Vie Healing

When it comes to the east side of LA (DTLA aside), hotel options are pretty thin. Cara Hotel is everything a low-key East Hollywood hotel should be—elegantly earthy, minimalist yet warm, functional (the restaurant is fantastic), and comfortable. Located just below Griffith Park, Cara Hotel feels like a friend’s airy home, which is on point given “cara” is Gaelic for friend and the owners are Irish. Rooms come with elevated amenities like Harry Josh hairdryers, silky Frette sheets and robes, plus minibars filled with locally made snacks. The hotel bar is by the small courtyard (reflective) pool, shaded by pretty olive trees with a wine list heavy on French bottles from Chateau La Coste. Meanwhile, the on-site restaurant is a hit. Tuck into charcoal smoked roast chicken, heirloom carrots, and buttery colcannon (a mix of mashed potato, kale, and cabbage every Irish kid grew up eating).

Though it's just steps from the neon-lit Sunset Strip, the quaint, hidden Charlie Hotel is a refreshing break from the hustle and bustle of the city; it blends into the neighborhood, so it's largely unknown, even to locals. The cozy spot is low on amenities—you won't find a pool or spa—but what it lacks in extravagance it more than makes up for in charm. The hotel itself is made up of 14 West Hollywood bungalows, each outfitted with a full kitchen (several have multiple bedrooms), painstakingly restored and tastefully decorated by loving hotelier Menachem Treivush, who rescued the site from demolition in 2002. Cottages are named after some of the Hollywood luminaries who lived in them in the early Hollywood days—the hotel itself is named after Charlie Chaplin, who lived here back in the '20s when it originally opened.

Originally constructed in the ‘30s as an opulent apartment building (its design takes after the Gothic chateaus of the Loire Valley), the Chateau quickly morphed into a hotel. It has official historic landmark status for a million reasons: It’s played host to everyone in Hollywood (sadly, John Belushi died here), and despite an André Balazs re-do in the ‘90s, it still feels wonderfully old-world. Its popularity has never waned, to the extent that you generally can’t grab a bite or a drink here unless you’re checked-in, or meeting a guest. Images: Nikolas Koenig

This is inarguably a hotel for people who like to stay up late. Check out The Spare Room, a clubby bar complete with bowling lanes, or take a dip in the super-sleek swimming pool. Come evening, this pool is central to the hotel's Tropicana nightclub, where the party always lasts until the wee hours. As for daytime: While you’re staying here, do yourself a favor and book a treatment at their newly renovated Massage Garden. It's outside (as the name suggests) and steps from the pool (where you can lounge and lunch after). And yes, the massage did somehow feel better with a light, warm LA breeze going.

From its inception in 1963, when the hotel opened to give entertainers and guests of the nearby Playboy Club somewhere to stay, the Sunset Marquis has been the favorite destination for rockers, writers, and actors visiting LA (hence the underground recording studio). Stay in one of their Mediterranean-style villas which were recently given an overhaul as part of the hotel's $25 million facelift. It's the perfect place to crash after a wild night at Bar 1200 next door.

Jeff Kleins' art deco jewel is one of our favorite places to stay, though the rooms can be a bit tight. It also has one of our favorite restaurants, Tower Bar: The walls are lined in walnut, the lighting is low, and the vibe is hushed and discreet——fitting, as it lives in what was once Bugsy Siegel's apartment.

Over the last decade, Los Angeles has outgrown its one-industry city image, and West Hollywood is a big reason why. At its center sits La Peer Hotel, tucked into its namesake street between Melrose and Santa Monica Boulevards. From here, you can walk to some of LA's best mid-century modern furniture shops, interior design offices, home accessory stores, and the Pacific Design Center. This focus on good design bleeds into the hotel itself, by way of custom couches, Moroccan tiling, cool grey and white finishes, and a beautiful back patio. Each room is outfitted with considered details, including embroidered wall art and a large soaking tub. Given its proximity to excellent food and entertainment (goop favorite Gracias Madre is around the corner), it's surprising how quiet a stay here can be. Be sure to book a table at Viale dei Romani, the in-house Italian-meets-Moroccan restaurant, for wood-fired seafood and some of the best pizza in town.

Designed by David Collins, the hotel's interior is beautifully modern, and the rooms are legitimately palatial—with views of the Hollywood Hills and the city below. The same goes for the rooftop pool, which boasts an excellent view of the downtown skyline.

Palisociety hotels have cropped up all across town now, but the Hollywood location is the best pick if you’re mostly in town to go out: It's walking distance from some of Hollywood's most famous venues, and it has a central pool, a cute lobby bar, and a party spirit. There’s an In-N-Out next door for late night snacking, too.

This reimagining of Palisociety’s first hotel (originally located on nearby Holloway Drive) offers the same quirky charm and warm hospitality as its predecessor. The rooms are cozy and luxurious, a blend of California ease and old-world opulence. And although the views aren’t necessarily memorable, the location is hard to beat, with Joan’s on Third two doors down and LACMA a short drive away. Enjoy the peaceful outdoor pool and accompanying lemonade bar on a sunny afternoon; for late-night bites, try Mezzanine Sushi, the in-house restaurant that serves a trendy take on Japanese bar food.

Short Stories is a breezy, contemporary spot that’s walking distance from some great 3rd Street and Fairfax restaurants. They have good service, a pool, and a solid restaurant.

Angelini Osteria is always busy. The vibe is unpretentious, and the food is delicious, homey, and simple, from the pastas, (like the insane Lasagne Verde and the creamy risottos), to a whole branzino baked in salt.

This wonderfully tiny, six-table spot is the latest addition to the Mozza family—with a homepage distinguished by a giant cleaver, Chi Spacca offers innumerable versions of pork and beef chops, which should definitely be shared (many are 42 to 50 ounces). Like any great steak house, even of the Italian variety, all that carne comes with a bountiful menu of delectable sides: The mashed potatoes are insane, as are the squash blossoms and grilled cauliflower. And, as this is California and all, you can trust that there's a simple grilled fish on the menu, along with a hearty kale salad. It's possible to rent the entire space for events.

When Clark Street took over the former 101 Coffee Shop space, locals crossed their fingers that not too much has changed. And Clark Street Diner honors the building’s roots: They serve standard diner fare, just with better bread.

Connie & Ted's is undeniably one of the best options in L.A. for a great New England-style seafood meal. The menu is vast and great all around, but you can't go wrong with the daily fresh catch, prepared simply and skillfully—that or the fish and chips, which is buttery, flaky, and not the least bit greasy. Same goes for the overflowing fried oyster sandwich, which you'll be all too happy to eat with a fork and knife. Their family-style dinners, served to up to 16 guests on the private patio, are perfect for any low-key special occasion.

Only in LA would the bar inside a vegan restaurant be a major scene (it's kind of the best place to sit for a full meal, too). While vegan food rarely seems to get the upscale touch, it certainly does at Tal Ronnen’s dimly lit, luxurious bistro. There’s no mention on the menu of the fact that every dish is plant-based: Hearts of palm masquerade as crab cakes and calamari, and almonds pretend they’re cheese. Without the clever naming conventions, the food would still stand on its own. In short: You won’t miss dairy or meat. There are also lots of workarounds for the gluten-intolerant as well.

The menu is long and hand-drawn here, which gives you an idea of how infrequently it changes: All the Italian classics are represented, from Chicken Marsala to Spaghetti Carbonara. Though the fare is decent, it caters to a regular, show business clientele that makes it one of Hollywood’s veritable cafeterias. Dan Tana's is an L.A. institution, through and through.

This place is all about its platters of oysters, crudo, and peel-and eat prawns. Go for one of those, plus an order of white anchovies and Bub & Grandma’s bread. Ask your server about pairings from their curated wine list.

Chilean chef Juan Ferreiro has created the perfect menu of California-style comfort food—healthy with a dash of indulgence, depending on what you’re craving that day. The market chop salad never disappoints. Make a reservation if you’re coming for dinner; they only take walk-ins for breakfast and lunch.

The long wait to get into this get close and comfy place for breakfast is so worth the amazing waffles and French press coffee. They'll definitely set you right for the day. There's also good people watching.

You wouldn't expect it from the outside, but this place serves up excellent and innovative Southern Thai cuisine, that pushes the boundaries on flavor and spice. The mussels are a standout and people rave about the 'crying tiger.' It's tiny, which makes for long but worthwhile waits.

This West Hollywood standby has mellowed out substantially from its days of rowdy all-nighters, though the bathrooms—which are plastered with hilarious snapshots of partying patrons—and the late hours are a nice nod to Jones’ party-central past. On the same note, both the main bar and the smaller one in the back, are still a great spot to get a drink and people watch. As suggested by the checkered tablecloths and moody lighting, the food leans heavily on home-style Italian dishes like spaghetti and meatballs, heaping chopped salad, and thin-crust pizza—served fresh, straight from the wood-burning brick oven. If sharing, the Jidori roast chicken is a good choice.

Steven Arroyo (of Escuela Taqueria and Potato Chip fame) and Max Marder transformed the former House Cafe into Marvin—a French-inflected bistro that’s picked up a few design tricks from Arroyo (aluminum cans line the ceiling, to pretty stunning effect, and simple plates dot the walls). The wine list is great, and the menu is packed with classics, from fried egg topped asparagus to a perfect roast chicken. The best part? It’s open until midnight (a rarity in Los Angeles) and you can usually get a seat at the bar with minimum wait time.

Well-worn red leather banquettes, stiff martinis, bowtied waiters, and what was the first pay-phone in Hollywood, are just the beginning of this fabled restaurant's story. Thanks to its proximity to the Screen Writer's Guild, literary stars like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Faulkner, and Aldous Huxley, wrote while they snacked on liquor. The menu has evolved since they opened in 1919, though it's really more about drinking up the scene.

Chef Kris Yenbamroong may not have any formal culinary training, but no matter: He learned how to cook in Bangkok, and in the kitchen of his parent’s long-standing Thai mainstay, Talésai, which is now Night + Market. Tucked away behind a curtain in the back, you won’t find the white tablecloths that mark the former. Instead, you’re met by a stark white space where the only décor is a handful of Christmas lights and a Singha beer sign. Here, the hype continues to mount: Maybe it’s the low-slung and crowded communal tables (this place is loud), or maybe it’s the exquisite and (very) spicy street food, like pad thai, grilled fatty pig collar, and fried chicken wings, bathed in “rooster sauce.”

Considering Nong Lá’s immense popularity, it’s easy to forget that it’s actually a small, family-run operation. It started with brother-and-sister duo, Elaine and Victor Phuong, and their mom Khanh Phan, who sourced family recipes and adapted them into a perfect menu of Vietnamese banh mi, egg-topped fried rice, and a light, flavorful pho that you can customize to your liking. The La Brea location is just a smidge fancier than the Sawtelle original but the menu is for the most part identical. Tip: Treat yourself to a glass of the homemade passion fruit iced tea—it’s delicious and just sweet enough.

The in-house pastas are particularly stand-out here, especially the bucatini and the rye rigatoni. A young, friendly staff and airy brick-and-wood interior with floor-to-ceiling windows and long steel bar make this place feel more like the East Village than LA. The extensive wine list, great pizzas, and even better prices make it a real gem. There's a second location in Sherman Oaks.

For the true Italophile, pull out all the stops and order the seven-course pasta tasting menu at the more dressed-up of the two Mozza dining rooms. If you choose, you can accompany each course with their suggested wine. Their wine room is an ideal location for a small private event, but it's also possible to arrange a full buyout.

This all-day Thai spot serves an excellent rice porridge breakfast, Intelligensia coffee, and has solid list of natural wines.

Though its just a few miles from L.A.'s busiest stretch, Pace feels like it's in the middle of the nowhere. It's actually in the residential hillside enclave, Laurel Canyon, right below a sweet little neighborhood grocery store. It's one of those rare restaurants that works equally well for big, lively dinners with friends or more romantic dates. The food—Italian—is strong, but it's really more about the cozy, tucked-away vibe than culinary fireworks.

Pizzana—one of the harder reservations to snag on the West Side—has finally come to West Hollywood. Expect excellent thin-crust pizza from Naples-born chef Daniele Uditi, as well really great iterations of carciofi and caprese. High ceilings and lots of natural light open up the narrow space, which is already packed and buzzy at lunch time—definitely make a reservation, wait times for dinner can be especially long. Note: the pizzas are generous in size—two or three people could comfortably split one (but trying two to share is a safer bet and also too hard to pass up).

