My ultimate guide to Los Angeles
Plus, the pancake batter I’ve been gatekeeping
Surprise, it’s a Saturday special! Usually, weekends are reserved for Friends of The Angel, but this week’s letter is coming to you in place of Plugs, mainly because we’ve been chaotically moving into our new place in Brooklyn since Monday. Think of it like Plugs on crack, from yours truly, centered on Los Angeles. Yes, today I’m sharing my be-all and end-all guide to the city of angels—very useful for New Yorkers as well as Angelenos, and anyone visiting L.A. Plus, a bonus ode to my personal favorite food-related gift in Los Angeles, rooted in nostalgia and L.A. restaurant history. Happy Saturday, angels.
I’ve written all sorts of guides to L.A., to salads and cinnamon rolls and, most notably, many iterations of My L.A. Right Now, a series I concluded when I moved to New York. Now, I’ve put together a proper, semi-permanent list of my favorite restaurants, cafés, groceries, and bars in the city I now consider my second home.
These are the spots I prioritize visiting when I’m in town, broken down into easy categories like smoothies, Mexican, and the San Gabriel Valley (plus, since I know you want it, a dedicated section for Hot & New). Because I’ve already written in depth about 90% of the places below, I’m keeping this straightforward—just names, neighborhoods, and recommended orders. You trust me now, don’t you? If you’re still on the fence with that, allow me this: I stand behind this thoroughly researched, impassioned guide more fiercely than any other set of recs I’ve shared before.
