Patricia Kelly Yeo

Sure, we might all love our fried chicken sandwiches, but sometimes nothing replaces a classic burger (whether it's made with beef or not). With that in mind, we set out to track down the best burgers in L.A. We scoured plenty of greasy spoons to fancy French bistros—and, yes, even some nostalgic fast-food fare—to find the best burgers around. Just add a side of French fries and you have the makings of an all-time great meal. You might want to grab a few extra napkins before you devour this list.  

The Original Farmers Market is nearly a century old, but it can sometimes feel like an afterthought for younger Angelenos due to the busier, newer shopping mall next door. In the last two decades, the 89-year-old market has become synonymous with the Grove, and all the traffic and parking headaches that come with it. In fact, many people aren’t even aware that the two are separate entities; the grocery and dining destination is still owned by descendants of the late-19th-century entrepreneur Arthur Gilmore, whose acres of dairy-farm-turned-oil-field are now home to Television City, the Original Farmers Market and Rick Caruso’s artificial, soullessly commercial “town square.” Whenever I’m waxing nostalgic about old-school L.A. landmarks with amazing food, I’ll be honest: the Original Farmers Market isn’t anywhere close to my radar. These days, the Farmers Market has morphed into a tourist attraction whose narrow passageways become frustrating to navigate on foot on weekends, when heavy crowds wander over from the Grove (a place with downright mediocre dining options). It’s not a place I’d typically recommend Time Out readers visit merely off the food. And if you’re mostly looking to bask in the glorious mix of sights, sounds and smells of a food hall, I’d rather direct you to Downtown’s Grand Central Market, where the eclectic, high-quality mix of newer, chef-driven eateries and affordable lunch spots manage to cancel out the lack of free parking and equally hectic weekend atm

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and plenty of L.A. restaurants (especially those in hotels) have risen to the task of helping Angelenos and visitors celebrate Turkey Day. If you'd rather not stay at home this year, enjoy a gourmet holiday feast at one of these cozy restaurants—no dishes or kitchen clean up required. (For those who’d rather snuggle up at home, plenty of restaurants have continued their takeout Thanksgiving offerings from last year).  Editor's note: We will continue to update this page as more hotels and restaurants announce their Thanksgiving plans. For more budget-friendly picks, check back here throughout the first half of November.RECOMMENDED: See our full guide to Thanksgiving in Los Angeles

Over the last few years, plenty of Angelenos have discovered the beauty of ordering a premade, restaurant quality Thanksgiving meal at home. Between the cleanup, the potential for dry turkey and the possibility of forgotten ingredients, there’s plenty of stress that comes with cooking your own turkey at home, so why not leave it all to the pros? For those who’d rather leave the house this year, some of the best restaurants in Los Angeles are taking all the hassle out of Turkey Day with out-of-the-house Thanksgiving feasts, but for those who'll be at home with family and friends, several L.A. restaurants are offering an entire Thanksgiving dinner to-go—complete with all the fixins. If you’re looking to avoid the stress of cooking for (and entertaining) your relatives, hang up your apron and order one of these premade Thanksgiving meals. Oh, and just make sure to put in an order for a pie, too.Editor’s note: For more take-home Thanksgiving picks, check back here throughout the first half of November—we’ll be updating our seasonal guide as restaurants announce their holiday cooking plans.RECOMMENDED: See our full guide to Thanksgiving in Los Angeles

L.A. is a city constantly on the move, even if it's only at a glacial pace on the freeway. Our fuel to get through the day? Coffee, and lots of it, preferably paired with a quick breather at one of the city's best coffee shops. Whether it’s paired with a fantastic brunch or enjoyed as midday break from work, a good java spot is as necessary for Angelenos a solid neighborhood taco stand. But where can you find a great cup? And what makes a good coffee shop? While opinions may vary, we've created a sprawling, citywide guide full of spots with excellent, thoughtfully sourced coffee, delicious pastries and other snacks, gorgeous interiors (and in some cases, exteriors) and other unique, sustainability- and community-minded touches. For caffeine purists, we've also included more minimalist spots that will happily sate any coffee nerd. To help you find the perfect brew, we’ve sipped our way through the best spots in town—check out our guide, refuel and get back out there. You’ve got things to do.  

