Come into this tiny Armenian restaurant in Glendale for one of the city’s best kebabs, served family-style with a choice of chicken, lule, and more. The requisite garlic sauce provides the perfect punch while the hummus and eggplant caviar play as the ideal side dishes.

Chances are good that you’ll have to wait for a table at Golden Deli, but persevere because the pork- and mushroom-stuffed cha gio (Vietnamese deep-fried spring rolls) are blistered-golden and well worth the inconvenience. Pluck some herbs and lettuce from the communal platter for garnishing and wrapping.

The butter chicken at Badmaash is one for the ages. With a deep, lasting flavor of tangy yogurt, garam masala, cardamom, fenugreek, and tomatoes, this celebratory Indian dish topped with a sliver of butter is one of the most delicious dishes in Los Angeles. The dish is also available at Badmaash’s Downtown LA location.

For a taste of culinary history, look no further than the French dip at Philippe The Original. Try the juicy, fall-apart tender sandwich “double-dipped,” with au jus served on the side and drenched on the buns. Eat it right away with some of that super-spicy mustard before all the bread withers away.

The #19 may very well be LA’s most iconic sandwich, complete with a hand-sliced stack of pastrami, Swiss cheese, and coleslaw on twice-baked rye.

Not all burgers are created equal, which is why the Apple Pan’s hickory burger continues to stand the test of time. Rich and served with a touch of zip thanks to a proprietary barbecue sauce blend, this burger from a West LA institution is a must-do for anyone passing through the city.

Malibu’s Broad Street Oyster Co. has done something many Angelenos have clamored for: a truly great lobster roll. The example here, placed into a butter roll and stuffed to the gills with fresh Maine lobster, will cost a pretty penny, but it’s possible the most reliable bite along LA’s legendary beaches.

Alta does a fine job of introducing soul food in a polished, friendly environment in West Adams. The oxtails and rice might be the showstopper here, with chef Keith Corbin’s version swimming in a rich brown sauce of soy sauce, ginger, miso, onions, scallions, and carrots.

While there is no shortage of outstanding taco trucks in Los Angeles, Mariscos Jaliscos may very well be the most beloved of all thanks to Raul Ortega and his crispy shrimp tacos. The wonderful textural interplay of the crunchy shell and shrimp filling can’t be beat.

Kim Prince brought her legendary family’s mentality toward Nashville Hot Chicken and brought it to the heart of Los Angeles. With a terrific, crisp exterior and deeply flavored, incredibly spicy seasonings, there’s a reason why Hotville is among the best examples of hot chicken anywhere in LA.

Famed Watts truck Tamales Elena has a drive-thru and takeout-ready location in Bell Gardens serving possibly the most epic banana leaf-wrapped tamales in Los Angeles. The menus change daily.