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Pork belly rice bowl from Liu’s Cafe in Koreatown.
Pork belly rice bowl from Liu’s Cafe in Koreatown.
Matthew Kang

The 17 Hottest New Restaurants in Los Angeles, November 2023

Where to eat right now around the City of Angels

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Pork belly rice bowl from Liu’s Cafe in Koreatown.
| Matthew Kang

The Eater LA heatmap has existed for nearly two decades to answer the age-old question: “What’s new and notable in LA?” Though the Los Angeles dining scene has endured tremendous challenges over the past few years, the city’s spirit of breaking ground and exploring new cuisines continues with every month of openings.

The restaurants featured on this list are typically less than six months old and give a sense of what’s hot and happening around town. For restaurants that have established themselves as one of the city’s best, check out Eater LA’s Essential 38. Restaurants are plotted on the map in geographical order, from west to east.

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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.

Chef Sandra Cordero has been cooking Spanish food in greater Los Angeles for years, but this is her first foray into the busy Westside restaurant scene. At Xuntos, diners can find a proper Spanish pintxos experience filled with many of the familiar snacks and flavors from the Iberian Peninsula proper. That means the classic Gilda, or pepper, olive, and anchovy skewer, served as an amuse-bouche, along with the sweet and salty bikini, or sandwich with caramelized onions, mozzarella, and truffle, as a tapa. There’s plenty of Spanish wine and vermouth too, of course, all served in a laid-back, homey bar space on Santa Monica Boulevard. — Farley Elliott, senior editor

Piquillo peppers with goat cheese, herbs, and basil oil at Xuntos.
Stuffed piquillo peppers from Xuntos.
Wonho Frank Lee

While world-famous chef Enrique Olvera might have put his personal emphasis on Damian, his Arts District spot that stands on par with his celebrated New York City restaurant Cosme, the chef happens to live in the quirky, funky, and insular neighborhood of Venice. So it made sense to teleport his casual all-day New York eatery Atla to the beachside community, serving polished everyday fare like avocado toasts, carrot salads, and seafood cocktails in a place already bustling with locals. If only other LA locales could be so blessed. —Matthew Kang, lead editor

A seafood cocktail bowl at Atla Venice.
Ceviche from Atla in Venice.
Frank Wonho Lee

Si! Mon

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José Olmedo Carles Rojas, the acclaimed chef behind the award-winning restaurant Lo Que Hay in Panama City, finally has a U.S. restaurant to call his own. Located in Venice, Si! Mon’s serves shareable plates of “elevated street food.” Menu highlights include Carles’s signature yuca tostadas, fried chicken drumsticks, and Panamanian-style dumplings. — Cathy Chaplin, senior reporter/editor

Panamanian-style dumplings at Si! Mon.
Panamanian-style dumplings at Si! Mon.
Ashley Randall Photography

Best Bet Pizzeria

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Jason Neroni’s four-year takeover of the former A-Frame in Culver City is finally complete, and the results are immense, even mind-bending. Littered with ’70s pop culture references from his upbringing, Neroni sees Best Bet as a magnum opus, a California Italian menu that seamlessly blends the flavors of both cuisines. Rotisserie duck seasoned a la Sicily with hints of Levantine spices folds beautifully into plush, blistered pizza dough, while lardo-topped, wood-roasted peaches burst with juicy, porky flavor. Best Bet encapsulates a risky foray into the outer reaches of Californian cuisine and mostly succeeds from the get-go by melding Neroni’s storied career with pristine, in-season produce. No wonder diners eagerly line up right at the opening to nab a coveted table. —Matthew Kang, lead editor

Cherry tomatoes with tomato and colatura brodo and buffalo milk ricotta at Best Bet.
Tomatoes with buffalo milk ricotta at Best Bet.
Wonho Frank Lee

