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Ancora pizza with nduja, gorgonzola cream, green onion, and celery at Ronan.

17 Restaurants to Try Along Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles

One of LA’s most iconic streets that cuts through the middle of town has plenty of culinary finds

by Matthew Kang@mattatouille Updated Aug 4, 2021, 3:51pm PDT

5 comments / new

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Ancora pizza with nduja, gorgonzola cream, green onion, and celery at Ronan.

| Wonho Frank Lee

by Matthew Kang@mattatouille Updated Aug 4, 2021, 3:51pm PDT

5 comments / new

Driving down Melrose Avenue, you’ll find an interesting variety of sights and cultural enclaves on both sides of the street, which cuts from Virgil Village to the east to West Hollywood to the west. Much like Pico or Wilshire, this iconic stretch has its own way of representing unique portraits of Los Angeles’s dining culture. Here now, the 18 essential restaurants to try along Melrose Avenue.

Added: Ronan, Oui Melrose, Olivetta, Ggiata, Melrose Umbrella, Lala’s Argentine, Rosaliné, Vegan AF Truck, La Fonda Antioquera

Removed: Chi Spacca, Osteria Mozza, Pizzeria Mozza, Ink, Catch, Hart and the Hunter, Sweet Lady Jane, Murakami Sushi, Mario’s Peruvian, Cecconi’s, Gracias Madre

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If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Olivetta

One of the most stylish restaurants to open on this very tony part of Melrose in West Hollywood, this celebrity hotspot has some stellar Italian food from chef Michael Fiorelli to match the striking dining room.

9010 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Visit Website

Olivetta in West Hollywood, California — Olivetta West Hollywood.

Also featured in:

Craig's

Come awards season, hell any season, and find this Melrose eatery packed with A-list (and maybe C-list) celebrities. The Italian-leaning American menu may not offer the best dishes in the city, but that’s beside the point. Craig’s is the quintessential modern celebrity restaurant in Los Angeles.

8826 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90069

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Craig's Restaurant ❤️ (@craigsla)

Also featured in:

18 Restaurants to Spot Celebrities in Los Angeles

Rosaliné

Ricardo Zarate’s upscale Peruvian restaurant has all the classics, but served in a fancy way, from the chaufa paella and lomo saltado to corazon anticuchos. At this point, the menu is pretty static with what West Hollywood diners want, with the cocktails to match.

Open in Google Maps

8479 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Visit Website

Rosaliné West Hollywood — Rosaliné West Hollywood.

Also featured in:

Crossroads Kitchen

With its elegant dining room and full bar, you may not even realize that Crossroads is a meatless dining experience. Chef Tal Ronin is turning out some of the most refined, creative vegan dishes in the city, from fresh pasta that would impress anyone to composed plates that don’t try and look down to plant-loving eaters.

8284 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Carlitos Gardel Restaurant

Under-the-radar gem Carlitos Gardel is quite the place to enjoy Argentinian steaks with plenty of wine to wash it all down. It’s no surprise that this white-tablecloth establishment known for its exceptional hospitality and fantastic asado has been a Melrose mainstay since 1996.

Open in Google Maps

7963 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Visit Website

Vegan A.F. Truck

Parked every week along Melrose nearby Fairfax, this bright pink food truck from Chanel Goodson serves fried egg rolls and loaded fries with plant-based proteins and cheeses that bring vegan flavor to the streets.

Open in Google Maps

7951 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Visit Website

Vegan A.F. truck in Los Angeles with pink livery. — Vegan A.F. Truck

Also featured in:

22 Essential Los Angeles Vegetarian Restaurants

Spartina

Stephen Kalt’s enduring Italian restaurant has a wide menu of fresh pasta, wood-fired pizza, and entrees that has mass appeal without a bit of snobbery. One of Melrose’s most impressive restaurants with a terrific outdoor patio and wonderful midcentury modern interior that serves as a breath of fresh air in on this stretch of Melrose.

7505 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Ta-eem Grill

Ta-eem has made itself a Melrose fixture thanks to its Israeli-Mediterranean cuisine, long lines, and exceptional Yelp reviews. While the chicken schwarma is a popular order, you can’t go wrong with the falafel laffa.

Open in Google Maps

7422 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Visit Website

Ronan

Daniel and Caitlin Cutler has an incredible Italian-inspired restaurant that features wood-fired pizza and really so much more, from creative salads and starters to excellent entrees like a seabass zarandeado served “banchan-style.”