The incredible crust that makes the pizza here so delectable is the doing of LaBrea Bakery founder and former owner Nancy Silverton. And while we don't know who exactly to thank for the chopped salad, it deserves a notable mention. Other highlights are the fried squash blossom with ricotta and butterscotch budino, but anything you order will not disappoint. It all packs up beautifully to-go, too, making it a great option for a weeknight dinner when you don't feel like cooking.

With two Michelin stars at its back, Michael Cimarusti’s Providence easily ranks as one of L.A.’s best. The prix-fixe menu revolves around Cimarusti’s deep love for the sea, and the provenance of the fish on the menu is clearly-defined: There’s down-home “chowda,” lobsters from Maine, coho salmon from the Olympic peninsula, and a smattering of exotics, like ikura, uni, and razor clams. Meanwhile, the quietly-fancy space feels like it could double as the dining room of an opulent ocean liner. They have two private rooms for events.

With long and star-studded resumés (Walter Manzke has worked at El Bulli, for one, while his wife, Margarita, worked at Melisse), nobody expected this ambitious duo’s LA venture to be anything less than extraordinary. Occupying the former home of Campanile (i.e., Charlie Chaplin’s film studio back in the ’20s), the focus here is on French-inflected staples, like duck confit, oysters, and tartes flambées. The uni toast is insane, the baguettes are absurd (Margarita is a pastry chef), and the space has been reworked beautifully: The heavy floor tiles and mahogany tables were all imported from The Philippines, where Margarita was born. (Should you ever find yourself in Manila, the Manzkes also have a small chain of successful cafés there called Wildflour.)

There is no lack of restaurants along this strip of Melrose Avenue. But Ronan offers something different: quiet. It's dark, New York vibe sets it apart from the slew of bright, loud eateries in the neighborhood. (And it is also literally set apart; the space sits tucked back from the sidewalk.) Come here to hunker down in one of the cozy booths or share space at the giant communal table. The pizzas are incredible: chewy, airy, slightly charred crust (thanks to the brick oven imported from Italy) underneath perfectly acidic sauce, savory artichokes, and wilted greens. If you're feeling like you want something lighter, chef makes a "rigatoni" from twirled artichokes, lacing them with garlic and butter. It's incredible. Everything at this husband-and-wife-owned spot—down to the cocktails—satisfies.

After a three-year hiatus, chef Ricardo Zarate (most famously of Mo-Chica) is back with Rosaliné, which is named for his mother. The menu is loosely Peruvian, with an emphasis on ceviches and other seafood, including an incredible arroz con mariscos—rice, sea urchin, scallops, tiger prawns and manila clams. Located on Melrose, Rosaliné is also a convenient spot for a post-work cocktail, with a gorgeous dining room and bar that features glass-paned walls and a ceiling replete with hanging plants.

From the people who created Bestia and Bavel, Saffy’s is a Mediterranean spot with killer hummus and wood-fired skewers. In the mornings, they function as a coffee and tea shop; on weekends, they serve a full breakfast of shakshuka, minty cucumber salad, harissa-y olives, challah, and clotted cream with honey.

This is the west coast outpost of one of our Boston favorites. The menu is huge; your best bets are lobster rolls, clam chowder, and whatever else feels stereotypically New England. They have an impressive collection of tinned fish. But perhaps the biggest highlight comes at the end of the meal: Founder Kathy Sidell’s son, pastry chef Ben Sidell, runs the dessert operation and makes one of the best chocolate chip cookies we’ve ever had.

Formerly crammed into a tiny space on Santa Monica Boulevard–where it quickly became known for both amazing oatmeal griddle cakes and long waits for brunch—the new Salt’s Cure has found a happier home. A few miles east on Highland, it now has a much larger, more relaxed dining room and really good cocktails. The menu stays true to the restaurant’s original ethos: Animals are bought whole, directly from California farms; seafood is sustainable and caught by local fisherman; produce comes from LA-area farmers’ markets. Make a reservation in advance if you can, for brunch especially. (If you want less fanfare with the best of the morning offerings, stop by Breakfast by Salt’s Cure, which recently opened in the restaurant’s original space.)

Styled to look like an East Coast clam shack (buoys, taxidermied fish, and life belts line the wood-paneled walls), Son of a Gun is one of those spots that could probably routinely fill a space five times its size. While you might have to wait for a seat, the linguine and clams, peel-and-eat shrimp, insane sashimis, shrimp toast, smoked trout with crackers, and mini lobster rolls fully justify the time spent. Though one of their biggest hits, the fried chicken sandwich, has nothing to do with the sea.

This quintessential sushi spot is tucked away on the second floor of a nondescript strip mall on Sunset; it’s a good thing since seats (and opening hours) are limited. It’s strictly Omakase at the sushi bar, and well worth it—should you take this option, you’ll have to cross your fingers that the blue crab hand roll (more and more ubiquitous around LA, but still superb) and skipjack sashimi are on the night’s menu.

Smack in the middle of the La Brea design corridor, the seating here is almost entirely outdoors. The sweet and the savory camps are equally strong here: There's salted caramel pecan babka and chocolate chip rye in the former, and a generous farmhouse chopped salad and turkey sandwich in the latter.

Jeff Klein’s art deco jewel (another great place to stay, though the rooms can be a bit tight) has one of our favorite restaurants: The walls are lined in walnut, the lighting is low, and the vibe is hushed and discreet—fitting, as it lives in what was once Bugsy Siegel’s apartment.

In the continued migration west of all things New York comes the LA outpost of a beloved West Village cocktail bar. It's a stellar spot for a group, an ideal way to kick off a night of cocktail hopping, and the private room is our go-to for events or intimate dinners. Cofounder Dushan Zaric has transformed a former BBQ restaurant into a space straight out of a Baz Luhrmann movie, with Art Deco touches, mahogany paneling, and textured wallpaper. Fans of the original will notice the neon “Psychic” sign in the window, and indeed, there are three psychics in residence each night, available for fifteen-minute readings. But really you come for the cocktails: There are the classics for which EO is best known, plus newbies like the Hope Monkey (Kaffir-lime-infused Gin Mare and absinthe bitters). Many of the new cocktails showcase locally sourced chamomile and sage syrup, and CBD oils in addition to fresh citrus juices. There’s also a full dinner menu, but the bar snacks are probably your best bet—oysters, and fries are a good way to go.

Go here for good wine and house-made pasta in a dim, leafy space. They’re walk-in only and great for intimate dinners and small groups.

With only two beautiful, wooden lanes, you'll have to wait your turn to bowl on most nights here. Fortunately, it's more about the fantastic cocktails and buzzy scene than the sport.

Stir Crazy feels like the European bistro we fantasize about when we really need a vacation: the kind of buzzy, intimate space that reminds you how good it is to dine out. In lieu of silver buckets, wine is chilled tableside in six-quart Cambro plastic tubs, which feels casual and cool. And don’t be surprised if your tablescape starts to resemble a Dutch still-life: a bounty of tear-as-you-go loaf of bread, marinated tomatoes, olive and Hamachi crudo, and whatever you ordered off the seasonal menu.

This open-air spot on Fairfax is really everything you could want in an LA drinking destination: gorgeous outdoor patio (complete with lush vegetation and twinkle lights), sleek decor, and excellent cocktails. While sophisticated, Mediterranean-inflected menu earns it a spot on our go-to dinner list if we're in the neighborhood, it's really best suited to a dressed up cocktail night with girlfriends.

A few years back, Alfred all but took over the LA coffee scene, and it's still a definite favorite for remote workers during the week. We like this location best.

As the name suggests, the sandwiches here revolve around the kind of loaf that’s ideal for an Italian sub, with that hard, almost waxy exterior and soft, light interior. They have all of the classics, but there’s also a build-your-own option. It’s the perfect place to pick up lunch for a group on the a weekend, on the way to the beach or a playground session at Griffith Park.

Walk up to Awan’s takeout window—if you have trouble finding it, it’s tucked behind Dayglow—and walk away with an Indonesian-style scoop made from rich coconut cream. (It’s all dairy-free.) Maybe the vibe today is saffron ice cream with pistachios and dates. Or maybe it’s fresh Valencia orange. The menu changes regularly, and it’s always special.

This is a no-fuss iteration of the original Salt’s Cure (now located a few miles east on Highland), where you’ll find the same oatmeal griddle cakes that were once the reason behind horribly long wait times for brunch. It's now set up counter-style and à la carte, which makes engineering your perfect breakfast blissfully simple—it’s all the classic options, done better than anywhere else. Plus, you can now get a gluten-free version of the griddle cakes, and they’re somehow equally good. Just don’t ask for syrup: They come topped with decadent sea-salt butter and powdered sugar, and the staff will proudly tell you that nothing else is required.

Thanks to ample comfy seating, speedy Wi-Fi, and a low-key vibe, this two-story coffeehouse is perpetually buzzing with laptop-wielding students, writers, and freelancers. The upstairs study serves as a dedicated no-talking room with individual desks and reading lamps. Meanwhile, the mini library, which operates on a take one/give one system, is a great option if you're looking for a nice spot to curl up with a good book. The menu ticks off all mandatory study-food boxes: sandwiches, scones, and enough inventive coffee drinks to sate all of USC.

Hands down, Cofax serves the best breakfast burritos in Los Angeles (they are more than worth the wait). This place isn't at all dive-y—in fact, its whitewashed, tiled interior is a clean-cut tribute to the Dodgers. The coffee is excellent, as are the freshly made doughnuts and the kombucha on tap.

The coffee is excellent here and the baristas know their stuff. It’s also a great place to buy coffee beans; they source from some of the best indie roasteries worldwide.

From organic produce to the juice bar, prepared foods, wheat, gluten and dairy-free treats, a salad bar, sushi and so much more, this market is a wonderful place for groceries or to have a healthy lunch or dinner. Seating consists of wooden benches outside, so go on a nice day if you're eating in.

The Ggiata founders are three twenty-something buddies from New Jersey who sought to bring the east coast deli sandwich to LA. The highlight of the menu is the chicken cutlet sub, which is dressed in pesto and spicy vodka sauce. And the vegetarian options—portobello mushroom and eggplant parm—are thoughtful and satisfying. Ggiata is best for delivery and pick-up, but there are a few counter spots if you’re sticking around to eat.

See and taste the best of organic California produce here. There are coffee carts and tamales, in addition to great people-watching.

A coffee bar with pastries, a counter for prepared salads and sandwiches to go (or linger over), and a mini-grocery's worth of delicious cheeses, wines, snacks, and frozen treats. Though there are a million tables, they're generally always full; and parking in the area is scarce. That said, it's great for a mid-week breakfast or lunch. (There is also a Joan's in Studio City.)

In addition to the usual fresh California produce found at most markets in LA, this small market often has puppies and kittens for adoption. Flowers are also for sale and prepared food vendors sell delicious enchiladas and healthy homemade soups.

While it’s billed as a wine and cheese shop—and they do in fact put together an excellent cheese board—it’s the sandwich counter that’s the real draw. At only seven items long, and with the option to order by the half, you can easily sample the entire menu in a few visits—and if you need a good place to start, we always go for #1 (the freshest mozzarella, basil, and tomato situation) or the #3 (Italian salami and manchego cheese smothered in sundried tomato sauce) on fresh-baked baguette, though the ciabatta has a loyal following as well.

This is smaller and less crazy than some other markets. There's plenty of fresh produce, but there are also some prepared food stands where you can pick up a snack. Recently, some cool vintage stands have started to pop up here, too. Its central location means parking later in the day can be difficult.

These guys are actually based in Santa Cruz but they recently expanded into Los Angeles with two locations—one on Spring Street in the Arts District and, most recently, on Melrose in West Hollywood. No matter which location you pick, you'll find reliable internet and plenty of seating housed in a sleek, urban-feeling space. Verve also practices direct trade with farmers who source their coffee beans—an important (and very difficult to execute) practice that allows them to exceed Fair Trade minimums when they pay farmers for their goods.

You likely don’t spend much time thinking about rugs. And why should you? Jodie Fried and Sally Pottharst do it for you. In 2009, they launched Armadillo & Co., a line of rugs handwoven by artisan weavers in India. The rugs are known for being incredibly soft—and truly meant for living. In fact, Pottharst and Fried—who has three young kids at home—personally wear-test each of the rug styles before sending them to market. The store is meant to be a place where customers can come in, review samples, see pieces in situ, and ultimately customize the rug-buying experience based on what they need.