Sushi Note Omakase

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Hidden away in a Rodeo Drive parking garage, the brand-new Sushi Note Omakase serves a parade of pristine nigiri for just under $200 per person. As with the original Sherman Oaks location, wine pairings are encouraged and start at $100. For those looking for a more affordable entry point, swing in daily from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. for a 12-course, $125 omakase. — Cathy Chaplin, senior reporter/editor

Soy sauced sushi nigiri from Sushi Note Omakase.
Nigiri at Sushi Note Omakase.
Wonho Frank Lee

Đi Đi

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Tuệ Nguyễn, better known by her online moniker Tway Da Bae, has more than a million followers across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Đi Đi is Nguyễn’s first foray into a restaurant of her own and comes about in the former Petite Taqueria space with help from the prolific H.Wood Group. Find signature dishes honey-glazed shrimp and Vietnamese coffee creme brulee served in a fun, Saigon-reminiscent space on La Cienega. — Farley Elliott, senior editor

A selection of vibrant Vietnamese dishes at Di Di in West Hollywood.
A collection of dishes from Đi Đi.
Wonho Frank Lee

PleasureMed

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West Hollywood’s glamorous cannabis consumption lounge, PleasureMed, made a dramatic splash onto Santa Monica Boulevard last month. It’s owned by the Pleasure Chest and sits directly across the parking lot of the longtime adult sex toy store. The two-story structure includes a cannabis-free restaurant called Hind and a smokeable eatery named Irie. The latter is placed above the retail dispensary where high-powered ventilation keeps the air smoke-free, which makes dining enjoyable whether or not on partakes. Former Hatchet Hall chef Wes Whitsell put together a fresh menu with mostly shareable plates that can be ordered at both restaurants. — Mona Holmes, reporter

Banquette seating at PleasureMed’s Irie restaurant in West Hollywood.
Diners sitting at PleasureMed in West Hollywood.
Wonho Frank Lee

Perched atop a prominent Melrose Avenue space, Ubuntu arrives from James Beard Award semifinalist Shenarri “Greens” Freeman, previously of New York City’s Cadence. The colorful, bright dining room centers on African food and flavors with a focus on plants, like a Senegalese jackfruit yassa or Nigerian suya that traditionally uses smoked meats but instead uses seitan. Creativity doesn’t stop there, with curried jollof arancini, charred okra salad, or fonio grits with oyster mushrooms plated with a fine dining sensibility. —Matthew Kang, lead editor

A dining room with bright yellow chairs and green banquettes at Ubuntu in Los Angeles.
Dining room of Ubuntu.
Wonho Frank Lee

Liu's Cafe

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Nestled into a crowded retail slot along Sixth Street in Koreatown, this lovely little daytime cafe from the team behind Tokki serves Hong Kong and Taiwanese-inspired dishes like tea egg salad, pork belly bowl with rice, and pineapple buns with iced milk tea. It’s hard not to fall in love with the delicious, polished presentations, charming dining room, and housemade pastries by former Maude chef Isabell Manibusan. — Matthew Kang, lead editor

Tea egg salad sando at Liu’s Cafe on a plate.
Tea egg salad sando from Liu’s Cafe in Koreatown.
Matthew Kang

Level 8

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The all-new Level 8 at the Moxy and AC Hotels brings together some of the city’s biggest culinary talents to run multiple dining concepts across several different floors. Highlights include chef Ray Garcia’s Qué Bárbaro, an upscale dinner destination featuring live-fire cooking, and chef Josh Gil’s Maison Kasai, a high-end teppanyaki experience. — Cathy Chaplin, senior reporter/editor

Joshua Gil finishes a lobster dish with a cloche at Maison Kasai.
Joshua Gil finishes a lobster dish with a cloche at Maison Kasai.
Andrea d’Agosto

