The Brief

This year, skip the dry turkey anxiety and discover what Thanksgiving can actually look like in a city as culturally diverse as Los Angeles.

From Cajun turkey to a Korean fried chicken, from Caribbean jerk-spiced turkey legs to Chinese-inspired chicken ballotines with black truffle, some of L.A.'s most celebrated restaurants are proving that Thanksgiving doesn't have to mean the same old bird and sides.

These menus honor heritage, invite experimentation and celebrate the city's rich tapestry of cultures, one delicious plate at a time.

Most pre-order deadlines close between Friday and Monday, so place your orders now while availability lasts — waiting until next week could mean settling for whatever's left at the grocery store instead of these fabulous chef-driven feasts.

Harold & Belle's: A Creole Thanksgiving

The complete tray-bake treatment from Harold & Belle's: Cajun-smoked turkey, candied yams, cornbread dressing, creamed greens, mac and cheese and cornbread muffins.

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Courtesy Harold & Belle’s

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For the first time in over 50 years, the legendary Harold & Belle's is breaking with tradition by opening its doors on Thanksgiving Day. Guests can choose between dining in for a $45 prix-fixe menu featuring either Cajun turkey or beef pot roast (both served with cornbread dressing, candied yams and Louisiana bread pudding) or ordering their complete Thanksgiving spread to go.

The family-owned institution, which has been serving New Orleans-inspired soul food since 1969, will be welcoming diners throughout the day, from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Reservations are available now on Resy.

For those celebrating at home, their extensive catering menu offers everything from individual holiday meals to family combos serving up to 50 guests, complete with specialty sides like oyster dressing, macaroni and cheese, jambalaya and their signature filé gumbo.

An ideal option for anyone looking to swap the traditional turkey routine for something with a little more Louisiana flair.

Connie & Ted's: An East Coast-inspired seafood spread

Lobster rolls, chowder, crudo and plenty of fries — classic East Coast comfort with a sunny L.A. attitude from Connie & Ted's in West Hollywood.

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Courtesy Connie & Ted's

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If turkey isn't your thing, West Hollywood's beloved Connie & Ted's is offering a completely different take with their seafood-centric takeout menu.

There's a variety of à la carte options, including wild shrimp with lemon and cocktail sauce ($28 for a half-pound), house-smoked fish dip ($14), chilled lobster and rock crab ($104 for 1 1/4-pound lobster and one rock crab), Dutch apple crumb pie ($55), pumpkin pie ($55) and chocolate whoopie pies ($14 for two).

Additionally, there is a $325 prix-fixe feast for four that features chilled lobster (2 1/2 pounds), two rock crabs, 1 pound of wild shrimp, house-smoked fish dip, market salad, dinner rolls and your choice of Dutch apple crumb pie or pumpkin pie with toasted oat streusel.

A fresh, elegant alternative for anyone ready to trade in the turkey and stuffing for butter-poached lobster and saffron aioli — no apron required.

Firstborn: Chinese-inspired elegance

Firstborn's chicken ballotine feast, featuring heritage chicken breast stuffed with Chinese sausage, shiitake mushrooms, ginger, chestnut and black truffle.

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Ron De Angelis

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Courtesy Firstborn

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Firstborn in Chinatown is offering a Chinese-inspired Thanksgiving feast ($290, serves four) that centers on a showstopping heritage chicken ballotine stuffed with Chinese sausage, shiitake, ginger, chestnut and black truffle, all finished with a luxurious truffle jus gras. It's comfort food elevated to celebration-worthy status, accompanied by sides that seamlessly blend Eastern and Western flavors: brown butter-roasted honeynut squash with poached pears and black vinegar caramel; steamed bun stuffing with truffled sausage; sweet soy-braised eggplant casserole; BBQ cabbage; and Chinese stewed prunes.

Optional add-ons include a green cardamom apple tarte tatin, a fall Manhattan cocktail for two or pear and white tea kombucha to round out the meal.

