Los Angeles - Food & Activity Guide (w/ Itinerary Template!)
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featured in Newsletter #003: Welcome Baa-ck!
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Written for Labor Day 2022! I'll be back with a food roundup post for where we actually ended up going.
Two of our friends invited us along on their Labor Day trip to Los Angeles this weekend, and I found myself transforming back into the overeager former tour guide I once was in college. I couldn't help myself—I learned that James had never been outside of work travel and that our friends Kevin and Chloe were interested in my recommendations based on some of their requests. So, I started a Notion doc, and let's say things got a little crazy.
Of course, I don't expect people to follow an itinerary—I rarely do, and this doc was probably mostly the result of an experiment to become a Notion power-user (I only converted over to the app a few months ago). Regardless, maybe my overzealous planning and fact-gathering could be useful to others, so I wanted to share my "guide" to LA here with y'all.
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Here's a link to the Notion Doc itself—I turned it into a template so you can save a copy and edit/plan your own trip. My sample itinerary is in there and you can modify it as you'd like!
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Note: this guide was "personalized" for the specific friend group I'll be traveling with, and their preferences for food and activities (more Asian-leaning, general touristy). I tend to curate what I make for the specific individuals impacted, if you have requests for suggestions, you can always message me at hello@wendynoms.com.
Food
LA has TONS of good food—so many more options than SF, I’d argue. LA cares a lot about aesthetic, so expect that most places will serve beautiful (read: overpriced) food and expect you to dress well too. I’ve listed mostly places that aren’t too fussy but do know that most people dress nicely when they go out to bars.
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LEGEND:
Bold text = name of establishment
Underlined text = Wendy’s favorites Strikethrough = no spots available
Italicized text = places Wendy has not been to
Brunch
JiST Cafe ($10-25, Japanese) - homey casual Japanese fusion brunch fare (chashu hash skillet, duck confit omelet, tres leches pancakes, among others!). One of my favorites and from what I remember, pretty affordable with minimal wait times too.
Perch ($25-50, French) - famous DTLA rooftop restaurant (known more for the ambience than the food). I’ve heard Cabra ($25-50, Peruvian) is also a popular rooftop to dine at these days.
Redbird ($25-50, Californian) - beautiful outdoor patio (like, people have weddings and proms here) with solid brunch fare. They also do good dinners from what I’ve heard, but I’ve only been to brunch.
République ($25-50, French) - renowned pastries and farm-to-table brunch fare in a beautiful rustic atrium. Their eggs are so fresh, the yolks are almost red!
Pearl River Deli ($10-25, Chinese) - low-key takeout counter serving classic Chinese breakfast items
Courage Bagels ($10-25, American) - I heard these are to die for but the lines are around the corner
Bars / Going Out
Death & Co. - famous cocktail bar in trendy Arts District
Cole’s / The Varnish - historical diner serving French dips in the front and a speakeasy in the back
Everson Royce Bar - my favorite casual sit-and-chill bar with something that everyone likes. Fun fact, my sister once had to wear giant wristbands because she was under 21.
Clifton’s Republic - each floor is a different theme and is tons of theatrical/kitschy fun. Some call it the precursor to tiki bars. According to my friends, we’ve visited multiple times but I don’t remember any of them and will therefore vehemently deny that I’ve been here before.
Casual/Lunch
Beverly Grove Farmer’s Market ($-$$) - an outdoor food court at the most famous shopping center in LA, The Grove
Grand Central Market ($-$$) - a giant food hall in downtown LA, home to many eateries including Eggslut and McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams
Howlin’ Ray’s ($10-25, American) - super famous and hype Nashville hot chicken (they opened after I graduated but everyone who loves spicy swears by here)
Ramen: the big 3 are Hakata Ramen Shin-sen-gumi (Hakata style thin noodles), Daikokuya (traditional), or Tsujita Artisan Ramen LA (thick noodles, garlic and fat forward), but my personal favorite is Silver Lake Ramen (which my family thinks is too heavy).
Sushi Gen ($$, Japanese) has an unbeatable sashimi platter lunch deal (in college it was $17 but I think it’s more expensive now) for actual quality fish.
