Hottest Restaurants in L.A. To Properly Begin 2016

Fiona Chandra

If your New Year goals doesn’t include checking out some of Los Angeles’s latest and greatest restaurants, then you’re doing it wrong. The city has seen some buzz-worthy restaurant openings lately, and combined with earlier openings that still manage to be a hot ticket in town, we present L.A.’s hottest restaurants to start out your year.

B.S. Taqueria
Chef Ray Garcia’s downtown taqueria is bustling with crowds thanks to his savory tacos served along with a strong cocktail program. His clam and lardo taco has generated quite a buzz from the local culinary fans, but you also won’t want to miss his tamales or chicken chicharrones. Barman Michael Lay oversees the program at both Broken Spanish and B.S. Taqueria, and he keeps it casual yet fun and inventive.

Estrella
Sunset Strip has a new dining destination. Top Chef contestant Dakota Weiss, formerly executive chef at the W Westwood, is heating up the kitchen at this lush new restaurant, now open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Look for housemade yogurt for breakfast followed by 24-hour brined fried chicken or a bone marrow cured overnight and served with a wine truffle sauce.

Everson Royce Bar
Take Randy Clement of Silver Lake Wine and Chef Matt Molina who previously helmed the kitchen at Osteria Mozza, and you get Everson Royce Bar, the new neighborhood eatery in downtown L.A.’s Arts District. Chef Molina is serving approachable dishes meant to be eaten with your fingers – think burgers, tacos and more. In addition to wines, E.R.B. will also have craft beer and cocktails designed by Chris Ojeda.

Inotheke
This new dining destination in Santa Monica serves Modern Greek cuisine influenced by Cyprus. The chef, Carlos Tomazos, has worked at various Michelin-starred restaurants including Le Bernardin and Per Se, but he wants to showcase the food and culture of his homeland of Cyprus. You’ll find shrimp saganaki, braised octopus in wine, potted duck, along with unheard of Greek and Cyprus dishes like tyropitakia, lakerda, and youvarlakia. As the name Inotheke translates to “wine case,” you can be sure to find great wine options; the restaurant serves over 20 wine varietals by the glass.

Leona
Leona opened last July in Venice under the direction of Chef Nyesha Arrington, whom you may be familiar with from Top Chef and Knife Fight. The high-ceilinged dining room and outdoor patio are perfect for the Venice neighborhood and so is Nyesha Arrington’s globally inspired menu. There’s the Latin-inspired coctel mixto, the bulgogi-braised short rib inspired by the chef’s Korean grandmother, along with lamb belly wontons and curry chickpeas.

Maude
Curtis Stone’s restaurant has been open for only a little over a year, but their reservations still sell out like hotcakes each month. In the restaurant’s intimate dining room, Curtis Stone and his kitchen team serve a rotating menu each month focusing on one ingredient. Paired with the best service and wines, the multi-course dinner at Maude is always a treat that you should give yourself as often as necessary.

Odys + Penelope
Odys + Penelope is a great go-to spot on La Brea from the husband and wife team Quinn and Karen Hatfield. While Angelenos miss their now defunct fine dining gem, Hatfield’s, Odys + Penelope’s more casual vibe and offering are perfect for this city. Expect a menu focused on their wood-fired Brazilian grill in their spacious dining room. While the space has an industrial look, the communal table and open kitchen in the center give it a rustic, welcoming feel.

Otium
Just like The Broad museum’s tickets are typically sold out and long lines form in front each day, neighboring Otium also gets completely packed even close to 3 p.m. It’s no surprise. The restaurant’s stunning space, impressive views of downtown L.A. and great food from a former French Laundry chef de cuisine make Otium one of the hottest restaurant openings of the year. Look out for off-menu specials utilizing donabe, the Japanese clay pot that’s becoming one of Chef Hollingsworth’s favorite tool.

Republique
Chef Walter Manzke’s Republique has been packed since it opened its doors in December of 2013 in the old Campanile space. The airy dining room combined with Margarita Manzke’s pastries make this place a destination for breakfast and lunch while Chef Walter Manzke’s food keep the crowd coming. The burger and kimchi fried rice are a mainstay on the lunch menu while dinner calls for uni and scrambled egg on toast and French roast chicken. The cocktail program is solid while the sommelier was featured as the 2015 Sommeliers of the Year in Food & Wine magazine, so you know you’re in good hands.

The Rose
Rose Café, Venice’s long-time institution, has been completely revamped. The charming restaurant is now more modern and sleek but still with the open dining room and plenty of outdoor seating befitting a Venice eatery near the beach. Chef Jason Neroni from Superba is leading the kitchen that churns out homemade pastas and wood-fired pizzas. The front area is for the bar and café perfect for those coming in for baked goods and a cup of coffee or a cocktail designed by Julian Cox and Nick Meyer.