Food Maps

The Valley is home to the state’s first materia, a Middle Eastern cafe brewing sand coffee and a dedicated margarita bar from an award-winning beverage team, with plenty of neighborhood dives in between.

Eight Times food writers spent months crisscrossing the Valley in search of the best, reconnecting with old favorites and finding new surprises along the way.

On bustling Western Avenue in the heart of Gardena, Sakura-Ya and Chikara Mochi sit about 250 feet away from each other, frequented by South Bay residents for decades for fluffy mochi and cakey manju.

With more amenities than ever, L.A.’s new wave of work-appropriate coffee shops has become essential third spaces where creativity and collaboration can flourish.

Between the destination-worthy margarita bar, the matcha martinis, the dives with killer cocktails, and the new Big Easy beverages, the only question is where to begin.

Bookmark this list with new openings and long-standing restaurants that need support, including a Hawaiian poke shop in Echo Park and a Korean-inspired burger stand in USC Village.

Dine with your furry companion at some of the best dog-friendly patios in Los Angeles.

L.A. is bringing back the chicken Caesar wrap that was first introduced in the ‘90s, with new takes that feature falafel croutons, hand-pulled rotisserie chicken and spicy Calabrian Caesar dressing.

From soft serve to Italian sorbetto and New Zealand-style scoops, L.A. has plenty of vegan ice cream to choose from.

From an oyster shack in Marin County to a nearly century-old taqueria in San Diego, these are the best restaurants in California that won’t break the bank.