Endless summers in Los Angeles mean nonstop cravings for the best ice cream around (not to be confused with soft serve, for which we have an entirely separate—but equally cold and delicious—story). We’re talking rich, creamy ice cream. When temperatures climb, treat yourself to the city’s tastiest frozen treats, some of which are built on fresh fruits, herbs and veggies from L.A.’s incredible farmers’ markets. Whether you’re looking for jam-swirled seasonal flavors, globally inspired scoops or straight-up classic combos done right, L.A. has it all—and then some more. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to things to do in the summer in Los Angeles

When it comes to food, L.A. is full of hidden gems. These tried-and-true places might offer excellent takeout, or be a known lazy Sunday dinner staple, but they never get the attention they deserve. Every neighborhood in L.A. seems to have at least a few, and no list could be fully exhaustive of specialty spots, beloved neighborhood joints and other under-the-radar restaurants serving hard-to-find cuisine and eclectic dishes you can’t find anywhere else. In the name of our city’s diverse, often geographically isolated dining culture, we’ve rounded up two dozen hidden gem restaurants in 20 different L.A. neighborhoods and adjacent cities. No matter where you live, we’ve likely highlighted a hidden gem near you, with more than a few kernels of neighborhood knowledge and history most Angelenos probably aren’t familiar with peppered in. You may need to travel quite a ways to get to them or you may not, but these 24 hidden gems are more than worth seeking out the next time you’re in the mood for something new.

On the edge of Downtown L.A. near the Arts District, Little Tokyo dates back to 1886, when a Japanese ex-sailor opened a restaurant on First Street. Today, it’s a historic district, dining and shopping destination and a central touchpoint for L.A.’s Japanese American community. Many of the area’s family-run shops and eateries date back decades, some older than World War II, and the neighborhood is full of delicious Japanese and non-Japanese food alike, a wide array of Asian sweets and even a few late-night cocktail bars.  While the area has long been a go-to among Angelenos for sushi, ramen and Japanese comfort food, a handful of newer destination-worthy eateries have moved in alongside old-school joints, giving even more reason to explore the area’s dining scene. The best part? The neighborhood is small—just a few blocks, really—so a fantastic bowl of noodles isn’t more than a few steps away from a diverse array of sushi spots catering to every seafood whim and price point.  In recent years, Little Tokyo’s proximity to Skid Row and the worsening homelessness crisis citywide have meant that visitors are likely to walk by larger tent encampments nearby. Stay alert while parking, in particular, and in the evenings, when the neighborhood’s bustling crowds tend to thin out. That said, the neighborhood stays fairly busy and safe on weekends and special event days, especially near the Japanese Village Plaza and the Little Tokyo Galleria indoor mall.  Depending on when you visit, yo

Mexican food is probably the official cuisine of Los Angeles, with a taqueria or taco truck on seemingly every corner and freshly made agua frescas the summer drink of choice for thirsty Angelenos. What can we say? We’re blessed. But fare from south of the border runs so much deeper than tacos, with flavors and preparations that can vary depending not only by seasonality and provenance, but simply by which L.A. neighborhood we happen to be in at the moment. We tasted our way through every taco, mole, tamale and more to round up L.A.’s best sit-down Mexican restaurants, from old-school traditional to modern and back again.

In general, hot pot and its Japanese iteration, shabu shabu, don’t get as much love across Los Angeles as ramen and pho, but the broadly East Asian dining tradition is just as comforting on a cold, rainy day and far more conducive to hanging out in large groups. Typically served family-style, half the fun of hot pot restaurants is the ability to cook your own food and build a meal to your liking, though a few places offer individual-sized portions for those craving their own bubbling cauldron of delicious broth. Here are some of our favorite places across the city, from the Westside to the San Gabriel Valley, with plenty of centrally located options, as well.

L.A.'s Chinatown may not bear the same pedigree as its massive counterparts in New York and San Francisco, but there’s still plenty for your tastebuds to discover in the Downtown neighborhood that, in the last decade, has become home to a handful of destination-worthy gourmet eateries. (Of course, there's also plenty of excellent old-school spots.) During KCRW events in the summer and Lunar New Year celebration every late winter, the neighborhood population temporarily swells as revelers from all over come in, packing the normally quieter dining and drinking establishments.  For those willing to wander, Chinatown offers plenty of off-the-beaten-path treasures. The area isn't just known for Chinese cuisine—it now offers several amazing sandwiches and Vietnamese fare as well. Outside of dining, you can even pick up vintage finds at East Meets West and cookbooks at Now Serving inside Far East Plaza. With three main shopping plazas (Central and Mandarin, as well as the aforementioned), there's plenty of great food and drink to found using our guide to Chinatown’s best restaurants and bars. RECOMMENDED: See more in our full guide to things to do in Chinatown