Just about as famous as the city itself, Book Soup is the sort of place where you stop by to pick up a book, and end up sitting in an aisle, picking through its literary feast for hours.

Chevalier’s Books has been serving Larchmont since 1940, and they’re still one of our favorite bookshops in town. They host a monthly book club and have a solid calendar of author events, too.

Everything here is reliably excellent, and on-trend without being slavish. Many of the labels are Parisian—Carven, Iro, Isabel Marant—mixed in with a spot-on roster of denim from brands like Mother and Genetic Denim. Now, there are locations in NYC, Miami, and the newest one in Pacific Heights.

Desiree Kohan has amassed a stable of envelope-pushing designers—Juan Carlos Obando, Ryan Roche, Sharon Wauchob, Damir Doma—that you can't find anywhere else. Everything is airily arranged in her light-filled space on Fairfax. Beyond the beautiful clothing and accessories, Des will always help you put a look together.

Situated next to the Beverly Hills Juice Club, this simple and well-organized shop is a veritable mecca for safe cosmetics and skin care. Founded to combat the fact that some of the most toxic elements in a woman's life come straight from her beauty products, the Detox Market sells lines like RMS, Ila, Rahua, and Odacité.

At high-end Parisian boutique Leclaireur, expect to find an exquisitely curated offering of home decor, furnishings, and objets d'art from both American and European designers, and of course, lots of Fornasetti special editions you wouldn't find at the department stores. And while the Paris locations are focused for the most part on wearables from avant-garde staples like Dries van Noten, Maison Margiela, and the like, here, the Los Angeles shop is devoted almost exclusively to things for the home, with a few exceptions being made for special-edition fashion pieces.

Inarguably one of the coolest selections of baby and kids clothing in Los Angeles, everything here is pretty much something we’d wear in adult sizes, from the Valentina silk dresses to the striped tank tops from Milk & Honey.

From everyday flowers and plants to bouquets for weddings and other special occasions, The Empty Vase has been reliably churning out stunning bouquets of exceptional quality for years. It's worth a walk into the store, but they do also deliver.

This place carries adorable clothes and whimsical accessories for both boys and girls from newborn to tween. Jelly sandals, tutus, and Petit Bateau staples mingle on the racks with plenty of European brands.

Designers Emily Current and Merritt Elliott are known for their denim line Current/Elliott. In 2015, they launched the GREAT., a vintage-inspired line of denim, embroidered sweatshirts, and super soft tees. The 1,800-square-foot space sits on a well-trafficked stretch of Melrose Avenue, and features plenty of thoughtful details: Fixtures are inspired by antique brass buttons and rivets on denim, Venetian Murano glass chandeliers hang overhead, and there’s a wall lined with hand-painted green Moroccan tile—a nod to the brand’s signature army jackets. Another visual coup is the wallcovering, done in collaboration with Portola paint, and meant to resemble timeworn denim. There’s the core line, for which they’re best known, but there are also lots of one-offs: a hand-selected assortment of vintage clothes and jewelry, plus little things that make great gifts, like perfume from Coqui Coqui, embroidered bandanas, and beautifully wrapped sage bundles.

Part store, part gallery, part showroom, Just One Eye all but evades description. With a curated selection of luxury fashion, jewelry, and furniture juxtaposed with impressive works of contemporary art (seriously—it’s like the Gagosian in there), the place is an aesthete’s dream. The owner, Paola Russo, served as Maxfield’s creative director for years, and her wide-reaching industry relationships have made her a connector of sorts between designers and artists. Don’t miss the Nate Lowman x Converse limited-edition sneakers or Damien Hirst and The Row Just One Eye backpacks.

Lost & Found in Hollywood occupies a stretch of adjacent buildings on Yucca Street, which is tucked away above Hollywood Boulevard. It’s there that you'll find one of L.A.'s best shopping destinations. While there are spaces for women and homes, we particularly love the kids edit, which revolves around feathered headbands, papier-mâché masks, and t-shirts emblazoned with everything from motorcycles to birds. The new outposts in Santa Monica are huge, offering more floor space to men's and women's clothing, along with even more delights for little ones. (Plus, a great edit of home.)

This iconic mini department store—owned by Tommy Perse, father of James—is inarguably one of the most special shops in the world. Perennially cutting edge, the all-black space houses designers like Rick Owens, Balmain, and Alexander McQueen as well as an extensive collection of vintage Hermès bags.

Both a shoppable store and gorgeous showroom, this space brings together two extremely useful, aesthetically pleasing home lines: Mud Australia porcelain and Vitsœ furniture. While each Mud piece has a handmade quality, they come in an assortment of smooth glaze finishes, from off-white to bright peach, blue, and yellow—on display here, propped up by Vitsœ shelving, which can be customized to fit any challenging spaces in your home. Stop by to browse, or enlist the help of Vitsœ's Rob and Andrea, who will help you visualize a plan for your place—big or small.

This airy, all-white space is a fitting back-drop for the avant-garde lines on offer: Here you'll find Maison Martin Margiela dresses, asymmetrical tanks and tees from Clu, and Comme des Garcons jackets. There's a Noodle Stories temporary space down the street that's singularly devoted to Issey Miyake.

Offering an encyclopedia's worth of designers, there's something for pretty much any sensibility at this Los Angeles boutique. We gravitate toward the double eagle rings by owner Kathy Rose, along with the key pendants by Amanda Keidan and Yakira Rona's delicate starfish necklaces.

This men’s shop sells vintage Americana, deadstock Levi’s, and garments that look perfectly lived-in from day one. Their signature silhouette—drop-crotch pants—are made by hand in Hollywood.

Sisters-in-law Veronica Miele Beard and Veronica Swanson Beard bring their East-meets-West-Coast sensibility to an 1,800-square-foot space on Melrose Place. They tapped Ralph Lauren veteran Carolina de Neufville to outfit the shop, marked by a pink facade, with their inimitable mix of leopard and greenery, plus a mix of vintage furniture and paintings by local artists. As far as the clothes go, their signature Dickey Jacket (a blazer with interchangeable dickeys) takes center stage, playing well with their new denim line. Timed to the store opening, look for a limited-edition run of denim jackets hand-painted by Donald Robertson, as well as a votive candle trio the duo designed with Robertson. To round out the assortment of flouncy floral printed dresses and sheer button-front blouses, there's an edit of sunnies from Le Specs, scarves from St Piece, and leather carryalls and pouches from Clare V.

Adam Blackman and David Cruz's eponymous shop occupies a space that once was a gay nightclub (it was in American Gigolo if you'd like to see it in its former incarnation), which just gives credence to the concept that you never know where you might find treasure. They have impeccable taste and a curatorial sensibility which makes this one of LA's more inspirational home goods shops.

It's easy to overlook this home goods shop, which has been holding down the fort on Beverly for years. It's a little bit out-of-the-way, which makes it easy to miss, but it's absolutely worth seeking out. John Derian decoupage plates, hand-beaded scarfs from Megan Park, and slightly macabre (but gorgeous) objects, like bronze cast beetles mingle with Ige's own line of pillows and fabric calendars.

Marble-topped Tom Dixon candles, cyan-hued wallets from PB 0110, and pretty sublime cashmere blankets are just a few of the offerings at this serene, grey-washed space. Bedding and linens, coffee table books, and Hella Jongerius plates round out the mix.

A true mid-century American icon, Heath has been producing beautiful modern and minimal tableware (with a brief break) and tiles since 1948. In fact, it's part of the permanent collections in New York's MoMA—and graces many a table across the Los Angeles restaurant scape. The store, like the products, is modern and minimal, with wooden shelves, concrete floors and a lot of space to browse. Besides the Heath line, they've selected a handful of designers to showcase. There are multiple locations in the SF area, including an outpost in the Ferry Building. The factory store in Sausalito offers seconds (i.e., subtly imperfect plates and bowls) at big discounts.

Acclaimed interior and textile designer Peter Dunham created Hollywood at Home to provide a complete range of services, from finding the perfect chair for an otherwise perfect room to decorating an entire home. In addition to his own textiles, you'll find options from John Robshaw, along with one-off vintage finds and custom pieces.

Glenn Lawson and Grant Fenning opened Lawson-Fenning on Beverly Boulevard, the epicenter of LA's design district, before opening this more second location as a concept store. Their goal was to provide a curated selection of mid-century California and Scandinavian design that's equal parts affordable and luxe. The furniture, which is all made in Southern California with sustainable wood, are gorgeously turned out, and there's also plenty of small packables, like glass carafes from Copenhagen and knotted door mats. The shop includes a design bookstore, Ivanhoe Books, which has become a popular neighborhood destination for current and vintage design titles.

Mansour has been offering the highest quality and designed European, Persian, and Oriental rugs and tapestries for over four generations, and has outfitted everything from royal palaces to family living rooms. The more recently launched Mansour Modern, right next door, is a gallery-style showroom that features, as the name suggests, a more modern selection.

Interior designers Todd Nickey and Amy Kehoe put out their own own line of perfectly-textured home goods (solid cast brass hand sconces, tufted headboards, hassock ottomans), which they've mixed with an eclectic range of accessories at this subtly-industrial shop. You'll find Japanese bear bookends, pillows cut from vintage Hmong embroidery, black-bristled brooms, and Astier de Villate journals—and you'll want to buy it all.

Everything at this long-standing, architecturally-minded boutique—from Noguchi lamps, to Heath bud vases, to Alice Park wallets—would look just right inside, say, a Schindler or a Neutra home. The emphasis is on great gifts (almost everything comes pre-gift wrapped in basic brown butcher paper), whether it’s a framed beetle or Carl Aubock designed book-ends. There's also a location in Silver Lake.

There are about 2,200 interior product lines in over 130 showrooms, here, making it a requisite resource for anyone looking to furnish an entire home. Though showrooms typically sell to designers and others who have resale licenses, individuals can purchase by going through the shop's in-house Design Services.

While you've probably been to plenty of Restoration Hardware galleries, you've definitely never seen one like this. Set in the heart of West Hollywood's design district a few blocks from the Pacific Design center, Restoration Hardware's Melrose location is one of the biggest in the country, occupying a full block and spanning three stories, each filled with RH's signature simple, classic, and supremely comfortable designs. In true LA style, the entire space is open-air, with wide doors that open to the street during the day. Perhaps the best part of the entire setup is the green rooftop—filled with trees, fire pits, couches, and even a ping pong table—that's open to the public anytime the store is open.

Rose Tarlow began restoring antiques in LA in the 1970's and remains one of the most sought-after names in design. Her shop on Melrose now stocks more of her own line than antiques and is a great place to go for meticulously-crafted and beautifully-designed (yet still homey and comfortable) furnishings, textiles, rugs, and lighting. The prices as high as her reputation.

While the kid-friendly galleries at LACMA are packed with inspiration, on the second floor of Hammer Building you’ll find a space where little ones can actually put brush to paper and make art. While on-site, sign them up for a free LACMA youth membership—they can visit the museum for free whenever they want (and bring one adult guest along).

Though parking (and the accompanying traffic) can be a total nightmare, it’s well worth it, because once you’ve settled into your seat, and busted out your picnic dinner and wine, you’re in for one of the more special outdoor concert experiences in the country.

As the name suggests, a lot of glamorous silver-screen stars are buried here—but the cemetery has a second life. The beautiful grounds play host to outdoor movie screenings and some of the city’s best concerts.

Pit 91—as it's known to the paleontologists—is still being excavated, and new fossils are continuously being discovered, preserved by the tar that they fell into eons ago. Some of the most impressive of these are on display at the Page Museum.

Undeniably, LACMA pulls LA's biggest art exhibits—and many of them. The campus is huge, the permanent exhibits are great, and it's all kid-friendly, too. If you have little ones in tow, definitely head to the Boone Gallery. There, you'll find a space where little ones can actually put brush to paper and make art. While on-site, sign them up for a free LACMA youth membership—they can visit the museum for free whenever they want (and bring one adult guest along).

R.M. Schindler’s 1920’s home is the headquarters for this Art & Architecture Center. There are exhibitions and events throughout the year, but the main pull is visiting the house that Schindler designed as a communal live/work space. It’s an icon of modern design.

Matthew Marks opened his two LA spaces in quick succession, in January and November of 2012. This outpost is quite close to the original on Orange Grove, which is convenient since many exhibitions spread across the two spaces.

