Bucket list experience:
Los Angeles, California, United States of America (USA)
While the city is a melting pot of cultures, with cuisines from all over the world, first-rate sushi and Mexican food dominate – and you’re just as likely to have an out-of-this-world dining experience at a strip mall sushi joint or taco truck as you are at a Michelin-starred restaurant or omakase bar.
Korean food is also excellent – be sure to try ox bone soup, seafood pancakes and first-rate bulgogi and bibimbap. Naturally, there are also plenty of great spots to grab a burger or hot dog, and tons of joints operate a mean grill.
The farm-to-table movement is also huge, with LA chefs having access to fresh fish straight from the Pacific Ocean and vegetables plucked from California’s rich earth.
Wine lists are dominated by Californian vintages – Napa, Santa Barbara and even Malibu. Napa’s Cabernet Sauvignons and Pinot Noirs are famed the world over.
Los Angeles, California, United States of America (USA)
LA is known for its stellar food truck scene, in particular its taco trucks – and the king of the taco trucks is Mariscos Jalisco. Come for the freshest seafood in the city – octopus, ceviche, oysters – and their spicy shrimp tacos.
Best for ages 13+
Los Angeles, California, United States of America (USA)
If you’re looking for old school Hollywood glamour, it has to be Musso’s. Everyone from Frank Sinatra and F. Scott Fitzgerald to Johnny Depp and Scarlett Johansson has been spotted in the red leather booths, tucking into steak and Martinis.
Best for ages 13+
Los Angeles, California, United States of America (USA)
It may be housed in a nondescript strip mall, but don’t underestimate Sushi Park – the omakase here is as good as any you’ll find in Japan and features over 35 cuts of the highest quality fish. Just don’t try to order a California roll…
Best for ages 13+
Los Angeles, California, United States of America (USA)
Venice’s trendiest restaurant – known for its wood-fired pizzas and inventive small plates – is almost impossible to get a table at. If you can’t manage it, simply get a take-away from their artisanal bakery, Gjusta, instead. Their tuna sandwich is the stuff of legend.
Best for ages 13+
Los Angeles, California, United States of America (USA)
This LA institution in West Hollywood first opened in 1934 and is home to over 100 food stalls and grocers, who specialise in everything from doughnuts and ice cream to beef jerky and gourmet pickles.
Best for ages 13+
Los Angeles, California, United States of America (USA)
This ever-popular food hall feels like a little slice of NYC in Downtown LA, with its neon signs and seemingly never-ending queues. Go hungry and try everything from wood-fired pizzas and fried chicken to spicy Filipino rice bowls.
Best for ages 13+
Los Angeles, California, United States of America (USA)
Head to Santa Monica’s farmers market on a Wednesday or Saturday morning and you’re bound to bump into one or two of the city’s top chefs, who all head here to pick up the freshest organic local fruits and vegetables.
Best for ages 13+
The beauty of LA is that you can eat well pretty much anywhere in the city, but for speciality cuisine or celebrity spotting, there are some stand-out areas worth noting.
If it’s fine dining you’re after LA boasts plenty of Michelin-starred spots, especially in Beverly Hills and Downtown. As for rubbing shoulders with celebs, you’ll find them in the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel or in the dimly-lit Tower Bar at the Sunset Tower.
Downtown is home to some of LA’s most exciting food hubs, including Grand Central Market and the Row, both of which are always welcoming hot new openings.
LA has turned into a gourmet food truck hotspot, with mobile kitchens specialising in everything from Korean-Mexican fusion to red velvet pancake balls. The best food trucks all have social media accounts where you can track their weekly schedules. You can stay on top of their movements with Roaming Hunger’s handy live map.
or just head to Abbot Kinney Boulevard on the first Friday of the month, when the city’s finest food trucks come together for an outdoor extravaganza.
For the best tamales in town head to the Mexican restaurants and food trucks in Boyle Heights, in the east of the city. For first-rate Korean food, make a beeline for Koreatown.
Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
California, United States of America (USA)
The bright lights of Tinseltown are home to surfer-filled beaches, glorious mountain hikes, glitz and glamour in spades and year-round sunshine.