Joyce Soul and Sea

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In a return to Downtown, chef Sammy Monsour pairs up with wife and beverage director Kassady Wiggins for a one-two Southern punch at Joyce, their new seafood-centric restaurant inspired by Monsour’s time in South Carolina. Monsour, formerly of Preux & Proper, helped that restaurant gain a coveted Michelin Bib Gourmand designation before it closed in late 2020. Here at Joyce, the narrative is focused on a complete dedication to big, bold Southern flavors served in a suave space designed in part by co-owners Prince and Athena Riley. —Matthew Kang, lead editor

Wide slices of pork chop in a brown sauce with green tomato chow chow at new restaurant Joyce in LA.
Pork chop with green tomato chow chow at Joyce.
Wonho Frank Lee

Donna's

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Italian American food is all the rage in LA, with the likes of La Dolce Vita, Dante, and now Donna’s in Echo Park helping to cement the trend. Red sauce fans will appreciate the grandma’s house-style decor, with heaping plates of spaghetti with meatballs, veal piccata, and layered tiramisu to finish. What nonna might not have served (but works great here in Echo Park) are thoughtful cocktails, like the Ginny’s tonic with housemade orange tonic and rosemary. —Matthew Kang, lead editor

A colorful dining area with booths and tables at Donna’s restaurant in Echo Park, California.
Donna’s in Echo Park.
Wonho Frank Lee

Perilla LA

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There’s a whole lot of flavor packed into Perilla’s 200-square-foot lot. Chef Jihee Kim, who draws inspiration from the small banchan shops of her hometown of Busan, South Korea, prepares an array of seasonal appetizers, along with a few dosirak (combination plates) and gimbap filled with egg, mushroom, and avocado. The restaurant’s outdoor patio makes for a sun-soaked Echo Park lunch spot. — Cathy Chaplin, senior reporter/editor

Gimbap from Perilla’s Jihee Kim in Echo Park.
Gimbap from Perilla’s Jihee Kim in Echo Park.
Matthew Kang

Chef Kwang Uh and his wife and business partner Mina Park always intended to reopen Baroo after it closed in 2018. After five years of gestating, the couple debuted Baroo 2.0 in the Arts District. For the $110 tasting menu, Uh brings together classic Korean culinary concepts and flavors, along with elements of Buddhist temple cuisine, into a five-course tour de force. — Cathy Chaplin, senior reporter/editor

Hokkaido scallop, minari, gim, rice puff at Baroo.
Hokkaido scallop, minari, gim, rice puff at Baroo.
Wonho Frank Lee

The Airliner

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Lincoln Heights’ 100-year-old dive bar is back — and more Asian than ever. Chef Vinh Nguyen turns basic pub fare on its head, offering a menu of flavorful Chinese, Indonesian, Thai, and Vietnamese dishes. (The $10 chicken liver pate is worth scraping the bottom of the bowl for, according to lead editor Matthew Kang.) When it comes to beverages, Avery Millard prepares a familiar-enough cocktail menu full of twists on classics, while Randy Mariani’s wine list leans toward natural pours. — Cathy Chaplin, senior reporter/editor

Chong qing chicken wings at the Airliner.
Chong qing chicken wings at the Airliner.
Wonho Frank Lee

Taquearte California

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Who knew that a tiny Pico Rivera strip mall could make the best chilaquiles in Los Angeles? Founded by Angelo Farfán and Monica Quinto, this Mexico City-style taquería occupies a corner space with just picnic tables and vintage newspapers as decor. But the stars on the plate, whether the drenched but crisp chilaquiles topped with plancha-cooked costillas or other meats — or the tremendous loaded double tacos — are reasons to make the journey to Taquearte. — Matthew Kang, lead editor

Chilaquiles with fried egg and costilla at Taquearte.
Chilaquiles from Taquearte in Pico Rivera.
Matthew Kang

Deep in Orange County, hidden away in the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, chef Sanjay Rawat prepares what could be the most incredible Indian fine dining that Southern California has seen. Rawat’s inventive and playful presentations don’t hold back on flavor in a venue that was previously a staid hotel steakhouse. It’s clear that Rawat and his immense wedding feasts for the property translate into something that OC diners can wrap their heads around, like the spiced Chilean sea bass with roasted delicata squash or the exceptional rack of lamb over forbidden rice and handi sauce. — Matthew Kang, lead editor

Chilean sea bass cooked Chennai-style with bean ragu, delicata squash, curry leaf, mustard oil, and ninja radish in a white bowl at Kahani restaurant.
Chilean sea bass cooked Chennai-style at Kahani in Dana Point.