The $5 entry fee goes directly to supporting programs at Fairfax High School, where this market is held (contactless tickets are available for purchase via the website). Once you're in, you'll find hipster heaven, as it's loaded with vintage and up-cycled clothes, shoes, and jewelry. There's also usually a live band playing to accompany your browsing, and a selection of stands to sample in the "food court."

Though it's an equal draw for car-obsessed adults, this museum—immediately across the street from LACMA—has huge kid appeal. For one, in the third floor Discovery Center they can climb aboard a California Highway Patrol Motorcycle, a Ford Model T, and a racecar. They can also race Hot Wheels and pick up a few tidbits about what makes a car tick.

As buzzy hair salons go, Andy Lecompte stands out for its fun, laid-back vibe. Most people know the salon for its stylists and colorists but you can also get a mani/pedi, threading, or a makeup touch-up while you’re there. (Ask for an iced coffee while you wait—they are surprisingly good.) We try to get in for a cut with Leanne Citrone when we can. She’s a co-owner of the salon with Lecompte. Citrone has a good eye for fixing cuts gone wrong or grown out, and she's great at coming up with a style that suits you. But she also listens, so you won’t get quietly bullied into something you don’t want. She’s warm and funny and cuts with her go by faster than we’d like. If you’re going in for a treatment later in the day, plan to meet friends and grab a drink or dinner at Gracias Madre around the corner.

With its art-filled walls, hidden relaxation nooks, and scattered antiques, Benjamin is the kind of chill and totally unpretentious salon you actually want to hang out in, making lengthy color treatments and intricate cuts not just bearable but downright enjoyable. Owner Benjamin Mohapi still trains every member of his staff, so even if you can’t get in with the man himself, a good cut is guaranteed.

The first location of Biologique Recherche in the States landed on Melrose Place, in a space designed by French interior architect Joanne de Lépinay. And no two facials are exactly alike. Here, skin is meticulously examined with the Skin Instant Lab, which measures moisture, elasticity, pigmentation, and oil production to inform your custom regimen.

A one-time Olympic hopeful for the Ukranian gymnastics team, Nonna Gleyzer has an innate understand of how to stretch the human body to the limits of its potential. She’s also part of a long lineage of Kabbalistic Rabbis, so she understands some of the more nebulous stuff, too. While she can certainly work you out on a Cadillac (and does so with many of Hollywood’s leading ladies and men), you really go to Nonna for her capacity to immediately identify areas that are unbalanced and out-of-harmony, whether it’s postural or emotional (or both), and then set them right. She is a rare talent. While she has an unassuming studio in West Hollywood, she also occasionally does house calls.

Sessions here range from 30 to 75 minutes and are designed to “work out” the muscles in the face to release tension, support circulation, and ultimately have a beautifully sculpting, lifting effect. Each treatment starts with a warm up before going into cardio, sculpting, and cool-down therapies. Your trainer begins by gently using the knuckles to work in the cleanser. With swift hand-flicking and pinching techniques the therapy gets under way, tapering off with deep finger sculpting for contouring: The trainer’s fingers dance over your face to help de-puff and stimulate lymphatic drainage. It’s different, fantastic, and feels both rejuvenating and soothing.

Don’t expect soft music and gentle massage protocols here. Face Place, whose minimalist aesthetic fits its no-nonsense treatment approach, takes a more clinical approach to skin care. The iDerm facial combines a round of extractions with oxygen therapy and pore-tightening galvanic current. Our other favorites: The vitamin C peel is excellent for softening hyperpigmentation, and the enzyme peel is superbly brightening.

We’re stoked that this Canadian facial studio has finally landed stateside. Their first US location is on Sycamore, where you can book a facial or injectables and be out in under 30 minutes. You can also get vitamin shots here, if you’re so inclined, and they have an on-site shop with some of our favorite clean skin-care brands.

Finding a Los Angeles hair salon where the cost of each visit doesn’t compare to your monthly mortgage is a challenge. (Sadly, we’re barely being hyperbolic.) That’s where Harper Salon on Melrose comes in—it’s been our favorite undiscovered chop spot for a while. The space is raw and industrial, and the service is quick and efficient, but mostly we love the result: always exactly what we asked for. All the stylists are top-notch, but James is our guy.

New York transplants rejoiced when the first West Coast location of Heyday, a skincare spot that specializes in personalized facials, opened its doors on Beverly Boulevard, not too far from the Grove. For the uninitiated, here's how it works: You choose the duration of your treatment (thirty, fifty, or seventy-five minutes) and set your goals with your skin therapist. Every treatment comes with a deep cleanse, exfoliation, custom mask, and hydration, then ends with SPF protection (the fifty- and seventy-five-minute options also have extractions). Upgrades include peels, microdermabrasion, and light therapy, and if you need monthly treatments, there's a membership program. Upon checkout, there's a small apothecary stocked with goop favorites like Herbivore Botanicals and Ursa Major. After your treatment, your skin therapist will send you a recap email, which includes a 30-day skincare plan, plus product recommendations. Bonus: Appointments are available until 9 p.m., making an after-work facial doable—and they've got free parking out front, which is clutch in this part of town.

This is one of those spots where they know everything and you can get anything. Beyond an encyclopedic roster of beloved beauty brands, they also stock little-known and hard-to-find products from the UK, Japan, France, and more. They also run a full-service salon.

We love sampling new workouts and hitting the many trails that thread across the Los Angeles hills, but sometimes our knees hurt. The city’s wellness community is always one step ahead. LIT (low-impact training) method specializes in exercise that is effective but not detrimental to our delicate joints. The workouts use equipment like foam rollers, resistance bands, and TRX. Before you roll your eyes, we’re just saying: Try it.

With the success of its first location in Tokyo, Mars opened this branch in West Hollywood to provide the same exquisite nail service. Though you can get just a regular mani/pedi, the raison d'être is the inventive Japanese nail art, set with gel so as not to damage your own nails. Each private room comes complete with a flat-screen TV, large leather chair, and headphones. With prices to match. Waxing services are also available.

By way of a serene neutral interior—complete with cactus plants and lots of driftwood—this massage spa aims to recreate a little piece of Tulum in the center of Los Angeles. They're also open until 10pm, catering to a crowd that can't always break away during the day for some spa time. The best part, however, is the pricing: $35 gets you a 25-minute massage ($95 for 85 minutes). They recently launched a monthly membership service which is pretty great too, for those who want pampering more regularly. While you can book an appointment through their site or app, they also allow walk-ins. The original location is in West Hollywood, with others in Santa Monica, Studio City, and its newest in Silver Lake.

Ole Henriksen is a skin-care OG. Every treatment at this Danish legend’s spa includes a full consultation, extractions if you want/need them, lymphatic-drainage massage, supremely relaxing sound wave therapy, and custom-blended essential oils. Powerful skin energizers like chaga mushroom, bioactive peat enzymes linked to collagen support, and omega-packed serums are incorporated into many of the treatments, and the results are hard to beat. Henricksen himself famously takes clients into the mid-day parking lot with a mirror to look at their post-facial skin in the harshest light possible—the glowy, dewy proof stares right back at them.

Not only is Dr. Rebecca Fitzgerald one of L.A.'s best dermatologists, but she does excellent laser hair removal as well.

Falling somewhere between spa and social club, Remedy Place is where you go to get a vitamin drip with a friend or show a date the magic of a cold plunge. They have a clinical practice, too—see a chiropractor, acupuncturist, or functional medicine practitioner in-house.

With only nine Reformer beds, classes at this beloved Pilates studio are small—which means plenty of attention from instructors despite the fact that classes are almost always fully booked. The space is sun-soaked and tranquil; the only wall not filled with mirrors or windows displays a white neon sign that aptly reads “sweat + good vibes.” Andrea Speir teaches many of the classes herself; they vary in purpose and intensity but all share the same challenging but gentle ethos (and heart-rate-upping playlists). Every instructor here is great, but we love Kit’s early morning cardio class prework, and Dane’s evening barre class if you require some extra motivation to push yourself after a long day.

Sugaring, which at this studio is performed by trained specialists in a welcoming, light-filled space, calls on a paste made from organic sugar, lemon, and water to pull hair out in the natural direction of its growth. It's a process that translates to less pain, irritation, and ingrown hairs, especially when you do it routinely. SugaringLA does the best sugaring in town.

We've been checking in on Cassandra Huysentruyt Grey's lushly-appointed beauty site, Violet Grey, since it launched last year, but now we're reaching for our wallets. They've just turned it into an e-commerce play, and lined its virtual shelves with cherry-picked products from the best brands (you won't find anything here that makeup artists don't keep in their kits). Perhaps more excitedly, they've now opened a bricks-and-mortar outpost on Melrose Place, marked by a slick, lipstick red door, where you can get a really great makeup application.

The colonnaded entryway of the Beverly Wilshire sits at the bottom—or the top, depending how you look at it—of Los Angeles’s most storied street, Rodeo Drive. It’s fair to say that this imposing, old-Hollywood hotel is the grande dame of Beverly Hills, and deservedly so. Informality is not the vibe here. The glamorous BLVD Lounge with its impeccable service and martini-sipping crowd has a way of making you sit a little straighter. After a sound night’s sleep on the cloud-soft beds that we’ve come to expect at Four Seasons properties and maybe a few laps in the Tuscan-inspired pool, we head to the spa. The menu is the length of a book and, because this is LA, packed with esoteric treatments, like cryotherapy and targeted postsurgery massages. The room service is excellent, and again because we’re in LA, there are plenty of healthy options that cater to every diet (we’re partial to a celery juice and the savory tofu porridge). Downstairs, Wolfgang Puck’s CUT is the steakhouse to end all steakhouses. For those venturing to Los Angeles for the first time—especially with kids in tow—the concierge at the Wilshire knows the city inside and out, and no request is asking too much.

Plush Spanish colonial décor blends well with high-tech features and five-star splendor to make this a slick but overwhelmingly comfortable stay. The elegant Terrace space (perfect for an afternoon tipple and currently open), Cigar Bar, and Maybourne Bar add a pop of London pizzazz to Beverly Hills. For this much luxury, expect a luxury room rate—and it’s worth every cent.

It feels like every time we loop through Culver City, the cityscape has changed. Literally. New towers and rooftops and parking lots are quickly swallowing up desirable chunks of real estate surrounding Platform. We craned our necks, parked the car, and rushed into the lobby when we saw that one of these new structures was a Palihotel. Tucked behind the ArcLight, the Art Deco forty-nine-roomer is a stunner. Guest rooms are dressed up in cozy tartans, warm woods, and clean white subway tiles with the kind of contemporary art and photography you wish were shoppable. Restaurant Simonette echoes a swish French brasserie, and the bar and lounge areas are retro and so cool. The mid-century modern sofas demand a faceplant, or at least some postwork wine with a colleague, and the inner courtyard—shaded by a lone, towering tree—is one of the most serene in the city.

From the branded BMWs to the impeccably attentive service, the Peninsula's Beverly Hills outpost is every bit as grand and luxurious as you'd expect. You'll find marble bathrooms; soft, cozy beds; and patios in each room. Only a few blocks from Rodeo Drive and easy walking distance from Century City, it's within striking distance of all the major agencies and many of the big studios, making it an easy pick for a business hotel. If you're in town for leisure, plan to spend some time dining poolside on the rooftop (which, since this is LA, is open year-round).

Occupying an entire block on South Doheny, this expansive hotel makes for a plush refuge just minutes from Rodeo Drive. The lobby is, in a word, swanky: all marble floors, high-pile oriental rugs, mirrored accents, and towering floral displays. Off of it, you’ll find the Lounge (this is your spot for cocktails and light bites—all excellent, but they do a really killer martini). Beyond that is Culina, the on-site Italian restaurant: Sit outside and order the tuna crudo and the Neapolitan-style pizza (specifically, the cacio e pepe with truffle paste and honey).

Let Destroyer’s aggressive name be the first indication that this tiny spot, located in Culver City’s design district, Hayden Tract, takes breakfast and lunch fare pretty seriously. White walls and factory windows lend the bright, sixteen-seat space a familiar minimalist feel, but the menu is full of inventive Scandinavian-style fare from chef Jordan Kahn. The surprisingly affordable (and frequently updated) menu has included everything from Icelandic rye bread with cultured butter and preserves to a waffle-cone-shaped beef tartare wrapped in a crispy parsnip. They also serve pretty great coffee and tea.

