Every Friday, our editors compile a trusty list of recommendations to answer the most pressing of questions: “Where should I eat?” Here are four places to check out this weekend in Los Angeles. And if you need some ideas on where to drink, here’s our list of the hottest places to get cocktails in town. This week’s recommendations focus on the 2026 Eater Awards recipients in Los Angeles.
For an award-winning pie: Chainsaw in Melrose Hill
Selecting Chainsaw as our best new bakery winner for the Eater Awards required some discussion. Although the pop-up-turned-cafe initially started with strict devotion to their noteworthy pies — especially the signature passionfruit lime icebox pie — Chainsaw quickly became a notable neighborhood stop for coffee and arepas, too. Still, baking is at the core of Chainsaw, and we as a team were excited by what this tiny shop on Melrose brings to Los Angeles. When you try Karla Subero Pittol’s treats, you’ll see why it’s a winner in our book. 5022 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038. — Kat Thompson, audience editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
For a rising star in the Valley: Alto in Studio City
Alto, the recipient of our Eater Awards Rising Star recognition, brings a stronghold for South American cooking to the Valley. Helmed by chef Esteban Klenzi and Juana Castellanos, the restaurant explores Argentine-Uruguayan wood-fired cooking in a sleek dining room right off Ventura Boulevard. Start with the chipa, a cheesy tapioca bread paired with tomato butter, before tucking into an empanada filled with braised beef, dry-aged bone-in short rib, and a pork chop roasted in kombu seaweed. 12969 Ventura Boulevard, Studio City, CA 91604. — Rebecca Roland, deputy editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
For California fine dining: Lielle in Beverlywood
Marcus Jernmark, Eater LA’s Chef of the Year, puts forth his interpretation of California cooking at Lielle and its upstairs sister restaurant, Marée. The menu at Lielle is constantly evolving as Jernmark looks to his surroundings for inspiration: Dishes such as barbecue abalone and tres leches ice cream with dried milk skin have made appearances since the restaurant opened. Although Jernmark is from Sweden, he has embedded himself in California over the last few years, studying the region’s terroir and wine with deep curiosity. The $150 menu (though the bill will likely be closer to $250 per person with beverages) is a look inside Jernmark’s mind as he experiments with ingredients, putting forward plates that are unlike any other in the city. 9575 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035. — Rebecca Roland, deputy editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
For our hyperfixation chicken: Henrietta on the border of Echo Park and Westlake
It’s been a big year for chicken, a menu standby that is often overlooked for flashier beef or pork. Still, the dish that captured Eater LA’s heart (and Dish of the Year) is Henrietta’s roast chicken, which arrives bedded alongside a chicory Caesar with torn croutons made from Clark Street Bread. The seemingly simple dish takes three days to make, resulting in a deeply savory half chicken, kissed with dark grill marks that deepen its flavor. Nods to Zuni Cafe are apparent in the spot-on execution, but the chicken still feels entirely its own. Go to Henrietta for the chicken, but be sure to add on the tartare toast — sure to convert raw beef nonbelievers — and the tender ricotta dumplings. 343 Glendale Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90026. — Rebecca Roland, deputy editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
For tlayudas, pozole, and Thai cooking all under one roof: Maydan Market in West Adams
Maydan Market, a West Adams food hall of sorts anchored by D.C. import Maydan, captures the breadth of Los Angeles cooking under one roof. In the hangar-like space, which was recognized as Eater LA’s Best New Restaurant this year, Malena by Tamales Elena churns out soul-warming pozole flights, while Lugya’h by Ponchos Tlayudas smears oversized tortillas with beans before crowning them with tasajo or chorizo. At Golden Mountain Chicken, the team behind Holy Basil fries up chicken topped with crispy shallots, while Maydan offers a sit-down Lebanese dinner complete with wine and cocktails. 4301 W. Jefferson Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90016. — Rebecca Roland, deputy editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
