the stalls accept credit cards! For more information have a look at the Farmers Market site

Larchmont

Larchmont Village is an oasis of calm amid the bustle of Los Angeles. Although it is small, it has everything you might need, including a drug store, a book- store, a beauty salon, boutiques selling unique items and many coffee shops and restaurants.

Larchmont also has it’s own Farmer’s Market on a Sunday morning from 9am to 2pm. (parking is free in the car park next to Rite Aid, opposite the Farmer’s market). Have a look at the Larchmont village site

Los Angeles

There are many coffee shops and restaurants in Larchmont, including ‘bricks and scones’, ‘Starbucks’, ‘Noah’s bagels’ , ‘Cafe Gratitude’ and ‘red mango’ for frozen yogurt.

Hollywood

One of the most unusual bars in Hollywood is ‘No Vacancy‘ and I won’t spoil the surprise, but the entrance to this bar is unique. If you are a large group, you can reserve a table, but otherwise be prepared to get there early and queue. The bar is in a restored Victorian home and the theme is a speakeasy during the prohibition. There is also an outdoor patio which is a perfect location for a summer drink. Be warned that dress code is smart. Have a look at their site here. 

Another bar worth a visit is Good Times at Davey Waynes, which also boasts an unusual entrance.  This bar is owned by the same owners as no vacancy but has a 1970s hippy vibe.

Los Angeles

One of my favourite restaurants for a light lunch is the California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) at the corner of Hollywood and Highland. This chain of restaurants offers lunch sized portions and their flatbreads (see above) are delicious.

Have a look here for their menu and  a list of all the other locations in LA.

Downtown

Los Angeles

A great place for a drink with one of the best views over Los Angeles is PERCH in downtown LA. There are two rooftop bars and also a restaurant. The main bar and restaurant is on the 15th floor and the setting is beautiful. You can choose to eat in the indoor area or at one of the outside patios, with their amazing views over Los Angeles.  

If you are just looking for a drink (although I would definitely recommend the dinner menu), then you can move up to the 16th floor rooftop lounge. However, if you are travelling with a family then you should be aware that it is aged 21 and over after 9:00pm

Santa Monica

Los Angeles

A great place for breakfast, lunch or brunch is ‘back on the beach‘ café, which is situated right on the beach, so when you’ve finished you can take a siesta on the beach (be careful not to burn!).

The Shangri La hotel’s rooftop bar (Suite 700) on Ocean Avenue has a fantastic view of the ocean and is situated just across the street from Palisades Park and a 10 minute walk from Santa Monica Pier.

Los Angeles

Another great place for a drink is ‘The Bungalow‘ on the corner of Wilshire Blvd. and Ocean Ave. This part outdoor/ part indoor lounge area has five distinct, but inter-related spaces to relax: the Study, a main Bar area, a State Room, an outside deck and East Garden for private dining, as well as a games room. The layout of the Bungalow, as well as the comfy furniture and twinkling lights, make you feel as though you are having a drink in someone’s private home rather than a formal bar. However, be aware that is can get very busy, especially at weekends.

There are many restaurants on third street promenade. If you like Italian food, ‘Trastevere’ has a great selection of pasta, wood-fired pizzas, fish and meat, served on a spacious patio. If you prefer French cuisine, then ‘Monsieur Marcel’ provides a choice of French brasserie style food and there are also Mexican, Greek, Chinese, Sushi and fast-food restaurants along Third Street promenade so there really is something for everyone.

If you don’t fancy eating on third street promenade, there are also several restaurants on Santa Monica Pier with a sea-view. The ‘Ristorante Al Mar’ has a rooftop bar and restaurant, but remember to take a jumper as the sea breeze means it can be significantly cooler than in the town.

And, if neither of these options tempt you, then you can find the Cheesecake Factory and Pizza Antica in the the Santa Monica Place shopping centre. Click on the link to have a look at the menus below, and as both these restaurants are chain restaurants, you can also find the other locations here.

Abbot Kinney/Venice/ Marina del Rey

Venice Beach has a wide variety of shops and cafés from the Boardwalk, with its outdoor shops, bohemian fashion and tattoo parlours to the more upmarket Abbot Kinney Boulevard. At Abbot Kinney you can find organic juice bars, fine dining, art galleries, boutique shops and more !  For a full list see the Abbot Kinney site

Los Angeles

There are many restaurants in Abbot Kinney, including Gjelina’s, but I would also recommend “C&O Trattoria on Washington Boulevard in Marina del Ray (close to Venice beach), or it’s sister restaurant “C+O Cucina” on West Washington Boulevard, and close to Abbott Kinney Boulevard. Both restaurants offer an excellent selection of pasta, and house specialities, such as fire-grilled shrimp, veal picatta and Tuscan chicken breast and the complimentary garlic dough balls are delicious! Have a look here for more information and the menu.

Los Angeles

For lunch or brunch the Terrace Café in Marina del Rey is well worth a try – I had the pancakes, which were both copious and delicious!

Have a look below for some ideas for Where to Stay in Los Angeles

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I hope you enjoyed this feature about Where to eat and drink in Los Angeles, and have a look here for more of our travel guides.