When out-of-towners hear the phrase “L.A. fine dining” they might scoff, thinking it’s an oxymoron considering how casual this city is, but the truth is that Los Angeles is home to some of the best tasting menus and fancy restaurants in the country—you just need to know where to look. When you want to dress up for a romantic dinner or splurge on your birthday, there are some stellar spots; at the best fine dining restaurants in L.A. you might sit down to an elegant kaiseki dinner, a tasting from one of the world’s most famous chefs, or a seafood-centric meal filled with artistic flourish, and you can be sure servers won’t try to slip you their headshots as they present perfectly plated entrées. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best restaurants in Los Angeles

With a cornucopia of sugary flavors and affordable pricing, this Ohio-based ice cream franchise hits the perfect middle ground between gourmet shops and bargain bin options like Thrifty's. Every scoop of ice cream is made at in-store at each Handel's location, and the brand's captured our attention with flavors like Buckeye (peanut butter base with fudge ripple and buckeye candy pieces), Elvis (banana base with peanut butter ripple) and a delightful mint Oreo. While we're admittedly less keen on the fruit flavors like strawberry, which tend to taste merely sweet, we love any flavor that uses cookies, candy, chocolate or peanut butter. Just note you'll have to leave L.A. proper to get a fix: As of now, Handel's is open in Santa Monica, Culver City, Manhattan Beach, Downey, Pasadena, La Cañada, Long Beach, Northridge and Woodland Hills.  

This Saturday, enjoy island-inspired flavors at the Rose Venice while raising funds for Maui wildfire relief and rebuilding efforts. 100% of all ticket proceeds will go towards Hawai‘i Foodbank’s Maui Relief Fund. Each all-inclusive ticket grants you access to a mouthwatering food and drink menu that includes bluefin tuna poke, huli-huli chicken kabobs and Don Ho (pineapple) pizza, as well as a whole roasted pig marinated in soy, garlic, lemongrass and more. For drinks, sip on rum-based drinks from Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum (the event's sponsor).The Rose will also host live music, on-site flash tattoos and a benefit auction with a custom-designed Harley Davidson.

Brave the weirdos and tourists of Hollywood Boulevard for a taste of this no-frills storefront's delicious, juicy Syrian-style shawarma. Whether you're stopping by after a concert at the Fonda or the Bowl, or trekking from elsewhere, Hollywood Shawarma delivers the late-night goods with two different kinds of thinly shaved, juicy and delicious street meat—chicken or mixed lamb and beef. Inside a pan-grilled wrap, the shawarma almost seems to melt in your mouth, especially when paired with the delectable sauces (tahini for the lamb and beef, garlic for the chicken). Grab a seat at one of the sidewalk tables and dig in—L.A.'s best shawarma awaits.

Nashville-spiced hot catfish, housemade capicola with muffuletta relish and a hearty skillet of perloo brimming with shrimp and oysters—Sammy Monsour’s Preux & Proper may have closed, but the chef is already making up the difference with his new destination-worthy Southern restaurant in Downtown L.A. Lowcountry cuisine manifests itself in Charleston-inspired dishes like the perloo and Gullah Geechee-style braised kale, but Joyce’s menu draws inspiration from all over the map for a flavorful romp through the American South. Located inside the former Red Herring space, the restaurant also offers a fleet of sustainably made cocktails and a late-night tinned fish menu on weekends for night owls.

Within the underground parking structure of a Rodeo Drive shopping center lies the omakase-only follow-up to Sushi Note, chef Kiminobu Saito’s popular Sherman Oaks sushi bar. As with the original, Sushi Note Omakase offers two wine pairings, though the real prize is the 20-course $190 tasting experience that includes appetizers, impeccably crafted nigiri, a delicate toro and Japanese pickle hand roll and special-order yuzu gelato made by Hollywood’s Gelato Festival. While the price point is naturally higher than the 818 original, Saito and his apprentice Earl Aguilar make sure the more premium offering at Sushi Note Omakase still delivers in terms of deliciousness and overall value, particular for the area. The restaurant also offers a shorter, more affordable 12-course omakase ($125) at 4pm, though we recommend springing for the full experience.