Open in Google Maps

7315 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Visit Website

Ronan Melrose — Ronan Melrose.

Also featured in:

Lala’s Argentine Grill

Argentine-inspired Lala’s is a classic dinner spot in LA, with locations across the city and a wide menu of grilled meats, milanesa, and salads that should appeal to big groups. There’s a strong happy hour scene and of course, weekend brunch.

Open in Google Maps

7229 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by LALA’S Argentine Grill (@lalasgrill)

Oui Melrose

Oui Melrose has become a standout all its own after splitting from the (also excellent) Banh Oui in Hollywood, offering baked goods, a killer fried fish sandwich, and a whole lot more. Stop by for a Friday lunch for best effect.

Open in Google Maps

6909 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Visit Website

Cod sandwich from Oui Melrose in Hollywood. — Fried fish at Oui Melrose

Marino Ristorante

This longstanding red sauce joint by the family behind Il Grano is a power lunch favorite. The vibe isn’t quite old school, nor is it anywhere near modern. Think of it as a perfect picture of the late ‘90s, early 2000s Italian-American establishment.

Open in Google Maps

6001 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Visit Website

Providence

Michael Cimarusti and Donato Poto’s fine-dining temple celebrates mostly seafood in its iconic space, a standalone building that was once Patina in decades past. Providence continues to represent the highest tier of Los Angeles restaurants, with the price, service, and presentation to match.

5955 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Kali

It wouldn't be surprising for there to be an air of pretension at Kali given the pedigree of chef Kevin Meehan and wine director Drew Langley, but it’s actually a terrific everyday upscale restaurant. Kali is an impressive, Michelin-starred dining destination with top-notch ingredients and service that remains as solid as ever.

5722 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Osteria La Buca

With a wide menu of Italian fare, including fresh pasta and pizzas, this longtime Melrose Avenue restaurant started out as a tiny place run by a grandma that has since expanded into more of a full-scale operation. One of the most reliable restaurants in this part of Melrose Hill.

5210 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Visit Website

Also featured in:

La Fonda Antioquena

As one of the only Colombian restaurants in Los Angeles, this neighborhood favorite has big approachable platters of meats, beans, and empanadas.

Open in Google Maps

5125 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Luisa Alzate (@luluavenue)

Also featured in:

12 Delicious Spots for Golden Brown Empanadas of All Flavors in Los Angeles

Ggiata Delicatessen

Ggiata has risen from ghost kitchen oblivion to become one of LA’s best sandwich destinations, growing from a shared space to its own retail location on Melrose just west of Western. While the restaurant itself is small, with a little outdoor railing for dining, the sandwiches themselves — Italian cold cut interpretations like those favored on the East Coast — pack a punch. —Farley Elliott

Open in Google Maps

5009 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Visit Website

Italian sandwich with meats and arugula being held by hand. — Ggiata.

Also featured in:

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Olivetta

9010 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069

One of the most stylish restaurants to open on this very tony part of Melrose in West Hollywood, this celebrity hotspot has some stellar Italian food from chef Michael Fiorelli to match the striking dining room.

9010 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Visit Website

Olivetta in West Hollywood, California — Olivetta West Hollywood.

Craig's

8826 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90069

Come awards season, hell any season, and find this Melrose eatery packed with A-list (and maybe C-list) celebrities. The Italian-leaning American menu may not offer the best dishes in the city, but that’s beside the point. Craig’s is the quintessential modern celebrity restaurant in Los Angeles.

8826 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90069

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Craig's Restaurant ❤️ (@craigsla)

Rosaliné

8479 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Ricardo Zarate’s upscale Peruvian restaurant has all the classics, but served in a fancy way, from the chaufa paella and lomo saltado to corazon anticuchos. At this point, the menu is pretty static with what West Hollywood diners want, with the cocktails to match.

Open in Google Maps

8479 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Visit Website

Rosaliné West Hollywood — Rosaliné West Hollywood.

Crossroads Kitchen

8284 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

With its elegant dining room and full bar, you may not even realize that Crossroads is a meatless dining experience. Chef Tal Ronin is turning out some of the most refined, creative vegan dishes in the city, from fresh pasta that would impress anyone to composed plates that don’t try and look down to plant-loving eaters.