Chef Evan Funke became a household name in LA for his saucy, cheesy tonnarelli and salt-flaked sfincione at Felix. At his eponymous restaurant Funke, you’ll find some of his greatest hits from Felix (and from Mother Wolf), plus dishes inspired by the chef’s travels through Bologna: ultra-thin tagliatelle, chewy orecchiette, and a beloved plate of pork-stuffed agnolotti. The dining room is a little kitsch, sure, but that’s part of the magic: If you’re lucky, you’ll land a spot near Evan Funke’s glassed-in “laboratory” and watch the master pull pasta by hand.

At Hatchet Hall has been helmed over the years by chefs Brian Dunsmoor and Michelin-star-winning chef Wes Whitsell. There's an outdoor patio in the front that leads into the restaurant, which begins as airy and light, and becomes darker (in a handsome, cozy way) as you continue deeper into its rooms. The menu rotates but you can expect dishes like yellowtail tartare with lemon aioli, grilled flat breads, roasted game hen, brilliant grilled veggie sides, and of course oysters. Also worth noting: Hatchet Hall serves Sunday brunch. The back of the restaurant houses Old Man Bar—it looks as brooding as you'd expect, but it's also beautiful, and it serves up noteworthy serious cocktails from 6pm to 1am.

The "No Cell Phone" sign at the door sets the tone for a meal focused on melt-in-your-mouth sushi made by one serious chef. While he presents seasonal highlights and rare cuts (among other delights, we sampled a buttery escolar with a light garlic glaze, and kinka-saba, a thinly sliced, sweet Mackerel from northern Japan) his warm and welcoming wife Miyo gives the low-down on each dish. She's happy to add that she doesn't actually like sushi unless it's made by her husband—apparently his is the only technique to trust. The unusual cuts of fresh fish and the subtle twists to the traditional format, like using warm rice to contrast with the cold fish and adding sesame seeds to the typical tuna sashimi starter's ponzu sauce for crunch, make all the difference.

Inspired by the aromatic wood of Tokyo, the walls of this beautiful, organic-looking restaurant (named after a favorite scent by Comme des Garçons) are lined with fragrant cedar and one of the most popular dishes, the black cod, is infused tableside with hinoki smoke. The Asian-inspired menu by chef Brandon Kida (who came to Hinoki from Clement at the Peninsula in New York) incorporates the fresh, healthy Californian fare, including a raved about lobster roll and kale salad.

Affectionately known as “Il Trem,” this is a great place to grab a sandwich on your way to check out all the commissioned architecture in the Rodeo Drive area: It’s surrounded by Beverly Hill’s most notable architectural gems, which include Frank Lloyd Wright’s Anderton Court Shops from the ‘50s (one of his only forays into retail), and Rem Koolhaus and Ole Scheeren’s 2004 Prada store on Rodeo Drive.

At glam and dimly-lit La Dolce Vita, you’re looking at a menu of Italian-American classics: dry martinis, strip steaks, and spaghetti bathed in red sauce and parmesan-dusted meatballs. It’s all impressively good without reinventing the wheel, and the service is excellent.

A classic Beverly Hills lunch spot, this place has the best chopped salad, which they do Italian-style and allow you to modify it to your liking from a long list of fresh items. They also have a large selection of antipasti, soups, panini, fresh, homemade pastas and more. It's been around forever and probably always will be. There's another, less-buzzy (read: quieter) outpost in Brentwood.

At his celebrated Beverly Hills restaurant Maude (which is currently one of the hardest reservations to snag in Los Angeles), Curtis Stone and his team create an elaborate tasting menu centered around one seasonal ingredient every month. So if you come in during, say, Radish Month, the veggie will be incorporated in some way into each of the nine courses. The restaurant is named after Stone’s grandmother, and is lovingly decked out with antique linens and dishes as a homage to her kitchen.

Nate 'n Al's in Beverly Hills the place to go for authentic Jewish deli food. You'll feel like you're stepping back into the '60s when you walk through the door. Bagels, turkey sandwiches on rye, matzo ball soup, are all givens—quality cold cuts and fresh bread make the sandwiches truly delicious.

It's hard to score a ticket to reservation-only n/naka, which books up to three months in advance. But it's popularity (and price tag) is justified by the truly first-rate food experience you get there—this is a special occasion kind of place. Run by renowned chef Niki Nakayama, who was profiled in Netflix's docu-series Chef's Table, n/naka offers two different thirteen-course omakase dinners—one of which is vegetarian friendly. (You choose between the two tastings a couple weeks before your reservation.) The restaurant focuses on using local, organic, and seasonal ingredients—they actually have their own organic farm with urban farming venture, Farmscape Gardens. You won't be able to predict your exact tasting, but don't expect traditional sashimi. Each course is a modern take on Japanese dishes, with plenty of unexpected ingredients (like pasta) that Nakayama makes work (really well).

When the legendary Nozawa closed its doors, it sent shockwaves through the LA sushi scene. (On its last day, fans lined up down the block for a final Tokyo-style meal from legendary Chef Nozawa—known as the original "Sushi Nazi.") Luckily, it's now reincarnated in the form of Nozawa Bar. Though no longer in a strip mall, it remains true to the same no-frills attitude. Walk through Sugarfish (the chef's hyper-efficient chain) on North Cañon Drive and into the bar, headed up by Chef Fujita, Nozawa's charming and friendly sushi prodigy. The set menu changes daily according to Fujita and Nozawa's market finds, and consists of purist nigiri, sushi, and hand-rolls. Sadly, this is not a spot for the spontaneous: You must make a reservation (many weeks in advance).

In NYC, Roberta’s pizza is the OG. In LA, it’s the new kid who became the prom queen. Roberta’s, and its roster of signature pastas and pizzas, originally came west as a pop-up at Platform. But like so many East Coast transplants dipping their toes in the Pacific, Roberta’s decided to stay. A good thing, considering locals have developed a mean Bee Sting habit. (A Bee Sting is when you make soppressata and mozzarella into a pizza and top it with chili and honey.) The cacio e pepe here nails the cacio to pepe ratio, and the kid’s pastas are so good, adults know to order a second for themselves.

The givens: Unadorned sushi, attentive service, a busy and buzzy atmosphere. What sets it apart from the other west side options is very simple. It's the rice. Perfectly moist and served slightly warm, it's the ideal vehicle for the fish, which is, for the most part, presented sans sauce (why mar perfection?). They offer a $35 lunch special that condenses the omakase menu but still packs the same punch. There's also a location in Brentwood.

Since 1982, Spago has managed to hold its spot as one of the busiest and most celebrated LA restaurants. Sure, there's a ton of air-kissing and people-watching, but the seasonally-focused food succeeds thanks to fresh produce, meat, and fish that's done simply and well (the beet layer salad is always a highlight). It's the kind of place that's justified by a special occasion, and there are plenty of private room options for large parties.

Sushi Yamamoto, which opened in the old Urasawa space on Rodeo Drive, is one of the best omakase bars in the LA sushi scene. Put your trust in rising-star chef Yusuke Yamamoto, who’s worked behind the counter at the Beverly Hills classic Matsuhisa and at Nobu Tokyo: He sources some of the world’s best seafood, like uni from Hokkaido, Oma tuna from Aomori, and Astrea caviar.

The only American outpost of Koichi Endo—who owns a handful of restaurants in Kyoto—Tempura Endo serves tempura omakase-style using high quality oils and a unique batter blend that creates the crispest, lightest, most sublime tempura ever. If you sit at the 8-person bar, you get the added benefit of watching the chefs prepare the food, not entirely unlike watching a brilliant sushi chef. There is also a small, even more private, dining room for intimate groups. The price tag matches the exquisite meal in this case, but it's worth it for special occasions.

The vibe at Bar Bohemien is very low-key—good for not-so-wild nights where you’re catching up with a friend or meeting a date. They have a very limited food menu, but you’re welcome to bring food up from the stalls downstairs in Citizen Public Market.

Sit at the bar or on the patio, and order one of an encyclopedia’s worth of craft beers. (Skip the cocktails.) Order the Office Burger, complete with bacon, caramelized onions, gruyere, and blue cheese (no substitutions allowed), with just about any sides—everything’s good. There's another Father's Office location in Santa Monica; the menus are the same but the vibes are completely different.

The back of the Hatchet Hall houses a second, separate bar deemed Old Man Bar—it looks as brooding as you'd expect, but it's also beautiful, and it serves up noteworthy serious cocktails.

Stanley’s is half wine shop, half bar. It’s a chill spot to grab an afternoon glass of pinot, and the scene gets lively as the evening rolls on—mostly small groups gathered around tables, never too crowded. If you taste something you like, take a bottle home. And if you’re just stopping into the shop for a hostess gift, the staff is a huge help for picking out something great.

You asked for healthy takeout; we delivered. Our take on takeout is a menu of hearty bowls, vibrant salads, delicious handhelds, pizza, pasta, rotisserie, and more—all gluten-free and often finished with goop Certified Clean sauces, dressings, and marinades.

There's hardly a place to stand in this tiny gem, let alone sit, but the juices here are simply amazing. Cold-pressed daily and kept in the store's walk-in fridge, the juices are served in glass pint bottles, so you don't have to wait for each one to be made. Shots of wheatgrass and E3Live (blue-green algae) are also available. It's not cheap, but it's a healthy indulgence. Cash only.

This Indian grocery has an excellent hot foods counter, and it’s our go-to for takeout when we’re in the area.

Housed on a residential street in Culver City, Jackson Market has a grocery section (lots of gourmet candy, drinks, and snacks) in addition to a lengthy lunch menu. While the Jamaican Jerk sandwich had a nice kick to it and the Rueben has the perfect brisket-to-sauerkraut ratio (best enjoyed right away as the dressing makes the bread soggy), the classic Italian sub is a definite fan favorite, particularly when you take the build-your-own option and opt for a turkey-and-pesto sandwich.

These guys make the best bread in Culver City, and you should definitely grab a loaf to take home. The toasts and pizzas are also worth the trip. You can take bread-baking classes here, too.

Loqui—which started as a pop up in San Francisco’s Tartine—has opened it's first brick-and-mortar location in Culver City's retail center, Platform. The space is small but very sleek—all polished granite with an open kitchen. What makes the tacos so great is their signature, fluffy flour tortillas, which they make fresh on site (though there are still corn tortillas available for purists). Try the mushroom molcajete (like a deconstructed burrito bowl but so fresh-tasting), with zesty guac and pickled red onions. If you’re planning on lunch, get there early, the line is out the door by noon.

Super Domestic makes great coffee and breakfast. The space doubles as a bike shop.

Tucked away in the back of the Helms Bakery building, Arcana is easy to miss: In fact, they seem to play it intentionally low-pro. They have an incredible selection of rare and hard-to-find art books, many of which are behind glass.

For 20 odd years, Big Daddy has been filling a corner on La Brea with pieces sourced from around the world—and by pieces, we don't mean straightforward couches and case goods. This is the sort of place where you go for something significant and statement making, whether it's a vintage dental case, an antique birdcage, or a seasoned Louis Vuitton trunk. You can also find them at the Rosebowl Flea, or at their warehouse in San Francisco.

Open by appointment only.

The best businesses are born out of need. The Chain Press is one such example. Masterminded by Naoise McGee, an Irish émigré who missed handwritten letters, the company celebrates old-fashioned craft and encourages the simple gesture of sending a note or invitation on proper stationery. McGee works with clients to create designs and monograms that reflect their personalities and passions. Aside from bespoke personal stationery, the Chain Press also designs custom wedding invitations, announcement cards, even accent pieces for the home, all handmade by McGee—a one-woman show—on a midcentury Vandercook cylinder press in her new Los Angeles atelier.

Occupying the former Helms Bakery building, this department store-like store sits in a complex that plays host to Room & Board, and a handful of rug and lighting boutiques. It's divided into shop-in-shops for various vendors, which means that you'll find vintage collectibles arranged next to furniture and bedding companies. They have another LA location downtown, as well as one in SF and one in Orange County. This summer Australian furniture line Coco Republic launched its outdoor collection at HD Buttercup—sleek chairs, tables, and patio accessories made with a mix of concrete, rope, teak, and other materials.

Since 1995, Jill Roberts's mini-chainlet of boutiques have been holding strong, offering that specifically LA-buy: Plenty of denim and t-shirts, plus a few stand-out pieces from designers like Ulla Johnson, Agua by Agua Bendita, and Nili Lotan. There are two other LA locations: Santa Monica and Studio City.

