Wilder Shaw

Maybe it’s the Super Bowl or maybe it’s the cold weather finally arriving. Maybe it’s just human conditioning. Whatever it is, we’re craving chicken wings right now. And the best of the best wings can be daunting to hunt down any time of year, as it feels like every restaurant in L.A. serves them. Where are the good ones hiding? We went on a quest so you don’t have to. Here are the best chicken wings in Los Angeles, from Thai to tamarind to classic buffalo in spots like a Los Feliz dive and a Venice favorite. All of the spots below are open for pickup or delivery. Things can change quickly, though, so make sure to check in with each restaurant before making plans to dine on-site.

There are a few dishes that define the food scene in L.A.: Everybody can agree that we’re a town with the best tacos, many agree that we’ve got some of the best burgers and anyone not from New York can agree that we’re home to some of the best pizza. But there’s another thing that Angelenos hold dear: breakfast burritos. Like burgers, tacos and pizza, there’s always a debate surrounding the city’s best tortilla-wrapped morning food. Head to these great spots to find your own die-hard favorite.

There’s an idea that Venice is nothing but tourists, skateparks, dispensaries and Bob Marley flags. While this is might be slightly true on the boardwalk, if you venture through the many twists and turns that Venice has to offer, you’ll find a treasure trove of incredible places to eat and drink as you take in the beachy scenery. When it comes to tipples, Venice has it made with one of the cutest wine bars on the Westside, not to mention great frozen cocktails and perfect date-night destinations. RECOMMENDED: Check out more in our full guide to Venice.

Red-sauce joints and L.A.’s old-school Italian-American gems tend to get lost in the wave of newer, trendier handmade pasta spots and coastal-Italian restaurants, but there are certainly still some stars shining bright—you just need to know where to look. While there are a slew of dishes that embody the culture’s hearty, quintessential type of family-style dining, the most iconic is chicken parmesan: Whether it’s on a plate as a dinner entrée or between a perfectly crusty roll as a sandwich, chicky parm is elite-level comfort food. The problem is, it’s such a simple dish—a lot of variants tend to taste similar, what with the clear-cut components of fried chicken under red sauce and mozzarella or provolone. So, how do you parse the city to find out who’s got the best cutlets? Easy. Consult our guide to the ultimate chicken parms around L.A.—consider us you own little nonni. (You look a little skinny—have you eaten yet?)

Los Angeles may be known for its Mexican food—particularly our tacos—but there's a type of cuisine from even further south of the border that we always have an eye on: Brazilian food. There’s more to Brazilian fare than your typical steakhouse; the South American country is responsible for plenty of delicious dishes, such as bauru and moqueca de camarão. These spots in L.A. are serving up the best Brazilian food in the city.

Mediterranean is a huge term, with it covering more than 20 countries. With Los Angeles being a melting pot of cultures, it's naturally a treasure trove of what seems like limitless Mediterranean options. Greek? Armenian? Syrian? We got it all. These various cuisines make up some of Los Angeles's best restaurants. But when it comes to the very best Mediterranean restaurant options, these are our top picks. 

Thanks to a fiercely loyal following, Cafe Brasil has been a local fave since the '90s, serving authentic Brazilian fare by a Sao Paulo-trained chef. People swear by the empanadas, plantain, and, especially, the feijoada—a spicy stew made with slow cooked pork, poured over black beans and rice, and plated next to some farofa and collard greens. Cafe Brasil’s Executive Lunch (with your choice of sirloin, fish, chicken, a pork chop, or veggies and served with rice, beans, plantains, and salsa) is also one of L.A.’s best lunch plates. And at $10.50, one of L.A.’s most affordable, too.

A place that caters to students is never a bad thing, especially when it means high-quality food at prices that students can afford. Mesa is right on point with the bowl trend, serving laid-back and unpretentious Brazilian rice bowls (nope, not Açaí) for under $10. You can do steak, chicken, or “chick’n” (soy, wheat and peas) over rice with black beans, sauteed collard greens, fried plantains and salsa. Cheese bread is an obvious addition.

L.A. is packed with great Japanese and Chinese hot pot, but great Mongolian can be harder to find. Pasadena’s Little Sheep is a welcome change. Once you choose either the original or spicy soup base, you can order the meats and veggies you want–with choices like rib eye, lamb shoulder, pork meatballs, surf clams, egg dumplings, wood ear mushrooms, fried starch balls and more–and then hit the sauce bar to find out just what you want to dunk it all in. Come hungry.

Falafel Arax has been an L.A. institution since 1980, and with some shiny new Studio City & Glendale locations, it’s starting to spread around. The cash-only mecca does falafel better and cheaper than most ($0.70 a piece!), as well as plates, sandwiches and specialty Armenian sausage. Load up a plate full of all the goodies you want, and don’t forget to add grape leaves.

When it comes to French restaurants in L.A., Petrossian is just what you need in a sea of elaborate tasting menus. Head to West Hollywood for a homey, relaxed vibe that does caviar the right way. It has the ultimate French brunch, with options such as smoked fish platters, cheese, charcuterie and plenty of caviar and accompaniments—and, of course, teas, coffee and jams.

Are you staying at L’Ermitage Hotel? Are you anywhere near L’Ermitage Hotel? Are you in L.A. at all? All of these are great reasons to visit Avec Nous, the upscale French spot tucked away inside said hotel. The menu is packed with goodies like Gruyère omelets, a standout Niçois salad and rack of lamb. The cocktails are exceptional as well (there's a French 75, of course), and you’d do well to order a few.