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A gray ovular bowl on a white surface filled with cold sesame noodles at Yang’s Kitchen in Alhambra.
Cold sesame noodles at Yang’s Kitchen in Alhambra.
Cathy Chaplin

15 Stellar Lunch Spots in Los Angeles

Where to sit down and have a great daytime meal in LA

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Cold sesame noodles at Yang’s Kitchen in Alhambra.
| Cathy Chaplin

In Los Angeles, lunch is a verb. With stellar weather most of the year, diners lunch with their friends, lunch with their business partners, and take midday meetings over gem lettuce salads or ceviche near the beach. That’s why there are endless options for dining well in the middle of the day, from low-key places with quick service and a wallet-friendly price point to more substantial daytime feasts. Basically, for lunch hour, Los Angeles has it all. Here now are 15 stellar lunch spots in Los Angeles.

The latest CDC guidance for vaccinated diners during the COVID-19 outbreak is here; dining out still carries risks for unvaccinated diners and workers. Please be aware of changing local rules, and check individual restaurant websites for any additional restrictions such as mask requirements. Find a local vaccination site here.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Lodge Bread Company

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Though the Woodland Hills outlet is slightly smaller than the original location in Culver City, the menu of coffee, toasts, sandwiches, and flatbreads at this Valley Country Market location is still excellent. The avocado toast is beyond basic but also beyond perfect.  

Avocado toast with radishes at Lodge Bread Valley
Lodge Bread Co.
Wonho Frank Lee

Lala’s Studio City

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Lala’s has a decades-long footprint across Los Angeles. There’s three locations to find this Argentine restaurant along with its empanadas, salads, and every protein possible layered with with a side of bright chimichurri sauce.

Rosty Peruvian food

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Opened by Maritza Gomez in 2018, Rosty serves traditional Peruvian fare inspired by her mother’s restaurants in Lima. Try the ceviche, fried rice, and lomo saltado, as well as a smattering of vegetarian options. Peruse the Peruvian groceries on hand for a little something to bring home.

Arroz chaufa de pollo from Rosty in Highland Park.
Rosty’s arroz chaufa
Mona Holmes

The Kitchen

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From 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., Silver Lake’s the Kitchen leans into its reputation as a cozy, homey place to eat. This 20-year-old restaurant offers one hell of a meatloaf sandwich, along with a BLT, or fried chicken with a solid wine list.

Yang's Kitchen

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Head to Yang’s Kitchen’s cheery Alhambra dining room where chef Chris Yang serves up daytime hits like smoked salmon hash, mochi pancakes, and fried chicken wings. Yang’s commitment to quality, well-sourced ingredients make all the difference with grass-fed beef, antibiotic-free pork, and whole-grain flours from Pasadena’s Grist & Toll.

A gray ovular bowl on a white surface filled with cold sesame noodles at Yang’s Kitchen in Alhambra.
Yang’s Kitchen
Cathy Chaplin

Noree Thai on Beverly

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Noree Thai owners and Phuket natives Noree Pla and Fern Kaewtathip’s prepare outstanding Thai food near the Grove, where their personal takes on traditional recipes keep this a neighborhood lunchtime gem. Try the baby squid braised in its ink and the khao soi noodle soup.

An assortement of dishes at Noree Thai Cuisine
Noree Thai on Beverly
Mona Holmes

Gogo’s Tacos

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Gogo’s Tacos is in one of LA’s best and most central locations. When traveling on or through this extremely busy corridor of Temple, Virgil, and Beverly Boulevard, stop in for lunch. There’s ample parking and customized quesadillas, burritos, tacos, or loaded tater tots with sour cream, cheese, sauce, onion, and cilantro.

Interior of Gogo’s Tacos in Los Angeles, with lines and white trim and red chairs.
Gogo’s Tacos
Sergio Robleto

Sichuan Impression

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This second-floor space looks unassuming from the street but inside there’s possibly the best Sichuan food outside of San Gabriel Valley and it’s deep in the Westside. Sure, there’s Din Tai Fung and Meizhou Dongpo at nearby Century City, but the real Sichuan spice lovers will come to this Santa Monica Boulevard strip mall for one of LA’s top Chinese restaurants. Try the special noodles, cold chicken, and toothpick lamb.

