With their delicate crusts and intriguing toppings—think Alfredo sauce, goat cheese, and portabella mushrooms—the pizzas at Abbot's are some of the best in the West. This bite-sized storefront's location—on the main drag in bohemian Venice—is an added bonus. Inside, rock music blasts from speakers, and convertibles, bicycles, and "Peace and Love" are advertised on a bulletin board. You can sit among the tattooed and pierced customers at a stainless-steel counter, but takeout is the big thing here. And why not, when Venice Beach beckons?

Helmed by entertainment-biz caterer Akasha Richmond, this eco-friendly restaurant, bar, and bakery in Culver City serves healthy, surprisingly tasty, organic grub to members of L.A.'s growing green scene. Inside, the construction is sustainable, the appliances are energy-efficient, and the servers wear organic cotton T-shirts and Levi's Eco jeans. Standout entrées range from an earthy bowl of Punjabi Mung beans to a hearty slab of flatiron steak paired with organic fries. Belly up to the bar with the rest of the eco mafia for a signature cocktail mixed with organic lemon vodka, or order earth-conscious takeout from the counter: The containers are all biodegradable, and the cutlery is made from wheat.

Restaurant open Mondays through Thursdays 11:30 am to 2:30 pm and 5:30 to 10 pm, Fridays and Saturdays 11:30 am to 2:30 pm and 5:30 to 11 pm, and Sundays 5 to 9 pm. Bakery open Mondays through Fridays 8 am to 5:30 pm, Saturdays 9 am to 5:30 pm.

Gino Angelini's sophisticated comfort-food restaurant is where other chefs go when they're off duty—Mario Batali, for instance, tends to drop by when he's in town. It's not that Angelini's menu is particularly nouveau or showy—, but his takes on ordinary-sounding dishes use the highest-quality ingredients and are somehow transcendentally delicious. The menu includes antipasti, thin-crust pizzas, pastas, salads, and roasted meats; his lasagna Nonna Elvira—layers of spinach pasta with béchamel, buffalo mozzarella and Bolognese sauce—is sheer perfection. Angelini also runs La Terza in the newly redecorated Orlando hotel on Third, which is a little more formal (8384 W. Third St.; 323-782-8384).

Closed Mondays.

Feeling nostalgic for a time gone by (and the low prices that went with it)? Head to this white clapboard shack, opened in 1947 and now surrounded by boxy storefronts that seem about to swallow it whole. Inside, wood paneling and red-and-white plaid wallpaper flank 26 counter seats, for which devoted fans are happy to wait. The rewards are ample, including steak burgers piled high with fixings (everything you'd expect, minus the tomato—they don't like them here) and hickory burgers drenched in barbecue sauce. Whatever you do, save room for the gooey homemade pie.

Closed Mondays.

Chef Kazuto Matsusaka spent a decade at Wolfgang Puck's Chinois on Main, where he picked up a following before moving on to the Buddha Bar in Paris. His new restaurant, named for the laundry that used to occupy the spot, is retro-futuristic, with soaring ceilings, brick walls painted white, and one long, continuous wood banquette. Diners can choose to nibble through small Cal-Asian dishes like fried oysters rolled in lettuce and dipped in a yuzu tartar sauce, or order entrées like miso-marinated black cod. There's also casual fare such as burgers and a BLT made with a slice of albacore tuna.

Closed for dinner on Mondays.

In this monastery-like building that was once owned by Charlie Chaplin, chef-owner Mark Peel serves up top-notch rustic Mediterranean cooking. A perennial lunch favorite is the crisp baked chicken paillard flavored with lemon and garlic and served with mashed potatoes; a dinner standout is the prime rib, which comes with an olive tapenade, bitter greens, and flageolet beans. Peel keeps himself amused and challenged with nightly specials: on Wednesdays he offers special tasting menus based on that morning's finds at the Santa Monica Farmers' Market; Thursdays are grilled-cheese sandwich night, and Fridays feature wine and small-plate pairings. The adjacent La Brea Bakery (Peel and his ex-wife Nancy Silverton started the hugely successful bread company, now used by many L.A. restaurants) sells baked goods, cheeses, olives, and cured meats.

Closed for dinner on Sundays.

Marrakesh meets MOCA at this sleek French-Moroccan treasure. The design of the place is a breath of fresh harissa in a neighborhood not exactly known for novelty; the entryway is blue-lit and the small dining room's walls are decorated with colorful, futuristic-mod patterns. The crowd is refreshingly diverse (young, old, hip, not), and the room pulses with the hum of happy feasters. Many start their meals with tangy preserved-lemon dip, olives, and bread, before moving on to tagines, grilled merguez sausages with grilled onions and caperberries, and dorado stuffed with peppers and leeks. You know you're in for a serious treat when the chef makes couscous from scratch.

Closed Sundays and Mondays.

