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Over the past few years, almost every restaurant has had to figure out a way to offer at least some version of takeout and delivery food, but that does not mean that everyone has mastered the craft. There are definitely certain kinds of food that can work well after a few minutes of sitting in to-go containers, like Filipino or Indian food, and sometimes restaurants do a nice job of preparing dishes so they can be thoughtfully reheated without changing the integrity of the flavors. It’s no easy task to sort through the middling takeout options, though, so best to leave it to the professionals. Here now are 15 restaurants that have basically perfected takeout and delivery in Los Angeles.
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15 LA Restaurants That Perfected Takeout and Delivery
Easy to order food that travels well, from prepared sushi and Filipino sisig to Silician-style pan pizza
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Cilantro Mexican Grill
For some of LA’s best burritos, it’s all about Cilantro Mexican Grill. Don’t be fooled by the ho-hum gas station address in North Hollywood, this is the spot for bowls, burritos, and tostadas with carne asada, chicken al pastor, beef barbacoa, and more. —Farley Elliott
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Osteria La Buca - Sherman Oaks
This Sherman Oaks restaurant really is more than just pasta, thanks to dishes like meatball subs, grain bowls, salads, and arancini — oh, and the pizza and pasta is pretty good, too. —Farley Elliott
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Mini Kabob
Chef Armen Martirosyan operates Mini Kabob with his parents out of a small space in Glendale. Even though there are a few tables for outdoor dining, this is mostly a takeout and delivery restaurant. Martirosyan’s spot is frequently busy, and regularly sells out of his signature lule kabob. —Mona Holmes
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Joy
Though Joy on York’s dining rooms is an ideal place to dine, owner Vivian Ku’s takeout is some of the easiest to order and travels well. That includes the shrimp wonton soup, dan dan noodles, minced pork on rice, and the thousand-layer pancake is wrapped so perfectly to-go, that it can easily be eaten in a car. —Mona Holmes
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Ggiata Delicatessen
What travels better than sandwiches, especially the long submarine-style at Italian delis? Ggiata has understood this since its inception, first with a takeout restaurant on Melrose that opened during the pandemic and now with an expanded location in West Hollywood to boot. The classic Italian has all the trademark thinly-sliced meats of the genre, though the chicken parm sub might be even better. —Matthew Kang
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Kang Kang Food Court
Leaning into the food court name, this Alhambra staple offers ready-to-go dishes of all kinds, easy for packing up and bringing along for a journey home. There’s even a freezer section for at-home cooking, and even the signature sheng jian bao dumplings can be heated back up with just a touch of oil in a pan. Better yet, snack on them in the parking lot. —Farley Elliott
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Quarter Sheets Pizza
Quarter Sheets has gone from pandemic pizza and dessert darling to a new Echo Park hotspot restaurant. The owners haven’t forgotten their roots, though; they still make takeout a big piece of their bottom line, so either order ahead or just show up to snag some pan pizza and princess cake slices for the road. —Farley Elliott
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Electric Karma
Electric Karma is ideal Indian takeout food, offering a wide array of options from tandoori proteins and curries to combination plates. There are vegan options as well, plus biryani, butter chicken, and plenty of plush naan. —Farley Elliott
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Pelicana Chicken Los Angeles
Koreans know fried chicken, and they really know how to do takeout fried chicken. Pelicana, one of the top places for Korean fried chicken anywhere in LA, even designed specific vented paper boxes to allow for the proper transport of their saucy, spicy fried chicken. With a side of crunchy pickled radish, this might be the best sports-viewing food out there. —Matthew Kang
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Katsu Sando
Daniel Son’s Japanese convenience store-inspired sandwich shop Katsu Sando could be the perfect food for takeout or delivery. The business started as a takeout-only spot in 2020, so they have the technique down. These Japanese-style katsu sandwiches are hefty enough for a filling lunch, and options include fried pork, chicken, and shrimp. —Mona Holmes
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Sun Nong Dan Western Ave.
With a deeply beefy rich flavor, Sun Nong Dan’s popular galbijjim actually travels really well. Take home a huge shareable portion and enjoy it with family and friends. Of course, Sun Nong Dan also prepares a slate of terrific Korean soups, all of which travel well during colder days, including the cabbage-laden tta-roh gukbap starring chunks of stringy beef. —Matthew Kang
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Big Boi
Big Boi is Sawtelle Japantown’s powerhouse Filipino restaurant, ideal for big group orders of lumpia, spaghetti, tofu bites, roasted meats, rice, and more. Pull up fast to grab some to-go or order delivery from Postmates. —Farley Elliott
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Colapasta Restaurant
This casual pasta palace is perfect for Westsiders eager to order in on a chilly night, thanks to a robust menu of rustic lasagnas, bolognese pastas, and gnocchis, to say nothing of antipasti and soup options. —Farley Elliott
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Jerusalem Chicken
Owned by the same family that operates Orleans & York, Jerusalem Chicken puts an ease to takeout. Whether ordering to-go or delivery, this Palestinian restaurant in Windsor Park/View Hills offers beautifully saucy and sometimes stuffed roasted chickens with some of SoCal’s creamiest hummus. —Mona Holmes
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Sakae Sushi
This classic Japanese takeout spot in Gardena is cash only and requires a phone call ahead to place orders. But the operation is speedy and efficient, serving California rolls and marinated mackerel sushi at very reasonable prices. Sakae captures the essence of what sushi was supposed to be when it was first eaten in Japan: fast food. —Matthew Kang
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