If you're looking for an incredibly long farm table, or a bed from an period home, look here. Everything here is insanely cool and patina'd, from the perfectly restored furniture to the truly one-of-a-kind finds. They've elevated store design and arrangement to an art, too, making this a fun place to browse.

With the long-awaited completion of the Expo Line, a train that connects Culver City to both Downtown and Santa Monica, the area is in the midst of a period of immense growth. Platform, an indoor/outdoor space devoted to shopping and eating, is right next to the train stop. But calling it a straight-up mall feels off. In place of the usual shop suspects, there’s a Monocle pop-up and a Janessa Leone boutique. And while you won’t see a food court, what you will find are a dozen or so restaurants—both casual (Loqui tacos, Van Leeuwen ice cream, Boba Guys) and not (Margot). The pièce de résistance is Roberta’s, Brooklyn’s finest, where they know how to sling a pizza.

Surfas offers a wonderful selection of any and every tool and supply you could ever need for your kitchen whether you're a home cook or a professional. They stock everything from the highest quality pots and pans to industrial-sized mixers not typically sold to the general public. They also stock a range of common and hard-to-find ingredients, including a whole aisle dedicated to chocolate.

Village Well has a strong book assortment and good coffee. It’s also a great place to hang out or get some work done—there’s wifi and well-placed electrical outlets, if you need them.

When you're thinking of scenic hikes and spots in LA, Culver City doesn't usually to come to mind. But you can get a surprisingly amazing view of LA from this small state park in the Baldwin Hills area of Culver City. On a clear day, you'll get a panoramic view of downtown LA, the Hollywood sign, and the majestic San Gabriel Mountains to the east; and to the west, you can see all the way to the Pacific Ocean, with Malibu to the north and Palos Verdes to the south. Street parking is not impossible, but you can also try the lot at the top of hill, which costs $6. The trail to the overlook spot begins at Jefferson Boulevard and Hetzler Road—and you should be ready to climb: It's 280+ stairs to the top of the overlook—and they aren't baby steps. In this case the cliché is true, though, because the view really is worth it. And there is an alternative route, a switchback trail, which we recommend taking on the way down to save your knees.

If you're an artist in LA, one of your goals is probably to get a show at Blum & Poe, one of, if not the, best LA galleries for contemporary art. It's a wonderfully big and airy space, and there's always something interesting showing.

A social club for kids is a cute idea—but a social club for kids growing up bilingual (and their families) is brilliant—and much-needed in Los Angeles. Founder Lizet Alvarez wanted to create a community to support Spanish learning and a dual-language lifestyle for her own chiquitos.

First, pick a ceramic item to paint: It’s not just cups and plates here; there are also have figurines of dinosaurs, mermaids, and pets. The helpful and socially distant staff is on hand to supply paints, stencils, and sponges to make the plain white ceramics your own, no matter your painting skill. When you’re done, they take your work, glaze it, and fire it for you to collect a few days later. But these days we prefer the at-home option. For a special occasion, the team will set up at your home (ideally in the yard) for some messy, artsy fun. Otherwise, there’s an incredible Zoom option, where an experienced teacher will lead your child (or gang of kids) through a ceramic painting how-to. All instructions and a list of materials needed are emailed ahead of time.

Any artist shown at this particular Gagosian has to compete with the clean, sleek architecture of this four-room space. Its opening parties are particularly wonderful.

There’s always something excellent on display at this UCLA museum—it’s also nicely manageable, making it the perfect way to spend a few idle hours. The adjacent museum store is one of the best in the city: The bookstore is gigantic, and they have some great gifts from L.A.-based designers, but they win the biggest points for their kids room in the back, where you’ll find art and design-specific tomes for little ones, along with a handful of well-conceived toys.

Honor Fraser Gallery is one of LA's premier galleries for contemporary art.

Sculptural works from the likes of Alexander Calder, Barbara Hepworth, Henri Mattisse, Isamu Noguchi, and others, sprawl across five acres of UCLA’s campus. You can wander around yourself, or arrange a tour though they book up far in advance.

Ava Shamban, M.D. (or, as her patients call her, Dr. Ava) is one of the most well-regarded dermatologists in the entertainment world. She's a regular on The Doctors, and the trusted skin guru for Extreme Makeover. Her practice is staffed with a team of accomplished dermatologists and Physician Assistants, who are all skilled in facials, microdermabrasion, and chemical peels. There are also super hardcore options like cosmetic lasers, botox injections, and extensive acne treatment programs—this spot is not a spa, it's the sort of place where they really clean out your pores. There's also a location in Santa Monica.

We love Nail Design for their thorough, well-done, and well-priced mani pedis. The salon is clean, chic, and casual enough to walk in without an appointment, and the ladies are friendly and welcoming.

Chris McMillan and his staff of stylists and colorists have a die-hard following—which can make it tough to get an appointment (with Chris in particular). But it's worth the wait. The space is relaxing and mellow, and, relative to the quality and the area, the prices here are reasonable. They also do a fantastic blow-out.

This is actually more dermatologist's office than spa, but the microdermabrasion treatment and hydrafacial (a gentle resurfacing treatment that boasts pretty extreme results), make it a regular upkeep go-to. Dr. Lancer is one of those doctors where less is more: The less is just powerful and effective. (It's arguably best expressed by his excellent and to-the-point product line.)

Heated Room’s signature class is high-intensity hot Pilates, and it’s challenging for even serious athletes. What keeps you in it: an encouraging instructor, bumping music, and a studio so sleek you feel cooler by association. They also have a (non-heated) reformer room, where you can book privates or a class for you and a couple friends.

Founded by two hair legends—colorist Tracey Cunningham and stylist Neil Weisberg—this salon is named for the French word for “lock of hair.” The cozy, earthy space has more than 20 stylists and colorists at work, along with Cunningham and Weisberg, who are on the floor every day. The full-service salon not only does some of the best hair (and hair color) in LA, the makeup, nails, and Chinese-foot-massage services are all amazing, too.

Mila has been taking care of many high-profile LA women for decades, all of whom swear by her skin and body treatments. More specifically, it's her European facials (tack on a dry contouring session for a bit of extra lift), "face-changing" line of skincare products, and discretion that keep everyone coming back.

This is our place for non-waxing waxing in LA: They use organic honey to do the job, which we find much less painful. We also love that it's all-natural and doesn't leave a sticky wax residue. P.S. They also do great spray tans.

Shani is a name you hear whispered around Los Angeles—usually by those friends who have particular glowy skin. The aesthetician opened a beautiful, neutral-toned studio in Beverly Hills to perform those dewifying facials as well as microcurrent and LED treatments.

Kids are tiny balls of energy. Yoga burns energy. Put the two together and you have Shorty Yoga. We love this cute but not cutesy space, with its La Colombe cappuccinos, free Wi-Fi, and stellar range of classes for littles of every age.

It can take years of trial and error to find a go-to spot for cuts, facials, brows, and makeup, so finding a salon that offers all four is kind of like hitting the beauty jackpot. Striiike in Beverly Hills is owned by a trio of sisters—Kristie, Ashley, and Jenn Streicher. Each has a specific beauty talent: Kristie (aka The Eyebrow Whisperer) has a cult following thanks to her famous feathered-brow technique, Ashley is a hairstyling genius, and Jenn is an incredible makeup artist. Striiike is also one of the best under-the-radar spots for facials, thanks to resident aesthetician Melanie Simon. Her two-hour Physics Facial tones and repairs skin with low-frequency electric current and sleight of hand that leaves you unfathomably radiant for days afterward. In a rush? The fifteen-minute Lightning Striiike brings all three sisters together for a quickie mini makeover.

Sugaring calls on an organic sugar, lemon, and water paste to pull hair out in the natural direction of its growth. The treatment can be safely applied to virtually any part of the body and somehow manages to thin out the hair over time.

Tomoko in Beverly Hills is a transformative experience from the moment you walk through the door, where it’s likely Tomoko herself who will hand you a pair of slippers before leading you into the traditionally minimalist, Japanese-style pretreatment relaxation area for tea, the first of many pots they’ll brew for you. There’s no communal changing area or locker rooms, as each of the four treatment rooms is set up with all the amenities of a luxury hotel room (shower, closet, bath, vanity, etc.). A single treatment can take up to four hours with all the trimmings—starting with a foot soak and reflexology massage and ending with post-massage herbal tea and mochi ice cream. Photo credits: Tessa Neustadt; @beverlyhoodrich, @kylewaldrop

There's a pretty cheeky design aesthetic here, that takes a deep bow to the Queen: Union Jack covered chairs, portraits of Her Majesty, and floral, chintz wallpaper that looks like it was lifted from the walls of a country estate set the vibe. The concept is in line with the idea that everyone should be treated like royalty, which explains the extras (like long and late opening hours). Go for “The Full Monty” as they use wax from Italy, which is applied warm (not hot) to protect the skin. Jodi Shays is the owner, and the person to see if possible.

Her laid-back personality and healing approach to skincare have made Vanessa Hernandez one of the most in-demand aestheticians in LA. The treatments range from customized facials and microdermabrasion to oxygen therapy and vitamin infusions, and are all fantastic.

Alfalfa turns out really good salads, plus breakfast burritos, bone broth, and gluten-free doughnuts. They serve Intelligentsia coffee and tea from Kilogram, too.

Botanica sits on a stretch of Silver Lake that feels like a real neighborhood (a rarity in LA). It’s both a restaurant and a market—pop in to re-up on local eggs, fruit, vegetables, and house-made specials like the Aleppo-Urfa butter and thick labneh. There are few prettier spots for a healthy breakfast of Mediterranean-inspired dishes, the freshest orange juice, and really good espresso. We go for the soft scramble (creamy soft-scrambled eggs with a side of lemony greens); the crunchy, garlicky bread; and the entire pastry case. (Bear in mind that portions are on the light side, so order with abandon.) Whether you're alone, with a friend, or coming with kids, the space is comfortable and inviting, with high ceilings and airy décor. Sit on the terrace out back and work your way through the biodynamic wine list (we’ve moved on to lunch now), and snack on one of the epic seasonal vegetable boards. The selection of wine and cookbooks is a godsend for last-minute gifts.

Taking up prime real estate on Abbot Kinney, this beloved NYC spot has finally made it out west. And it's not just East Coast transplants who have been lining up for a table in the beautifully turned-out dining room (there's also an indoor-outdoor terrace that's pretty perfect for people-watching) or a seat at one of two bars; everyone can appreciate the veggie-friendly menu (just brunch, breakfast, and lunch, for now), which includes standbys like avocado toast and breakfast burritos. The teeny but well-stocked retail space out front and the cold-pressed juice cooler are welcome little add-ons.

Scott Zwiezen, who was the chef at vegetarian LA restaurant Elf, opened Dune in early 2015, and it quickly became known for its excellent falafel. Dune is a casual joint—you order at the counter and then, if you can, grab a counter seat or a patio table outside. It serves hummus plates, salads, and sourdough toasts, as well as a pickled beets sandwich and a lamb one for carnivores. But again, the falafel sandwich is the real star of the show here.

Local, sustainable, and fresh ingredients are the focus at this rustic-meets-modern spot. The roasted salmon is particularly excellent, though there are very few misses on Forage's constantly changing chalkboard menu.

It’s been several years, but Gjelina—a restaurant that ushered in a new sort of veggie-centric California cuisine—is as mobbed as ever. The crowds make a lot of sense: Everything is always excellent, from the vegetable sides to the whisper-thin jalapeño and smoked mozzarella pizza. Come when it opens so you can snag a table on the patio out back. (If the lines are too long, grab something to go at GTA, its takeaway spot next door.)

Sister bakery/deli/café to the much-adored restaurant Gjelina, Gjusta literally does a little bit of everything. They also smoke their own fish, which means the cured and smoked mackerel, salmon, and trout—served open-face on fresh-baked bread or bialy—taste amazing. At the other end of the spectrum is the chicken parm: light, cheesy, and addictive. Order at the counter for takeaway or to eat here; we love tucking into plates of fresher-than-fresh California bountry at the scattered outdoor tables.

A new-ish kid on Echo Park’s Sunset Strip block, Honey Hi is a very welcome addition to the neighborhood. Owned and operated by two best friends (one of whom is a nutritionist), Honey Hi offers a menu full of the type of food you wish you ate more often: gluten-free, refined-sugar-free, GMO-free, and seriously satisfying. A small, pleasantly bright, but no-frills space, this little café is the perfect place to grab a late breakfast, lunch with a friend, or a smoothie to go. While everything we’ve tried has been excellent, the miso bowl is a highlight. Oh, and the chocolate chip cookies made with cassava flour, grass-fed butter, and Maldon salt are no joke, either.

