During our 24-hour trip to LA, we hit a few delicious dining destinations. My favorite part of traveling is trying new cuisines and restaurants. I like trying local favorites, so I asked a few LA-based bloggers what some hot spots are. These were great suggestions and I wish we had time to try more tasty places!
Joan’s On Third. This was our first stop after four hours in the car and it was the perfect way to fuel up for a whirlwind day. The marketplace and cafe is crazy busy since it’s so popular, but the wait time wasn’t bad at all. We stood in line to order for a few minutes, then we were immediately seated outside on the patio. Our food came out fast and was gone even faster. I had the chicken, bacon & brie sandwich and Rob ordered the fried chicken sandwich made with jalapeño coleslaw—both were delicious! They also sell a variety of jams, cheeses, sweet treats, to-go salads, coffee, pastries and ice cream.
The Springs. This was definitely the healthiest meal we had all trip. We went for lunch on Mother’s Day and they were giving out complimentary glasses of prosecco, which was a nice touch. I decided on the seaweed Caesar salad and Rob ordered the nacho salad. Both were tasty and good-sized! The atmosphere was really cool. I loved the light, airy space. It’s a big warehouse-like building that also has a yoga studio, wellness center and lounge for live music.
PettyCash. We were really impressed by the food and drinks here. We went on a Saturday night and it was very crowded, but luckily we found a spot at the bar. The lively restaurant has a trendy, hip vibe and was obviously a local hotspot. To start off the delicious meal, we ordered margaritas and pig ear nachos. I was a little unsure about the idea of pig ear, but they are just thin slices that are lightly fried so that it tastes kind of like a chewy bacon. It was amazing, especially with the runny egg. Then we tried the al pastor and baja fish tacos, which were really good.
Compartés. These are some of the prettiest chocolate bars I have ever seen—the packaging is gorgeous! I wanted to buy a bar for my mom’s birthday gift and ultimately decided on the dark chocolate coffee flavor, which is made with coffee from Alfred (see below). The two stores are actually connected in Melrose Place. I had high expectations, but was pleased to find that the chocolate tastes as good as it looks.
Alfred Coffee & Kitchen. I follow this cute coffee shop on Instagram and was so excited to see it in person! They have several locations in LA and we went to the one at Melrose Place. They have great coffee and the atmosphere is hard to beat. I love their urban, quirky decor. Plus, they sell McConnell’s ice cream, which is the best!
These are a few other restaurants/dessert spots I wish we had been able to try. Any other suggestions?! I would love to hear where you like to eat in LA :)
- Sugarfina
- Georgetown Cupcake
- Sockerbit
- Urth Caffé
- Salt and Straw
- a.o.c.
- Republique
- Knuckle & Claw
- Terrine