Despite the sketchiness of Melrose Avenue after dark, this plant-based bar and restaurant (APB stands for “All Plant Based”) has managed to turn into a vegan-oriented nightlife destination thanks to occasional live DJs on the weekends. Earlier in the evenings, APB serves a small, slightly pricey plant-based sushi menu—nothing spectacular, but decent enough for pregame fare. The wealth of non-alcoholic options makes it a great option for anyone hoping to cut back on booze while still going out, and the house cocktail menu is full of the usual sugary, crowd-pleasing staples: a spicy marg, a lychee martini and the like. To lean into L.A. stereotypes, order the Beauty Cocktail, which adds Erewhon collagen to a mix of rum, raspberry jam, muddled mint, lemon juice and vegan pisco foam.

If you’re on the Westside, stop by for a cappuccino or a relaxed meal at this breezy all-day café and market along Santa Monica’s Montana Avenue, where high-quality Italian imports combine with a charming string-lit patio for one of the best sandwich experiences we’ve had all year. Made with airy focaccia slices from Culver City’s Bianca Bakery, they come stuffed with the finest prosciutto, mortadella and salami—and though pricey ($25 and up), each handheld can easily feed two. The wine selection and family-style charcuterie plates, naturally, are also excellent, as are the veggie-forward appetizers drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil. For a bit of decadence, order the Deliziosa (aged pecorino, 24-month-aged prosciutto and black truffle sauce).

Packed full of meat and cheese, the cheesesteak sandwiches at this family-run Mid-City storefront would make any East Coast transplant a little bit homesick. They're made with hoagie rolls flown in from Philly and can be modded out with your choice of Cheez Whiz, white American or provolone. But South Philly Experience doesn't stop there: The slow-roasted roasted pork sandwich (also available with broccoli rabe) will take you back to your nonna's kitchen, as will the saucy chicken parm. The shop also stocks Taylor pork roll for the ultimate East Coast all-day breakfast sandwich, and offers local delivery as well. How's that for a one-stop (sandwich) shop?

After closing in 2018, Kwang Uh’s critical darling has made a triumphant return in the form of an Arts District tasting menu. Alongside his wife, Mina Park, Uh now offers a $110 seven-course offering that’s admittedly small in terms of portion size, but big on the fermentation-forward Korean flavors that first captivated L.A. during the Obama administration. Highlights include the fried soy-marinated crab and the Hokkaido scallop topped with minari (water celery), gim (dried seaweed) and puffed rice. Delicate soju-based cocktails and a larger selection of Korean rice wines make for a unique, if not exactly filling, culinary experience. Despite that, we’re excited to see where the couple behind Shiku takes Baroo 2.0; if you’re the type to regularly splurge on tasting menus, consider this place a must-visit.

Nestled between a yakitori joint and an optical shop in a Gardena strip mall, it might be hard to discern which storefront, exactly, contains Daniel Son’s Sushi Sonagi. But like other sought-after L.A. omakase experiences, the tiny crowd of people milling about right before each of the evening’s two seatings typically gives it away. Once inside, all the elements of any high-end sushi experience worth its salt are present: the minimalist bleached wood interior, a well-curated sake list and the chef, standing behind the counter, prepping for the dozen or more nigiri courses that lie ahead. Aside from familiar surroundings, however, the three-month-old Sushi Sonagi is anything but typical. Distinctively Korean flavors and California seasonality have already set Son’s brand-new South Bay sushi counter apart in the city’s ever-expanding omakase scene. Named after the Korean word for cloudburst, Sushi Sonagi elicits the same sense of wonder—and elation—that a burst of sudden rainfall might evoke on a muggy afternoon. Son sources most of his fish from the same seafood supplier used by Morihiro and Shunji, yet the well-trained Korean American chef fuses traditional technique with hints of bold flavor and seasonal produce in a way that feels fresh and memorable. (This is coming from someone who’s tried 30 different L.A. omakases over the past two years.) If Morihiro and Shunji produce restrained compositions of classical music, Sushi Sonagi is a night of lively, entertaining jazz. The

No place has captured the heart and minds of L.A. TikTokers more than Tea at Shiloh, an underground Arts District teahouse offering a quiet co-working space by day and oft-crowded evening teahouse sessions—both only accessible by advance reservation. In addition to "daylight hours" and "late night tea," Shiloh's annex space hosts a range of vaguely New Age community events, including sound baths, pop-up dinners, art classes and activity workshops teaching floral arrangements and tarot. Evening sessions come with unlimited tea, a few snacks and access to arts and craft supplies. Before visiting, make sure to read the house rules (there's no shoes inside, for example) and note the teahouse's atmosphere is highly dependent on the evening's guestlist; some sessions can be more social than others, and guests overall typically skew quite Gen Z, for better or for worse. 

