The Brief

The world's most prestigious name in food and dining — the Michelin Guide — just recommended five new places to dine in California. (So get in your reservations now before the rest of L.A. finds out.)

This new crop of restaurants tantalizingly covers the diverse SoCal region. They include an authentic Italian restaurant located in a humble strip mall in Newbury Park, a trendy cocktail bar known for its innovative small plates in Santa Ana, and the flavors of Northern Indian cuisine in La Puente.

Why now

The Tuesday announcement marks the second round of Michelin recommended mentions to be included in the new California dining guide unveiled later this year. Nine spots were honored in March.

The five newcomers represent a continuing shift for the Michelin Guide, which used to be known for showcasing fine dining establishments in certain geographic locations (think Los Angeles, San Francisco, Napa.) But, as Tuesday's list shows, the organization now goes well beyond traditional dining destinations.

Why it matters

The "recommended" title will change the future of many of these restaurants — not only because it's a boon to business. The Michelin nods make these eateries eligible to win coveted Bib Gourmand or Star awards when Michelin's California dining guide is unveiled in its entirety later this summer.

Here is a closer look at the new entries:

Cedro Italian Restaurant in Newbury Park

The Tagliatelle al Ragú at Cedro Italian Restaurant in Newbury Park

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Matteo Di Nicola

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Courtesy of Cedro Italian Restaurant

)

Elf Cafe in Echo Park

Spanish bocquerones served on a baguette at Elf Cafe in Echo Park,

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Courtesy of Elf Cafe

)

Lola Gaspar in Santa Ana

The magical interior at Lola Gaspar in Santa Ana.

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Courtesy of Lola Gaspar

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Lustig in Culver City

The Kaese Spaetzle at Lustig in Culver City

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Wonho Frank Lee

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Courtesy of Lustig

)

Manohar’s Delhi Palace in La Puente

Some menu highlights at Manohar’s Delhi Palace in La Puente.

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Courtesy of Manohar’s Delhi Palace

)

This story was originally published by Boyle Heights Beat on Feb. 24, 2026.

East Los Angeles is home to nearly 119,000 residents, but the community has no mayor or city hall.

So who makes decisions? Who fixes potholes? Who gets called to report illegal dumping?

East L.A. is not a city, and it’s not part of the city of L.A. Instead, it’s an unincorporated part of L.A. County, and even though it’s the most populous unincorporated area in California, community organizers say many residents are unaware of the problems that raises.

According to the L.A. County Planning Department, there are approximately 120 to 125 unincorporated areas in the county, which altogether represent two-thirds of its total area and one-tenth of its population.

“For the 1 million people living in these areas, the Board of Supervisors is their ‘city council’ and the supervisor representing the area is their ‘mayor,’” the department website says.

So what does it mean to live in an unincorporated community?

Let’s break it down:

What is an unincorporated community?

An unincorporated area is land within a county that has not been designated to be a city, meaning that it relies on county services, including for law enforcement, public works and local government.

Instead of being governed by a city council and a mayor, major decisions for East L.A. residents fall under the authority of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.

East L.A. residents have called for representation that’s more closely tied to their community and financial transparency, saying they want to know how their tax dollars are spent locally.

Who represents East LA?

East L.A., located in Supervisorial District 1, has been represented by County Supervisor Hilda Solis since 2014. Her term is set to end this year.

Solis also makes decisions for the nearly 2 million other residents who live in District 1, which covers more than 20 cities, stretching from Silver Lake to Pomona, as well as various neighborhoods of the city of Los Angeles, including Boyle Heights and downtown.

On a state level, East L.A. is represented by Assemblymember Jessica Caloza and state Sen. María Elena Durazo. Rep. Jimmy Gomez represents East L.A. in Congress.

Who provides key services for East LA residents?

Independent cities often provide residents with their own municipal services such as law enforcement, firefighting, animal control, trash collection, road maintenance, library services and parks.

Here’s a list of services available to East L.A. residents:

• First District Field Office – East Los Angeles
  
  • Services: Here’s how you can get in touch with Solis’ office if you have questions or concerns.
  • Location: 4801 E. Third St., Los Angeles
  • Contact: (323) 881-4601
• East LA Sheriff’s Station 
  
  • Services: In addition to serving East L.A., the station also serves the cities of Commerce, Cudahy and Maywood, as well as unincorporated Belvedere Gardens, City Terrace, Eastmont, Saybrook Park and Union Pacific.
  • Location: 5019 E. Third St., East Los Angeles
  • Contact: (323) 264-4151. For emergencies, call 911. 
  • Website: lasd.org/east-los-angeles
• LA County Fire Department
  
