This pan pizza pop-up hadtoo much potentialto merely show up in parking lots throughout the city. The operation took over former audiophile bar In Sheeps Clothing to dole out its 55-hour fermented dough-crusts topped with market-fresh vegetables. Don’t sleep on the cocktails.

Casual, leather-sporting, and expansive Bike Shed Motor Co. happens to bring more than good vibes — the food is worth its weight in gold, too. Chef Enrico Glauco offers a proper English breakfast alongside espresso drinks in the morning, and high-end burgers and ribs by night.

Mexico City’s breezy vibes come to this rooftop space (with some indoor seating) in the Arts District. Chef Paco Moran serves tacos, tostadas, and set dishes with a modern Mexican approach and seasonal ingredients. It’s been white-hot popular since it opened last year.

Heard of chef Alain Ducasse? Well, even if not, his former cooks Max Boonthanakit and Lijo Georgelinked upto bring this French restaurant to the neighborhood. Beef tartare and marzipan Meyer lemon ice anchor the duo’s heavy-hitting menu.

Consider Bavel Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis’s love letter to the flavors of the Levant. The gorgeous space is packed to the rafters nightly with diners happily sharing large platters of lamb neck shawarma and of course, duck ‘nduja hummus served with the fluffiest pita bread around.

Not feeling the steep dinnertime prices elsewhere in the Arts District? Consider the neighborhood’s humble bistec and cecina stand, with meat grilled over charcoal at the corner of Violet and Mateo. The daytime stop offers big tortillas and smoky meat, and lets diners add their own toppings and salsas, including some wonderfully tender beans.

Afuri’s famed yuzu-shio ramen and its variants have come to a bright space along Mateo Street. With noodles made in an on-site laboratory and umami-rich broth, this Japanese import has the chance to stand out in LA’s crowded ramen scene.

Chill and comfortable, Kodo (just down the block from Yangban Society) serves up Japanese food and even lets you stay the night in its hotel, a former firehouse, too. This spot from the Kensho Group features sake, sushi, live fire-cooked entrees, and a robust dessert selection.

Even though it’s been years since Bestia first opened its doors, a reservation here is still difficult to come by. Clamoring crowds can’t get enough of Ori Menashe’s rustic Italian pastas and Genevieve Gergis’s impressive desserts. It’s one of LA’s most difficult tables to get — and for good reason.

Enrique Olvera’s Damian had to open during the pandemic, keeping it from garnering a lot of momentum that the famous Mexican chef would have otherwise received. With an expansive outdoor patio and polished dishes, it’s a solid ode to Olvera’s distinctive take on modern, regional Mexican cuisine.