The best restaurants in Silver Lake

In our humble opinion, Pijja Palace is a razor-sharp distillation of everything great about dining in Los Angeles: fun, not too expensive and, best of all, gloriously unfussy. The Indian-Italian restaurant-slash-sports-bar took the L.A. food world by storm when it opened in 2022, and it's been busy practically ever since. (We recommend trying to snag a reservation or heading here closer to opening.) Whether you're in the mood for wings, pizza or pasta, the playful fusion-style dishes here offer a bounty of textures, colors and flavors. The popular picks are the malai rigatoni, green chutney pijja and dosa onion rings, though you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. 

With a name that fittingly translates to “my dear” in Farsi, this casual Persian eatery in Silver Lake takes a page from the Pine & Crane playbook (where co-owner Cody Ma once worked) with counter service and the sort of high-quality cooking you’ll cherish time and time again. Ma and his partner Misha Sesar serve an array of delightful homestyle dishes, including a standout turmeric-braised jidori chicken (dampokhtak) and matzo-like kofte tabrizi, a giant beef meatball that hides a mix of walnuts and dried fruits at the center. Smaller mazeh plates like the classic mast-o-musir (shallot, garlic and mint oil yogurt) with housemade flatbread and Sesar’s excellent dessert program bookend a delicious meal that showcases a cozier, lighter side of Persian cuisine that’s hard to find outside of home kitchens. Just be aware the small space gets packed, especially on weekends—you’re not the only one chasing this culinary high.

Casual, convenient and rock solid, Pine & Crane still seems to draw as much of a line on the weekends as when it first opened in 2014. These days, you can also find chef-owner Vivian Ku's Taiwanese fare at her other wildly popular restaurant, Highland Park's Joy, as well as Pine & Crane's roomier, breakfast-serving second location in Downtown L.A. But the Silver Lake original's chilled appetizers, dumplings, noodles and rice bowls shine bright as ever, particularly for those who aren't trying to spend a ton on lunch or dinner. Our favorite dishes here are the mapo tofu, scallion pancakes and the pan-fried pork buns, also known as shengjianbao (though they're by no means the city's very best).Take one bite of the beef rolls, and you'll easily understand why Pine & Crane has long been the go-option for Taiwanese/Chinese takeout or a casual dine-in meal among Silver Lake residents.

Silver Lake is now home to surprisingly great sushi, all thanks to this tiny Japanese strip mall joint and its sushi-focused sibling, Omakase by Osen, just down Sunset Boulevard. Both perpetually busy restaurants are led by seasoned chef Damon Cho, who's worked at Matsuhisa and Tao. While the actual $160 counter experience at Omakase by Osen isn't worth much (we found it wholly unremarkable), the donburi options ($28–$36), as well as the two-person chirashi ($70) at Izakaya Osen are so delicious and reasonably priced that I doubt you'll miss eating capital-S sushi. If you're in the mood for actual nigiri and hand rolls, Izakaya Osen has those too—and while they're not the cheapest around, the fish quality and craftsmanship definitely make for tasty à la carte sushi that doesn't break the bank. Also, definitely make a Yelp reservation, since the restaurant is quite small.

Now with four locations, including one in Las Vegas, Kris Yenbamroong's nationally renowned new-school Thai joint might be a mini-empire today, but the second outpost in Silver Lake ("song" means two in Thai) retains the bold, brash DIY quality that drew trendy diners to Night + Market like moths to a flame back in 2014. Inspired equally by the street foods of Bangkok’s night markets and the pork-centric cuisine of northern Thailand, Song offers a menu of salt-forward dishes that practically beg for a glass of natural wine or ice-cold beer; every drinking-oriented dish goes all gas, no brakes on salt, spice and umami flavors, including the signature "party wings" and fried chicken sandwich.

Since 1975, this daytime-only joint has served Silver Lake locals first as an ice cream shop, then as a Cuban American café known for its strong coffee, delicious pastries stuffed with guava and cheese and other everyday bites. Now revived after what seemed like a permanent closure last December, the new Café Tropical seems intent on preserving the pastry case, with a possible return to ice cream scooping form. While you’ll still find guava-cheese empanadas, Quarter Sheets alum Ed Cornell—one of Café Tropical’s three new owners—is also baking up other treats like seasonal doughnuts and savory pastelitos.

