We had a feeling this East Hollywood spot would be a smash hit well before we set foot inside its dining room. That’s mostly because Saffy’s is the restaurant equivalent of a nepo-baby—it’s from the same people who run Bestia and Bavel, two excellent spots in their own right. But much like Tracee Ellis Ross' career, this glamorous kebab house exceeded our expectations anyway. Saffy’s serves food worthy of a special occasion with the bubbly energy of a neighborhood fixture.

We’ve been ride-or-die for the Hainan chicken at Pearl River Deli since day one. But if 2022 proved anything, it’s that this new-wave Cantonese spot in Chinatown is more than a one-trick pony. With equal passion, we love their sweet-sticky glazed char siu, the plump wontons, and the fried Macau pork chop bun brushed with a delicious layer of crystallized sugar that would make any dentist wince. Plus, Pearl River Deli keeps things interesting by mixing in unique specials.

This year, tons of pandemic-era pop-ups made the transition into full brick-and-mortars. Our favorite of the bunch is Kuya Lord. The creative Filipino comfort food here is every bit as spectacular as it was at the former Bestia chef's pop-up in 2020. Only now you get to hang out while you eat. The Melrose Hill cafe keeps things fast-casual, but it’s much more than a spot to pick up a chicken rice bowl in between meetings.

If eating the best pasta in LA is your priority, head here. Formerly a pop-up Downtown, Cento reemerged in a new West Adams space this year with a leafy front patio and a wrap-around marble bar that offers intimate views of the pasta-making spectacle in the kitchen. Our tip: sit at the bar. Wherever you land, you’ll eat standout dishes like briny squid ink mafaldine with prawns, towering beet spaghetti topped with ricotta, and spicy pomodoro with a tiny pool of basil oil in the middle.

Considering there’s no website, reservation system, or landline (at least one that’s picked up on a regular basis), Cobras & Matadors easily wins for the most mysterious restaurant opening of the year. Or reopening, actually—the original closed in the same space in 2012. Dinners at Cobras are measured not by the hour, but by how many wine bottles are opened (it’s BYOB). You know those quirky little neighborhood restaurants that seem to only exist in rom-coms? That's what's happening here.

It's going to take you a long time to get a dinner reservation at DTLA's Pizzeria Bianco. But whether it's waiting months for a reservation or hours for a walk-in table, your patience will be rewarded with some of the best pizza in Los Angeles, if not the country. These thin-crust beauties exist in the Goldilocks zone of pies: they're fluffy but sturdy, charred but chewy, and "just right" in every way.

On paper, Dunsmoor might seem like any other cool restaurant around Northeast LA. It’s dark and loud, there are tiny candles on the tables, and they pour a whole lot of natural wine. But this Glassell Park spot from the former chef of Hatchet Hall has something those other “cool” places don’t: a huge roaring fire in the dining room. And though it does give the room a warm, amber glow, it’s also what makes the Southern-leaning food here some of the best we’ve eaten all year.

LA has a lot of great taco trucks, so if you're wondering why you should give Simón in Silver Lake your attention, we have three words for you: refrigerated salsa cabinet. Forget your standard salsa verde, because Simón has jars on jars of nuanced, creative salsas that you won't find anywhere else in the city. And their seafood tacos are just as fantastic, with thought-out flavors, textures, and little touches you'd expect from a fine dining spot.

Part of what makes Pijja Palace special is that you can't compare it to anything else in LA. In fact, just describing this Silver Lake spot will undoubtedly raise some eyebrows. Yes, it's an Indian-Italian fusion sports bar, but it looks nothing like the image that probably popped into your head: the mid-century modern decor is slick, the early 2000s R&B playlist is bumping, and the wildly delicious sports bar-ish food. It's pure, unadulterated, slightly chaotic fun.

This Echo Park pizza parlor only really does two things—pan-style pizza and decadent desserts—and both of them are incredible. The pizza is pan-style in its peak form: a buttery, inch-high crust, and a spongy, focaccia-like interior that absorbs the flavors of the toppings. The desserts are nostalgia-rich cakes and pies, which are exactly what you want after taking down three crunchy corner slices.