Stew from Sichuan Impression in Los Angeles, California
Sichuan Impression
Bill Addison

Afuri ramen + dumpling LA

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Though open from 11 a.m. until later hours, step into Afuri Ramen to appreciate the bright room during daytime hours where the house made noodles are always appreciated, as well as the signature yuzu-shio broth that incorporates both chicken and seafood.

Yuzu ratan ramen from Afuri in Los Angeles in a blue and white bowl over birch table.
Afuri Ramen
Wonho Frank Lee

Roberta's

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Brooklyn’s premier pizza purveyors are slinging lunchtime pies at this airy Culver City outlet. The Bee Sting with sopressata, chili, and honey is the one to get, along with an heirloom tomato salad with raw cream and basil.

Roberta’s blistered pizza, drizzled with honey and pepperonis.
Roberta’s
Matthew Kang

The Rose Venice

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The Rose Venice has a 42-year history on the corner of Rose and Second, where chef Jason Neroni’s all-day menu is an ideal spot to discover something new for lunch. The incredible lunchtime menu includes a cauliflower shawarma salad, grilled rockfish tacos, or pizza with stinging nettle ricotta, artichoke, and a bacon vinaigrette.

The Rose Venice Jason Neroni
Rose Venice
Wonho Frank Lee

Jerusalem Chicken

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Barely open a year, Jerusalem Chicken’s menu became a neighborhood favorite with a flavorful lemon and garlic chicken, or the incredible Siti’s original chicken that’s stuffed with rice, mushrooms and beef. The hummus here is also some of the best in the city.

A clear plastic container featuring lemon-garlic chicken, fluffy rice, hummus, and Arabic cucumber-tomato salad at Jerusalem Chicken in View Park-Windsor Hills.
Lemon chicken at Jerusalem Chicken
Mona Holmes

Great White

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Great White hits all the right notes with a lunch menu that leans toward grain bowls and salads, a fried chicken sandwich, fish tacos, and a burger thrown in for good measure. And, of course, there’s Australian coffee and a strong flat white, along with kombucha on-tap.

For that only-in-Venice feeling: Great White.
Great White
Farley Elliott

Court Cafe

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Court Cafe is the the delicious collective restaurant from Taco Mell’s Jermelle Henderson, Bleu Kitchen’s Calvin Johnson, and Keith Garett of All Flavor No Grease. The combination is an LA soulful and savory menu on the corner of Inglewood and Westchester where taco omelettes, waffles with brown sugar butter, and the crowd-pleasing lobster and waffles is available.

Heritage Sandwich Shop and Restaurant

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Long Beach native and chef Philip Pretty opened Heritage Sandwich Shop in mid-2020, where the breads are formidable and the fillings plentiful. Try the smoked Santa Carota brisket or the fried duck confit sandwich. A $25 lunch combination includes a sandwich, side, cookie, or drink.

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Lodge Bread Company

Though the Woodland Hills outlet is slightly smaller than the original location in Culver City, the menu of coffee, toasts, sandwiches, and flatbreads at this Valley Country Market location is still excellent. The avocado toast is beyond basic but also beyond perfect.  

Avocado toast with radishes at Lodge Bread Valley
Lodge Bread Co.
Wonho Frank Lee

Lala’s Studio City

Lala’s has a decades-long footprint across Los Angeles. There’s three locations to find this Argentine restaurant along with its empanadas, salads, and every protein possible layered with with a side of bright chimichurri sauce.

Rosty Peruvian food

Opened by Maritza Gomez in 2018, Rosty serves traditional Peruvian fare inspired by her mother’s restaurants in Lima. Try the ceviche, fried rice, and lomo saltado, as well as a smattering of vegetarian options. Peruse the Peruvian groceries on hand for a little something to bring home.

Arroz chaufa de pollo from Rosty in Highland Park.
Rosty’s arroz chaufa
Mona Holmes

The Kitchen

From 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., Silver Lake’s the Kitchen leans into its reputation as a cozy, homey place to eat. This 20-year-old restaurant offers one hell of a meatloaf sandwich, along with a BLT, or fried chicken with a solid wine list.

Yang's Kitchen

Head to Yang’s Kitchen’s cheery Alhambra dining room where chef Chris Yang serves up daytime hits like smoked salmon hash, mochi pancakes, and fried chicken wings. Yang’s commitment to quality, well-sourced ingredients make all the difference with grass-fed beef, antibiotic-free pork, and whole-grain flours from Pasadena’s Grist & Toll.