  • Services: The L.A. County Fire Department serves all of the unincorporated area within Los Angeles County, as well as 60 incorporated cities, 59 of which are in Los Angeles County and one in Orange County. 
  • Contact: (323) 881-2411. For emergencies, call 911.
  • Website: fire.lacounty.gov
• Public Works
  
  • Services: L.A. County Public Works responds to calls about graffiti, potholes, illegal dumping, homeless encampments, transportation services and building and safety permits, among other things.
  • Contact: Reports can be submitted online. Urgent requests can be made by calling the 24-hour line at (800) 675-4357.
  • Website: pw.lacounty.gov
• 211 LA County
  
  • Services: 211 L.A. County provides health and social service resources, including housing support, mental health care, financial assistance and recovery resources. During disasters, like wildfires and other crises, the line provides real-time information and can help people find shelter, food, financial help and emotional support.
  • Contact: Dial 211. Those unable to reach 2-1-1 service can call (800) 339-6993. TTY/TDD# (phone for hearing impaired): (800) 660-4026
  • Website: 211la.org

For a full list, check out this guide to unincorporated areas services for District 1.

Why isn’t East LA its own city?

Over the decades, multiple efforts to incorporate East LA into a city have failed. A recent fiscal analysis concluded that cityhood remains financially unviable for the region. Residents have continued their calls for more financial transparency and better representation. A new effort on the horizon may allow citizens to directly advise the county on issues unique to East LA.

How can residents make their voices heard?

The report that deemed cityhood unfeasible for unincorporated East LA last year recommended the formation of a Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) — a formal, citizen-led body that would provide residents with a structure for public input and give stakeholders a direct line of communication to county leadership.

At the first of six community forums on Saturday, Feb. 21, some residents deemed the MAC a stepping stone towards proper incorporation down the line. Others asked for better economic investment and access to a localized, itemized budget every year for residents to understand how their tax dollars are spent on improving social services and local businesses.

“Every problem we have, can be solved if we have a local government,” resident Francisco Cardenas. “We have nobody to complain to.”

Here’s everything you need to know about the MAC and the upcoming community forums where residents are invited to weigh in. The next meeting will take place Thursday at East L.A. Library, located at 4837 E. Third St. Register here.

Medical debt affects 1 in 9 Los Angeles County residents — almost a million people — according to the county health department. It’s a financial burden Long Beach resident Alexy Cordova learned about at a young age.

When she was 16 years old, Cordova was in a car crash that resulted in multiple surgeries on her spine and intestines. But over the years, her pain kept coming back to the point where she was constantly in the emergency room.

Despite having health insurance, those visits led to medical bills which piled up, including one for $2,200 in 2020.

Getting the relief

For Cordova, who’s now 25, living with that debt was a heavy burden. She wanted to pay it off, but she was young, and with a minimum wage job, it was hard to save and focus on her education at the same time.

“You want to pay this, but you have all these other bills,” Cordova said. “What comes first? Obviously not medical debt. I mean, not to me. I’m going to be honest.”

Many of the bills went into collections. Recently, she paid a repair service to help take care of them — but then she received a letter in the mail. She almost assumed it was another bill, but when she opened it, she realized it was something else entirely.

It was a notice telling her that $2,200 of her debt was being paid off by an L.A. County pilot program, which uses the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt to buy medical debt for pennies on the dollar. Cordova was happy to see it.

Alexy Cordova works as a legal assistant while she pursues a degree in criminal justice.

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Courtesy Alexy Cordova

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“ I definitely felt relieved,” she said. “Knowing that I have a bill really does stress me out, and it adds to everything that I have going on.”

So far, L.A. County’s pilot program has abolished more than $363 million in unpaid medical bills, for 170,000 residents.

You can’t apply for the relief; instead the program works with certain hospitals and healthcare providers to identify debts eligible for the program.

The debt problem

Unpaid medical bills are very common and often out of people’s control.

Certain factors can increase your risk. County public health data shows that visiting an emergency room just once a year makes you twice as likely to face medical debt. It also disproportionally affects lower-income households and Latino and Black patients.

Cordova says her situation happened because she wasn’t getting the right help at those emergency room visits, and doctors weren’t telling her where to go next. She ended up finding a specialist at the recommendation of her mother, a step that finally reduced her pain.

Cordova has learned from her debt experience and has some suggestions: Ask for itemized bills any time you get charged for care, so you can see what you’re being asked to pay for, and negotiate your bill.

“ If you don’t understand a charge, look into it. If you feel like it’s excessive, say something. I didn’t know that when I was younger,” she said.

More medical debt relief is on the way for L.A. County residents. According to an Undue spokesperson, they have about half of the current contract still to spend for the pilot program.