Every Friday, our editors compile a trusty list of recommendations to answer the most pressing of questions: “Where should I eat?“ Here are four places to check out this weekend in Los Angeles. And if you need some ideas on where to drink, here’s our list of the hottest places to get cocktails in town.
For fall-apart oxtails at brunch: Alta Adams in West Adams
People tend to be divided on whether they love brunch or think endless mimosas, pricier menus, and long waits aren’t worth the fuss. I am in the former camp; after a long work week, I love to treat myself to an opulent brunch where maybe a cocktail (or two) shows up, too. Alta Adams remains a standard brunch great for me: I always feel so taken care of at beloved West Adams joint, where the food straddles the line between decadent and homey. The oxtails, in particular, are a go to. They fall apart with the gentlest touch and sit on a bed of creamy grits. A crown of pickled Fresno chiles keeps the dish from becoming too heavy. Pair this with cornmeal pancakes submerged in brown butter caramel syrup for a mid-morning meal that feels like a treat. (And yes, you can get a mimosa flight, too.) 5359 West Adams Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90016 — Kat Thompson, audience editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
For rainy weekend hot pot: Haidilao in Century City
Say what you will about chains, Haidilao is still some of Los Angeles’s best hot pot. The Century City location, tucked on the second floor of Westfield Century City, is an ideal rainy weekend hideout with boiling vats of broth, meat-carrying robots, and a full bar menu. Diners can pick up to four types of broth, but my favorite is the spicy pork laced with chiles. Enter the thinly sliced meat, sturdy Napa cabbage, and enoki mushrooms on the provided iPad, then wait for the broth to reach a rolling boil before starting to cook. Yes, ordering the famous dancing noodles will draw a little extra attention to your table, but it’s worth it every time. 10250 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 2610, Los Angeles, CA 90067. — Rebecca Roland, deputy editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
For coffee in one of LA’s hottest spaces: Quat in Glassell Park
When waking up and in search of coffee at a place to hang for awhile, head to the recently opened Quat. Quat is the longtime compound by owners AJ Kim and Scott Sohn, who began visualizing this type of Apple headquarters-tinged campus back when the duo opened Highland Park’s original Kumquat Coffee in 2018. It’s a stunning and expansive space where visitors walk through an entryway and into an outdoor area for socializing, working, or simply sipping a drink is in order. Quat is part of Kim and Sohn’s expansive network of coffee outlets throughout Los Angeles that prepares some of the best coffee and tea. Order standard coffee drinks as well as mashup inventions from well-liked drinks at Kumquat and Loquat. The Claude Cooler is an oolong, green plum extract, and pea flower tea. The Copenhagen gets made with espresso, spiced apple cider syrup, mascarpone foam, cardamom, and cinnamon. While ordering drinks, visitors can peer through the floor-to-ceiling windows and catch a glimpse of the bean roasting process. One can buy beans, sit in the sun (hopefully), and enjoy the vision from this innovative team that’s dedicated to expanding coffee culture in Southern California. 3030 Dolores Street, Glassell Park, CA 90065. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
For a pizza pit-stop on the way to Santa Barbara: Tina’s in Carpinteria
Many Central Coast travelers know that Bettina is a pizza lover’s paradise tucked into a tony outdoor shopping center in Montecito. Possibly less known: its newer sister outpost, Tina’s, which opened in May 2025, serves up the same crackly, blistered pies in a cozy food hall set-up. On the road to Santa Barbara recently, I stopped into Linden Square, a Carpinteria hangout that has four restaurants (including an outpost of the Michelin-recognized Corazon Cocina), a Dart Coffee Company shop, and a couple shopping and wellness destinations within it. Tina’s resides on the side of the complex with Third Window Brewing, making it easy to grab a beer or cider before you dig into your pies — although the pizzeria does have an excellent slate of wines and other non-alcoholic beverages. I went with the salad pie on gluten-free crust, which comes heaped with local lettuces, radish, avocado, a green goddess-y dressing, and zig-zags of marinara. This pie gives the best of both worlds: a filling, rustic salad and the satisfyingly crisp crust that Bettina has become beloved for. Don’t leave without grabbing some merchandise or pantry items from its market side to go. 732 Linden Avenue, Carpinteria, CA 93013 — Nicole Fellah, Eater editorial manager