In love with all things pounded, breaded and fried? Head to the third iteration of h.wood group (Delilah, The Nice Guy) and Off The Menu’s Tenderfest. During the daylong food festival, chefs from eight different fried chicken restaurants will go head-to-head against local chefs to compete in the National ConTender Championships. Highlights include L.A.'s famous Pioneer Chicken and nationwide chain Raising Cane's. Each GA ticket allows unlimited samples of every chef’s chicken tender entry, unlimited fries and dessert. General ticket sales will begin September 29.

Table at Third & Fairfax is a weekly dining column in 2023 where Food and Drink editor Patricia Kelly Yeo will eat her way through the Original Farmers Market. Each column will drop on Thursday for a week-by-week recap of her journey through the classic L.A. tourist attraction. Last week, Kelly visited Thicc Burger for breakfast. This week, I get to the market via rideshare, saddled with a yoga mat and a bright orange bag of swag from a pilates class sponsored by a Korean skincare brand. Hungry, sweaty and greatly in need of a place to sit, I take a seat in the shaded patio area close to Bob’s Coffee and Doughnuts and Patsy D’Amore’s Pizza (est. 1946), which I’ll be revisiting today. Having already tried their pizza, it’s their pasta I’m after today. They serve ravioli, lasagna and meatball sandwiches, but I decide to keep it simple with a plate of spaghetti and meatballs ($14.95).  The employee behind the counter adds just one large meatball to my plate, but the generous dollop of meat sauce seems to make up for the overall lack of meatball action. Topped with a shower of powdered parmesan cheese, Patsy’s spaghetti bears little to no resemblance to the housemade pasta at Pasta Corner. Then again, it isn’t trying to: This is unabashedly Italian American cuisine, ladled from steaming silver vats. The meatball is well-seasoned, though it doesn’t hold a candle to the excellent meatballs I’ve had recently from Donna’s in Echo Park and to a lesser extent, La Dolce Vita in Beverly

Table at Third & Fairfax is a weekly dining column in 2023 where Food and Drink editor Patricia Kelly Yeo will eat her way through the Original Farmers Market. Each column will drop on Thursday for a week-by-week recap of her journey through the classic L.A. tourist attraction. Last week, Kelly visited Phil’s Deli.  Arriving at the Farmers Market on a late Wednesday morning, I’m ready to tuck into breakfast from Thicc Burger (est. 2023), which the Los Angeles Times recently named one of its favorite burgers in L.A. Now, while I was impressed with the two burgers I tried a few weeks ago, I didn’t think Thicc Burger was an obvious shoo-in for Time Out’s best burger guide, given the formidable number of competitors across town. What did pique my interest, however, was the morning-only menu, which consists of a breakfast sammie ($12), an English muffin-based riff on a McGriddle ($12), “hot” avocado toast ($12) and a breakfast burrito ($13). The day I arrive, they’re out of the Thicc Griddle and the avocado toast, so I order the breakfast sammie with bacon and the breakfast burrito with sausage. As a sign near the register says, all food is made to order, so I’m already anticipating a short wait as I place my order. In the end, it takes about 10 minutes or so for my order, though I’m the first customer of the day so I can’t say this would be your experience later in the morning. The first thing I notice about the sausage breakfast burrito is its size: It’s on the smaller side, tho

