People usually do n’t make the trek to Westwood only for the purpose of love a great meal – but they should . The orbit is firmly Bruin territory , so of course you ’ll ascertain gobs of on - the - go , low-priced deplete catering to UCLA fraternity type and Anderson alumna . That said , you ’ll also find second - to - none Iranian intellectual nourishment ( the neighborhood now and then goes by the soubriquet “ Tehrangeles ” ) and plenty of creative kitchen putting their own twist on culinary concepts . Here are 20 restaurants and eateries to try in Westwood .
Best build-your-own bowl:Cava
1073 Broxton AvenueIf you flout at the estimation of yet another build - your - own sandwich / bowl / salad spot , you have n’t tried Cava . First of all , the offerings lean Mediterranean , so you get to choose from saffron basmati rice or black lentils , spicy lamb meatballs or felafel , maize herb tahini or Sriracha Greek yogurt , and the leaning goes on . second , the ingredient try incredibly fresh – and you ’re take into account to choose as many binding and toppings ( like cauliflower quinoa tabbouleh , pickled onion , and dilapidate feta ) as you wish .
Best date spot:Double Take
10740 Wilshire BoulevardBy day , Hotel Palomar ’s Double Take is a solid spot for breakfast or brunch where you may fuel up on fluffy coconut meat hotcake and sourdough waffle . By night , though , this restaurant / bar / lounge serves up a BLT hoagie salad , a beet Reuben sandwich made with Emmental cheese , and grill flatiron steak with chimichurri . After you scarf it all down , take hold of a craft cocktail ( often made with fresh herbs and produce source from local farmers food market ) and lead to the complect game room that has Skee - Ball , shovelboard , and pool . particular date dark accomplished .
Best meal you can have without a reservation:KazuNori
1110 Gayley AvenueKazuNori does n’t take reservations , so there ’s bound to be a moment of a postponement , but few other places offer food of this caliber in such a quick , perfunctory setting . The restaurant ’s hand roll concept follow from the folk music behind Sugarfish , so you could expect the same signature warm rice and topnotch - unused fish all wind up in a crisp nori bed sheet .
Best lunch spot:Attari Sandwich Shop
1388 Westwood BoulevardYou’ll never lose from sad - desk - tiffin syndrome again after order a legendary spit sandwich at this Tehrangeles restaurant . What you ’ll detect is chunks of tender beef tongue throng into fresh , crusty bread ( think of a banh knot loaf and you ’ll get the word-painting ) , complement by just the right-hand amount of pickles , lettuce , and tomato .
Best strip-mall sushi:Hamasaku
11043 Santa Monica BoulevardSome of LA ’s best sushi restaurants , like Hamasaku , are hide away in strip promenade . This nondescript daub – which is amazingly spacious inwardly – has a self-colored sashimi excerpt , in addition to several non - traditional cast and shareable starter . calculate out for seasonal specials like this summertime ’s cold attic dish : a cluster of pork chashu , scallions , and key lime fade sit in a refreshing scallop dollar bill broth .
Best healthy food that doesn’t taste healthy:Necco
1929 Westwood Boulevard“Necco ” mean “ root ” in Japanese , and that ’s exactly what this restaurant specializes in . While it ’s easy to pick apart a menu peppered with stuff like daikon , ginger , or clotbur , Necco ’s in reality preparing these healthy ingredients in an innovative manner . Lotus radical is lightly fried in panko , yielding a soft - yet - crunchy texture that ’s amazingly delicious , while daikon and yam are slice into kinky “ chips ” as an appetizer . The menu ’s get plenty of non - root - related pungency too , like miso - marinated salmon belly and tasty wagyu gripe ; for tiffin , emphatically get one of the beautifully give bento corner , which give you a taste of everything .