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Xuntos

Chef Sandra Cordero has been cooking Spanish food in greater Los Angeles for years, but this is her first foray into the busy Westside restaurant scene. At Xuntos, diners can find a proper Spanish pintxos experience filled with many of the familiar snacks and flavors from the Iberian Peninsula proper. That means the classic Gilda, or pepper, olive, and anchovy skewer, served as an amuse-bouche, along with the sweet and salty bikini, or sandwich with caramelized onions, mozzarella, and truffle, as a tapa. There’s plenty of Spanish wine and vermouth too, of course, all served in a laid-back, homey bar space on Santa Monica Boulevard. — Farley Elliott, senior editor

Piquillo peppers with goat cheese, herbs, and basil oil at Xuntos.
Stuffed piquillo peppers from Xuntos.
Wonho Frank Lee

Atla

While world-famous chef Enrique Olvera might have put his personal emphasis on Damian, his Arts District spot that stands on par with his celebrated New York City restaurant Cosme, the chef happens to live in the quirky, funky, and insular neighborhood of Venice. So it made sense to teleport his casual all-day New York eatery Atla to the beachside community, serving polished everyday fare like avocado toasts, carrot salads, and seafood cocktails in a place already bustling with locals. If only other LA locales could be so blessed. —Matthew Kang, lead editor

A seafood cocktail bowl at Atla Venice.
Ceviche from Atla in Venice.
Frank Wonho Lee

Si! Mon

José Olmedo Carles Rojas, the acclaimed chef behind the award-winning restaurant Lo Que Hay in Panama City, finally has a U.S. restaurant to call his own. Located in Venice, Si! Mon’s serves shareable plates of “elevated street food.” Menu highlights include Carles’s signature yuca tostadas, fried chicken drumsticks, and Panamanian-style dumplings. — Cathy Chaplin, senior reporter/editor

Panamanian-style dumplings at Si! Mon.
Panamanian-style dumplings at Si! Mon.
Ashley Randall Photography

Best Bet Pizzeria

Jason Neroni’s four-year takeover of the former A-Frame in Culver City is finally complete, and the results are immense, even mind-bending. Littered with ’70s pop culture references from his upbringing, Neroni sees Best Bet as a magnum opus, a California Italian menu that seamlessly blends the flavors of both cuisines. Rotisserie duck seasoned a la Sicily with hints of Levantine spices folds beautifully into plush, blistered pizza dough, while lardo-topped, wood-roasted peaches burst with juicy, porky flavor. Best Bet encapsulates a risky foray into the outer reaches of Californian cuisine and mostly succeeds from the get-go by melding Neroni’s storied career with pristine, in-season produce. No wonder diners eagerly line up right at the opening to nab a coveted table. —Matthew Kang, lead editor

Cherry tomatoes with tomato and colatura brodo and buffalo milk ricotta at Best Bet.
Tomatoes with buffalo milk ricotta at Best Bet.
Wonho Frank Lee

Sushi Note Omakase

Hidden away in a Rodeo Drive parking garage, the brand-new Sushi Note Omakase serves a parade of pristine nigiri for just under $200 per person. As with the original Sherman Oaks location, wine pairings are encouraged and start at $100. For those looking for a more affordable entry point, swing in daily from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. for a 12-course, $125 omakase. — Cathy Chaplin, senior reporter/editor

Soy sauced sushi nigiri from Sushi Note Omakase.
Nigiri at Sushi Note Omakase.
Wonho Frank Lee