A gray ovular bowl on a white surface filled with cold sesame noodles at Yang’s Kitchen in Alhambra.
Yang’s Kitchen
Cathy Chaplin

Noree Thai on Beverly

Noree Thai owners and Phuket natives Noree Pla and Fern Kaewtathip’s prepare outstanding Thai food near the Grove, where their personal takes on traditional recipes keep this a neighborhood lunchtime gem. Try the baby squid braised in its ink and the khao soi noodle soup.

An assortement of dishes at Noree Thai Cuisine
Noree Thai on Beverly
Mona Holmes

Gogo’s Tacos

Gogo’s Tacos is in one of LA’s best and most central locations. When traveling on or through this extremely busy corridor of Temple, Virgil, and Beverly Boulevard, stop in for lunch. There’s ample parking and customized quesadillas, burritos, tacos, or loaded tater tots with sour cream, cheese, sauce, onion, and cilantro.

Interior of Gogo’s Tacos in Los Angeles, with lines and white trim and red chairs.
Gogo’s Tacos
Sergio Robleto

Sichuan Impression

This second-floor space looks unassuming from the street but inside there’s possibly the best Sichuan food outside of San Gabriel Valley and it’s deep in the Westside. Sure, there’s Din Tai Fung and Meizhou Dongpo at nearby Century City, but the real Sichuan spice lovers will come to this Santa Monica Boulevard strip mall for one of LA’s top Chinese restaurants. Try the special noodles, cold chicken, and toothpick lamb.

Stew from Sichuan Impression in Los Angeles, California
Sichuan Impression
Bill Addison

Afuri ramen + dumpling LA

Though open from 11 a.m. until later hours, step into Afuri Ramen to appreciate the bright room during daytime hours where the house made noodles are always appreciated, as well as the signature yuzu-shio broth that incorporates both chicken and seafood.

Yuzu ratan ramen from Afuri in Los Angeles in a blue and white bowl over birch table.
Afuri Ramen
Wonho Frank Lee

Roberta's

Brooklyn’s premier pizza purveyors are slinging lunchtime pies at this airy Culver City outlet. The Bee Sting with sopressata, chili, and honey is the one to get, along with an heirloom tomato salad with raw cream and basil.

Roberta’s blistered pizza, drizzled with honey and pepperonis.
Roberta’s
Matthew Kang

The Rose Venice

The Rose Venice has a 42-year history on the corner of Rose and Second, where chef Jason Neroni’s all-day menu is an ideal spot to discover something new for lunch. The incredible lunchtime menu includes a cauliflower shawarma salad, grilled rockfish tacos, or pizza with stinging nettle ricotta, artichoke, and a bacon vinaigrette.

The Rose Venice Jason Neroni
Rose Venice
Wonho Frank Lee

Jerusalem Chicken

Barely open a year, Jerusalem Chicken’s menu became a neighborhood favorite with a flavorful lemon and garlic chicken, or the incredible Siti’s original chicken that’s stuffed with rice, mushrooms and beef. The hummus here is also some of the best in the city.

A clear plastic container featuring lemon-garlic chicken, fluffy rice, hummus, and Arabic cucumber-tomato salad at Jerusalem Chicken in View Park-Windsor Hills.
Lemon chicken at Jerusalem Chicken
Mona Holmes

Great White

Great White hits all the right notes with a lunch menu that leans toward grain bowls and salads, a fried chicken sandwich, fish tacos, and a burger thrown in for good measure. And, of course, there’s Australian coffee and a strong flat white, along with kombucha on-tap.

For that only-in-Venice feeling: Great White.
Great White
Farley Elliott

Court Cafe

Court Cafe is the the delicious collective restaurant from Taco Mell’s Jermelle Henderson, Bleu Kitchen’s Calvin Johnson, and Keith Garett of All Flavor No Grease. The combination is an LA soulful and savory menu on the corner of Inglewood and Westchester where taco omelettes, waffles with brown sugar butter, and the crowd-pleasing lobster and waffles is available.

Heritage Sandwich Shop and Restaurant

Long Beach native and chef Philip Pretty opened Heritage Sandwich Shop in mid-2020, where the breads are formidable and the fillings plentiful. Try the smoked Santa Carota brisket or the fried duck confit sandwich. A $25 lunch combination includes a sandwich, side, cookie, or drink.

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