I’ve always been someone who does a lot of research before a trip—almost too much, probably. But to me, it makes traveling so much more enjoyable since I already have a pre-vetted list of places going into it, so I’m more present once I’m there. That was especially true for the month-long stay in Los Angeles I just did.
With a city as huge and spread out as L.A., I went into it with more than 500 places saved (I know), and there was no way I was going to make it through all of them. I also asked my best friends who live there and our L.A.-based Who What Wear editors for even more recommendations—I wanted to know their all-time favorites—so there was no shortage of places to go.
On top of that, so much of L.A. is about the neighborhood you’re in, since it really shapes what you do while you’re there. Because I was staying in Silver Lake, most of what I did ended up being on the East side. That said, I still have so much left to explore on the West side outside of a day in Malibu at El Matador State Beach.
Below, a long list of my favorite places I got to shop and eat—and what to pack.
We all have our random pet peeves, and one of mine is walking into a random restaurant only for it to be mid. I tend to pre-check by cross-referencing people I follow on TikTok, magazines and Substacks I read, and input from people whose taste I trust.
As I mentioned, being based in Silver Lake, most of my recommendations skew toward the East side. Off the bat, if I had to narrow everything I tried down to just a few of the restaurants I tried, I’d pick Barra Santos, Greekman’s, and Found Oyster, with the top dessert being gelato from Bacio di Latte.
My favorite matcha and coffee was from Rōk, and I was also lucky enough to be within walking distance of two L.A. breakfast institutions (aka places with notoriously long lines): Courage Bagels and Sqirl. The Win-Dow became my late-night dessert spot for a salted caramel dipped cone, and Tacos Delta was right down the street whenever I wanted quick Mexican. If you’re looking for the buzziest spot in Silver Lake, Bar Secco is where people are quite literally spilling onto the sidewalk. And every Saturday, I made a point to go to the Silver Lake Farmers Market for tamales, onigiri, and fresh juice. The Hollywood Farmers Market is another incredible one if you’re around on a Sunday.
I spent a lot of time in Los Feliz as well, where Wilde’s, Little Dom’s, La Pergoletta, All Time, and Best Fish Taco in Ensenada were the standouts. And over in Highland Park, Hermon’s and Villas Tacos.
With our offices in West Hollywood, my regular lunch spot became Pantry, where I first tried Beverly Hills Juice. In other places around the city, I loved Sushi Gen, Pace, Saffy’s, Bub & Grandma’s, Wake & Late, Playita Mariscos, Handles Coffee, Holbox, and Jitlada.
For a classic L.A. dinner that’s perfect for a birthday or date night, the answer is, of course, Musso & Frank. If you want Chinese food, I like Panda Inn—the sit-down restaurant that Panda Express originated from. And would it even be an L.A. food list without Erewhon? I bought the flourless chocolate cakes on multiple occasions and tried a juice that had broccoli in it. Unfortunately, I left without a $143 Erewhon-branded tote bag, but maybe next time.
If you have time to get outside the city, Laguna Beach is an easy day trip, where I got some incredible suggestions from our Editorial Director Lauren Eggertsen. Put the luxury hotel Montage into Maps for incredibly stunning views, walk down to Treasure Island Beach, and eat at AhbA, Nick’s (or South of Nick’s), or Papa’s Tacos. I did a weekend trip to Lake Arrowhead too, and I went to Cedar Glen Malt Shop or Mandarin Garden if you find yourself there. I’d also recommend Ojai or Cambria for other options.
More saves I have bookmarked for next time: Anajak Thai, Badmaash, Bar Bestie, Bavel, Bestia, Cafe Stella, Cafe Triste, Casa Leo, Chainsaw Cafe, Dudley Market, Dunsmoor, Felix, Figaro Bistrot, Fosters Freeze, Genghis Cohen, Giorgio Baldi, Gjelina, Henrietta, Jones, Lolo Wine Bar, Marvin, Max & Helen’s, Miya Miya Shawarma, RVR, Sobuneh, Stir Crazy, Tower Bar, Zizou (the list goes on)
As I walked around the neighborhood where I was subletting on Sunset, I tried on sunglasses at Akila, went vintage shopping at Ratstar, and browsed Mohawk General Store and Rare Reserve. Not too far away, there’s also Replika Vintage, Little Shop, Viviette Vintage, Arete Studios, Ending Soon Studios, and Gil Rodriguez. On a different day, while visiting my friend who lives in Highland Park, we popped into Mondo Mondo, and it was nice to finally try on their jewelry and smell their perfumes firsthand.
If you’re into niche fragrance, The Scent Room is one of my favorite stores in L.A., carrying brands like Fugazzi, Maison Mataha, and Narcotica. And another beloved beauty destination, Larchmont Beauty Center, is on the same street.
Around West Hollywood, Scout has both designer and vintage on Melrose, with RLT and H. Lorenzo close by too. For appointment-only shopping, there’s Earl IRL, Laurel Pantin’s space in Beverly Hills, the Charlie Beads studio downtown, as well as Maimoun on Melrose, where you can book a private time to shop. Then there’s Platform, a curated collection of independent shops and restaurants over in Culver City.
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