Đi Đi

Tuệ Nguyễn, better known by her online moniker Tway Da Bae, has more than a million followers across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Đi Đi is Nguyễn’s first foray into a restaurant of her own and comes about in the former Petite Taqueria space with help from the prolific H.Wood Group. Find signature dishes honey-glazed shrimp and Vietnamese coffee creme brulee served in a fun, Saigon-reminiscent space on La Cienega. — Farley Elliott, senior editor

A selection of vibrant Vietnamese dishes at Di Di in West Hollywood.
A collection of dishes from Đi Đi.
Wonho Frank Lee

PleasureMed

West Hollywood’s glamorous cannabis consumption lounge, PleasureMed, made a dramatic splash onto Santa Monica Boulevard last month. It’s owned by the Pleasure Chest and sits directly across the parking lot of the longtime adult sex toy store. The two-story structure includes a cannabis-free restaurant called Hind and a smokeable eatery named Irie. The latter is placed above the retail dispensary where high-powered ventilation keeps the air smoke-free, which makes dining enjoyable whether or not on partakes. Former Hatchet Hall chef Wes Whitsell put together a fresh menu with mostly shareable plates that can be ordered at both restaurants. — Mona Holmes, reporter

Banquette seating at PleasureMed’s Irie restaurant in West Hollywood.
Diners sitting at PleasureMed in West Hollywood.
Wonho Frank Lee

Ubuntu

Perched atop a prominent Melrose Avenue space, Ubuntu arrives from James Beard Award semifinalist Shenarri “Greens” Freeman, previously of New York City’s Cadence. The colorful, bright dining room centers on African food and flavors with a focus on plants, like a Senegalese jackfruit yassa or Nigerian suya that traditionally uses smoked meats but instead uses seitan. Creativity doesn’t stop there, with curried jollof arancini, charred okra salad, or fonio grits with oyster mushrooms plated with a fine dining sensibility. —Matthew Kang, lead editor

A dining room with bright yellow chairs and green banquettes at Ubuntu in Los Angeles.
Dining room of Ubuntu.
Wonho Frank Lee

Liu's Cafe

Nestled into a crowded retail slot along Sixth Street in Koreatown, this lovely little daytime cafe from the team behind Tokki serves Hong Kong and Taiwanese-inspired dishes like tea egg salad, pork belly bowl with rice, and pineapple buns with iced milk tea. It’s hard not to fall in love with the delicious, polished presentations, charming dining room, and housemade pastries by former Maude chef Isabell Manibusan. — Matthew Kang, lead editor

Tea egg salad sando at Liu’s Cafe on a plate.
Tea egg salad sando from Liu’s Cafe in Koreatown.
Matthew Kang

Level 8

The all-new Level 8 at the Moxy and AC Hotels brings together some of the city’s biggest culinary talents to run multiple dining concepts across several different floors. Highlights include chef Ray Garcia’s Qué Bárbaro, an upscale dinner destination featuring live-fire cooking, and chef Josh Gil’s Maison Kasai, a high-end teppanyaki experience. — Cathy Chaplin, senior reporter/editor

Joshua Gil finishes a lobster dish with a cloche at Maison Kasai.
Joshua Gil finishes a lobster dish with a cloche at Maison Kasai.
Andrea d’Agosto

Joyce Soul and Sea

In a return to Downtown, chef Sammy Monsour pairs up with wife and beverage director Kassady Wiggins for a one-two Southern punch at Joyce, their new seafood-centric restaurant inspired by Monsour’s time in South Carolina. Monsour, formerly of Preux & Proper, helped that restaurant gain a coveted Michelin Bib Gourmand designation before it closed in late 2020. Here at Joyce, the narrative is focused on a complete dedication to big, bold Southern flavors served in a suave space designed in part by co-owners Prince and Athena Riley. —Matthew Kang, lead editor

Wide slices of pork chop in a brown sauce with green tomato chow chow at new restaurant Joyce in LA.
Pork chop with green tomato chow chow at Joyce.
Wonho Frank Lee