Holbox ($, Mexican) - inventive fish tacos and tostadas (they have an uni one too!) in South LA. Close to Chichen Itza which has great cochinita pibil tacos. Mariscos Jaliscos ($) and El 7 Mares ($) are also SUPER good for Mexican seafood, and was introduced to me by some of the locals I used to work with (they are really authentic to the point at which you have to order in Spanish sometimes).
Father’s Office ($$, American) - unique burgers (balsamic onions, arugula, etc.) and fries with a good selection of beers
Ichimi Ann Bamboo Garden ($, Japanese) - house made soba in a no frills shop in suburban Torrance
Dinner
Maccheroni Republic ($10-25, Italian) - ambient restaurant featuring handmade pastas in the heart of DTLA (their bianchi et neri is my favorite). People love them because they allow BYOB.
Raffi’s Place ($25-50, Armenian) - one of the most famous kebab places in Glendale with gigantic families lined up everywhere. No reservations; expect up to an hour’s wait for dinner.
Park’s BBQ ($50+, Korean) - the most famous KBBQ place in LA. I was always too poor to come here (college student life) and just never got around to trying it as an adult. Quarters is a more affordable but also nice option, owned by the same folks as Kang Hodong Baekjeong (one of the buzziest chains in LA). I’ve also heard good things about Magal.
Sichuan Impression ($$, Chinese) - supposedly one of the best Chinese establishments in LA, on many lists
Wurstküche ($10-25, Belgian) - popular gourmet and exotic sausage grill and biergarten in trendy Arts District. Their Belgian fries are *chefs kiss*
Bestia($50+, Italian)- I love this place so much. So does Beyoncé. Too bad it’s impossible to get a reservation 🥲Jitlada ($25-50, Thai) - Thai establishment that most people in LA swear by
Lunasia Chinese Cuisine ($25-50, Chinese) - this is where my friends’ parents always take us, good for dim sum
Mama Lu’s Dumpling House ($10-25, Chinese) - an alternative to Din Tai Fung that’s pretty decent
Tang Huo Kung Fu Spicy Hot Pot ($$, Chinese) - apparently they specialize in Sichuan malatang
Snacks/Late Night
Tire Shop Taqueria (<$10, Mexican) - my favorite street tacos in LA, made with fresh tortilla and free guacamole too. Many others also swear by Avenue 26 for street tacos in the Lincoln Heights area (which was shut down during the pandemic but has now reopened in Little Tokyo).
Bopomofo Cafe (<$10, Asian) - Boba shop + snacks, founded by the WongFu people
Half & Half Tea House (<$10, Asian) - SoCal’s staple boba chain, known for their iced milks
Leo’s Tacos (<$10, Mexican) - famous Al Pastor truck, that serves it with piña!
Porto’s Bakery (<$10, Cuban) - famous Cuban bakery chain famous for their potato balls and guava cheese pastries (you can now ship it nationwide)
Wanderlust Creamery (<$10, Dessert) - Quality ice cream serving flavors inspired by travels around the world. AAPI owned!
King’s Hawaiian Bakery ($, Hawaiian) - yes, the sweet rolls you’re thinking of. They’re actually made in LA, and you can buy other food here too. I know a couple of friends that have even ordered their wedding cakes from here!
Alfred ($, American) - coffee + tea chain popularized by their pink “But first, coffee!” and “can’t we all just get oolong?” marquee signs. Their drinks are actually pretty good though, so it’s not juuuuust a gimmick.
Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles ($, American) - the original fried chicken and waffles place, with famous celebrity visitors (including the Obamas) as well
Kettle Glazed Donuts ($, American) - I don’t like most donuts but I really like this shop.
Rick’s Produce Stand ($, Grocery Store) - They have amazing açai bowls, fresh juices, and smoothies featuring exotic fruits (think: lucuma, cherimoya, pink guavas, feijoas, passionfruits, etc.)
Kyochon ($$, Korean) - My sister’s favorite Korean fried chicken place. She comes here every time she’s in town. I think it’s much better than Bonchon but I don’t think I’m the world’s biggest KFC fan.
