The best new restaurants in Los Angeles to try right now

The quintessential Sichuan flavors of numbing and spicy are just right at Mala Class, a tiny restaurant in Highland Park run by a pair of alums from NYC’s Chinese dining scene. Peruse the small, vegan-friendly menu and zero in on Sichuan-born chef Michael Yang’s phenomenal take on dandanmian, which features a light, subtly flavored peanut sauce, springy noodles, (optional) ground pork and spicy chili oil. A selection of mostly fried appetizers includes craveworthy mushroom fries, pepper-rubbed tofu, and cucumber and bean curd salad. The beef noodle soup and pork dumplings add welcome twinges of heat to two Chinese classics, while those in search of milder, more familiar fare will enjoy the cold sesame noodles and garlic sauce shrimp. Despite having only opened in June, Mala Class’s mapo tofu is easily my favorite version in Los Angeles—and I’ve tried almost everywhere else in town you could possibly imagine. Metered street parking.

Tucked away in a barebones Echo Park space just before the Glendale Freeway, Ricardo Zarate’s latest endeavor serves delicious, reasonably priced renditions of the Japanese-Peruvian raw fare that put him on the map at Causita, Picca and Mo-Chica, among other now-closed restaurants. The difference this time? Zarate’s on his own. While the turquoise-quartz ceviche bar and pink neon lighting add plenty of flair, the Hummingbird is a no-frills, casual affair with no wine and beer license (yet). Start your meal with a few of the chef’s creative hand roll options, then order a couple of raw items—I particularly enjoyed the scallop aguachile topped with pepper ash and the classic sea bass ceviche. Best of all, nothing on the menu is over $40. Of all the restaurants I visited last month, the Hummingbird is definitely the one that delivers the most bang for your buck. Street parking.

Housed within a Brutalist-inspired minimalist space, this standout omakase bar ($225) in Hollywood offers all the trimmings of the typical high-end sushi experience—plus a few extra noteworthy tricks. Originally from Tokyo, Udatsu’s overseas counterpart boasts a Michelin star. Here, the eight-seat concrete counter offers a meal orchestrated by Shingo Ogane, the protégé of eponymous founding chef Hisashi Udatsu. The chef’s skillful variance of texture and temperature result in a subtle yet satisfying 17-course meal on par with L.A.’s best omakase spots. Highlights of the current menu include a seasonal herb roll, smoked fatty tuna served with a hazy flourish and sea urchin topped with crispy fried nori. If you have the time, arrive a tad earlier for a cocktail on the patio (though it’s not included in the price) to take in views of the Hollywood Sign. $10 valet and street parking.

Right below Udatsu sits Rokusho, an upscale Japanese restaurant serving elegant, seasonally inspired cocktails and drinking fare. Unlike Udatsu, Rokusho is a spinoff concept led by local chef Carlos Couts, an alum of Encino’s Sushi by Scratch. While the elevated prices and atmosphere set Rokusho apart from a traditional izakaya, the well-executed dinner menu and unique space—it’s just as strikingly beautiful as Udatsu—translate into an excellent date night destination. More substantive signatures like the wagyu carpaccio and sushi cake will fill you up in no time, but you can also order kushiyaki and the standout, vegan-friendly chili tofu for a lighter meal. What impressed me the most, however, was Rokusho’s beverage program, courtesy of Felix Campos (formerly of Damian). Whether you’re ordering from the cocktail menu or opting for wine, sake or beer, there’s always something interesting to sip on—booze-free options included. $10 valet and street parking.

Noree Pla and Fern Kaewtathip, the chefs behind one of L.A.’s best restaurants, have pulled off another feat of Thai gastronomy in the form of this cafeteria-style steam table concept located a few doors down from their original, critically acclaimed Hollywood restaurant. Look beyond the no-frills interior for flavorful curries, meat dishes and hard-to-find specialties you aren’t likely to find at your average Thai restaurant. To keep things interesting, the exact selection rotates on a weekly basis, though certain items like Phuket-style soy-braised pork belly and an excellent Thai-style iced tea, sold by the bottle, are always available. On our visit, I particularly enjoyed the fried hard-boiled eggs in tamarind sauce and yellow sour bamboo and fish curry.  Just be aware Luv2eat Express doesn’t play around with spice levels, so grab some napkins before you dig in; you’ll very likely need to blow your nose after your meal. On-site parking.

