Restaurants

Agent’s Paying Seafood

Providence. What Michael Cimarusti can do with a pincer and a tentacle will make you wriggle with pleasure. Sink into blue velvet at this porcelain shell-dotted lovely. 5955 Melrose Ave / WeHo / 323 460 4170 / lunch Fri, dinner daily / providencela.com

Steak Cut. Bend down, daddy’s in town. Puck’s light n’ white sizzler of stargazers, nubile vixens and bulging wallets (and paunches) also serves mighty fine slabs of beef. The Beverly Wilshire / 9500 Wilshire Blvd / Beverly Hills / 310 276 8500 / dinner Mon-Sat / wolfgangpuck.com

Cali/Fusion Spago. Formerly the poster child for garish Tinseltown excess, Wolfgang Puck’s flagship is now the picture of contempo elegance, with a modernised menu to match. 176 N Canon Dr / Beverly Hills / 310 385 0880 / lunch Tue-Sat, dinner daily / wolfgangpuck.com

Jap/Fusion Matsuhisa. Where Nobu-san first became a household name more than 25 years ago, and where he remains the sensei of choice when it comes to Nippon and Nikkei flaves. 129 N La Cienega Blvd / Beverly Hills / 310 659 9639 / lunch Mon-Fri, dinner daily / nobumatsuhisa.com Italian II Ristorante di Giorgio Baldi. Cosy coastal hideaway and A-list magnet, with A-list prices. Worth the calories. 114 W Channel Rd / Santa Monica / 310 573 1660 / dinner Tue-Sun / giorgiobaldi.com

French Mélisse. Double Michy-starred Santa Monica stalwart takes Gallic très sérieusement, and it shows. Délicieux. 1104 Wilshire Blvd / Santa Monica / 310 395 0881 / dinner Tue-Sat / no mobile phones allowed / melisse.com

Bouchon. Mr Keller’s upscale Paree in Cali bistro pleases with comely patio, raw bar + Ad Hoc’s fried chicken Mons. 235 N Canon Dr / Beverly Hills / 310 271 9910 / lunch Mon-Fri, dinner daily, w/end brunch / Ad Hoc’s fried chicken on 1st & 3rd Mon of each month / bouchonbistro.com Smart/Casual

Steak/American Jar. Inviting wood-panelled corner abode in russets and browns, marvellous for a hot date or a carno rampage. 8225 Beverly Blvd / WeHo / 323 655 6566 / dinner Tue-Sun, brunch Sun / thejar.com Classic American Delilah. Riotous, 20s-riffing knees-up, where glowy booths, slinky crew n’ live tunes star. Food is secondary. 7969 Santa Monica Blvd / WeHo / 323 745 0600 / dinner Tue-Sun / delilahla.com New American Otium. French Laundry alum Hollingsworth propels archi salvage + sustainable ingreds to stratospheric heights. 222 South Hope St / Downtown / 213 9358500 / lunch Tue-Fri, dinner TueSun, w/end brunch / otiumla.com Animal. From pig ears to chicken liver and veal tongue; it’s what’s cookin’ at this rammed and rowdy snout-to-tailer. 435 N Fairfax Ave / Hollywood / 323 782 9225 / dinner daily / special ramen menu from 6-8pm Mon-Tue / animalrestaurant.com Cali/Med Ammo. Smooth sophisticate serving it seasonal and local to food-lovers and playas alike. Sceney sidewalk lunch. 1155 N Highland Ave / Hollywood / 323 871 2666 / lunch Mon-Fri, dinner daily, w/end brunch / + branch / ammocafe.com

American Wine Bar A.O.C. A slice of NYC, faultlessly pairing wood oven-fired bites and lipsmacking small plates with regional wines. 8700 W 3rd St / WeHo / 310 859 9859 / all day daily / aocwinebar.com Mod/Fusion ink. Edgy, experimental eats from a Top Chef winner draw heaps of hipsters into a noisy, stark and sultry space.

8360 Melrose Ave / Hollywood / 323 651 5866 / dinner daily / next door lil’ sib ink.sack serves gourmet sarnies all day / mvink.com

Hinoki & The Bird. Zen den dishing Silk Road spice in C.21st style – dive in with wood-smoked cod and lobster rolls.

10 Century Dr / Century City / 310 552 1200 / lunch Mon-Fri, dinner Tue-Sat / hinokiandthebird.com

Seafood

Catch LA. If you can get past the paps and Octopussy door gals, this fish-ion hot tank lures all the big swimmers.

8715 Melrose Ave / WeHo / 323 347 6060 / dinner daily, lunch Sat-Sun / catchrestaurants.com

Italian

Mozza. Osteria one side, pizzeria the other, both heave like Sophia’s bosom and pack ’em in like Kim K’s pants.

6602 Melrose Ave / Hollywood / 323 297 0100 / dinner daily / Pizzeria at 641 N Highland Ave / 323 297 0101 / 12pm-12am daily / mozza-la.com / also

try Chi Spacca aka meatlovers’ paradise / 6610 Melrose Ave / 323 297 1133 / dinner daily / chispacca.com

Angelini Osteria. Earthy, bustling pasta destination for amazing al dente treats delivered by simpatico waiters.

7313 Beverly Blvd / Hollywood / 323 297 0070 / lunch Tue-Fri, dinner TueSun / angeliniosteria.com

Bestia. The industrial canteen vibe pairs perfectly with fuss-free and hearty, hunky fare. Veal tartare, roasted bone marrow, and housemade spicy ’Nduja sausage, oh my! 2121 E 7th Pl / Downtown / 213 514 5724 / dinner daily / bestiala.com Cal/Italian The Tasting Kitchen. Plonk your bot at the communal table for a taste of the Med via top ribbons + ace vinos.