It's the classic L.A. dining conundrum. You want some good grub, but you don't feel like dropping an entire week's salary on some paparazzi-infested scene and the shirt you're wearing is too nice to waste on the IHOP. Comme Ça, a neighborhood brasserie courtesy of Sona chef David Myers, is Hollywood's happy medium. It's a chic French bistro with an easygoing vibe, and nothing on the menu—a flavorful potpourri of French favorites such as steak frites, coq au vin and duck confit—that will cost you more than $30. For maximum good times, let the bartender mix you a Dealer's Choice. Tell him the spirit of your choice and he'll whip up a potent surprise with his stash of fresh ingredients.

Open Mondays through Thursdays 11:30 am to 2:30 pm and 5 to 11 pm, Fridays and Saturdays 5 pm to 12 am, Sundays 5 to 11 pm.

Regulars were disturbed when longtime west-side restaurateur Bruce Marder bought this tiny coffee shop; it had remained virtually unchanged since its inception in the 1920s. But patrons needn't have worried, as the upscale comfort food on the new menu isn't all that much pricier than it was, —and it's much better. Breakfast here is worth making a trip for: The orange-infused blueberry pancakes, frittatas, huevos rancheros, and a delicious Caprese omelette are all stellar. There are salads and sandwiches at lunch, and dinner includes pastas and entrées. Service is so friendly you'll feel like a regular even before you become one.

This mod-style diner in Santa Monica serves fun burgers with grown-up appeal. Choose a beer or wine chaser, customize the toppings to your liking, and get ready for a sloppy mess—you won't be able to resist overstuffing your burger with So-Cal options like sun-dried tomato vinaigrette and avocado. Kids get their due as well, with mini sliders, thick milkshakes, and great shoestring fries. (Adults: Dip yours in garlic aïoli.)

Angelenos love a buzzy restaurant almost as much as they love being celebrity adjacent. Such is the case with Craft, star chef Tom Colicchio's 300-seat restaurant on the first floor of the shiny new digs of power agency CAA. The seasonal menu, which changes twice daily, offers an almost overwhelming selection that covers just about every conceivable category, including an entire section devoted to mushrooms (roasted Trompette Royale champignons, anyone?). Food is served family style in cast iron skillets and crock pots and servers do everything in their power to please. Sure, locals love to feel like they're getting a taste of New York sophistication—and that's certainly part of the draw at this chic Manhattan import—but the large terrace decked with canvas Cabana's, fire pits, and agents trying to impress their clients is pure Hollywood.

Open Mondays through Thursdays from 5:30pm to 10pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 5:30pm to 11pm, Sundays 5pm to 9pm.

With its old-school Italian waiters, red leather booths, and checkered tablecloths, Dan Tana's ought to be just another Rat Pack–themed tourist trap. But somehow, this local landmark, serving martinis and red sauce since 1964, remains one of a kind. A baby Drew Barrymore had her diaper changed in one of the booths. The Eagles wrote the lyrics to "Best of My Love" here. Phil Spector left a $500 tip the night he allegedly committed murder. These days, hungry stars and starlets are known to drop in for a steak or the chicken parmigiana.

Culver City is one of those up-and-coming L.A. neighborhoods that always scores points for its buzzy galleries, cool artists' lofts, and newfound luster. But until Fraîche opened its doors in early 2007, few Angelenos were really willing schlep over to this small city just south of Beverly Hills. It's an appealingly casual, open space with large windows and a welcoming patio lit with twinkling lights. Chef Jason Travi, a Spago alum, turns out Mediterranean-influenced dishes like lamb stew with ricotta gnocchi and Kurobuta pork chop with potato and chive puree, while his wife, Miho (the two met in the kitchen at Spago), handles breads and desserts. Best of all, the restaurant's away-from-the-fray location means you'll shell out only half of what a similar meal would cost a few miles up the freeway.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 11:30 am to 2:30 pm and 6:30 to 11 pm, Sundays 6 to 10:30 pm. Bar open daily until 1 am.

The minimalist decor at this intimate spot does nothing to distract from Quinn and Karen Hatfield's innovative American cuisine—but that's a good thing. The Hatfields (he's the chef, she does desserts) honed their skills in the kitchens of Spago, Jean Georges, Bouley, and Gramercy Tavern; here, their ever-changing menu emphasizes local fresh ingredients and slow-cooking. Appetizer choices might include smoked trout with apple and avocado in a grainy mustard dressing; past entrées include duck with creamy Bengali rice and roasted porcini, and Arctic char with Dijon-infused sweet potatoes. For dessert, you might choose a chocolate ganache tarte with espresso cream, or a baked lemon custard tartlet with a wild huckleberry compote.

Closed Sundays.

Hollywood up-and-comers head down from the Hills for quality sashimi and bargain prices at this poor man's Matsuhisa. They compete with twentysomething shoppers from the nearby Beverly Center and serious sushi lovers for a seat in the minuscule space (we're talking ten tables), where Chef Hiroji Obayashi delights with exciting daily specials such as black cod teriyaki and grilled oysters with ginger sauce. The place is too noisy and bright to be sexy, but then again, darkness would not inspire confidence in a restaurant serving raw fish.