Best for vegetarians:Veggie Grill
10916 Lindbrook DriveVeggie Grill ’s where you go when you feel like take a burrito or hamburger or red-hot dog … but you ’re meeting your vegetarian or vegan friend for dinner party . That ’s because VG ’s blue Sicilian blimp sandwich comes with a grilled patty from Beyond Meat ( for the uninitiate , that ’s a troupe make water plant - based centre that taste like the genuine affair ) alongside earthnut cheese sauce and roasted mushrooms , and their all - solar day breakfast burrito is stuff with soy chorizo , vegan cheese , fervor - roasted salsa , beans , and Just Egg ( for the uninitiated , that ’s a plant - found eggs made from mung bean that skin like the genuine thing ) . You ’ll hardly be able to tell the deviation , so even the carnivores will be felicitous .
Best non-taco-truck tacos:Tacos Tu Madre
1945 1/2 Westwood BoulevardNo more furrow down your favorite wetback motortruck after a night out ; this colourful takeout window is bantam , but stays put . Plus , it specializes in unequalled taco offering ( like Korean barbeque , cactus , and fried crybaby ) , breakfast burritos , and mouthwatering red velvet churros .
Best pizza:800 Degrees
10889 Lindbrook DriveDon’t have a bun in the oven sturdy Proto-Indo European that hold up absolutely while you eat them at this build up - your - own - pizza spot . 800 Degrees is known for slippery , pipage - red-hot , fresh Neapolitan - style pizza submerged in sauce and quality toppings – the mess , in other words , is a part of the fun . Keep it canonical with a pepperoni or sausage balloon and peppers pie , or go wild with a genre - top custom chef-d’oeuvre .
Best fancy restaurant for when you’re not paying:STK
930 Hilgard AvenueThough their porterhouse steak steak and lobster ravioli are significative , half the reason you ’re move to this eating house in the W Hotel is its sleek , stylish vibe , designed to make you find like Vegas has follow to Westwood ( there ’s a lounge domain with a DJ , if you feel like ca-ca a night of it ) . Though you ’ll be paying a pretty centime for succulent wagyu and Alaskan red king crab , STK ’s also have a weekday societal hour from 4 - 6:30pm where swallow are half - off , oysters go for $ 2 a pop , and jalapeno Cheddar gritrock croquette and tuna tartare tacos are just $ 8 . For a slightly different vibe , reserve a table atThe Hideout– STK ’s newer poolside dining area at the W – where you could savor oysters , lobster BLTs , and craft cocktails by night or truffle - Cheddar grits , short rib hash , and croque madame for brunch by twenty-four hours .
Best ice cream:Saffron & Rose
1387 Westwood BoulevardAt this Persian meth cream marijuana cigarette , there ’s almost always a line of people ( though it moves quickly ) – all expect for a max of irresistible ice cream that owe its wooden-headed , gooey body to organic whole milk and ground orchid root ( called salep ) . Newcomers should by all odds pick up a dry quart of faloodeh ( squiggly Elmer Rice noggin in mouthwatering ice emollient ) golo bol bol ( the workshop ’s namesake pistachio - studded orange yellow and rise , which , gratefully , do n’t smack anything like perfume ) , and other delightful flavors like cucumber or orange blossom ( designed to make you rethink every other ice emollient you ’ve ever encountered ) .
Best food truck turned restaurant:TLT Food
1116 Westwood BoulevardThe explosive flavors here – Mexican - Asian fusion with a discrete Cali twist – are all over the place , in the good way possible . showing A : orange chicken tacos . This hodgepodge of taste and texture , which is novel to the menu , consists of deep-fried Gallus gallus covered in orange sauce and throw out with juicy mandarin slices , won ton , and a crunchy Asian coleslaw . Do n’t leave without also gorging on braised pork belly nachos , cotija cheese - topped carnitas fries , and ahi tuna tacos with chipotle - honey coleslaw .
Best sandwich spot:Ike’s Place
1151 Westwood BoulevardIke ’s , a Bay Area secureness , bluster a massive number of sandwich options at its LA location . Whatever you order – whether it ’s the Menage A Trois ( BBQ halal poulet , Swiss , and honey mustard ) or the Kenny Washington ( wild salmon with havarti ) – definitely request it with Dutch compaction clams . It ’s a obtuse , chewy loaf with a crisped - up top ( that ’s the “ compaction ” ) and is arguably one of the best parts about eating an Ike ’s sandwich .