Yi Cha: A Korean American Thanksgiving feast

A Korean-inspired holiday lineup from Chef Debbie Lee's restaurant, Yi Cha in Highland Park, featuring crispy jeon and lacquered pork belly, served with vibrant banchan.

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Stan Lee

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Courtesy Yi Cha

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Highland Park's Yi Cha, headed by Chef Debbie Lee, brings a Seoul-ful twist to Thanksgiving with a Korean American fusion feast that reimagines holiday classics. Forget the traditional fried chicken — here it's "The OG KFC" (Korean Fried Chicken) with eight drums, served with your choice of Halmuni garlic or pimento chile sauce and pickled daikon ($28). The menu also features Joseon bossam — crispy pork belly with seasonal ssamjang, crispy garlic, perilla, Coleman Farms lettuce and jangajji ($39, serves four to six) — alongside inventive sides by the quart, including kimchee smashed potatoes ($20), emperor-style japchae ($25), tutti frutti green beans ($20) and Asian coleslaw ($18).

For dessert, swap the pumpkin pie for goguma (Asian sweet potato) pie with shortbread crust, Asian pear crème fraîche and spicy peanut brittle ($48, serves six to eight) or persimmon bread pudding with doenjang caramel and ginger mascarpone ($40, serves four to six). A great choice for anyone looking to honor both their Korean heritage and American traditions — or simply anyone ready to shake up their Thanksgiving table with bold, unexpected flavors.

Bridgetown Roti: Caribbean comfort for the holidays

Jerk turkey legs from Bridgetown Roti in East Hollywood — charred and citrusy — joined by their signature patties, callaloo greens and their mac-and-cheese pie for the win.

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Joseph N. Durate

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Courtesy Bridgetown Roti

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For those craving island flavors this Thanksgiving, Bridgetown Roti is serving up Caribbean comfort with their specially curated holiday menu. À la carte offerings include jerk turkey legs (1 1/2-2 pounds with jerk sauce on the side, $20), 10-piece mini-patty boxes with your choice of up to two protein flavors like oxtail and peppers, jerk chicken or green curry shrimp ($60) or veggie options, including curried yam and mango or garlic Trini eggplant and scallion ($60). For sides, there's a whole macaroni and cheese pie made with sharp cheddar, jack, parmesan and house curry that feeds eight to 10 ($30), callaloo greens by the quart with coconut and pepper ($22) and channa and sweet potato curry, also by the quart ($22).

All items come ready to bake or warm with instructions included. Bring bold Caribbean spices and soul-warming comfort to your holiday table — no bland, dry turkey in sight.

In just four days, the Los Angeles Official Martin Luther King Day Parade will take over South L.A.

The LA Local recently spoke with Sabra Wady, the parade’s lead organizer, who said this year’s parade will look much the same as recent years.

So, whether you’re attending the parade or watching it on TV, here’s everything you need to know about Monday’s parade:

The procession will begin at 10 a.m., with ABC7 set to begin a broadcast at 11 a.m.

What time does the parade start? How can I watch? Is anything happening after?

Wady said the best place to catch the parade in person is the intersection of Crenshaw Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. King Boulevard, or “camera corner,” where the parade will culminate and organizers are planning a live preshow. Bleacher seats, though, will be limited.

The Metro K Line runs directly to the intersection, dropping people off at the Martin Luther King Jr. Metro station.

Onlookers can also post up along the parade route with folding chairs and other self-arranged seating, Wady said.

The parade broadcast will run until 1 p.m., but Wady said the procession is expected to keep going until mid-afternoon.

“After the cameras stop rolling, it’s the people’s parade,” Wady said.

LA City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Councilmembers Curren Price and Heather Hutt – who represent council districts 8, 9 and 10, respectively — will organize the annual MLK Freedom Festival in the Leimert Park Plaza from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

What route will the parade take?

