Starting in January with the wildfires and continuing until present-day with the ongoing ICE raids, Los Angeles eateries have been at the receiving end of a one-two punch.
Majordomo in DTLA photo courtesy of Dine LA
Like a superhero swooping out of the sky, Dine LA Restaurant Week launches this month to help foodies (re)discover what makes L.A.’s dining scene so special.
“Restaurants throughout the county have shown incredible resilience in recent years,” said Stacey Sun, executive director of Dine LA. . . .
There has been a rivalry in Los Angeles for more than a century over who invented the French dip sandwich: Philippe the Original or Cole’s French Dip, both 1908 eateries that are located roughly 1.4 miles apart.
Photo courtedy of Instagram
Yet, only one will remain standing after Aug. 2, when Cole’s, which has been called the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Los Angeles, will close its doors, citing reasons including the pandemic, the recent writers’ and actors’ strikes, rising costs and bureaucracy.
The French dip sandwich is an LA icon. According to the experts, it “consists of either roast beef, roast pork, leg of lamb, turkey, pastrami or ham served on a lightly textured, freshly baked French roll which has been dipped in the natural gravy of the roasts.” . . .
Oceanside, affectionately referred to as O’side, is the cutest beach town that ever was. Halfway between L.A. and San Diego, visitors can surf world-class waves, walk along one of the longest wooden piers on the West Coast (at 1,942 feet), and snack on a hand pie at High Pie, which is located inside the very house where Kelly McGillis and Tom Cruise fell for each other in the 1986 film “Top Gun.” The Victorian-style house is filled with movie memorabilia, and just outside, people can pose for pictures with a replica of the motorcycle that Cruise’s character, Maverick, rode down North Pacific Street in the film.
Oceanside is a surf town spotted with historic landmarks and two new beautiful hotels on North Pacific Street: The Seabird Ocean Resort & Spa and Mission Pacific Beach Resort. But according to long-time residents and local lore, O’side was not always so coveted. Maybe it was because of its proximity to Camp Pendleton, a military base located in North San Diego County, or that its neighbors, such as Carlsbad to the south and Dana Point to the north, stole the spotlight.
Flash forward to 2025, and O’side is the playground of some of the best surf pros; home to the Supergirl Pro Jam event, the world’s largest women’s surf competition; and a popular vacation destination and coastal road trip stopover along the Pacific Coast Highway. . . .
Fans of the Peanuts cartoon, rejoice! There is a place where statues of Charlie Brown and his friends stand on the streets, Charles M. Schulz, the creator, has a museum, and Snoopy operates an ice-skating rink. Located in Sonoma County, just over an hour’s drive from San Francisco, Santa Rosa is small and charming enough to melt away city stress, yet big and busy enough to offer hours of family fun and adventure. . . .
Pronounced aa-vuh-luh Beach, this charming town of a population of about 1,365 is located in San Luis Obispo (SLO to locals) and is best known for its mineral hot springs and fun outdoor activities, like hiking, biking and stand-up paddle boarding. The few hours’ drive north from L.A. on the 101 is dotted with expansive vistas and coastal cities such as Malibu, Ventura and Santa Barbara. Some call it the Land of Ahhs, which is what tourists say when they spot a whale or sea otter, sip a fine glass of wine at sunset, and kick off their shoes at a cliffside cottage with panoramic ocean views. It is just a hop, skip and a jump to this heavenly corner of the Central Coast, where it is warmer and sunnier than other beaches for three reasons: It faces south, the 600-foot elevation of Point San Luis shields it from winds, and the surrounding mountains also push out the fog and create what is known as the “Avila bubble effect.” . . .
It is the prettiest place on Pacific Avenue between Washington and Venice boulevards in Venice. It’s also the only business on the long and narrow beachside strand. What used to be Sal’s Deli & Market and a vegan pop-up called XMarket is now home to the third LA location of Alana’s Coffee Roasters and its cohabitator, The VB Grab & Go, which is the second spot for Chef D Brandon Walker’s The MV Grab & Go.