Donna's

Italian American food is all the rage in LA, with the likes of La Dolce Vita, Dante, and now Donna’s in Echo Park helping to cement the trend. Red sauce fans will appreciate the grandma’s house-style decor, with heaping plates of spaghetti with meatballs, veal piccata, and layered tiramisu to finish. What nonna might not have served (but works great here in Echo Park) are thoughtful cocktails, like the Ginny’s tonic with housemade orange tonic and rosemary. —Matthew Kang, lead editor

A colorful dining area with booths and tables at Donna’s restaurant in Echo Park, California.
Donna’s in Echo Park.
Wonho Frank Lee

Perilla LA

There’s a whole lot of flavor packed into Perilla’s 200-square-foot lot. Chef Jihee Kim, who draws inspiration from the small banchan shops of her hometown of Busan, South Korea, prepares an array of seasonal appetizers, along with a few dosirak (combination plates) and gimbap filled with egg, mushroom, and avocado. The restaurant’s outdoor patio makes for a sun-soaked Echo Park lunch spot. — Cathy Chaplin, senior reporter/editor

Gimbap from Perilla’s Jihee Kim in Echo Park.
Gimbap from Perilla’s Jihee Kim in Echo Park.
Matthew Kang

Baroo

Chef Kwang Uh and his wife and business partner Mina Park always intended to reopen Baroo after it closed in 2018. After five years of gestating, the couple debuted Baroo 2.0 in the Arts District. For the $110 tasting menu, Uh brings together classic Korean culinary concepts and flavors, along with elements of Buddhist temple cuisine, into a five-course tour de force. — Cathy Chaplin, senior reporter/editor

Hokkaido scallop, minari, gim, rice puff at Baroo.
Hokkaido scallop, minari, gim, rice puff at Baroo.
Wonho Frank Lee

The Airliner

Lincoln Heights’ 100-year-old dive bar is back — and more Asian than ever. Chef Vinh Nguyen turns basic pub fare on its head, offering a menu of flavorful Chinese, Indonesian, Thai, and Vietnamese dishes. (The $10 chicken liver pate is worth scraping the bottom of the bowl for, according to lead editor Matthew Kang.) When it comes to beverages, Avery Millard prepares a familiar-enough cocktail menu full of twists on classics, while Randy Mariani’s wine list leans toward natural pours. — Cathy Chaplin, senior reporter/editor

Chong qing chicken wings at the Airliner.
Chong qing chicken wings at the Airliner.
Wonho Frank Lee

Related Maps

Taquearte California

Who knew that a tiny Pico Rivera strip mall could make the best chilaquiles in Los Angeles? Founded by Angelo Farfán and Monica Quinto, this Mexico City-style taquería occupies a corner space with just picnic tables and vintage newspapers as decor. But the stars on the plate, whether the drenched but crisp chilaquiles topped with plancha-cooked costillas or other meats — or the tremendous loaded double tacos — are reasons to make the journey to Taquearte. — Matthew Kang, lead editor

Chilaquiles with fried egg and costilla at Taquearte.
Chilaquiles from Taquearte in Pico Rivera.
Matthew Kang

Kahani

Deep in Orange County, hidden away in the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, chef Sanjay Rawat prepares what could be the most incredible Indian fine dining that Southern California has seen. Rawat’s inventive and playful presentations don’t hold back on flavor in a venue that was previously a staid hotel steakhouse. It’s clear that Rawat and his immense wedding feasts for the property translate into something that OC diners can wrap their heads around, like the spiced Chilean sea bass with roasted delicata squash or the exceptional rack of lamb over forbidden rice and handi sauce. — Matthew Kang, lead editor

Chilean sea bass cooked Chennai-style with bean ragu, delicata squash, curry leaf, mustard oil, and ninja radish in a white bowl at Kahani restaurant.
Chilean sea bass cooked Chennai-style at Kahani in Dana Point.

Related Maps