The route will remain the same, running down King Boulevard from Western Avenue to Crenshaw Boulevard before turning south down Crenshaw and heading to Leimert Park. Much of the route will be closed to traffic overnight before the parade.

More than 150 groups, including bands, floats, horseback riders and marchers, will trek down the boulevard. Wady said organizers cut off new sign-ups weeks ago in order to keep the parade manageable.

What will road closures look like?

Colin Sweeney, a spokesperson for the LA Department of Transportation, said in an email that the department will close off traffic down the main parade route overnight.

Here are the roads that will be closed to all vehicles for the duration of the parade and festival.

• King Boulevard from Vermont Avenue to Crenshaw Boulevard 
• Crenshaw Boulevard from King Boulevard to 48th Street
• Leimert Boulevard from 8th Avenue to Leimert Park 
• Degnan Avenue between 43rd Street and Leimert Park

Sweeney said only residents will be allowed to drive into the band of neighborhoods directly along the length of the parade route. That includes the blocks from 39th Street to 42nd Street along King Boulevard and the blocks between McClung Drive and Victoria Avenue along the Crenshaw closure.

The transportation department will allow traffic to cross the parade route at major intersections — including Western Avenue, Arlington Avenue and Stocker Street — but those crossings will be shut down at 10 a.m. All closed roads will stay blocked off until the parade and festival wrap up and transportation officials determine crowds have sufficiently dispersed, Sweeney said.

Wady said the parade is expected to peter out around mid-afternoon. The festival at Leimert Park Plaza is scheduled to end at 5 p.m.

Vehicles parked in the parade assembly area, parade route and disbanding area will be subject to impound or tickets, Sweeney wrote.

Topline:

By the numbers: Film and television shoot days totaled 4,625 in the final three months of 2025, up 5.1% in that timeframe. But overall last year, there were 19,694 shoot days, which is down 16.1% from 2024's total of 23.480.

Why it matters: Production in Los Angeles has been slow to rebound since the COVID-19 pandemic and the Hollywood writers and actors strikes in 2023. There is also increased competition from other states that offer appealing film tax credits and other incentives for productions that decide to take their shoot outside of California. This summer, Gov. Gavin Newsom expanded California's Film and TV Tax Credit Program in an effort to lure productions back to the Golden State.

What's next: Film L.A.'s Phil Sokoloski says that many of the productions approved under the expanded tax credit program are just now getting underway, and he hopes the industry will start to see the effects of not only the tax incentive expansion in 2026, but also L.A. Mayor Karen Bass' directives to streamline the permitting and shooting process in the city.

In L.A., there is no shortage of events to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day this year.

Since 1986, the federal holiday is observed on the third Monday of January to honor the life and legacy of the Civil Rights leader.

California African American Museum

The California African American Museum is hosting a King Day scavenger hunt on Sunday from 2 to 3 p.m. On Monday, it is hosting an all-day event honoring King that will culminate with a performance by the Inner City Youth Orchestra of L.A., which is billed as the largest majority Black youth orchestra in the country.

Orchestra at Skirball

The orchestra will also perform at the Skirball Cultural Center on Saturday evening. The free event is already at capacity, but you can try your luck by signing up for the waitlist here. Earlier Saturday, the orchestra will join the Santa Monica Symphony for its annual MLK concert.

Parades and celebrations

Cedric the Entertainer will be the grand marshal of this year’s official L.A. MLK Day Parade on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard between Western and Crenshaw avenues on Monday. If you’re looking for a parade earlier in the weekend, you can head to Long Beach’s MLK Day parade on Saturday. Also on Saturday is a celebration of King’s legacy at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Culver City.

Volunteer opportunities

In 1994, President Bill Clinton officially decreed MLK Day as a day of service. If you’re looking for opportunities to volunteer, grab free tickets to Monday’s MLK Day Volunteer Festival at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum.