1633 Abbot Kinney Blvd / Venice / 310 392 6644 / dinner daily, weekend brunch / thetastingkitchen.com

Mod French

Trois Mec. Jostle for a spot at Ludo’s counter under the ‘Raffallo’s Pizza’ sign to sample the weekly 5-course set.

716 Highland Ave / Hollywood / dinner Mon-Fri / book tickets two weeks in advance / or take trad brasserie bites at Petit Trois next door at #718 / 323 468 8916 / daily / no res / petittrois.com

République. SoCal native and ex-elBulli chef with a farmto-fork approach to classic French cooking – no foie here!

624 S La Brea Blvd / Hollywood / 310 362 6115 / lunch daily, dinner MonSat / republiquela.com

Japanese/Sushi

Sugarfish by Sushi Nozawa. Nigiri disciples bow down at Nozawa-san’s teeming temple of flip-fresh raw cuts.

Ste 150 / 600 W 7th St / Downtown / 213 627 3000 / lunch & dinner daily / no res / + branches / sugarfishsushi.com

Chinese

Mr Chow. Quick, wake Boy George, someone’s survived the 80s sans rehab. Dated food and decor, snooty service and crowd, but in the end it’s still a great night out.

344 N Camden Dr / Beverly Hills / 310 278 9911 / lunch Mon-Fri, dinner daily / mrchow.com

Thai

Night + Market. Chef Kris turns up the heat with tonguesingeing Isaan street staples in a buzzy neon-tinged nook.

9043 Sunset Blvd / WeHo / 310 275 9724 / dinner Tue-Sun / also at 3322 Sunset Blvd / Silver Lake / 323 665 5899 / nightmarketsong.com

Relaxed Steak/American Taylor’s Steakhouse. Dimly lit, retro scarlet-banquetted red meat paradise. Ask for the off-menu cottage fries.

3361 W 8th St / Koreatown / 213 382 8449 / lunch Mon-Fri, dinner daily / taylorssteakhouse.com

New American

Gjelina. A SoCal institution dishing delish mini courses on private or shared tables, mere mins from the boardwalk.

1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd / Venice / 310 450 1429 / lunch Mon-Fri, dinner daily, w/end brunch / try for a terrace perch / gjelina.com / offshoot Gjusta cafebakery is narby at 320 Sunset Ave / 310 314 0320 / 7am-7pm daily / gjusta.com

Superba Food + Bread. Lofty beach shack + tapas-y plates.

1900 S Lincoln Blvd / Venice / 310 907 5075 / daily / superbafoodandbread.com Italian/American Little Dom’s. Thin crust pizza rules whether in a booth, at the old-skool bar, or on the sidewalk with young bucks. 2128 Hillhurst Ave / Los Feliz / 323 661 0055 / daily / littledoms.com Pace. Off a winding road lies a rustic, hippie art-filled ecoeater, packed to the rafters with happy creative, PC types. 2100 Laurel Canyon Blvd / Hollywood / 323 654 8583 / lunch take-out MonFri, dinner daily / pacerestaurant.com French Bistro Cafe Stella. The tousled looks are as studied as the Left Bank atmos, but the steak frites and patio are winning. 3932 W Sunset Blvd / Silver Lake / 323 666 0265 / 9am-3pm Tue-Sun, 6pm11pm daily / cafestella.com Mediterranean Bäco Mercat. Yumsome signature fat flatbread sarnies.

408 S Main St / Downtown / 213 687 8808 / lunch & dinner daily / bacomercat.com

Mexican Malo. Cool cats cram the crimson wallpapered bar, or do a border run for the mellower sage green dining room. 4326 Sunset Blvd / Silver Lake / 323 664 1011 / all day daily, w/end brunch / + branch / malorestaurant.com Escuela Taqueria. Tacos al Pastor + agua fresca = mmm.

7615 Beverly Blvd / WeHo / 323 932 6178 / 11am-11pm daily / + branch / escuelataqueria.com Mex/Fusion Gracias Madre. Vegan Mexican. This is LA, after all. Somehow it works – or console yourself at the mezcal bar. 8905 Melrose Ave / WeHo / 323 978 2170 / 11am-11pm daily / gracias madreweho.com Sushi Hama Sushi. Simple n’ fresh in-the-know fave with no menu (or Cali rolls); belly up to the bar and let the chef loose. 347 E 2nd St / Downtown / 213 680 3454 / lunch Mon-Fri, dinner daily / hamasushila.com Sushi Park. It’s all shab and no chic in a strip mall, but the amazing, melt-in-your-mouth omakase is so worth it. 8539 W Sunset Blvd / WeHo / 310 652 0523 / lunch Mon-Fri, dinner Mon-Sat Mod Korean Pot. OG trendsetter Roy Choi fires up Korean-American goodness, from KBBQ to kimchi fried rice + killer hot pot. The Line Hotel / 3515 Wilshire Blvd / Koreatown / 213 368 3030 / dinner daily / eatatpot.com Gourmand Go-To Farmers Market. Locals and visitors love this warren of semi-alfresco restaurant-quality stands. #322 ¡Loteria! Grill has great Mexican; #312 The Gumbo Pot brings the Mississippi to you; and #450 Bob’s Doughnuts is for, d’oh! 6333 W 3rd St / WeHo / 323 933 9211 / daily / farmersmarketla.com