Best meal when you’re sick of college student food:Ramayani
1777 Westwood BoulevardThis bona fide Indonesian muffin gives you a tasty suspension from the area ’s chain restaurants . Adventurous roof of the mouth will enjoy the soto madura ( traditional soup with gripe rubbish and coconut Milk River ) and ikan balado ( fry - to - a - crisp whole fish smothered in a kicky sauce ) .
Best lunch special:Fundamental LA
1303 Westwood BoulevardFundamental ’s sandwich - heavy tiffin carte is definitely among the neighbourhood ’s best . The go - to move here is the longstanding $ 14 power luncheon special , which includes a sandwich or salad with a side AND a cooky ( not one that ’s an afterthought , listen you , but a marriage of perfectly crisp and chewy texture in one scorched treat ) . If you ’re in the area for dinner , the even menu of topically sourced , artistically plated dishes is a must - prove too .
Best fast food:In-N-Out
922 Gayley AvenueThere are n’t many In - N - Outs on the Westside , so this outpost – do up the range of mountains ’s tasty double - doubles and animal - style fries – is the orbit ’s quick - food for thought unicorn . Pull up thenot - so - secret fare , and drench thosenot - so - majuscule friesin secret sauce .
Best kabobs:Shamshiri Grill
1712 Westwood BoulevardSouth Westwood Boulevard is often concern to as Little Tehran , so most of the Persian eating place along the street recognize how to slash up a mean shish kebab . Shamshiri ’s flat coat lamb koobideh skewers , though , are specially juicy , tender , and flavor - packed – the consummate complement to dishes like shirin polo ( fragrant basmati rice speckle with saffron , orange Peel , pistachios , and almonds ) , or tahdig , which is basically the crispy , crackly stratum of rice at the bottom of the pot topped with stew .
Best late-night food:Bella Pita
960 Gayley AvenueNight owls in Westwood have their pick of Burger , pizza pie , tacos , and other greasy late - night eats around here , but Bella Pita ’s probably the only spot that serve a hearty , falafel - load pocket bread cover in veggies , hummus , and tzatziki sauce – until 3 am daily . The dough for their pitas and illustrious “ wowshis ” ( imagine of a Mediterranean - inspired Hot Pocket , where warm , melty fillings are baked inside ) is made in business firm , oftentimes right in front of you .
Best introduction to Middle Eastern food:Sunnin Lebanese Cafe
1776 Westwood BoulevardFantastic Middle Eastern restaurants bristle in Westwood – too many to even include in this guidebook – but if you ’re not familiar with the culinary art , beloved Sunnin ’s Lebanese specialties are a good place to try a little of everything . Start with lemony baba ghanouj , tangy labneh tall mallow , and fatayer ( a saporous handwriting pie glutted with spinach and onion ) , then move onto falafel with a flabby centre and crisp exterior , juicy crybaby shawarma , or kibbeh bil sanieh ( minced beef and pine nuts layered between ground beef cattle ) .
Best cheap eats:Diddy Riese
926 Broxton AvenueEven if some say Diddy Riese ’s famous englut methamphetamine hydrochloride cream cookie sandwiches do n’t count as “ veridical ” eats ( we ’d beg to differ though ) , at $ 2.50 a pop , they certainly qualify as punk . Customize your own from a 12 ice emollient flavors ( strawberry cheesecake chunk , cookie lolly , espresso chip , the leaning last on ) and 10 different cookie variety show ( ranging from decadent confect chocolate bit to the simple pleasure of sugar cinnamon ) , all made from slit and baked refreshing daily .
Ramayani|Ramayani
Double Take
courtesy of Hamasaku
Courtesy of Scott Stewart
Courtesy of TLT Food
Courtesy of Fundamental LA
Courtesy of Bella Pita, Inc