Free access to state parks

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that more than 200 California state parks will be free to enter on Monday. The move comes after the Trump administration eliminated MLK Day and Juneteenth from the list of days when it’s free to access national parks. There are 12 free state parks on the list in L.A. County, including Los Angeles and Will Rogers State Historic Parks, as well as Topanga and Malibu Creek State Parks. See the full list here.

A 2017 Los Angeles Times article tells the tragic story of Lai Hang, a terminally ill woman who killed her 18-year-old son George, who’d been diagnosed with schizophrenia.

It’s a carefully reported story by journalist Frank Shyong about a family, about the shame and stigma that can surround mental illness in Asian American communities, and how media portrayals of people with mental disorders can perpetuate harmful misconceptions.

So when Shyong was first approached about the idea of adapting the story he wrote into a narrative film, he had some “very intense” concerns about whether a film would get the story right.

But after conversations with the filmmakers, and thinking through the potential value of telling fictionalized stories based on real-life events, Shyong says, “ I think I realized that my story was in a lot of ways incomplete.”

Nine years later, the film, titled Rosemead, is finished. Directed by Eric Lin and written by Marilyn Fu, the film stars Lucy Liu as Irene, a character based on Hang, and Lawrence Shou as Joe, who’s based on George.

And Shyong, who is credited as an executive producer and served as a consultant on the film, says “it’s sort of completing the circle a little bit” — fleshing out Hang and George as “full 360 degree human beings” and giving glimpses of how their story might have ended differently.

Reporting on trauma in Asian American communities

Back in 2015, when the events depicted in Rosemead happened, the breaking news coverage revealed the basics of what was known at the time — that a woman had fatally shot her son in a Rosemead motel and turned herself in.

“ I think a lot of people probably realized there was more story there,” Shyong says. But the only person who knew the details, Hang’s longtime friend Ping Chong, had declined to talk to the media.

Still, Shyong kept following up because the court records hinted at a story that he thought should be told.

The court records revealed that Hang had been dying of cancer, and that Chong continued to visit her after she turned herself in, performing Buddhist rituals for her.

“Just knowing those two facts,” Shyong says, “and knowing Asian American families, and how complete and terrifying the sense of responsibility that a parent can feel toward a child, I just thought there's gotta be something there.”

He would visit Chong’s shop, a traditional Chinese pharmacy, leaving notes for her and talking to her about why he wanted to know more. And he gained her trust.

 ”You just have to say, ‘This is [the] story I think is here. And do you think that story is true? And if so, can you help me tell it?’ And that's all I did,” Shyong says. “I think that's all any journalist ever does.”

It’s a story that Shyong says he would come to learn is more common than many may expect.   “When you are a caregiver in these communities,” Shyong says, “you can find and name a tragic story like this in probably every zip code.”

How filmmaking and journalism can complement each other

Shyong’s article ends with this poignant quote from Chong, about her friend: “People will only know her as the mother who killed her son [...] But she was more.”

The piece itself goes a long way toward dispelling Chong’s concern, including details about Hang’s life — that she was a talented graphic designer, that she was “beautiful, smart and ambitious,” that she’d lost her husband to cancer, and that she deeply cared about her son.

But “in this case fiction,” Shyong says, “could give closure to characters in a way that I couldn't in reality. It could tell the fullness of this family story.”

The film shows Liu’s character Irene having fun with her son at the beach, and joining his therapy sessions at the urging of a psychiatrist, despite being visibly uncomfortable doing so.

It shows George (Joe in the film) with his friends, who come to visit him after he has an intense schizophrenic episode at school.

The sound design gives a sense of what it’s like to experience schizophrenia, and a part of the film where Joe runs away shows how quickly a boy with a mother and friends who care about him can become an unhoused person who someone might fear on the street.

Ultimately, the film ends on a note of hope, which grew out of something that Shyong learned from Chong after the article was published. In a way that he couldn’t do in print, “It added parts to the story that I wanted to see depicted.”