Top Rated Restaurants & Cafes in Los Angeles

Chef Josef Centeno started Bar Amá to serve his take on Tex-Mex food, traditionally prepared by elders in his family. Creatively tweaking classic recipes, he has gained favorable mention in prestigious newspapers and magazines. The menu at Bar Amá offers appetizers such as Vegetable Escabeche and Salmorejo Salsa. The main course includes Chile Shrimp Ceviche with red onion, yam, lime and pomegranate, Roasted Sweet Potato with sea salt, butter and honey, Slow-Roasted Beef Belly and wood-grilled Chipotle Half Chicken. For dessert, do not miss the Chocolate Boca Negra with caramel, whipped cream and vanilla semifreddo, complemented by creative cocktails like the mezcal-infused Oaxacan Werewolf in Paris. And if you can't get enough of the tangy Tex-Mex food, have a look at the take-out menu to carry something for the road.

Le Petit Paris is a quaint, romantic restaurant that will surely impress your date. The upscale decor, slow music and dim lights set the mood for a pleasant dining experience. Menu offerings include classic dishes like Caesar Salad, Seared Tuna and Lobster Linguini along with a number of house specialties like Le Petit Paris Signature Cheeseburger prepared with bacon and Lamb Shank cooked for 48 hours. Don’t forget to complement the flavorful meals with a glass of French wine for a more authentic experience. The prices may seem to be on the steeper side, but the quality of the food and the ambience are well worth the money spent.

Consistently regarded as one of the best restaurants in town, this flagship of Joachim Splichal's Pinot-based hot spots is located inside the Walt Disney Concert Hall. It will not disappoint you. It is a favorite of the executives at neighboring Paramount Studios, so chances are good for celebrity sightings. The seasonal roasted white asparagus is wonderful as is the poached Maine lobster with spring peas, young alliums and lemon thyme. Be sure to ask about the special dishes that change nightly. The wine list is outstanding, but if you choose to bring your own, there is a corkage fee.

With unlimited food on buffet weekends and Taco Tuesdays, Chiguacle Sabor Ancestral de Mexico is a fiesta for the foodies. Located at Olvera street, which is a Mexican influenced neighborhood, this restaurant is a delight among the locals, as it serves authentically prepared Mexican cuisine. The tortillas are prepared here in a unique blend of extracts from cactus and corn, believed to be healthier than the usual way of preparing it. The menu is dedicated to southern Mexican cuisine and the dishes will you take on a culinary journey across four regions of Mexico. The traditional fried pork served with black beans, chicken enchiladas and variety of guacamoles are the main delicacies here, that make the locals reminiscence about their hometown. The decor here has the same Southern theme going, with dark wood furniture, walls and flooring with wooden panels. The restaurant looks like a majestic villa from the outside with blue framed window panes, adding to the grandeur of the place. The local traditions comes to life with Mexican flags used in its decor and colorful papel picados (traditional Mexican streamers) hung outside, completing the look of a Mexican fiesta.

If you are not in for a complete meal, yet looking for something filling and tasty, then Mendocino Farms is your best bet. Serving sandwiches and salads, it is popular for its attentive service and great food. Here, you can choose from the fixed menu or fix a sandwich yourself with your preferred dressing. BBQ Pulled Pork, Modern Tuna Melt, Prosciutto & Free Range Chicken and Kurobuta Pork Belly Banh Mi are many of the special dishes that locals swear by. So go ahead and grab your flavorful sandwich along with some salad at Mendocino Farms.

Vespaio in Downtown Los Angeles impresses with its stately seafarer-inspired theme and Italian fine dine menu. With its all-day dining theme and a weekend brunch thrown in, this elegant restaurant attracts crowds from morning until evening. Chef and restaurateur Ago Sciandri presents a skilfully weaved menu with Seared Carpaccio, Homemade Potato Topini Pasta and other bread, pastry and charcuterie options. This breezy restaurant extends on to a lovely patio that borders the nearby Grand Park, and is also located in close proximity to the Broad Museum, making it the perfect option for a pre-theater dinner.