Plant-Based Dining

Whether you're vegan, veg or just trying to cut back, there have never been more high-end options in L.A. than now. Both E.P. & L.P. and Beauty & Essex are doing vegan tasting menus, and folks like Matthew Kenney at Plant Food + Wine are continuing to bring great options to the fore.

Large-Format Dishes

While L.A. is a health capital, it doesn't mean our fine dining is for the faint of heart. Exhibit A: the many large-format, shareable meat options at play right now. Go big with Majordōmo's massive ribeye, or order the boiled whole chicken, which can be found at most nouveau-style bistros.

Combating Food Waste

At James Beard Award winner Michael Cimarusti's Providence, beverage director Kim Stodel has a zero-waste cocktail program utilizing items that would otherwise be trashed. Chris Crary has also implemented something similar at the new 1Hotel restaurant, 1Kitchen, with zero-waste dishes.

High-End Japanese

Beyond the myriad matcha bars around town, there are heaps of new Japanese restaurants— including the Chateau Marmont's new Chateau Hanare—done in kaiseki style. At Kensho, the team behind Triniti is doing a modern sake bar and cafe, and at the Inn Ann, authentic experiences from Kagoshima wagyu shabu-shabu to wagyu toban yaki are on offer.

Filipino Food Movement

Regardless of L.A.'s massive Filipino population, it's taken some time for the nation's food movement to pick up. Thankfully, spots like Charles Olalia's Ma'am Sir and LASA have opened, featuring bold and fresh flavors of the region. And at PCP at ROW DTLA, Ria Barbosa is putting her unique spin on Filipino breakfast.