We asked our contributors to the Resy Hit List to share their top dining experiences in their cities this year — to choose 10 restaurants that define the state of great dining right now. Welcome back our Best of The Hit List for 2024.
You might think of 2025 as the year Los Angeles grew up. January began with the most catastrophic fire disaster in L.A. County’s history, the impacts of which are still being felt. In June, immigration raids rocked L.A.’s Latino community. And that was just the start.
And yet, whenever a crisis arose, Los Angeles restaurants were there. Delivering free food, organizing fundraisers, and making their priorities known.
They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and L.A. chefs proved it this year: Johnny Lee (Rasarumah), Ki Kim (Restaurant Ki), Tyler J. Wells (Betsy), and Mei Lin of (88 Club) all returned this year with their sophomore restaurants — namely a handsome Malaysian spot inspired by the country’s hawker culture; a deeply personal Korean tasting menu that received a Michelin star within its first year; a chef’s intimate dialogue with a fire-scarred community; and a Beverly Hills parlor where Hong Kong’s banquet culture is on display.
We also witnessed L.A.’s farm-to-table movement propel itself forward, with subversive newcomers Tomat and Baby Bistro. Although the restaurants couldn’t be more different, they embrace the challenge of discovering new, innovative ways to source food with gusto. And there was so much more — the city’s first craft molino, a marriage of Panamanian spirit with L.A. vibes, Caribbean-inspired fine dining. If this is the future of Los Angeles, count us in.
Here’s a look at 10 dining experiences that defined L.A. restaurants in 2025 — and here’s to many more in the year ahead.