Photo by Chris Mortenson
As its promotion points out, the new establishment carries on the legacy of these two beloved businesses: “Two Mar Vista Legends. New Turf. Same Fire.”
Open just over a month, the new space has already found its footing in the neighborhood. On a summer Tuesday morning around 10 a.m., colleagues were meeting, pals were chatting, and a handful of remote workers were staring at, and sometimes typing on, their computers and phones. Strollers were being pushed around, and commuters were popping in for their morning brew. . . .
Some people say it’s old news, while others are just noticing. DTLA is experiencing a much-needed revitalization as Los Angeles prepares for the NBA All-Star 2026, FIFA World Cup 2026, Super Bowl LXI, and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games—and the thousands of visitors who will be arriving in this city ready to taste all its culinary treasures.
Below is a list of eateries that are top-notch at prepping product, perfecting flavor, and plumping bellies.
Bottega Louie is more than a restaurant; it is a gourmet market, patisserie and café. Known for its open kitchen and lively atmosphere, the eatery is Yelp’s most reviewed restaurant. After browsing the pizza, pasta, salads, small plates, and entrees options on the menu, stroll over to the patisserie to salivate over mouth-watering fruit tarts and beautifully packaged macaron boxes. . . .
Tima Bell was born in New York City and raised part-time in Venice Beach. Growing up, the Venice locals referred to the last block of Washington Boulevard, which has always been a lively area peppered with restaurants and shops, as Washington Square. About two years ago, when the space on the block between Doobi’s Smoke Shop and Fat Sal’s Deli became vacant, Bell began hatching a plan to bring New York-style pizza to his beloved beach community.
Photo by Chris Mortenson
“You can’t get a good New York-style slice of pizza anywhere on the Westside, so that was part of the driver and also something we’re very passionate about,” said Bell’s partner, Alessandro Nicolaci of Playbook Advisors, about opening this new venture, Washington Square Pizza, at the beach.
“We thought, what can we do that is family friendly and helps us build the community of Washington Boulevard, aka Washington Square, back up.” Nicolaci and Playbook Advisors will handle the operations of Washington Square Pizza, which will open to the public on June 26. . . .
Lady Gaga loves the book, and so does Jennifer Aniston and Chris Pine. Author Deborah Davis’ three rescue dogs, Bellissima (Bella), Bootsie and Daisy, really love the book. “The Art of Canine Cuisine” is a vet-approved cookbook for foodies and their furry friends. It is 100-plus pages of recipes, food and dog photography, stories of rescued dogs, and histories of dog breeds. Plus, a portion of the proceeds from sales are donated to dog rescue and support charities.
Davis dedicated the book to her dad, a world traveler with a passion for food and dogs. An early retiree in his 30s, her father led the family on global adventures across Europe and South America, where Davis was exposed to different cultures and their creative meals. Her entire family loved to cook, and during her formative years Davis grew to love and learn about cooking by watching them.
When Davis settled in the United States to launch her career in the entertainment industry — she now lives in Santa Monica — she began to foster dogs. Davis can count at least 20 rescue dogs for whom she has found homes, including her own home. . . .
L.A.-based hip-hop and theatre artist Tsiambwom “T” Akuchu is a master of his own movements and, as “Market Demographics,” his show at Highways Performance Space and Gallery in Santa Monica on June 13 and 14, proved, of choreographic direction for others as well. The almost two-hour performance, including a short intermission and pause, was divided into three acts and nine sections, ranging from solo to duet to group pieces.
Photo by Ellen Crane
Akuchu, who is on the faculty at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) teaching street dance, enlisted fellow faculty and other CSULB-affiliated students to form his six-man ensemble: Cristian Barreto, Sammy Macias, Ricky Medina, Danzel Thompson-Stout, and Fabian Zuniga. Each brought his own unique A-game to the stage, which shined within the group and in solo situations when they were given the spotlight. . . .
Jessica Koslow 