Table at Third & Fairfax is a weekly dining column in 2023 where Food and Drink editor Patricia Kelly Yeo will eat her way through the Original Farmers Market. Each column will drop on Thursday for a week-by-week recap of her journey through the classic L.A. tourist attraction. Last week, Kelly visited Gone Bananas Bread. It’s nearly the busy season here at Time Out, when Thanksgiving, Christmas and end-of-year lists conspire to make us work overtime before the entire country tunes out the last two weeks of the year. As a result, I’m relishing the last handful of visits for Table at Third & Fairfax, now that I’ve tried basically every place in the market, with plans to revisit most places twice. This week, I decided to have a leisurely late breakfast at Phil’s Deli & Grill (1934), where a handful of people are already noshing on French toast, eggs and other dishes associated with morning. Following their lead, I order the Deli Special ($13.95), which consists of two eggs, two pancakes (or French toast) and sausage (or bacon). I take a seat at the counter and order my eggs scrambled. Over the next half hour, I end up having an extended conversation with the nonbinary OnlyFans content creator sitting next to me who is in the middle of moving away from the area. The food arrives quickly, and is generously portioned: My order comes with four breakfast sausages and some orange slices on the side. The paper container of melted butter is a little confusing, but the pancakes taste gr

Table at Third & Fairfax is a weekly dining column in 2023 where Food and Drink editor Patricia Kelly Yeo will eat her way through the Original Farmers Market. Each column will drop on Thursday for a week-by-week recap of her journey through the classic L.A. tourist attraction. Last week, Kelly visited Pasta Corner.  Taking over the old Waffleshot stall is Gone Bananas Bread (est. 2023), a new Farmers Market vendor dedicated to all things banana bread, as well as a handful of bottled and canned drinks. In addition to six varieties of banana bread, the stall sells banana bread pudding and “bananyays,” tiny heart-shaped pieces of banana bread that are deep-fried and coated in a sugar glaze. You can order banana bread by the slice or pick up whole loaves. Oddly enough, per GBB’s Instagram stories, the company held a “grand opening” pop-up at another stall in the Farmers Market almost a year ago, but I can personally attest to the fact that it didn’t actually open as a full-fledged market vendor until quite recently.  On my 40th weekly visit to the market, I’m fresh off another scouting meal in Gardena, so I made my way quickly from the parking lot to the Gone Bananas Bread stall. A pink and yellow neon sign, as well as a large hand-painted graphic with a few banana peels, mark a sharp visual departure from the old Waffleshot. The branding is admittedly quite cute, and there's a stack of greeting cards for sale by the register that read “I find you appealing,” with illustrations

Table at Third & Fairfax is a weekly dining column in 2023 where Food and Drink editor Patricia Kelly Yeo will eat her way through the Original Farmers Market. Each column will drop on Thursday for a week-by-week recap of her journey through the classic L.A. tourist attraction. Last week, Kelly visited Friends and Family Pizza Co. Early on Monday afternoon, I’m back at the Original Farmers Market for a second visit to Pasta Bar (est. 2022). On my walk over to the West Patio, I notice more vendors than usual are closed, possibly due to Yom Kippur. A large Noodle Art tarp covers the former Peking Kitchen stall and promises that handmade noodles are “coming soon.” I’m on my second lunch of the day, so I’d like to make this quick: Navigating through the thinned out crowds of tourists, I place an order for spaghetti bolognese ($24). I also wanted to order tiramisu, but they’re unfortunately out of the espresso-based dessert. The cashier says it’ll take a solid 10 to 15 minutes before my order is ready, and unlike last time, all the seats at the counter are taken. I idle at a nearby table, scrolling through emails on my phone. “Ellie!” she calls, having misheard my name. I walk over to the to-go area, where she’s dropped my plate of standard-issue spaghetti bolognese. Like the spicy vodka lumache I tried on my last Pasta Corner visit, the dish is made with housemade noodles, which are displayed in the counter out front (and are available for purchase to make at home). This time, I’

Table at Third & Fairfax is a weekly dining column in 2023 where Food and Drink editor Patricia Kelly Yeo will eat her way through the Original Farmers Market. Each column will drop on Thursday for a week-by-week recap of her journey through the classic L.A. tourist attraction. Last week, Kelly visited Thicc Burger. It’s probably just Stockholm syndrome, but I’ve managed to develop some level of appreciation for pizza after trying (and retrying, in some cases) 33 different options across Los Angeles in the last year. I like pizza, but I don't really crave it, and I certainly wouldn't go out of the way on my own to try dozens of different versions of it. Most days of the week, what I end up consuming is dictated by what other people like to eat, and if the ever-increasing number of pizzerias are any indication, Angelenos love nothing more than wood-fired dough, cheese and tomato sauce of various thickness. This past Monday evening, I actually found myself looking forward to meeting my friend for a few slices of pizza at Friends and Family Pizza Co. (est. 2023), where we tried four slices: potato-taleggio ($7), pesto-roasted tomato ($7), fresh mozzarella and basil ($7) and rapini-sausage ($7). Since my visit in late March, I’ve managed to try a few similar joints across town, including El Sereno’s Secret Pizza, which I thought was solid but nothing particularly remarkable. I can honestly say now that I think FFPC is better. It’s true that Secret Pizza’s triangles don’t fold—a s

