Food

A guide to the restaurants making Mexican tamales in unique, exciting ways

Some of the best chefs and eateries in Los Angeles are elevating the portable masa meal to Michelin levels.

A smiling woman wearing a long sleeved black top holds out a white styrofoam cup. She is standing at a table draped with a blue, red and orange striped cloth. On th the table is a blue plastic container, a large black plastic bag and stacks of paper plates and napkins.

How to make ponche and why it reminds me of the old country

An LAist correspondent's recipe for the simmered, holiday fruit punch from Mexico and Central America — and the meaning behind it.

An apple, prunes, a guava and other items in a ceramic bowl.

Skip the Napa wine this holiday season. Look for an LA label

Walk past that bottle of Josh and stock up on one from L.A. winemakers who love the region as much as you do.

Four bottles of wine on a counter top with two small wine glasses in the front.

Call it pork roll or Taylor ham — either way, it's coming in burger form to LA

A Jersey breakfast icon lands in Hermosa Beach.

Close-up of the Jersey Burger on white parchment paper showing a Martin's potato bun topped with a fried egg with runny yolk, American cheese, and pork roll on smashed burger patties

12 sips of Christmas: holiday cocktails in LA

December can be a stressful time of year, but these specialty sips and festive teas will have you fa-la-la-la-la-ing in love with the season all over again.

A minature figure of Santa is wearing a red hat, a hula skirt and a lei around his chest.

The journey of chop suey, from Ming Dynasty to a once-fashionable Americanized dish

Before its fall from grace, chop suey was a holiday tradition for families who don't celebrate Christmas, even being immortalized in songs and film.

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Northeast LA's Hermon gets a new gathering place

The Northeast LA neighborhood has a new place to gather over dinner.

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A nighttime view of Hermon’s neon sign reading “Dinner & Cocktails” glowing against the dark exterior.

3 bartenders from a legendary LA speakeasy reunite for a cocktail classics pop-up

The Varnish is the site for a one-night only return ahead of Cole's planned closure at the end of this year.

Vintage brass cash register illuminated on dark bar top, surrounded by rows of empty cocktail glasses and backlit shelves of liquor bottles in dimly lit speakeasy setting

Raise a glass of Angelica, as LA’s oldest wine is resurrected

Following a recipe unearthed at Mission San Gabriel and using its grapes, local winemakers have recreated a wine made by 18th century Franciscan friars.