We’ve tried every sandwich shop in Silver Lake (shoutout to La Sorted’s mortadella focaccia sando), but this cheery takeout-oriented spot outshines them all with an amazing slate of Genovese-style focaccia sandwiches and other nonna-approved baked goods, sweets and pasta trays. Italian chef-owners Francesco Lucatorto and Francesca Pistorio crowdsourced recipes from their friends’ family traditions, including one for a decades-old crackly, bright yellow focaccia rounds that come stuffed with meatballs, frittatas, zucchini parm or caponata—a delightfully tangy, plant-based mix of eggplants, onions, celery and olives. You can also opt for the house special sandwiches made with imported salumi, including the Il Mortazza. The mortadella, grilled eggplant, burrata and arugula make for a one-in-a-million bite that’s creamy, fatty, earthy and balanced all at once. Enjoy a cappuccino and a pastry at one of the few patio tables aside earlier in the day (Ceci's opens at 8am), grab a heartier meal for lunch or head here for dinner (Thu–Sun) for pastas and the newer focaccia tipo recco—a cheese-filled cracker-thin style of bread made with your choice of toppings.

At this new-school cevicheria in Silver Lake, Peruvian scallop shooters and piled-high Mayan october and shrimp tostadas abound—unlike more traditional-leaning seafood restaurants around town, Ceviche Project’s best (and only) dishes are its one-of-a-kind Mexican raw offerings. Diners can choose from more than a half dozen seafood varieties from their raw bar, including chile de árbol-soaked crab claws and caviar service. On the night I visited, the kanpachi topped with ponzu, salsa macha and melon blew my mind when paired with the ultra-tasty corn tostadas. For a lighter, more upscale take on mariscos, this cozy spot on Hyperion Avenue is perfect whenever you find yourself in the area. Just know Ceviche Project typically only accommodates groups of four or fewer; groups any larger than need to reserve the entire bar. Tip: While most dishes offer plenty of kick, you can also up the ante with the housemade habanero oil available at every table.

Health-conscious, airy and bright (but with a tad bit of grunge), this all-day eatery is essentially Silver Lake incarnate. Since opening Botanica in 2017, owners Emily Fiffer and Heather Sperling have built a dedicated following with flavorful, light dishes like Turkish eggs and white bean hummus by day and shaved celery root salad and roast chicken with romesco by night. Throw in the cute, well-curated market out front for natural wines and gourmet goods, the occasional author talk or wine tasting event and a bevy of floral, herbaceous-leaning cocktails and you've got the recipe for an ideal Silver Lake neighborhood restaurant with a little bit of something for everyone.

This fast-casual walk-up in Silver Lake is the long-awaited original project of Mini Kabob’s Armen Martirosyan. Here, the second-generation chef combines Armenian and Mexican foodways in one of the most tantalizing, exciting mash-ups we’ve seen in a long time. Familiar vehicles—tacos, quesadillas and burritos—pair perfectly cooked meats and falafel with delicious sauces like chile de arbol toum (garlic sauce) and fire-roasted pico de gallo. For a lighter lunch, we recommend ordering two to three tacos; the heavier burritos and quesadillas just might require an afternoon nap. Paired with Mini Kabob’s famous, Aleppo pepper-dusted home fries and Armenian sodas, a meal here is an everyman’s ticket to an only-in-L.A. culinary rollercoaster you’ll want to ride over and over again.

Favored by bicoastal elites and influencers (both wannabe and bonafide), this oh-so-trendy Silver Lake wine bar spills out onto the sidewalk nightly with people who want to LARP a night out in New York City. I’m not joking in the slightest—and honestly, I’d love to hate Seco if the food and wine offerings weren’t actually good. Fortunately, they are. The 25-seat space, which recently debuted its daytime café menu, serves a series of flavorful small plates alongside natural wines by the glass that don’t taste like vinegar (for once). Culinary highlights include the bluefin tuna tostada and endive Caesar salad, but the reason you should come to Seco is the scene and the scene alone. Expect to be jostled and packed in like a sardine for your glass of vino—the price of being cool these days, I suppose.

This Silver Lake restaurant channels the breeziness of Greek island tavernas with a Mediterranean menu that features delicious souvlaki (meat skewers, including a vegan-friendly oyster mushroom option) and other tasty small bites like smoked cauliflower with spicy labneh and grilled octopus. An all Greek wine list showcases a side of vino not normally seen in Los Angeles—though, of course, the unique curation comes at premium price. The expanded patio parklet also transforms into a string-lit oasis after dark, giving the everyday strip mall eatery an unexpectedly romantic feel for date night.

