The Best Restaurant for Every Type of Cuisine in LA

There isn't another city in the world that sports the diversity of restaurants you'll find in Los Angeles; pick any country in the world, and you’re almost guaranteed to find at least one spot in LA County where you can eat its food.

The only hard part is picking the MOST DELICIOUS one for each and every cuisine type. Or at least, it was until we did it for you.

Flickr/Mayesha k

Bangladeshi: <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/venues/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/bangla-bazar-restaurant" target="_blank">Bangla Bazar &amp; Restaurant

Koreatown

Until Zam Zam Market reopens (please please please!!!), this is where we'll be going for spicy biryani and meat pies.

Belizean:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thrillist.com/venues/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/belizean-paradise" target="_blank">Belizean Paradise

Mid-City

You've probably driven by the Relax Inn Motel on La Brea a million times, and maybe you even noticed it has a restaurant inside it, and maybe maybe you even thought to yourself "Who the hell eats at that place?" People who love Belizean food and don't want to drive to Gardena for it, that's who.

Canadian: <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/venues/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/smokes-poutinerie" target="_blank">Smoke's Poutinerie

Hollywood

If summing up an entire country's cuisine into cheese- and gravy-topped French fries is wrong, then we don't want to be right. Forget about all the gourmet versions of poutine popping up around town, and head to this Canadian chain's Hollywood location for a hangover buster like no other. Specialty toppings may not be “traditional,” but they include double-smoked bacon (!), Italian sausage (!!), and flat iron steak (!!!). So, kinda, who cares?

Rincon Chileno

Chilean: <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/venues/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/rincon-chileno" target="_blank">Rincon Chileno

Hollywood

You haven't had the best empanada in LA until you've had one of the "grande" beef-, egg-, and olive-filled pies at this Hollywood takeout shop. While you're there you should probably grab one of its alfajores too, which are dulce de leche cookie sandwiches rolled in coconut... because, duh, dulce de leche cookie sandwiches rolled in coconut.

Chinese: <a href="http://www.thrillist.com/venues/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/chengdu-taste" target="_blank">Chengdu Taste

Alhambra

Take away the insane waits to get in and there's no better reason to make the trek east into San Gabriel Valley than this Sichuan restaurant. And now there's a second location to get down with some toothpick lamb and dumplings in chili oil (with a third noodle-heavy location on the way).

Cuban: <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/venue/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/la-caridad" target="_blank">La Caridad

Echo Park

We've got nothing against the garlic chicken at Versailles or the sandwiches and pastelitos from Porto's, but to really feel like you're in Cuba (or Miami) you need to head to this little restaurant on Sunset in Echo Park, preferably on a Wednesday or Saturday when it serves braised oxtails and morros that will have you moaning "ay papi." Or just, like, thinking it or something.

Copenhagen Pastry

Danish: <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/venues/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/copenhagen-pastry" target="_blank">Copenhagen Pastry

Culver City/Pasadena

The best Danish food is a danish, and the best danish can be found at this Culver City bakery. With a second branch in Pasadena, everybody is within striking distance of these flaky pastries with chocolate, custard, and almond paste.

Salvadoran: <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/venues/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/saritas-pupuseria" target="_blank">Sarita's Pupuseria

DTLA

Maybe there's a better pupusa to be had in LA, but there's no better place to eat one than Grand Central Market. Plus where else are you going to be able to top your cheese- and pork-filled masa pancake with Thai papaya salad? Huh? WHERE??

The Pikey

English: <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/venue/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/the-pikey" target="_blank">The Pikey

Hollywood

If you don't know what Welsh rarebit is, this Hollywood gastropub is where you want to learn. And if you don’t like getting edumacated, don't worry: there's also outstanding fish & chips, too.

Ethiopian: <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/venues/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/rosalinds-ethiopian-restaurant" target="_blank">Rosalind’s

Little Ethiopia&nbsp;

There’s basically no wrong choice on the small stretch of Fairfax that makes up Little Ethiopia, but our pick is Rosalind’s: fast, attentive service; unctuous, meat-filled gravy; and it never stops with the injera -- the spongey bread used as silverware that makes eating Ethiopian so fun.

Zach Brooks/Thrillist

French: <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/venue/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/petit-trois" target="_blank">Petit Trois

Hollywood

Snails drenched in butter and garlic? Check. Steak frites covered in creamy herb sauce? Check. The best omelette you've ever eaten? Check. An insanely tasty steak tartare? Check. Do we really need to keep checking?

Greek: <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/venue/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/alexanders-greek-kitchen" target="_blank">Alexander's Greek Kitchen

Vernon

There will always be a place in my baklava-clogged heart for Papa Cristo's, the classic Greek mess hall on Pico and Normandie. But for a real gyro, you need to head to Alexander's Greek in Vernon, where they're stacking thin slices of marinated pork shoulder onto the spit fresh every single day.

