Formerly a pop-up, Two Hommés is a casual sit-down spot located in a colorful, brick-walled space on La Brea that used to house Comfort LA. The refreshing West African-Latin menu here is made up of mash-up dishes that are wholly original without being gimmicky. Expect to share huge portions of fluffy Ghanaian jollof rice topped with BBQ jerk salmon, passion fruit ceviche that glows in the sunlight, and berbere-dusted chicken bites that will make you want to spruce up your spice cabinet.

Soul food is always a good idea, especially after sitting in a crowded airbus for several hours. This LA soul food institution happens to be within a 10-minute radius of LAX. You can drop by their to-go window or grab a seat inside the casual dining room for a filling meal involving some legendary fried chicken, mac and cheese, and collard greens. Whatever you do, don’t forget to pick up a slice of their signature sweet potato pie.

We often catch ourselves daydreaming in the clouds above LAX about Sunday Gravy. There’s usually a slow-motion montage of the old-school Italian spot's thick lasagna layered with creamy ricotta and hearty ragu, gooey mozzarella-topped garlic bread, and the gnocchi e pepe topped with silky cream sauce. If you find yourself in the mood for a heavy meal comprised of handmade pasta in Inglewood, actualize this fantasy and stop by Sunday Gravy after your next flight.

The name of the game at Carnitas El Artista in Inglewood is the Michoacan-style carnitas—tender, slow-cooked pork that’s nicely charred along the edges. Although commonly made with pork shoulder, Carnitas El Artista also offers carnitas with everything from pork stomach and chicharron to lengua and cabeza. Whether you go with tacos, a torta, burrito, or quesadilla, you’ll catch aromas of garlic and lime rising from the caramelized meat on your plate.

Trini Style in Inglewood serves classic dishes from Trinidad & Tobago on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Turmeric-colored doubles are filled with generous scoops of chana and tangy tamarind sauce. Garlicky goat curry is simmered until it’s fall-off-the-bone tender. But the star of the show here is their bake ‘n’ shark—a glorious sandwich of puffy fried bread and crispy chunks of shark, all smeared with avocado, tamarind sauce, and mango chutney.

This pint-sized poke counter in El Segundo understands a fundamental truth: Quality fish is king (they source theirs from the Honolulu Fish Auction). From succulent cubes of ginger soy ahi to a slightly wasabi-y ponzu salmon, everything here tastes exactly like something you’d get from a Foodland poke counter in Hawai’i, which is the highest honor.

Tucked between a jeweler and a taco shop in a weird shopping-center cul-de-sac, Irori has long been Marina del Rey’s best-kept secret. Well, the secret’s out: From their massive $25 bento box lunch to their 12-piece omakase (for $80), this is one of the best bang-for-your-buck meals on the Westside. The fish is always high-quality and the rolls are creative (get the blue crab and salmon roll with truffle).

It’s been a long day of travel, you’ve only eaten that complimentary packet of trail mix, and now, you need pizza. Head over to Good Pizza in Playa Del Rey. This tiny strip mall spot has some of the best pie on the Westside, and it’s a short 10-minute drive from Terminal B. They offer full pies and options by the slice if you’re not in the mood to share. Just be sure to check their website for deals because you can always find something good.

Ayara Thai is a neighborhood spot in Westchester that happens to be home to some of the best traditional Thai cooking outside of Thai Town. It’s nearly impossible to order wrong here (get the plump kai jeaw omelet and Ayara’s toast), but the muay thai wings in particular are a sleeper hit. They're marinated for maximum flavor, fried naked, then served with a sweet-spicy sauce that takes the dish to a new level.

After a 17-hour international red-eye, you just landed at LAX and you can’t see straight. Tell your Lyft driver to go to The Serving Spoon, immediately. This classic soul food spot in Inglewood opens every day at 7am (8am on Sundays) and serves the kind of hearty breakfasts your body needs to survive crippling jet lag. Our go-to’s are the waffles and chicken drumettes, but as long as you stick to the all-day breakfast section, you can’t go wrong.