New + Popular Restaurants
Damian ($$$, Mexican) - by Enrique Oliveira (of Pujol on Chef’s Table)
Lasita ($$, Filipino) - been hearing a lot of buzz
Horses ($$$, Californian) - on lots of hit lists (and known for celebrity sightings), apparently it’s very kitschy-cool, with horse-themed decor and loud 80s music
Erehwon ($$, misc) - not a restaurant but a grocery store: the Berkeley Bowl of LA, currently super popular because of Hailey Bieber’s exclusive smoothie (that promises good skin and hair)
APOTHÉKE LOS ANGELES - also a super hot bar right now (from the equally hot NYC branch) in New Chinatown close to Majordomo (David Chang’s LA establishment)
Majordomo ($$$, Korean) - David Chang’s LA Restaurant, known for the whole short rib (which is massive)
Activity
Los Angeles is a COUNTY, but there are lots of municipalities within LA County. That’s why some of these geos are named after actual cities (Santa Monica, Pasadena, Glendale, etc.) and others are named after nearby landmarks (Beverly-Melrose = near Beverly Blvd and Melrose Ave, Palisades = Pacific Palisade Mountains, 626 = area code). It generally takes 30 minutes to 1 hour to go from one geo to another. You can also see the remnants of a past Wendy in this doc here, in case there are other things you might want to see.
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LEGEND:
Bold text = name of establishment
Underlined text = Wendy’s favorites Strikethrough = no spots available
Italicized text = places Wendy has not been to
Westside
The nice, trendy part of LA (think Beverly Hills). It’s 30min-1 hr away depending on traffic.
Santa Monica
Beach day! (Plenty of options but Venice Beach / Santa Monica Beach is easiest)
biking along The Strand (bike path between Santa Monica and Dockweiler Beaches)
Santa Monica Pier / 3rd Street Promenade - beach boardwalk with festival rides, trendy restaurants, and shopping district
Venice / Abbot Kinney - skate parks, live music, food trucks, and trendy shops. Imagine Spark Social and Hayes Valley had a baby.
There’ll be a First Friday on Sept 2 if we’re interested!
Beverly-Melrose
LACMA (where the Urban Lights are)
The Grove - beautiful shopping center, designed by the people who did Downtown Disney and the Facebook campus
Erehwon - famous grocery store chain; think Berkeley Bowl on crack
Malibu/Palisades
Northwest LA, ~1 hr away
Malibu Wine Safari Tours - I… don’t know who invented these, but people seem to love them.
The Getty Villa - famous villa and historical home, great for photo shoots
The Getty - famous art museum, also known as the Getty Center
Hike: Murphy’s Ranch - a former WWII internment camp hidden in the Palisade mountains. This hike is mostly stairs. Like 500 stairs. Down and up. The graffiti is admittedly pretty cool though.
Long Beach / Rancho Palos Verdes
(Southwest LA, ~1 hr away) - mostly photo op spots and nature/wildlife atop hilly cliffs.
Wayfarers Chapel - good for photo shoots when there aren’t weddings going on every 20 minutes (yes, every 20 minutes!)
Abalone Cove - cliffside views of the CA coast. Yes you can find abalone and urchins here but I’ve heard they aren’t yummy.
Terranea Resort - luxury seaside resort with private beaches. They let the public look and hike around the area, similar to the Ritz-Carlton in Half-Moon Bay.
Aquarium of the Pacific - not as great as Monterey’s, so I’d skip.
Ferry to Avalon on Catalina Island (part of Channel Islands National Park) ****- it’s about an hour ride to get there, but Avalon is a beautiful small town. It almost reminds me of Positano or the Amalfi Coast. It’s always been my dream to do a weekend stay there at some point.
Central
DTLA
Arts District - neighborhood with great bars, restaurants, and street art. Home to many of my favorite restaurants (Bestia, Wurstküche) and the trendiest (but low key) places to go out for a nice drink (Death & Co, Manuela, Cha Cha Chá, Mermaids Tail, etc.)
Little Tokyo - cuter than SF’s Japantown, I’d say.
Chinatown - currently going through a bit of a revival and is seeing a good amount of activity lately. Some are even branding it New Chinatown. This is close to Dodger Stadium (for baseball fans) and also the famous Chinese restaurant from Rush Hour 2.
