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Los Angeles

City Guide: Sunshine-Fueled Eating for Chefs, Kids & Curious Palates I drop into LA often for culinary R & D, food-and-wine festivals, and the occasional private gig. The city always resets me: I breathe easier, eat cleaner (or dirtier, if that’s the mood), and glide into every spot with zero parallel-parking stress. Whatever you crave—sea-urchin pasta, oat-milk cortados, midnight tacos—Los Angeles has it, and nearly every doorway comes with its own parking lot (the opposite of NYC). Pop open the LA City Map, pin the lineup below, and graze away.
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  • Kato

    Jon Yao’s Taiwanese-leaning tasting menu—uni toast to 20-course precision—earned a Michelin star and a rabid chef following.

    LOCATION: Kato on Google Maps

  • Bestia

    Wood-fired pizzas, bone-marrow pasta, house salumi; still DTLA’s Italian gold standard.

    LOCATION: Bestia on Google Maps

  • Bavel

    Levantine sibling to Bestia—lamb-neck shawarma, oyster-mushroom kebabs, pillow-soft pita.

    LOCATION: Bavel on Google Maps

  • Meteora

    Jordan Kahn’s jungle-dream dining room (ex-Hatfield’s space) delivers a nature-driven, Michelin-star journey.

    LOCATION: Meteora on Google Maps

  • Holbox

    Mercado La Paloma stall dishing Yucatán ceviches & octopus tacos—the city’s most affordable Michelin-star meal.

    LOCATION: Holbox on Google Maps

  • Sonoratown

    Mesquite-kissed carne-asada tacos on hand-pressed Sonoran flour tortillas—order two, repeat.

    LOCATION: Sonoratown on Google Maps

  • République

    Morning pastries, French-Cal plates by night, all under a soaring 1928 skylight cathedral.

    LOCATION: République on Google Maps

  • Gjusta

    Venice deli-bakery: baklava croissants at dawn, wood-roasted fish at lunch, pantry treasures to smuggle home.

    LOCATION: Gjusta on Google Maps

  • Gjelina

    Gjusta’s sit-down sibling—charred seasonal veg, thin-crust pies, patio vibes that define Venice cool.

    LOCATION: Gjelina on Google Maps

  • Destroyer

    Culver City’s avant-garde daytime atelier: photogenic porridge, fermented-everything salads, edible-art pastries.

    LOCATION: Destroyer on Google Maps

Chef’s Quick-Fire Tips

  • Market first: Wednesday Santa Monica haul → build your picnic for the beach.
  • Taco rule: Two tacos per stand—variety beats volume.
  • Routing hack: Venice (Gjusta/Gjelina) → Santa Monica market → Culver City (Destroyer) → West Adams (Highly Likely) → DTLA (Kato/Bestia/Bavel/Meteora) in one coast-to-city sweep—parking everywhere makes it easy.

Sunset splurge: Book Nobu Malibu for golden hour—it’s a postcard you can taste.