LA’s Best Dining Neighborhoods of 2022

Welcome to the Year in Eater 2022 — an annual tradition that looks back at the highs, lows, and in-betweens of Los Angeles’s restaurant scene. Today, LA’s finest food writers, editors, reporters, and a few select others with strong opinions share their favorite dining neighborhoods of the past year.

Farley Elliott, Senior Editor, Eater LA

Orange County, bar none. The region is blowing up culinarily, and anyone who says that it’s too far to drive is missing out.

Kristie Hang, Freelance Writer, Eater LA

The San Gabriel Valley! All the closures have made way for new exciting trends to come. Can’t wait to see what the next big thing is. The SGV continues to be a testing ground for brands from Asia to open their first US outpost so I’m always excited to dine in the 626.

Oren Peleg, Freelance Writer

Never thought I’d say this, but: Hollywood

Sharon Lee, Content Creator, @helloimsharon (TikTok)

Arts District and Koreatown

Matthew Kang, Lead Editor, Eater LA

I always love Koreatown, but I was shocked by how interesting and vibrant Hollywood, especially the so-called Vinyl District, was this year. I found myself there almost every week or every other week.

Baxter Holmes, Senior Writer, ESPN

The Arts District

Wonho Frank Lee

Danielle Dorsey, Senior West Coast Editor, Thrillist

West Adams! My home neighborhood has really stepped it up over the last few years, from Alta Adams to Mizlala to Tartine, N/soto, and Cento Pasta Bar, it’s become a great place to dine out, with fewer crowds than you’ll find in popular neighborhoods like Silver Lake and Los Feliz.

Jenn Tanaka, Contributor, Eater LA

Costa Mesa

Dave Holmes, Editor-at-Large, Esquire

Got to know Highland Park much better this year: Holcolm, Nativo, Triple Beam, a Goldburger smuggled into the Goldline before a show at the Lodge Room. Good stuff.

Gary Baum, Senior Writer, The Hollywood Reporter

Downtown LA

Cathy Chaplin, Senior Reporter/Editor, Eater LA

Northeast Los Angeles

Alison Herman, Staff Writer, The Ringer

I’ve never had a bad meal in Koreatown, and I hope I never will.

Wonho Frank Lee

Bill Esparza, Contributor, Eater LA

Tijuana keeps getting better and better, with a new wave of chefs, street vendors, and restaurateurs taking off. Eating Valles Centrales Oaxacan food in Mid-City has also been an experience that I’ve had the pleasure of sharing with so many this year.

Hadley Tomicki, Deputy Editor, L.A. TACO

As a busy parent, I was most excited about the great food I’ve been lucky to share with my family close to where we live in West LA’s Sawtelle neighborhood, like the handmade tejate and tamales on weekends at La Flama market, banh mi at Nongla, new Turkish options like LoklHaus and Agora Market, and our old-school favorites like Juquila, Naan Hut, Birdie G’s, Mogo Mogu, Hermanito, Sichuan Impression, Hamasaku, Star Market, Darya, and all the taqueros and tamaleros who set up on and around Santa Monica Boulevard on nights and weekends.

Josh Lurie, Founder, FoodGPS.com

Even though it’s not in LA, I can’t resist Little Saigon’s gravitational pull. I often take my girls to playgrounds near there on weekends just so I can “swing by” Garden Grove and Westminster for Vietnamese food, which is always worth the drive. Bánh Cuốn Thanh Trì has amazing steamed rice rolls, especially the egg-wrapped version. We also frequent Ben Ngu for bún bò Huế and Hương Giang for cơm hến (baby clam rice) salad. Closer to home, Long Beach’s food scene has been exciting.

Andy Wang, Contributor, Robb Report and Food & Wine

KazuNori, Tacos 1986, Uncle Paulie’s (the American, no lettuce, spicy with a game-changing Calabrian chili spread, is a perfect chicken cutlet sandwich that reminds me of the best sandwiches in New York), HiHo, Uovo, Roberta’s, Homestate, and Pizzana all opened on Ventura Boulevard in Studio City/Sherman Oaks. Keep going and you’ll get to Anajak, of course.

Christine Ko, Actress, Dave, Only Murders in the Building

Hollywood, specifically the Vinyl District

Alissa Walker, Senior Writer, Curbed

Koreatown

Stan Lee

Esther Tseng, Freelance Writer

I am biased in that I live in the vicinity so there’s easy access on my part, but East Hollywood, Silver Lake, and Echo Park continue to inspire. (I realize this is cheating, having listed three neighborhoods.)

Mona Holmes, Reporter, Eater LA

South LA, SGV, and shockingly, Hollywood.

Lesley Suter, Special Projects Editor, Eater

I would have never, ever, EVER said this previously, but Hollywood was, for once, a reliable place to eat. The place to be (and eat).

Meghan McCarron, Special Correspondent, Eater

If you want to meet up for a meal, I’m going to suggest Koreatown, and we’re going to eat something great.