Grand Central Market - large open-air marketplace, home to lots of small eateries
Bradbury Building / Angel’s Knoll / Angel’s Flight - where (500) Days of Summer was filmed
Modern Art Museums: MOCA, The Broad - you need tickets, but both are decent modern art museums.
The Broad has the ever-popular Yayoi Kusama Inifinity Room!
Vista Hermosa Natural Park - cute park with a lovely view of the DTLA skyline. Some of my friends have gotten engaged here so you know it’s a beautiful photo op spot!
Walt Disney Concert Hall / LA Philharmonic - really beautiful building, designed by Frank Gehry. The LA Phil is actually so breathtaking to see live, and is one of the top 10 most prestigious orchestras in the world.
They don’t have any shows here while we’re in town, because they’re doing a special event at the Hollywood Bowl (see below)!
The Last Bookstore - a very cool/IG-friendly old bookstore.
University Park
USC Campus + USC Village - my gorgeous home for 4 years, and a popular Hollywood filming location. Tbh it looks like any other old-money college campus 😂 except that everyone’s hot. Also known as Harvard Law School (Legally Blonde), Harvard College (The Social Network), UC Berkeley (The Graduate), Middleton University (How to Get Away With Murder), the famous Forrest Gump bench, among others…
Exposition Park - Home to the Natural History Museum, LA Rose Garden, LA Coliseum, California Science Center, and African History Museum
LA Live (where Crypto.com Center, movie theaters, ice skating rinks, arcades, fancy restaurants, fancy hotels, and expo centers are). I love people-watching here! The NBA is currently in its offseason, so we can’t catch any games here when we visit.
Hollywood
Griffith Park
The park itself is huge, with plenty of things to do. Here are some attractions within:
Griffith Observatory -where the planetarium scene in La La Land took place, with good views of the city
Hike: Old LA Zoo & Bee Rock - abandoned zoo and interesting graffiti on an easy hike
Hike: **Hollywood Sign** - VERY dry 6.5 mile hike. There’s literally no shade, but people love the iconic view.
Hollywood
Hollywood Walk of Fame - starts on Hollywood & Vine, and is just a street! But somehow everyone wants to see it! The Pantages Theater is a very cool place though (art deco theme).
If we want, Moulin Rouge (the musical) is showing at the Pantages (last wekeend running!) - tickets start at $39/ea.
Warner Bros. Studios - you can tour movie sets here. It’s also where the ending and beginning montages of many a famous movie (cough, La La Land) take place.
Runyon Canyon Park - where celebrities and wannabe celebrities go running and dog walking (featured in Overheard LA and other meme pages) - THERE IS NO SHADE HERE THIS PLACE SUCKS
Dolby Theater / Chinese Theater - where the Academy Awards are typically held (fun fact: They used to ask students to volunteer to sit in the award show audience so that they could “fill up” all the empty seats… I never went but I had friends that had gone for the Oscars and Grammys before!)
Universal Studios - theme park in Hollywood hills, and home to Harry Potter World. (Fun fact: I took my senior year graduation photos here) There is also CityWalk, which is similar to Downtown Disney here.
Hollywood Bowl - during the summer, they have open-air music concerts. It’s a truly iconic and scenic concert/amphitheater venue.
John Williams (the famous movie composer, known for E.T., Jaws, The Olympic Games, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Superman, etc.) is conducting the LA Philharmonic here during Labor Day Weekend for his 90th birthday!
626 / Pasadena (East of LA)
The 626 (named after the area code assigned to the San Gabriel Valley) is where all the good Asian food is. Not much else to do here though; it’s mainly suburbs. But there is boba!
Huntington Gardens & Library - beautiful botanic gardens each with different themes, great for photo shoots
Old Town Pasadena - charming downtown area reminiscent of old Palo Alto
626 Night Market - it seems to have expanded to NorCal too but this is where it started. It’ll actually be in the original Santa Anita Fairgrounds the weekend we’re there!
Hike: Eaton Canyon - 3-mile hike featuring a waterfall at the end
The Valley
North of Burbank/Glendale is known as the San Fernando Valley, where “Valley Girl” accents are said to originate from. It is filled with lots of suburbs so there’s not too much to do here besides shop.
The Americana at Brand - the Grove’s little sister shopping center
Six Flags Magic Mountain - roller coasters galore! (It’s 2 hours out though)