On the border of Los Feliz and Hollywood, this all-day, full-service restaurant comes from chefs Sarah Hymanson and Sara Kramer, who ran the kitchen at Glasserie in NYC before stealing Angelenos’ hearts with their vegetable-centric falafel joint, Madcapra, in Grand Central Market. Teaming up with Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo (of Animal, Jon & Vinny’s, and Son of a Gun fame), they’ve successfully brought their Middle Eastern/Californian cuisine to the East Side. Be sure to order the flaky bread with labneh, preserved lemon, and honey; za’atar squash tart; Persian cucumber salad with labneh and rose water; and squid with saffron, pine nuts, and cilantro, to name a few goop favorites.

Le Great Outdoor’s story began with no kitchen, no supplies, and no investors. Which is what led them to grill everything—fish, chicken, seasonal veggies—over an open fire. (The charred branzino is unbelievable.) The menu changes according to what’s super-fresh right now; keep in mind that once a dish sells out for the day, it’s gone. Try for reservations earlier in the evening to get your first picks at dinner. Walk-ins are accepted for lunch, when the whole operation skews takeout-friendly.

You’d never guess it with its beautifully light and airy atmosphere, but Superba Food + Bread was once an auto body shop. It’s now one of Venice’s most popular spots for healthy-ish breakfasts and brunches, with five varieties of toasts that go way beyond the ubiquitous avocado version. We love the kale toast—a slab of the house made grilled bread topped with sunny side eggs, avocado, braised kale and chili oil—and pair it with a side of heirloom tomato gazpacho with cucumber and garlic croutons. Superba is also rightly famous for its crispy brussels sprouts in dashi broth, and no visit is complete without a bowl of them.

While The Trails Café in Griffith Park is a bit out of the way, it's the perfect pit stop before a hike up to the Art Deco observatory (and its sweeping views of LA). The avocado sandwich is epic, particularly when enjoyed at a picnic table among the trees and string lights.

No matter if you're visiting and don't have a fridge to stock: Beyond the fruit and veggie stands, this neighborhood farmers' market offers all sorts of organic prepared foods, like gluten- and dairy-free treats from Coco Bakes, hummus from Mom's, and amazing fresh tamales. There's also a petting zoo for the kids.

Cookbook Market, founded six years ago by two longtime Echo Park residents (who also happen to be married), is the serious home cook's culinary playground. The tiny, tightly edited space stocks plenty of daily provisions (farm-fresh dairy, organic meat and vegetables, homemade pasta, pickles, and salsas), alongside harder-to-find artisanal items (Anson Mills grains, obscure oils and vinegars, special spice blends). Aside from fresh produce and pantry items, you'll also find a host of flavorful prepared salads, sandwiches, and tempting baked treats by the counter. Order a cup of the espresso-based coffee and sip it surrounded by buckets of wildflowers on the benches outside. For those living farther east, a second Cookbook Market location has just opened in Highland Park.

From organic produce to the juice bar, prepared foods, wheat, gluten and dairy-free treats, a salad bar, sushi and so much more, this market is a wonderful place for groceries or to have a healthy lunch or dinner. Seating consists of tables outside, so go on a nice day if you’re eating in. There’s another location just off Abbot Kinney in Venice, plus outposts in West Hollywood and Calabasas.

If all you’re looking for from Gjusta is a loaf of bread and some pantry goods, skip the line and come here instead. The shop has aisles of fresh bakery goods, cheese and charcuterie, prepared salads and soups, and sandwiches to go, plus a nice selection of beer and wine.

You asked for healthy takeout; we delivered. Our take on takeout is a menu of hearty bowls, vibrant salads, delicious handhelds, pizza, pasta, rotisserie, and more—all gluten-free and often finished with goop Certified Clean sauces, dressings, and marinades.

You asked for healthy takeout; we delivered. Our take on takeout is a menu of hearty bowls, vibrant salads, delicious handhelds, pizza, pasta, rotisserie, and more—all gluten-free and often finished with goop Certified Clean sauces, dressings, and marinades.

You can learn everything you need to know about this place from the menu displayed when you walk in: There’s a section devoted entirely to avocado appetizers, another to a fairly extensive offering of bone broth elixirs, kombucha on tap, and adaptogens sprinkled throughout. The comfort food is of the mushroom panini variety—which, at the Hive, means not just sautéed portobello, but also reishi, cordyceps, and maitake with goat cheese, green onion, and white truffle oil (kale chips side optional). Order at the counter and take a seat indoors or outside, or grab and go.

Lifehouse makes custom tonics that are specialized to your specific ailment (fatigue, pain, congestion, etc.); there is even one for pregnancy. There are excellent meal-replacement smoothies that are perfect for breakfast, but it’s also nice to stop by on a Sunday afternoon and stock up for the week ahead.

Magpies soft serve is made in house, and their flavors play on childhood favorites from around the world. There’s Fudgesicle and brownie batter, for example, but also corn almond, thai tea, and baklava. Wander in after dinner at Barbrix, or swing by en-route to a party; they make softserve pies great for gatherings.

The Mar Vista farmers market has excellent produce, great prepared foods, and an especially good energy about it.

Methodology, a food delivery plan that ships nationwide, is made for busy professionals (or generally fast-paced New Yorkers) looking for nourishing meals at minimal effort. Their plans range from vegan to keto, and they taste amazing. The menu, which changes weekly, is full of cleaned-up comfort foods like Spanish chickpea paella and vegan eggplant caponata made with basil pesto, broccolini, and pistachio parmesan. Their desserts are amazing, too: think matcha chocolate collagen balls and paleo dark chocolate brownies with avocado frosting. You can mix and match your proteins and sides, and arrange for portions to be big enough for two servings. Meals arrive in glass jars, which travel well, and they'll pick up for easy reuse. Delivery is available nationwide (except Alaska and Hawaii).

In a storefront no larger than a walk-in closet, you'll find tonics for every desire or malady. (We love the turmeric cup, with cayenne pepper, black pepper oil, and oil of oregano, to help us through a cold.) All this cold-pressed goodness doesn't come cheap—the green shake will set you back $14—but it's all delicious and effective. There is a second shop in Silver Lake.

It’s easy to miss Naturewell on this busy stretch of Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake (you’ll probably need to plug it into the GPS if you’re unfamiliar with the neighborhood) but this blink-and-you’ll-miss it juice bar is worth finding for its phenomenal smoothies and acai bowls (the coconut-kale smoothie is legendary). It also doubles as a health-food market, with an entire wall of legumes, and it carries snacks like nutritional yeast, organic nuts, and kale chips.

Sunny Blue is a choice spot for handcrafted omusubi, and it’s perfect before hitting the beach. Our favorite onigiri are the hijiki (a mix of seaweed, shiitake mushrooms, tofu, green peas, and carrots), shiso ume, and mentaiko (spicy cod roe).

As one of six siblings, Laurel Gallucci spent a fair share of her childhood in the kitchen baking. Brownies, cookies, you name it. But years later, she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder and suddenly sugar, dairy, and gluten—the foundations of baking—were out. She went back into the kitchen to experiment. Could a dairy-free almond-flour cake taste good and look beautiful? Very much yes. Today, her cakes—towering layers of coconut-lemon, vanilla, or chocolate sponge iced to perfection and decorated with fresh-cut flowers and fruit—are not only great to look at, but virtually every guest can eat them.

The space is an eco-haven, designed with renewable, sustainable flourishes (the walls are made of cork, seagrass, and recycled wood)—and the facials are healing, pampering, and just: beyond. The Custom Superfood Facial floods skin with nutrients from tamarind, acai, turmeric, and manuka honey, while the Light “Isun” facial features a miracle trifecta of microcurrent, LED light, and nurturing essential oil blend that thoroughly revives skin. The infrared saunas are each tucked into a cozy private room with a shower—and they aren’t hooked up to Bluetooth, which means the promise of a genuine digital detox, too.

Wagner, who also moonlights as a painter, is chill and wonderful, meaning that an hour spent with her skilled hands is kind of like hanging with a friend. A recovering tanning junkie herself, Wagner is nothing short of a magician when it comes to banishing sun spots and UV damage. Product-wise, the focus here is on holistic and organic ingredients–she uses her own skincare line made with a white turmeric and tiger grass stem cell complex.

This Abbot Kinney hideaway offers massages, cupping, muscle testing, ritual baths, and an especially great facial. You can grab a functional latte and light lunch here, too. But perhaps our favorite part is the private hot-cold circuit, where you and a partner can cycle between a cedar sauna and icy plunge pool.

The idea and execution here are brilliant: Face Haus is a facial bar with treatment chairs spaced evenly apart in one huge, airy room. The therapies are excellent and varied, ranging from peels and eye-area pampering add-ons to more intense sessions that include LED light and microdermabrasion. Renowned Beverly Hills–based dermatologist Harold Lancer is the consulting physician, so you can rest assured your face is in great hands. Bonus: You can rent out the whole place for private bridal and baby shower facial parties. (The OG location is in West Hollywood.)

For thirty-odd years, this Santa Monica institution has been focused almost singularly on colon hydrotherapy (to the extent that they train and certify practitioners). There is also an on-site infrared sauna.

Chiropractor Kevin So is talented at finding the root cause of what's going on with your body—strains, sprains, chronic aches, whatever—and guiding you through a complete treatment path, which usually involves hands-on soft tissue treatment in the office and physical therapy exercises you complete at home. We walk out of his office feeling so much better. And if you commit to the at-home stuff, his treatment plans really work. So is also a delight to chat with—an hour-long appointment flies by. (If you're interested in acupuncture, So's partner, acupuncturist Claudia Baettig, works out of the same space.)

By way of a serene neutral interior—complete with cactus plants and lots of driftwood—this massage spa aims to re-create a little piece of Tulum in the center of Los Angeles. It's also open until 10 p.m., catering to a crowd that can’t always break away during the day for some spa time. The best part, however, is the pricing. While you can book an appointment through the site or app, the spa also allow walk-ins. he original location is in West Hollywood; five others are in Pasadena, Santa Monica, South Bay, Woodland Hills, and Westlake Village.

It feels like a Venice Beach bungalow inside this Venice Beach bungalow: intimate, calm, airy, and cozy. And the treatments are on another level. They’re experts at gua sha (a sculpting, lifting, toning therapy in which an aesthetician smooths a stone tool over the face to stimulate tissue and ease tension); it feels cooling, relaxing, fantastic. You can always customize your facial, but there’s no improving upon the Deep Sea Age Defying treatment, an ultrapampering mash-up of LED light therapy, lymphatic drainage massage, and cranial therapy to support circulation and promote skin (and overall) balance. Whatever your skin needs, they have it here, and the glow you saunter out with is stunning.

Pause is where you go for a bit of physical and mental relief—they offer float tanks, hot-cold experiences, LED light therapy, lymphatic compression, and IV drips, including NAD+. Their infrared sauna setup is the best in town.

Surya Spa is no joke—in fact, it's one of only a handful of Panchakarma spots in the States (now, up and running at the beautiful Proper Hotel in Santa Monica). That said, it takes a pretty intense level of commitment that's a bit out of reach unless you have the vacation time and budget: It requires three to four hours a day, for three, five, or seven days (we recommend the full week, though it's tough, as you have to abide by the very ascetic menu that they prescribe). The house-made organic food and authentic Panchakarma treatments reach far beyond what you'll find in a traditional wellness spa (people come here for help with parasites, for instance). The results—which can range from better skin to weight loss—speak for themselves. Beyond being a wonderful detox resource, mothers, babies, and mothers-to-be are in for a treat with Surya Spa's special approach to pregnancy and babies' first six weeks.

Sadie Adams’s unique therapeutic approach is designed to help clients tease out energy and vitality from within. Her technique stems from her studies in anatomy at the School for Body-Mind Centering, and in Ayurveda and yoga therapy at the Ayurvedic Institute. After founding Take Care Face & Body in New York City, she has opened a second location, Take Care Center for Body Mind Regeneration, in Venice. Adams combines science, ancient wisdom, and intuitive awareness to support physical and spiritual healing. Her therapies include microcurrent facials, a restorative therapy that stimulates marma points in your face, promoting deep relaxation and healing throughout your entire body.