While most pizzas at this strip mall spot are completely vegan (a boon for those who eat, or try to eat, fully plant-based), it’s also just damn good. Located in northern Silver Lake—close to Frogtown and Atwater Village—Hot Tongue offers delicious, freshly made pies both whole and by the slice. Pick from the eclectic neon pink shop’s thick Detroit-style squares, New York triangles and a gluten-free option, plus a small menu of salads and apps. All dishes are made with housemade plant-based cheese and toppings that lean more towards seasonal vegetables, rather than commercial faux-meats. Thus far, neighborhood locals and vegans have already gravitated toward the place, and you should too—the next time you find yourself in the area.

Once a mobile wood-fired pizza pop-up, now a permanent wood-fired pizza operation in Silver Lake, La Sorted's pies pile fluffy, chewy, beautifully bubbled dough with everything from the classics (margheritas and pepps abound) to Italian sausage with kale and razor-thin garlic—owner and pizzaiolo Tommy Brockert has even run a Dodger-dog–inspired pie as a special, if you're really in the mood to get weird. An expanded menu includes hoagies, wings, mozzarella sticks and Italian American-style salads. Our favorite sandwiches, however, come on La Sorted's housemade foccaccia—including a standout mix of mortadella, burrata and pistachio cream that left us dreaming about it for days afterwards.

Adobo pork belly nigiri and mushroom salpicao? It can only mean one thing: You're at Spoon & Pork, L.A.'s finest purveyor of modern Filipino comfort food. Though you can also find the restaurant cooking along Sawtelle in West L.A., the original outpost in Silver Lake offers a spacious patio and the same menu of flavorful cuisine mixing traditional, pork-heavy dishes with fusion-style fare. Be sure to order their crunchy lechon kawali the first time you visit—or the tokwa made with organic tofu, if plant-based is more your style.

With a concise menu of standout dishes and a great selection of natural wines, this Thai restaurant by Katy Noochlaor and Amanda Kuntee (of the family behind Fairfax's beloved Chao Krung) offers excellent, no-frills Thai cuisine for both takeout and dine-in. Dim-lit and casual, this wine bar and restaurant are what cozy weeknight dinners are made of, especially with an order of their tongue-searing papaya salad and creamy, flavorful panang curry. Since Same Same doesn't take reservations, it's also a decent walk-in option if you're looking for a great last minute meal—though the wait still can get lengthy on weekends.

Located across the street from the Silver Lake Erewhon, this longtime Thai restaurant is beloved by vegetarians and vegans across the city for its massive menu and rich, bubbling curries. Soy-based chicken, beef or duck substitutes pepper the soups, stir-fries and noodle dishes, and the deep-fried orange chicken is perfect for anyone craving a cruelty-free taste of Panda Express. While most of the menu is vegan, a few signatures contain egg, like the signature snap pea salad, which combines the thinly sliced veggies, cashews, onions and carrots in a chili tamarind dressing and tops everything off with coconut cream, crispy shallots, dried chilies and a fried egg.

Silverlake (one word, though the neighborhood's official name has two) Ramen has been a crowd pleaser since it first opened in 2012, drawing a steady clientele to its 30-seat space every night of the week, especially in colder weather. Start with a light bite—try the cucumber salad with slivers of crab, sprouts, sesame seed and house vinaigrette—and move on to heartier Japanese staples like chicken karaage or handmade grilled gyoza filled with juicy pork, cabbage and green onion. For the main course, stick with the house specialty—spicy tonkotsu ramen that boasts thick cuts of pork belly, green onions, spinach, bean sprouts, dried seaweed, garlic sauce and chewy noodles all bathed in a rich pork broth, cooked for 16 hours.

This neighborhood oyster bar channels the spirit of the sort of old-school seafood shack you might expect on a remote oceanfront highway, but all done up for Silver Lake. Visitors will find an illuminated sign on the wall announcing the day’s haul of fresh oysters, which should always be how your meal starts. The best way to eat an oyster is, of course, raw, but if you like yours cooked, the kitchen here offers several options, the best of which is simply fried. Make sure to try the daily specials, too, and the "bouillabasic": a pared-down version of the famous French seafood stew featuring black cod and clams.

Every day of the week, this no-frills café in Silver Lake serves generously portioned traditional American breakfast and lunch plates. While you'll find the this location packed with locals nursing their hangovers on late weekend mornings, Millie's is also one of the neighborhood's most dependable weekday breakfast joints, with quick service, homemade granola and an array of messes and scrambles that will help you get your life together whether you're on the way to work or trying your best to sober up after a long night out on the town.