This Caribbean-Angeleno lockdown pop-up has finally opened its long-awaited brick-and-mortar in East Hollywood. Founded by Rustic Canyon and Botanica alum Rashida Holmes, Bridgetown Roti now serves a brightly flavored fast-casual mix of rotis, patties and sides, plus an all-new menu of “Caribbean tings” like cod fish cakes, honey jerk wings and chickpea doubles (the last of which is only served on Sundays and Mondays). The tiny space fills up quickly during peak lunch hours, but the excellent rotis—served as either a wrap or in a bowl—and wealth of vegan options make Bridgetown a worthwhile citywide dining destination for lunch or an early dinner. On my visit, I particularly enjoyed the decadent oxtail patty, curry shrimp aloo (potato) roti and red pepper goat with peanut sauce, which I ordered as a bowl for maximal enjoyment with the many house sauces. In truth, however, you can’t really go wrong at Bridgetown Roti, since almost everything is delicious. Metered street parking.

With a “teapresso” machine cranking out delicious tea-based drinks and well-executed regional mash-ups, this sleek Rosemead noodle and dumpling specialist is already drawing long lines, particularly on the weekends. Run by the same team behind nearby Ji Rong Duck House, Good Alley serves phenomenal Kaifeng-style soup dumplings and a hybrid roujiamo—a.k.a. Chinese hamburger—made with flaky thousand-layer pancakes and three different choices of meat filling. The menu also includes various noodle dishes, stir-fries, soups and skewers. While I’ve yet to sample everything on the menu, everything I have tried was excellent, particularly the baby napa cabbage and cumin lamb roujiamo. In the San Gabriel Valley’s competitive Chinese dining landscape, this newcomer is one you don’t want to miss—though I’d still recommend arriving just before opening to cut down on your wait. On-site parking.

These days, new restaurants rarely deliver the kind of bang-for-your-buck that Angelenos love, but Soondol Tofu House delivers a winning mix of quality and affordability with a build-your-own hot pot menu loosely inspired by soondubu. Diners can choose from three broth bases—including an extra-spicy red pepper option—plus a slate of add-on meats, toppings and noodles. Even with add-ons, each family-style cauldron easily feeds three to four for about $60 after tax and tip (that’s $20 per head or less, folks!), with free broth refills adding heft to a substantial, satisfying and ultimately standout Koreatown destination meal. Each meal also comes with complimentary banchan and sides of rice. I’ve yet to try the à la carte options, which include chive pancakes and stir-fried intestines, but the build-your-own stews are undeniably the star of the show. Just be mindful of the spice levels here—if you're going with the red pepper base, I recommend using half of the base and tasting as you go. Street parking.

This masa-centric stall inside South L.A.’s Mercado La Paloma comes from former Holbox employees Fátima Juárez and Conrado Rivera. While the couple have plans to eventually debut a tasting menu focusing on pre-Hispanic cuisine, Komal’s current offerings consist of tasty quesadillas, a selection of homestyle antojitos (literally, “little cravings”) and dessert. Standouts include the tlacoyos (bean-stuffed thick tortillas) topped with cactus, queso fresco and salsa verde and the taco Sonia, named for Juarez’s favorite childhood taquera in Mexico City. The size of a salad plate, the hefty handheld consists of seared beef shoulder, housemade pork sausage and your choice of mashed potatoes or cactus. None of the menu items are over $11—and while I eagerly await Komal’s tasting menu, the affordable lunch items are worth a visit all on their own. Outdoor dining available. Street and on-site parking.

Part natural wine bar, part restaurant, Companion is the stylish all-day hangout spot that Venice never knew it needed. Run by neighborhood residents Nick and Dakota Monica, the narrow, well-designed space serves pastries daily and standout sandwiches on housemade focaccia bread (the latter only 11am–3pm, Wed–Sun) before switching to a tightly curated Cal-Italian menu during dinner hours. In the evening, Quarter Sheets alum Jack Goode serves phenomenal pizzas made with crispy, New Haven-inspired dough, plus seasonal delights like Caesar-style romano beans and olive oil cake topped with blackberry-peach compote. A well-heeled locals’ crowd and the lure of vinyl spinning after nightfall have already made Companion a total scene (pejorative), but I’ll hold my nose for Goode’s delicious, painstakingly sourced cuisine. Outdoor dining available. Street parking.