Table at Third & Fairfax is a weekly dining column in 2023 where Food and Drink editor Patricia Kelly Yeo will eat her way through the Original Farmers Market. Each column will drop on Thursday for a week-by-week recap of her journey through the classic L.A. tourist attraction. Last week, Kelly visited Marmalade Cafe. I've never eaten at Hawkins House of Burgers, but I can see the resemblance in the thick, 4-ounce burger patties at Thicc Burger (est. 2023), the newest tenant at the Original Farmers Market and the winner of the New Original contest earlier this year. From the moment I take my first bite, it's clear that chef-owner Jean "Jay" Wolfe has crafted a winning combination with a housemade "thicc" sauce, caramelized onions, American cheese, lettuce, tomato slices and pickles. In truth, at least visually, I can tell it's quite similar to the famous Watts burger stand, which Wolfe drew direct inspiration from when they first opened Thicc Burgers as a pop-up back in 2020.  The new eatery, which has taken over the Rick's Produce stall, also offers a few breakfast items (Thicc Burger opens at 9am), a turkey burger and a portobello mushroom option for vegetarians. Six days after the restaurant's grand opening on September 7, I order an OG Thicc Burger combo, which includes a side of garlic fries and a drink ($20.50). I also decide to grab the Jive Turkey ($14), the restaurant's turkey option. It's only after I order that I realize that Thicc Burger also offers shakes, so I h

Table at Third & Fairfax is a weekly dining column in 2023 where Food and Drink editor Patricia Kelly Yeo will eat her way through the Original Farmers Market. Each column will drop on Thursday for a week-by-week recap of her journey through the classic L.A. tourist attraction. Last week, Kelly visited Moishe’s. For the second time in my life, I’m nursing a hangover at the Marmalade Cafe (est. 2002) after a night of heavy drinking. It’s the Friday before Labor Day, and I’m starting to regret the two strong cocktails I had at Charcoal Sunset, my last stop before the publication of September’s best new restaurants list. Meeting up with a pair of friends, my partner and I make our way through the thick long weekend crowds to the mostly empty restaurant, which sits just across the street from the Grove. We’re here for this column (as I’m taking the next week off), but I can’t stomach the thought of a gut-busting sandwich from Phil’s or a plate of heavy cream and noodles from Pasta Corner, which is how we end up here. Among the four of us, we order the crispy ginger chicken chicken pot stickers ($14.99), a bowl of wild mushroom soup ($10.75), seared blackened ahi and Napa slaw ($20.99), a smoked salmon Benedict ($19.75) and a short stack of the seven grain and almond granola pancakes ($12.75). The service is brisk, the air conditioning runs full blast and I can almost feel the uncomfortable sense of nausea start to disappear as I sip on an iced tea. Within 10 minutes, we’re munchi

Table at Third & Fairfax is a weekly dining column in 2023 where Food and Drink editor Patricia Kelly Yeo will eat her way through the Original Farmers Market. Each column will drop on Thursday for a week-by-week recap of her journey through the classic L.A. tourist attraction. Last week, Kelly visited El Granjero Cantina. This Wednesday afternoon, the market is all but empty as I visit Moishe’s (est. 1992), hoping to enjoy something light before an early dinner at Nozawa Bar in Beverly Hills. There are a few others standing around the Armenian-owned food stall, but it takes just a few minutes to place my order: a gyro plate ($19.98) and three falafel balls ($1.25 apiece). Each plate comes with your choice of two different sides, so I get the tabbouleh and hummus. In truth, I’m not expecting much from Moishe’s, which I think, based off my last visit, is a solid lunch option if you’re craving Middle Eastern flavors. In other words, it's good if you're in the area, but I wouldn’t otherwise recommend going out of the way for. It’s a surprise then when I can’t stop crunching down on the falafel balls, which come to me still warm from the fryer. Dipped into a side of lemon tahini sauce, or better yet some hummus, the mix of chickpeas and herbs is so delicious I quickly finish all three. The gyro, which comes on a bed of sliced white onions and pale tomatoes, is slightly less impressive, though the addition of yogurt sauce and warm slices of pita bread do help. It’s a far cry from

