Fast casual pasta rarely tastes as good as the stuff at Uovo. Maybe that’s because the pastas themselves are handmade in Italy before being flown to the U.S., or maybe because it’s possible to dine well, and inexpensively, in well under an hour at this always-churning carb destination.

Fortune House is an easy-to-spot Chinese food staple for the greater Miracle Mile. The standalone building offers an array of classic Chinese and Chinese-American dishes, from Peking duck to Mongolian beef.

Pho Saigon Pearl sits just up Fairfax from LACMA, making it surprisingly walkable for tourists and locals alike. Stop in for the namesake pho, of course, but don’t sleep on the spring rolls and banh mi either.

Yuko Kitchen is a quirky semi-hidden dining oasis just off Wilshire Boulevard. The entrance is hard to find but once inside the restaurant bursts with color and big flavors from dishes like Japanese sushi rolls, rice bowls, boba drinks, and a surprising Chinese chicken salad.

Eleven City Deli is quickly gaining a reputation as one of LA’s better modern Jewish delis. The large restaurant traffics in pastrami and latkes and all the usual fare, plus everyday diner staples for those in need.

Top Round is a roast beef stand that seems pulled from time. The orange-hued corner spot does curly fries, simple roast beef and horseradish sandwiches, and more, all while keeping a its throwback vibe and easy, sunny appeal.

Met Her at a Bar is perhaps the textbook definition of a neighborhood restaurant, offering staple basics and an exceedingly busy brunch. Locals love it, even if the rest of LA hasn’t caught on to all the coffee and delicious Belgian waffle action inside.

The tourists already know Republique well, and that’s okay. The sprawling multi-room restaurant is built to do big numbers across a casual lunch, morning pastry session, or moodier dinnertime sit-down experience. Stop in for some of the best baked goods anywhere, or for a proper French experience after a long day out.

Genwa is an easy-eating staple Korean BBQ restaurant with multiple locations across Los Angeles. The Wilshire outlet is great for business lunches or relaxed dinner fun with friends, where drinking and flipping slices of meat are the focus of the night.