More stage than restaurant, this is where the stars go when they want to be seen making deals, making friends, or breaking up. Paparazzi have permanent posts outside, ready to capture our celebrity friends after a grueling day of shopping at nearby boutiques. Cutesy decor—ruffly curtains, girly flower prints—serves as proof that money can't buy taste, so ask to sit outside, which is where the action is anyway. The menu—bland American comfort food like burgers, salads, and crab cakes—can seem as much of an afterthought as one of J. Lo's marriages.

Josie might not be on every Angeleno's speed dial, but it deserves to be—especially when a quiet, refined celebration is in order. Namesake Josie Le Balch, one of L.A.'s most talented chefs, turns out what might be called "California Market Meets New American" cuisine in a quiet, cosseting French-country room. Decor and service are understated—votives flicker, crumbs are gracefully swept from white tablecloths, confident servers know the food inside and out. Some of Le Balch's signature dishes include blood orange, arugula, and burrata salad; "Campfire Trout" cooked in a cast-iron pan with green beans and lemongrass nage; and salt-crusted chicken with sweet-and-sour shallots. Pastry chef Jonna Jensen sweetens the deal with transcendent versions of strudels, crumbles, and bananas Foster. A memorable evening is all but assured.

Matzo ball soup, half-sour pickles, fluorescent lighting, Formica tabletops…if it wasn't for the view of MacArthur Park, you might swear you were in a deli on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Providing a taste of home for many a transplanted New Yorker, Langer's specializes in perfectly peppery, tangy pastrami that outshines even that of its L.A. rival, the equally colorful Canter's Deli. Don't judge Langer's for its unsavory neighborhood: Just go early, order the pastrami on rye with coleslaw and Russian dressing, and savor the East Coast experience.

Decorated with photos of literary lions like Kurt Vonnegut, this small restaurant on a busy Brentwood corner is the new home of chef Chris Kidder (formerly chef de cuisine at Campanile) and his wife, Kimberly Sklar (former pastry chef at A.O.C.). The Mediterranean menu emphasizes fresh ingredients: Try the bouillabaisse that uses only Pacific seafood—mussels, shrimp, crab claws, and whatever else is the best that day. The salads are terrific, and a big favorite is the vegetable fritto misto, using seasonal vegetables (in the autumn it might include baby artichokes and zucchini). Servings are generous, and Sklar's desserts, including the popular seven-layer chocolate cake, are worth saving some room for.

Sitting at the colorful counter of this stall in the open-air Los Angeles Farmers Market, you can watch little old ladies make their rounds from butcher to bakery, wooden shopping carts in tow. With its rumpled charm, the Market is a required destination for anyone looking for a taste of historic Hollywood, and Lotería adds a bit of Mexican spice. Handmade tortillas are stuffed with earthy chicken mole or spicy roasted corn and zucchini, and dishes like tortilla soup and potato tacos are cheap and authentic.

Hollywood history infuses every red leather booth and surly waiter at this old-time steak house. Catering to all walks of celebrity life since 1919, it still packs in locals. Some criticize the old-fashioned food, but it's well worth the visit if you follow these rules: (1) Brave the fluorescent glare of the bar for a predinner martini—still the best in Los Angeles; (2) Ask to sit in the smaller, more dimly lit dining room when you're ready to eat; (3) Order simply—New York strip steak and braised short ribs are flawlessly executed classics.

Closed Sundays and Mondays.

When Frank Gehry's magnificent concert hall opened in October 2003, it brought a new sense of excitement to Los Angeles. And it wasn't just because of the architecture, or even the music—it was also that Patina, one of the city's most luxurious restaurants, moved into the building from its previous Hollywood location. Soaring ceilings provide the elegant backdrop for chef Joachim Splichal's signature California-French creations—olive-oil-poached squab with radicchio risotto and Madeira foam is one standout. Diners can also opt for an all-seafood or game tasting menu.

Korean barbecue is an L.A. tradition, and this no-frills storefront serves some of the city's best. Walk through the door, and you're greeted by the smell of sizzling meat and smoking charcoal, along with the reassuring sight of numerous Korean patrons. On a grill at the table, you cook your own meats, from thinly sliced beef to pork marinated in garlic and sesame oil. But it's the freshly made seasoning pastes and first-rate kimchi that set this place apart. And being your own short-order cook has its benefits: Dinner costs around $15.

You'll find some of the most creative New American food in Los Angeles in Sona. In a city where body-consciousness warps into fear of butter, salt, and flavor, Sona is all about no-holds-barred seasonings and unexpected combinations that somehow work: roasted squash soup with herbed Spaetzle and chai foam; wild salmon paired with braised oxtail; hot chocolate beignets. The menu is constantly changing—all the more reason to become a regular at this futuristic, sparsely decorated gem.

Even after all these years, Wolfgang Puck's home base is still an amazing experience. Sure, the culinary star is everywhere but the kitchen—writing books, appearing on television, opening outposts—but the quality of the food never seems to suffer. Following in the California-cuisine footsteps of his boss, chef Lee Hefter serves simple dishes transformed, like lobster with a sprightly, fresh asparagus purée, as well as Puck classics such as the always-fabulous salmon-and-crème fraîche pizza. Ask to sit on the festive patio, filled with glamorous diners and twinkling strands of lights.