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Olsons Scandinavian Delicatessen
5660 W Pico BlvdLos Angeles, CA 90019
This Swedish deli is a terrific hidden gem. With its delicious and tasty salmon sandwiches, this place is also a restaurant deli counter. In addition, they have a candy bar with the finest Swedish candy selection where you can even try them out! If you go here, order either the Shrimp Skagen Sandwich or the Gravlax sandwich!! My mouth is watering right now as I’m typing! Since this place is not known by many, it is very rare for it to be crowded. There’s also plenty of street parking. The place has a Nordic theme with Swedish flags, merchandise, books and paintings all over the place.
Photo by K.E yelp.com House Cured Gravlax
R+D Kitchen Santa Monica
1323 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403
Photo courtesy TripAdvisor.com
I took my father to this place after successfully escaping the overwhelming chaotic Third street promenade area in Santa Monica. I had never tried this place before, but I saw a picture of Pierce Brosman with his wife leaving this place so I decided to give it a try. My father, who is very well-traveled and knowledgeable about food, loved this place. We were lucky enough to get seated right away. I had the pasta and my dad had the salmon. Both meals were out-of-this world. Next time, instead of getting something quick to eat at the Promenade or the mall on Third, come here. You won’t leave disappointed!
Sushi Enya Little Tokyo.
343 E 1st St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Little Tokyo, Downtown
If you want to impress someone and take them to the best sushi joint in town, please go to this place. Every time my family is in town or I want to treat them to a nice sushi meal, they all leave in awe after a delightful meal experience. There are many great sushi restaurants in LA, but Sushi Enya takes it to a different level. I’ve been to Japan 3 times, so sushi is like right up my alley. The fish here is so fresh and tender and has that melt-in-your-mouth quality you don’t get everywhere. Sushi Enya doesn’t accept reservations but they have chairs laid outside to make your wait more comfortable. Upon your entrance, you’re greeted by the cooks and the hosts just like a regular restaurant in Tokyo.
The place is small and clean and the food arrival is very quick. It is a little bit pricey in comparison to your regular sushi place, but not outrageously expensive as Nobu or Sugarfish. The portions are very generous too so don’t worry if you’re famished, you’ll definitely leave more than satisfied.
This is a picture of the rolls I had the second time I went with one of my friends. I believe it was around $10, $13.
Feast your eyes on this California Roll heaven! If you go here, tell me how your experience was.
Photo by me!
Little Doms los Feliz
2128 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027
This Italian restaurant is famous for luring celebrities and hipsters from all over LA. If you live in LA and don’t know this place, you have to check it out. I took my dad and we sat next to a tall, ginger woman who was talking about her future movie projects (so L.A I know), turns out she was Karen Gillan. I didn’t even know who she was until next day when I saw a picture of her on a celebrity blog website.
The last time I went there was about 3 weeks ago and I had the delicious blueberry pancake. The next day, I saw on my feed that Ryan Gosling visited the Little Dom’s just the day after, so if you’re looking for celebrity sightings this is your place!
The Spaghetti and meatballs are to die for, the salads are average but their pizzas are top-notch.
An ideal night would be coming here for a nice meal and stroll around the beautiful neighborhood of Los Feliz afterwards.
Here’s a picture of my crispy and perfectly colored blueberry pancake:
The only drawbacks are prices and how busy it gets. If you go on a weekend, be prepared for waiting unless you go solo and are comfortable sitting at the bar, like I did last time.
Aroma Coffee Studio City
4360 Tujunga Ave, Studio City, CA 91604
Photograph Courtesy: Aroma Coffee & Tea Company
Photograph Courtesy: Aroma Coffee & Tea Company
If you want to have a delightful brunch in LA, I would suggest going to the mega-famous, Instagram popular Urth Café but, since I want to let you in on the best secret gems in LA, Aroma has become a brunch staple for me. This place is a secret gem in the valley not many LA visitors know about. It’s in Studio City, one of my favorite neighborhoods. Not only is the place incredibly spacious, with its vibrant and cozy atmosphere, its antique decor, but the food is incredibly tasty and served in large portions.
There is usually a line but it moves pretty fast and that gives you plenty of time to peruse the menu and browse the delicious dessert display options. Behind the counter, there’s a TV playing black and white movies. There are also plenty of seating options. The layout of the restaurant consists of the patio which wraps around the building. Additionally, they also turn on the string lights when it gets dark, perfect for a cozy outdoor night with friends. I will say this once, they have the best lattes!!
Tacos Delta
3806 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Located In the heart of Silverlake, this taco stand has its own parking lot and a very nice patio reminiscent of Mexico. You can’t go there without trying the chilaquiles and fish tacos! I think Silverlake is the best neighborhood besides West Hollywood due to its walkability and plethora of food options at every street corner. With this being said, park down the street, have some coffee and head down to Tacos Delta afterwards to satisfy your taco craving.
California Donuts
3540 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Photo courtesy Yelp.com
Not exactly the healthiest option. Although I’ve only been here once, they make the most amazing and creative donuts. Located on 3rd in the midst of Ktown, this place is perfect for Instagram photos and satisfy your sweet-tooth craving. A quick look at their Instagram and their impressive 453.000 Instagram followers should be enough to convince you to give them a try. It’s open 24/7 and you order through a window. It’s not drive-thru but I bet their business would skyrocket if they did! Parking is such a hassle in Koreatown.
If you’re interested and would like to know more places based on personal preferences, like vegetarian restaurants or ethnic food, I will gladly make you a list!
That’s what I deeply love about this city, there are all kinds of cuisine at every corner. However, you have to dig deep and do some thorough research to truly experience the uniqueness of LA’s diverse gastronomy. Such task is not easy, that’s why I’m here to help facilitate your quest.
I live in WeHo, which is super central. The valley is just a 20 min drive through Lauren Canyon and a 30 min drive to Santa Monica (with no gridlock traffic). Depending on where you live, it can be a little tricky to get around Los Angeles. Let me know down in the comments below any special preference based on where you live, and I’ll try my best to recommend a place to you.
Have you tried out any of these places? What are your favorite places to eat in LA? Let me know in the comments below