Indian: <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/venue/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/surati-farsan-mart" target="_blank">Surati Farsan Mart

Artesia

If Aarti Sequeira from The Next Food Network Star says Surati Farsan Mart is the best Indian restaurant in LA, then Surati Farsan Mart is the best Indian restaurant in LA.

Flickr/Ron Dollete

Indonesian: <a href="http://www.thrillist.com/venues/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/simpang-asia" target="_blank">Simpang Asia

Palms

There's no better place in LA for a big pile of bakmi goreng noodles, gado-gado, or nasi rames -- the combo plate featuring a little bit of everything w/ rice.

Persian: <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/venue/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/kabab-mahaleh" target="_blank">Kabab Mahaleh

Pico/Robertson

You can get kebabs, ghormeh sabzi, and Persian sandwiches at a lot of different places, but there are far fewer places for fresh baked sangak -- the surfboard sized flatbread that Kebab Mahaleh specializes in. Might as well get some kebabs and rotisserie chicken, too, while you're there.

Israeli: <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/venue/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/hummus-bar-grill" target="_blank">Hummus Bar/Hummus Bar Express

Santa Monica/Tarzana

Israeli falafel is the best falafel, mostly because of their pillowy laffa bread. And this place makes the best of both. And if you go to their sit-down restaurant in Tarzana? All-you-can-eat salads!

Flickr/Larry

Japanese: <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/venues/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/aburiya-raku" target="_blank">Aburiya Raku

West Hollywood

You could easily replace this with your favorite sushi or ramen joint, but right now the best Japanese food in LA is happening at Aburiya Raku, the Vegas izakaya that just opened on La Cienega. Its skewers, green tea soba, fried chicken, and raw fish all taste great being washed down by tons of sake, plus there's tofu that's good enough to make you not hate tofu.

Korean: <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/venue/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/pot-4033754" target="_blank">POT

Koreatown

Every spot in Koreatown specializes in something, whether it's BBQ or chicken wings or noodles or pork belly. But to get it all at one table you'll need to go to Roy Choi's POT in the Line Hotel. The fancy cocktails and blaring hip-hop don't hurt either.

Zach Brooks/Thrillist

Mexican: <a href="http://www.thrillist.com/venue/drink/nation/bar/coniseafood" target="_blank">Coni'Seafood

Inglewood

Forget about tacos and enchiladas. This Sinaloan place's gigantic grilled fish, ceviches, and smoked marlin tacos will impress all of your out-of-town friends, which is perfect because it's right by the airport. Have a good flight!

Peruvian: <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/venue/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/marios-peruvian-seafood" target="_blank">Mario's Peruvian

Hancock Park

Ceviches and smoky rotisserie chicken is fine and all, but if you want saltado -- the Peruvian stir fry involving tomatoes, onions, and French fries -- nobody does it better than this Melrose + Vine institution. Its signature green sauce should be used with caution.

Filipino: <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/venue/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/rice-bar" target="_blank">RiceBar

Downtown

Ask your Filipino friend where to find the best pinoy food in LA and they will likely tell you "at my mom's house." But I can't imagine any of their moms cook as well as the dude behind RiceBar, the new Filipino rice counter in DTLA. Get the sweet and spicy longanisa sausage, and then thank us for not sending you to my mom. Because she’s Jewish. And probably doesn’t know what longanisa even is.

Olson's Scandinavian Deli

Swedish: <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/venue/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/olsons-scandinavian-delicatessen" target="_blank">Olson's Scandinavian Deli

Mid-City

When you're ready to graduate from IKEA’s meatballs, this little market on Pico has got you covered with its OWN Swedish meatballs, shrimp salad, herring, and house-made gravlax, which is served on a bagel or toasted brioche bun.  

Taiwanese: <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/venue/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/pine-crane" target="_blank">Pine &amp; Crane

Silverlake

Look, we’ll listen to your argument that there’s better Taiwanese food in the SGV… if you’ll have it with us, seriously, while eating Pine & Crane’s superlative dan dan noodles. Yeah. That’s what we thought.

Courtesy of Night + Market

West Hollywood/Silverlake
Sure you'll still find us at Jitlada for crispy Morning Glory, Sapp for boat noodles, and Ruen Pair for that salty turnip omelette thingymabob. But for our all around fave, nobody is doing some of the stuff that Kris Yenbamroong is doing right now at his two locations of Night + Market. (Until Pok Pok finally opens, and then we'll see.)

 

Vietnamese: <a href="http://www.thrillist.com/venues/eat/los-angeles/restaurants/golden-deli-vietnamese-restaurant" target="_blank">Golden Deli

San Gabriel

You know what's better than a golden fried imperial roll from Golden Deli? A whole pile of golden fried imperial rolls from Golden Deli. Well worth the drive out to the SGV. And the long line. And the return visit.

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Zach Brooks is the founder of Midtown Lunch and Food Is The New Rock. Find him at @midtownlunchla on Instagram.