Tikkun is the next level when it comes to Korean spas, combining high-tech far-infrared heat with traditional Korean sauna therapies. So if you want to lie down in a Himalayan-salt-brick-tiled sauna or sit in a Hwangto clay room, you get the added benefit of far-infrared heat. And in addition to the sauna rooms, there's a long menu of massages and kick-ass body scrubs to complement the sauna time. We're burying the lede though, because the real golden ticket here is the Mugworth V-Steam: You sit on what is essentially a mini throne, and a combination of infrared and mugwort steam treats you to an energetic release. If you're in LA, you just might have to try it...

Her laid-back personality and healing approach to skincare has made Vanessa Hernandez one of the most in-demand aestheticians in LA—so much so that she’s added five other expert aestheticians to her studio. The treatments range from microdermabrasion to oxygen therapy to vitamin infusions to customized facials.

Veda's approach centers around the ancient healing modalities of Ayurveda and Panchakarma in space that evokes a modern and organic aesthetic. Appointments start with an in-depth consultation for Veda’s experienced practitioners to assess what treatment will best serve you. We loved experiencing Shirodhara—streams of warm oil pour onto the portion of the forehead known as the “third eye”, which is said to help stimulate an overall sense of calm. Conveniently there are post-treatment showers in the back, but, we like to keep the oil on for an added nourishing dose of calming aromatherapy.

Sofie Lyddon is an intuitive and empath who primarily works with Tarot. During her “Wild Wisdoms” sessions, she’ll immediately make you feel safe, connected, and seen. A standard Tarot healing session is 30 to 45 minutes and followed up with a recap of the reading. Lyddon also offers a quicker three-card spread, which she can guide you through in person or over email. We like the way Lyddon helps us reconnect to ourselves—and just reminds us that we’re okay, we’re normal. She’s also great at explaining Tarot—and making it fun—in groups. (If you want to host a workshop for friends, email sofie@wildwisdoms.com.)

Taryn Toomey and her definition-evading "class" have finally made it to Los Angeles. The experience is a self-titled cathartic experience, where you spend 75 minutes engaging in intense movement to “break open and activate ‘stagnant’ layers in the body.” In short you move, and scream, and shake, and yell as you release emotional energy–and get a pretty incredible workout in the process, care of burpees, planks, leg lifts, and squats. There's a fair bit of yoga worked in for good measure. It requires an open mind and a willing spirit.

There’s no doubt that the familiar forms of yoga, like Ashtanga and Jivamukti, can be incredibly rigorous, but typically we associate yoga with feelings of calm. CorePower combines the stretchy, lengthening magic of yoga with the strength-building power of weights. The studios are kept warm to help loosen up stiff joints, and the upbeat teachers make keeping up easy (or at least easier). Wear fitted, sweat-wicking workout gear if you have it—the combination of free weights and downward dog will have you breaking a sweat.

We're big fans of this Montauk studio, so we were thrilled when it opened a second beach-town location—on the West Coast. Yoga directors Kyle Miller and Sian Gordon have converted their Lincoln Boulevard space into an airy paradise that smells more like white sage and Diptyque candles than a sweaty yoga studio. The aesthetic matches the beachy interiors of the Montauk space, with white walls, teal floors, and geometric neon wall murals by local artist Carly Margolis. While the studio interior has obvious appeal, the teaching is what really shines. The overall vibe is laid-back—no heat, no mirrors, and definitely no weights—with a meditation and healthy Savasana built into every class. And while clear direction and game-changing adjustments will make seventy-five minutes go by extraordinarily fast, there’s nothing about this that’s easy: Expect to sweat (a lot) and to feel it the next day.

This is the east side's most awesome yoga studio. They offer a variety of tailored classes based on nearly everything you could be looking for in a yoga session: "chill," "restore," "sculpt," "sweat," "baby & me," etc. They also offer even more customized, one-on-one private sessions, as well as on-site classes at businesses and universities around LA. One Down Dog's class packages can be used at both their Silver Lake and Eagle Rock location.

Open is best known for their digital mindfulness platform and roster of all-star teachers. But a visit to their Venice studio inspires a bit of real-life magic: Flow through a yoga class, sink into a sound bath, or blast off with breathwork.

This studio is made for that in-the-zone feeling: The instructors teach a few guided flows over the course of class and build in time for students to do their own thing. It’s dark, with loud music and no mirrors. And it’s hot as hell. (Relief comes in the form of a cold towel, dropped at your mat before savasana, and it feels like you’ve been blessed by God.) It’s great for athletic yogis with a regular practice. True beginners, however, may get lost or find it too intense.

We're long-time fans of the Tracy Anderson Method for a million reasons: It's a lifestyle approach to fitness, meaning that you never peak; it's fun (and hard); and it works. Membership is more expensive than your average gym but includes unlimited classes, and depending on the tier, semi-private training sessions. The trainers are kind, but tough—you will sweat.

It’s hot and dark, and it can get crowded—but honestly, the more the merrier. Thanks to a booming soundtrack of Drake and 2 Chainz and the only light coming from candles, you can neither hear or see other yogis. It sounds a bit corny, but we’re saying it anyway: Y7 makes exercise fun. The beats, the upbeat teachers hollering encouragement, the lack of forced-upon-you Zen mean that an hour flies by. Prepare for a serious sweat and stretch, with a side of convenience. Mats and towels are available for rent at the desk, the lockers are the combination kind, meaning you don’t need to come prepared with a lock, and there are several showers (as well as deodorant, face wipes, and hair ties to freshen up) on the premises.

Echo Park isn't as celebrated as LA's larger parks, like Griffith Park or Runyon Canyon, but with excellent views of Downtown's skyline and a well-tended walking trail, it's a local favorite (you'll recognize it from the park's tall fountains, which are visible as you leave Downtown on the 101). For a kid-friendly afternoon adventure, rent a four-person pedal boat for the afternoon.

Griffith Park is one of those spots where you think you’ll spend an hour and end up staying for the day. Complete with an observatory, a planetarium (there’s a live show every sixty to ninety minutes), loads of displays, and even more hiking (it sits on more than 3,000 acres, and offers fifty-three miles of trails), this draws a crowd from across the city. On weekends, it’s packed.

If you’ve got little ones in tow or only an hour or so to stretch your legs, this hike is your ticket: It’s under two and a half miles, and it starts and ends in the stunning Will Rogers State Park (which is also perfect for a picnic).

This five-mile round-trip hike offers epic views of the ocean—the trailhead is at Paseo Miramar just off Sunset, making it easy to get to, as well (just park on the street). Then end your trip with gluten-free pancakes at Café Vida.

In the early 1900s, Abbot Kinney resolved to make a “Venice of America” and decided to turn modern-day Venice into a system of canals. While many of the waterways have been filled in during the intervening years, a small patch remains—though they had fallen into disrepair, they were restored in the ’90s and are now lined with some of Venice’s fanciest homes. It’s a totally random yet awesome enclave, and worth a stroll on a nice day.

Burrowed in a cozy nook of the Brentwood Country Mart, the 1,300-square-foot space was designed by the brilliant Roman and Williams who created our dream Brentwood bungalow. In this bungalow, you can shop everything: a gorgeous mudroom-meets-greenhouse; an enviable kitchen decked out with pretty pink mixing bowls, Staub French ovens, and glossy cookbooks; and the clean beauty apothecary, where you can nourish your face in oils and creams, spritz on fragrances, and try all the things on display in the towering vanity mirrors. There’s even a living room, with a dreamy daybed and plush pillows, a stocked bar cart, and a constantly rotating edit of pieces from goop-shop favorites like G. Label by goop, Staud, Victoria Beckham, Janessa Leone, Nancy Newberg, Eriness, and more. But the real MVPs? The staff—a team so warm and welcoming they will soon know you by name.

In addition to the delicious lattes, homemade sandwiches, and old-fashioned candies and trinkets, this general store stocks an equally excellent selection of homewares, including perfectly minimal white ceramic bowls, gardening tools, kitchen supplies, and more.

We've been fans of this impeccably curated natural-beauty boutique since its original opening in San Francisco in 2015. It stocks a wide range of nontoxic brands from around the globe (more than a hundred), including top skin-care and makeup products from Ilia, Kjaer Weis, Kypris, RMS, and our very own goop Beauty. Each of its locations (which also include Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Chicago) boasts a friendly and knowledgeable staff who will help you find healthy beauty essentials that fit your lifestyle and needs. Extra bonus: LA is one of the locations that has an exclusive Tata Harper spa in its space.

While its unlikely location on a grungy strip of Lincoln Boulevard keep this spot slightly under-the-radar, The General Store always justifies the trip. While it’s set in a big lofty space that could theoretically hold hundreds of items, the impeccably-curated store is an exercise in restraint: You’ll find hand-done ceramics, brass trivets, thread wrapped bows and arrows, and rare, vintage books. The original is actually in San Francisco.

While many stores on Abbot Kinney quickly come and go, Heist has become a long-standing staple, evolving and expanding with the ever-changing Venice. The large, modern boutique brims with labels both well-loved and still-unknown: You’ll find a huge range of Isabel Marant and Raquel Allegra, along with Newbark, Golden Goose, and Crippen.

This kooky shop is filled with the types of gems, crystals, candles, incense, and other knickknacks that make perfect metaphysical souvenirs to bring back from LA. If you have time, opt for one of the amazing readings or a treatment with one of the healers on staff, who offer modalities like Reiki, crystal healing, and shamanic energy medicine.

Founder Melissa Lovoy opened Lake in February 2007 in the heart of Silver Lake and filled this quietly low-key space with pieces that are modern, beautiful, and well made.

Lost & Found in Hollywood occupies a stretch of adjacent buildings on Yucca Street, which is tucked away above Hollywood Boulevard. It’s there that you'll find one of LA's best shopping destinations. While there are spaces for women and homes, we particularly love the kids' edit, which revolves around feathered headbands, papier-mâché masks, and T-shirts emblazoned with everything from motorcycles to birds. The new outposts in Santa Monica are huge, offering more floor space to men's and women's clothing, along with even more delights for little ones. (Plus, a great edit of home.)

Inspired by the Italian linens she encountered on a trip to Amalfi several years ago, Parachute founder Ariel Kaye wanted to bring the same luxurious bedding experience to the American market, without compromising on quality. While the line started with bedding (the linen sheets are the only thing you'll want to sleep in—trust), Parachute has rounded out its offerings to include waffle bathrobes, Turkish towels, table linens, and throws. Recent collaborations have included bedding with Jenni Kayne, decorative throw pillows with Caroline Cecil, and, most recently, ceramics with Kat & Roger. The storefront boutique is chock-full of design inspiration, too (a rose gold-colored mirror, potted cacti, and leather-and-copper chairs from Eric Trine).

We heard rumors of designer Kelly Wearstler’s lofty goals for the interiors of the Santa Monica Proper, the new hotel from her and Proper Hospitality, the hotel brand led by Wearstler's developer husband Brad Korzen and his founding partners. But nothing hinted at how stunning it would be. Wearstler has designed a breezy, maritime-inspired space that transports you to a seaside villa the moment you walk in. She outfitted the lobby with elements that speak to the coast (a carved front desk that echoes the shape of a seashell, art backed with sand, flooring that gives a bird’s-eye view of a beach umbrella) and married those with bold, eclectic accents (giant archways in Douglas fir and marble and gorgeous ’70s art) that only Wearstler could pull off. The greatest feat here is the synergy between the hotel's two buildings: One is brand-new and sculptural; the other dates back to the 1920s and boasts a vintage patina with gorgeous original iron-clad windows. The aesthetic of the guest rooms varies depending on the building but are all anchored by gorgeous elements—glossy tiles, giant tufted headboards that look like the sunset, bespoke botanical wallpaper—that make a stay here feel like a literal dream. The rooms are generously sized, and each comes outfitted with a Parachute robe. (And we must say: The rooftop here offers the best view in all of LA.) Best for last, Surya Spa have just opened their flagship inside.

This 20-room hotel is luxurious, airy, and light-filled. The rooms are thoughtfully laid out and beautifully appointed, each with its own ocean-facing balcony and hammocks, plus Grown Alchemist toiletries in the bathroom and Parachute waffle robes. (For a real treat, book the Surfrider Suite, which at 500 square feet feels like a serious home away from home thanks to a generously sized balcony, separate sitting area, and kitchenette.) There’s a guests-only roof deck bar and restaurant, which has uninterrupted views of Surfrider Beach across the street and a killer fire pit.