“What do you want for dinner?” Although deceptively simple, this is a question that can devolve quickly. With endless options in LA, it can become a debate fierce enough to test a marriage. The neighborhoods are vast, the prices are high, and every online article features only the restaurants tacky enough to pay for their place on the list. We’re taking a more intuitive approach to the dining conundrum. If you’re looking for your next favorite restaurant, look no further than your closet. Here is a list of restaurants, lovingly curated to reflect the type of person you are based on your favorite pair of shoes:
Tabis
What makes a ‘Tabi girl’? (And if you’re a guy that wears tabis, you are a ‘tabi girl’ too and you know it.) With an air of refinement and a knowing aversion to fleeting trends, Tabi girls have a lifelong reverence for style and quality. They love art gallery openings, oyster towers, and not smiling in Instagram pictures (with flash, obviously). At a party you’ll usually find them cross-legged on the patio with a cigarette in one hand, a glass of red wine in the other saying, ‘Yeah, they’re actually super comfortable’ to the person asking them about their infamous toe wedgie. She learned how to pout long before she learned to walk, and she’s definitely part of the ‘high school Tumblr girl’ to “fashion snob” pipeline. Although they wear almost the same monochrome outfit to every party, they need about two hours to get ready before a night out. Tabi girls are always on the list but ‘not really sure if they even want to go.’ Spoiler alert: they always go.
Found Oyster
A stylish seafood spot nestled across the big blue Scientology building. A place to enjoy oyster towers, lobster rolls, and natural wine.
Horses
Upscale American dining with wine & cocktails. Excellent pasta. Don’t get intimidated by the impossible reservations—the bar and the back patio are fine alternatives.
Capri Club
A recently refurbished 1963 neighborhood spot in Eagle Rock. The Italian-inspired small plates are good if you’re feeling peckish. Don’t miss the frozen negroni.
Bavel
Middle Eastern fine-dining in downtown LA. I saw Kacey Musgraves there once.
DTLA SoHo Warehouse
SoHo House needs no introduction. This downtown warehouse is a trendier counterpart to the one on Sunset Blvd.
Miu Miu Flats
We love a trust fund gal with an air of whimsy! As a die-hard fashionista she is always anticipating the next trend–Y2K is back, it must be time for ballet flats again! She’s in New York around fashion week, she’s in Miami for Basel, and she’s always posting from a star-studded party in Mexico City but no one totally understands what her job is. Her Instagram says she’s a ‘public figure’ but no one knows what that means. I heard she interned at Gagosian? But that was like five years ago. Whatever she does, this gal lives in the moment–even if that moment is fleeting, impractical, and comes with a “$$” warning on Yelp. She throws down that weighty metal AmEx with abandon and for that reason, we love being her lunch date. Sure, she’s #balletcore this week but she’ll be on to the next time a TikTok trend crosses over with the runway.
San Vicente Bungalows
The country club equivalent to SoHo House. It’s where all the members-only girlies go if they're tired of Sunset Towers.
Angler
Live fire cooking and seafood with premium wines and cocktails. Yes, it’s located in the Beverly Center but it’s leagues beyond mall food.
Gucci Osteria
Good luck getting a reservation, but if anyone could, it’s Miu Miu flat girl. Located in the Rodeo Drive Gucci Store (of course).
Nobu Malibu
Upscale sushi with a view of the Pacific. If you’ve heard of the Kardashians you’ve heard of Nobu.
Beverly Hills Hotel
You’re here for the Instagram pics, but the diner food is an added bonus.
Gucci Loafers
This girl is the type of fashionista that will post an Instagram story of a book passage she is particularly fond of. No one is reading that, girl, but we love the energy. Gucci loafer girl goes to wine bars with Tabi Girl and interned at Gogosian with the Miu Miu gallerina but, unlike those two, she wears glasses. If you ask her what sexy shirt she would wear on a first date she would answer, “Black turtleneck.” Her outfits are minimalist, well-tailored staples that last her a lifetime and her footwear is no different. She’s a film buff with some vague job in marketing or publishing. It’s hard to get her to a club but she really comes alive at dinner parties–with the driest wit in the clique, she always has a biting critique up her sleeve.
