Food

Five Santa Monica chefs you need to know

These top-level chefs are bringing their A-game to redefine neighborhood dining.

Fine dining seafood dish with microgreens and orange garnish in black ceramic bowl on dark background.

Let’s hear it for the girls: where to celebrate Galentine's Day in LA

Plan the best Galentine's Day to hang out with all your favorite gals

A sumptous afternoon tea setting, with teacups and saucers, a three tier cake stand, and a silver coffee pot on top of a white lace tablecloth

Get your kicks at Mel’s Drive-In, official end of Route 66

With its impressive Googie architecture, the diner is a landmark near the Santa Monica pier.

Classic 1950s red and white finned car parked in front of Mel's Drive-In at dusk with neon sign and penguin mascot visible, showing Googie architecture

That $3.2 million bluefin tuna from Japan is sold out in LA

The 535-pound giant was purchased in Tokyo as part of an annual tradition. About 30 pounds of it was flown to L.A. It was sold out in two days.

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The storefront of a Japanese fish market or restaurant, prominently featuring a massive tuna displayed inside on a wooden platform.

Smorgasburg LA reopens Sunday with 13 new vendors

The annual reopening marks a fresh chapter for the downtown market.

A woman with dark skin smiling in a bold red chef’s jacket and patterned headscarf stands proudly in front of her “Hot Grease” stall, with her arms outstretched, framed by sizzling menu boards and the hum of the street market behind her.

Which fire-affected restaurants are open and closed in Malibu and the Palisades?

The Palisades Fire destroyed and disrupted restaurants up and down the coast. A year later, here's which are open and which remain closed.

A roadway is coated in dark brown mud, with bright orange and yellow pieces of construction equipment along the left hand side near a sharp mountain side.

For Altadena restaurants, recovery remains uncertain a year after the Eaton Fire

Some have reopened since the January 2025 fire, but restaurants whose structures were destroyed face challenges around costs, logistics and building requirements.

The charred remains of a building, with black smoke overhead.

The Original Saugus Cafe could reopen soon — but a dispute over the name looms large

A legal battle has erupted between the family that operated the business for nearly 30 years and the property owners.

Saugus Cafe neon sign illuminated at night showing 'OPEN 24 HOURS' and 'ATM' signs above the main signage.

Pasadena's Little Flower Candy Company mourns founder Christine Moore

The Pasadena restaurateur and candy maker, known for her sea salt caramels and community spirit, has died.

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The exterior of Little Flower Candy Company café in Pasadena, showing the distinctive curved art deco storefront with "Little Flower" signage and black-and-white striped awning

Watch traditional Japanese mochi pounding in Koreatown this weekend

Witness rhythmic rice, pounding taiko drums and fresh mochi-making.

Two Kodama Taiko performers in traditional yellow and black happi coats pound mochi with wooden mallets into a large wooden mortar, while a third performer watches in the background against a colorful mural.

Los Angeles food trends in 2026: What to expect this year

From diasporic cuisines to smaller portions, here's what's bubbling up.

Large green 3D numbers reading "2026" against a mint green background with pink and orange shadows

A new California law requires tortillas to include an extra ingredient. Here’s why

Starting in 2026, California tortillas will contain folic acid to help prevent birth defects—a change aimed at closing a gap for Latina mothers.

Packages of tortillas are stacked on a table in the produce section of a grocery store.

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