Table at Third & Fairfax is a weekly dining column in 2023 where Food and Drink editor Patricia Kelly Yeo will eat her way through the Original Farmers Market. Each column will drop on Thursday for a week-by-week recap of her journey through the classic L.A. tourist attraction. Last week, Kelly visited Du-par’s again. At long last, it’s time for the free chips and salsa at El Granjero Cantina (est. 2021), the full-service Mexican restaurant on the outskirts of the market. From the wall of colorful backlit “TACO” signs to the large, cheery-looking patio overlooking Marmalade Café, Zara and the beginning of the Grove, it’s clear this newer addition to the Original Farmers Market doesn’t traffic in ideas of authenticity. Instead, the expansive menu aims to please just about anyone with plenty of healthful bowls alongside the usual mix of antojitos, tacos, burritos and sizzling fajita platters.  For the last eight months, I’ve mostly bypassed the restaurant, my eyes occasionally lingering on the bright flowers painted outside. During the day, when most of my visits happen, the restaurant usually isn’t that busy. On the Monday evening I visit, I’m surprised to find a decent chunk of the dining room and patio areas occupied. After I meet up with a friend, we decide to order a whole smorgasbord of items: Hot Cheetos covered in nacho cheese ($7), carne asada fries ($24.95), a plato mixto with a carnitas taco, tomatillo chicken taco and a chicken enchilada ($26.95) and, off the specia

Table at Third & Fairfax is a weekly dining column in 2023 where Food and Drink editor Patricia Kelly Yeo will eat her way through the Original Farmers Market. Each column will drop on Thursday for a week-by-week recap of her journey through the classic L.A. tourist attraction. Last week, Kelly visited the Marmalade Cafe. As a small child, I’d beg my parents to take me to Marie Callender’s, a chain we visited a grand total of once or twice, hoping to get a taste of their chicken pot pie. Growing up in an Asian immigrant household, the concept of any kind of savory pie was foreign, let alone one that involved canned cream of chicken soup. Back then, the only pies I was familiar with were the middling grocery store versions we picked up during Thanksgiving season, which were made with sad-tasting canned pumpkin and pale cinnamon-tinged apple slices. (I’m still not a fan of pumpkin pie to this day.) I fantasized about creamy, fall-off-the-bone chicken and previously frozen peas and carrots parked under a perfectly flaky pie crust, likely after watching a TV commercial or the Food Network. While it failed to live up to my sky-high childhood expectations, the chicken pot pie ($16.95) I ate for lunch this week at Du-par’s (est. 1938) accomplishes what the fancy variety of the dish I recently had at Chi Spacca in Hancock Park failed to do: It scratches my faux-nostalgic itch for a hearty meat pie. Even the summer weather couldn’t take away from the dish’s cozy appeal. Admittedly, th

Blame the rise of touchscreen tip prompts and the 20-percent-or-more tipping culture from lockdown: Semi-anonymous Redditors have crowdsourced a list of Los Angeles restaurants tacking on surcharges, from 3% for health insurance or “kitchen love” to 20% service fees. As first reported by KTLA, each entry includes the name of the restaurant, percent charge, neighborhood and other details, including unverified employee comments on the matter. While the “/r/LosAngeles Restaurant Surcharge Offenders List” does provide some additional price transparency for diners, the use of the word “offenders” clearly indicates these L.A.-based Reddit users would prefer these charges were eliminated, perhaps to be replaced by higher prices on the menu or, less plausibly, major restructuring of the independent restaurant business model. The very existence of the publicly available list indicates that, at least according to one corner of the internet, tipping and service fees in L.A. have gotten out of control. It’s also worth noting that the public Google Sheet is far from accurate. One example: As of August 9, the entry for Melrose Umbrella Co listed a 40% service charge, which reflects an error on one customer’s check on the cocktail bar’s typical 20% service charge for larger parties, which the restaurant later removed. (As of August 10, this entry has now been corrected.) While usually printed on the bottom of menus and generally available on restaurant websites, these additional fees someti