With only weeks left in 2024, Chez Mia is a likely shoo-in as the most beautiful new restaurant to open this year. Taking over the old Ago space on Melrose, this glittering indoor-outdoor eatery from the Boujis Group (the Draycott, Olivetta) draws design and culinary inspiration from the French Riviera. The extensive, largely traditional menu aims to please with steaks and plenty of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options, but there’s a handful of standout items concentrated in the seafood, caviar and appetizer sections. On my visit, I enjoyed the hamachi carpaccio and caviar gougeres. If you’re feeling particularly spendy, indulge in the well-made cocktails and desserts—especially the delicious pistachio soft serve. While it’s unlikely that Chez Mia will impress the average epicure, the restaurant fits right in with the area’s see-and-be-seen dining scene—and still makes for a lovely, if pricey, night out in West Hollywood. Outdoor dining available. $20 valet and nearby metered street parking.

The Original Farmers Market just got another sit-down concept in the form of Ettore Vino e Cucina, an Italian restaurant and wine bar from the family behind Osteria Mamma and Ettore Winery, an organic NorCal vineyard. Behind the large, well-appointed rustic dining room sits a cozy heated back patio, complete with fire pit. The menu features hard-to-find aperitivi like crispy chickpeas, fried anchovies and octopus-and-sausage skewers, plus a selection of pastas, salads and mains. Each menu item comes listed with a recommended wine pairing—and there’s already a daily happy hour (3–6pm), complete with selection of $8 to $9 glasses of wine. The homestyle Italian cuisine here isn’t game-changing by any means, but Ettore still delivers as a compelling upscale dining option within the largely casual food hall. Outdoor dining available. 90 minutes free parking with validation after purchase.

Barr Seco, Sam’s Place, Sauced—there are noteworthy wine bars with tasty food popping up all over the place, but this stylish wine bar’s menu offerings distinguish themselves from all the rest. The uniquely carnivore-centric menu includes housemade charcuterie and sausages, plus impeccably finished steaks. Sure, the prices might be a little high, but the quality of the meat’s even higher. Owners Tyson and Bridgette Blackney pride themselves on sourcing antibiotic-free meats that are then dry-aged and butchered in-house. Standouts include the picanha beef tartare, grass-fed Wagyu steaks and the surprisingly refreshing fruit granita. In truth, a meal at Butchr Bar might run on the simpler side, but if you’re someone who loves a good steakhouse, don’t ignore this unlikely dining destination. Street parking.

After four years, Belle’s Bagels has finally opened its hotly anticipated Highland Park brick-and-mortar, and the wait was well worth it. Vintage memorabilia and at-scale dioramas behind the bar add a sense of style to the space. You’ll have to wait some more, however, regardless of when you visit this new-school deli: As of writing, long lines form daily for breakfast and lunch, though they tend to thin in the evenings, when the menu winnows down to latkes, pickles, schnitzel and other light bites that accompany the affordable, Jewish-inspired cocktail menu. In the morning, grab one of L.A.’s best bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches and scallion latkes, but pastrami sandwiches, matzo ball soup and patty melts are only available after 11:30am. After nightfall, order the briny Pickle Martini and delightfully herbaceous Cel-Ray Chaiball, which comes with an entire stalk of fresh dill. Outdoor dining available. Metered street parking.

With Eastern European flourishes, moderately priced cocktails and some of the only pierogies in town, this all-day eatery in Atwater Village is the kind of stylish, affordable Swiss army knife of a restaurant I wish I had in my neighborhood. Unfortunately, everyone else seems to have the same exact thought—which is why this tiny watering hole is jam-packed at all hours with Angelenos from all over jonesing for those excellent potato and cheese pierogies (available only after 5pm), the standout bistro-style burger and a rotating selection of tasty tartines. Before 11am, Bar Sinizki also serves a simple breakfast menu, including pastries and cardamom French toast. If you’re planning to come here for lunch or dinner, I recommend arriving early and steeling yourself for the wait. Outdoor dining available. Metered street parking.