8284 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Visit Website

Carlitos Gardel Restaurant

7963 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Under-the-radar gem Carlitos Gardel is quite the place to enjoy Argentinian steaks with plenty of wine to wash it all down. It’s no surprise that this white-tablecloth establishment known for its exceptional hospitality and fantastic asado has been a Melrose mainstay since 1996.

Open in Google Maps

7963 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Visit Website

Vegan A.F. Truck

7951 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Parked every week along Melrose nearby Fairfax, this bright pink food truck from Chanel Goodson serves fried egg rolls and loaded fries with plant-based proteins and cheeses that bring vegan flavor to the streets.

Open in Google Maps

7951 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Visit Website

Vegan A.F. truck in Los Angeles with pink livery. — Vegan A.F. Truck

Spartina

7505 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Stephen Kalt’s enduring Italian restaurant has a wide menu of fresh pasta, wood-fired pizza, and entrees that has mass appeal without a bit of snobbery. One of Melrose’s most impressive restaurants with a terrific outdoor patio and wonderful midcentury modern interior that serves as a breath of fresh air in on this stretch of Melrose.

7505 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Visit Website

Ta-eem Grill

7422 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Ta-eem has made itself a Melrose fixture thanks to its Israeli-Mediterranean cuisine, long lines, and exceptional Yelp reviews. While the chicken schwarma is a popular order, you can’t go wrong with the falafel laffa.

Open in Google Maps

7422 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Visit Website

Ronan

7315 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Daniel and Caitlin Cutler has an incredible Italian-inspired restaurant that features wood-fired pizza and really so much more, from creative salads and starters to excellent entrees like a seabass zarandeado served “banchan-style.”

Open in Google Maps

7315 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Visit Website

Ronan Melrose — Ronan Melrose.

Lala’s Argentine Grill

7229 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Argentine-inspired Lala’s is a classic dinner spot in LA, with locations across the city and a wide menu of grilled meats, milanesa, and salads that should appeal to big groups. There’s a strong happy hour scene and of course, weekend brunch.

Open in Google Maps

7229 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by LALA’S Argentine Grill (@lalasgrill)

Oui Melrose

6909 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Oui Melrose has become a standout all its own after splitting from the (also excellent) Banh Oui in Hollywood, offering baked goods, a killer fried fish sandwich, and a whole lot more. Stop by for a Friday lunch for best effect.

Open in Google Maps

6909 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Visit Website

Cod sandwich from Oui Melrose in Hollywood. — Fried fish at Oui Melrose

Marino Ristorante

6001 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

This longstanding red sauce joint by the family behind Il Grano is a power lunch favorite. The vibe isn’t quite old school, nor is it anywhere near modern. Think of it as a perfect picture of the late ‘90s, early 2000s Italian-American establishment.

Open in Google Maps

6001 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Visit Website

Providence

5955 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Michael Cimarusti and Donato Poto’s fine-dining temple celebrates mostly seafood in its iconic space, a standalone building that was once Patina in decades past. Providence continues to represent the highest tier of Los Angeles restaurants, with the price, service, and presentation to match.

5955 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Visit Website

Kali

5722 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

It wouldn't be surprising for there to be an air of pretension at Kali given the pedigree of chef Kevin Meehan and wine director Drew Langley, but it’s actually a terrific everyday upscale restaurant. Kali is an impressive, Michelin-starred dining destination with top-notch ingredients and service that remains as solid as ever.

5722 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Visit Website

Osteria La Buca

5210 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

With a wide menu of Italian fare, including fresh pasta and pizzas, this longtime Melrose Avenue restaurant started out as a tiny place run by a grandma that has since expanded into more of a full-scale operation. One of the most reliable restaurants in this part of Melrose Hill.

5210 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Visit Website

Related Maps

La Fonda Antioquena

5125 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

As one of the only Colombian restaurants in Los Angeles, this neighborhood favorite has big approachable platters of meats, beans, and empanadas.

Open in Google Maps

5125 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Luisa Alzate (@luluavenue)

Ggiata Delicatessen

5009 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Ggiata has risen from ghost kitchen oblivion to become one of LA’s best sandwich destinations, growing from a shared space to its own retail location on Melrose just west of Western. While the restaurant itself is small, with a little outdoor railing for dining, the sandwiches themselves — Italian cold cut interpretations like those favored on the East Coast — pack a punch. —Farley Elliott

Open in Google Maps

5009 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Visit Website

Italian sandwich with meats and arugula being held by hand. — Ggiata.

Related Maps