Greekman’s
Formerly known as Friedman’s, this Greek pop-up earned a permanent spot in Silver Lake. Low-key, yet festive, the small plates and cocktails are flavorful and sophisticated.
Petit Trois
The best French Bistro food I’ve had outside of France. There is one in the Valley but I prefer L’Original on Highland.
Kismet
Minimalist, rustic-chic Mediterranean fare. There is “Kismet Rotisserie” next door if you want a more casual vibe or a takeaway chicken dinner.
Melody
An indoor-outdoor wine bar with a rotating menu from pasta to tacos to Indian-inspired fare.
Yamashiro
A Japanese restaurant with an unbeatable view and an even better interior.
Adidas Sambas
Sambas are the ‘no fuss’ member of the shoe clique. They opt for tote bags over purses, a 10-year-old t-shirt over designer basics, and a baseball cap over washing their hair. Landing somewhere between health goth and normcore, the Samba is here for its enduring, tomboyish charm. They may always arrive slightly underdressed but they make up for it with their laid-back confidence and the swagger of your typical LA or NY fuckboi. The Samba-head is pretty much game for any activity and makes a devoted friend and excellent wingman. When it comes to dating…Sambas often ‘forget’ to text you back. But don’t worry, they’ll be in your DMs in a few months the next time you post a cute photo of yourself on Instagram.
El Prado
At times insufferably hip, this wine bar is a favorite among locals.
Night + Market
Northern Thai street food in Silverlake with an award-winning fried chicken sandwich.
Honey Hi
Fresh and seasonal food-restriction-friendly spot with counter service for breakfast and lunch.
Yang’s Kitchen
A chic, minimalist Asian-fusion restaurant worth the wait for brunch or dinner.
Walt’s
Laid-back, retro hot-doggery with beer, wine, and pinball. Pretzels and vegan dogs are available for vegetarians.
Salomon Sportstyle
Yes, these gorpcore, REI sneakers were designed for the outdoors but I’ve seen them most often braving the rocky terrain of Erewhon. Yes, I’ve known some friends to trek these shoes into their natural habitat, but more often than not, a Salomon girl knows they pair well with her ass-flattering bicycle shorts. She has a perfectly worn vintage tee, a waist-cinching sweatshirt around the middle, and Paloma wool sunglasses. This girl loves to rattle off the health benefits of her Hailey Bieber smoothie even though you saw you rail a line of coke off the back of a toilet seat the night before. Salomon girl is fun, frisky, versatile, and–although a bit unpredictable–always has her finger on the pulse of what’s new in the city.
Courage Bagels
Touted to be the best bagels in LA, there is always a long line. Get there early and it’s worth it.
Wax Paper
Stacked sandwiches to eat by the LA “River” in Frogtown.
Cafe Triste
A new bar in Chinatown next to Eckhaus Latta, it’s a trendy wine bar with small plates to share with friends.
Joy on York
A modern twist on Taiwanese classics in Highland Park.
Bar Flores
Classic cantina with incredible margaritas and a patio overlooking Sunset ave.
Crocs
Crocs are the wildcards of the shoe family. If you’re a fashionista with the confidence to wear crocs in public, you are probably hot, feral, and stoned. If you’re in crocs, you certainly didn’t leave the house with a plan and you’re simply along for the ride. You’re always dressed like someone pulled the fire alarm in the middle of the night at a hotel, and for some reason, you’re totally pulling it off. Croc person is always rolling up to the taco truck at one am with a hoodie, a hickey, and a vape that just ran out of charge. Your account is always too overdrawn for a sit-down restaurant meal but you know every food truck, dive bar, and pop-up in the city.
Homage Brewing
Classic brewery in Frogtown with a large patio for neighborhood locals and their dogs. Don’t miss the pupusas from Vchos Food Truck out front.
Leo’s Tacos
In a parking lot outside of a discount shoe store in Hollywood, this is the best go-to midnight snack.
Burgers Never Say Die
Stupid name aside, these are the best smashburgers in town (and that is a competitive category). Crispy, lacy, edges. I promise.
The Red Lion Tavern
A classic German spot serving sausage, schnitzel, and beers inside at the bar or on a rooftop Biergarten.
Triple Beam
Take away pizza with great toppings, rectangular slices, and beer and wine options.
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