The Best Brunch Spots in Los Angeles

Gjusta is an all-day bakery and deli in Venice known for its relaxed setting and fresh, high-quality offerings. The bustling patio and laid-back atmosphere make it a welcoming spot for breakfast or lunch. Locals appreciate the straightforward focus on good ingredients and a comfortable place to gather.

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Daniel Modlin

Food & Wine Editor

Still hits. Its been open for a while but the menu hasnt really changed. Great coffee, bagels, samdwiches, fish, etc. A surfer spot + a jewish deli, it doesnt get more LA than this.

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République is housed in a historic 1929 building once owned by Charlie Chaplin, giving the space unique character. It offers a casual bakery and café in front, plus a more formal dining area in the back, known for its housemade breads and pastries. In 2023, Chef Margarita Manzke earned a James Beard Award for her pastry work here, highlighting the restaurant’s dedication to quality.

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Phil Rosenthal

Host, Somebody Feed Phil

Maybe the best all-around restaurant in LA. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all unique and fantastic. This is where I take everyone. Maybe the best all-around restaurant in LA. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all unique and fantastic. And, all the incredible breads and pastries are made in-house.

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Sqirl in Los Angeles is known for its consistently delicious food and wide variety of offerings, making it a reliable choice for a relaxed lunch. Visitors mention there’s something for everyone, and the welcoming setting adds to its appeal. It’s a spot that invites you to drop by and find your favorite option on any given day.

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Rosio Sanchez

Chef/Director

So delicious everytime, huge menu, something for everyone for a great lunch ✨

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Botanica Restaurant & Market is a relaxed spot in Los Angeles’s Silver Lake neighborhood, known for its fresh, California-style cooking. Their focus on local ingredients and simple preparation means the flavors really shine. There’s also a small market area, so you can bring some of their seasonal finds home.

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Carsten Schmidt

Culinary Explorer

Great Californian food reminds me of Italian and Greek food in that it lacks the complexity of French food but instead focuses on bringing out the simple features of a few ingredients. This simplicity is anything but easy, as a great Cacio e Pepe can show, and certainly requires access to fresh ingredients, something both Greece, Italy and California are blessed with. There are a couple of neighborhoods in LA that stand for this type of food. Santa Monica and Venice on the coast with places like Gjusta and Rustic Canyon and then more inland there is the Los Feliz and Silver Lake area with places like Kismet. Botanica, just south of the Silver Lake reservoir is one of the best examples of this type of LA Californian food. Simple but surprising and no matter which month of the year the ingredients taste like they just came fresh from the farm. Like the White Beets and Persimmon (salad or plate) was so simple but full of subtle flavors. The Seared Pointed Cabbage with the touch of Gouda. And then for the main the Striped Bass in probably the lightest coconut broth I have ever had and an edge from the charred radicchio and squash. While all these dishes were outstanding and made me think about when I could squeeze in another visit, the highlight of the dinner was the date desert. This was just perfection. Dates on a bed of fluffy tahini and olive oil and rosemary drizzled all over. It could have been a starter or a desert, but no matter which, it was amazing.

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Courage Bagels is a small spot in Los Angeles that has caught people’s attention for serving bagels some say could rival New York’s best. There can be a line, but fans insist it’s worth the wait for fresh, handmade quality. Recognized by the New York Times, this straightforward place keeps things simple and focused on what they do best.

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Carsten Schmidt

Culinary Explorer

When the New York Times includes you in a story about the best bagels in the US, the bar is set high. Debating who has the best bagels with New Yorkers is like debating the best pizza with Napoletanos — meaning there are as many opinions as bagel places. Now add to this debate that a place outside of New York might have a decent bagel, and you enter the octagon for a death match. For the New York Times to come out and say that a bunch of bagel places out in Los Angeles (where the weather is always nice) could have bagels rivaling, if not topping, some of the best New York bagels, now that is outright blasphemy. But maybe, just maybe, the New York Times is correct. Courage Bagels on Virgil Ave (a street in-between East Hollywood and Silver Lake — or just a bit south of the Silver Lake Erewhon) is part of a set of newish Los Angeles bagel places which are not just hip but which are backing up the hype with bagels that make your mouth water. So, like with many things in LA, if it is good, there is a line … and there will be a line. From my experience, try to get there about 30 to 40 minutes after they open (they open at 7 am); that way, the first rush is gone. But there will still be a line. If it is a sunny and warm day, bring a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen because there is little to no shade. What makes Courage Bagels so mind-altering is that they combine the best of bagels (and yes, the plain bagel can easily keep up with the best of New York — though think of them a bit more like Montreal bagels) with the best of West Coast ingredients (think freshest tomatoes). My recommendation is to pick simple — the cream cheese and tomato (when tomatoes are in season, there couldn’t be anything better), the hand-sliced smoked salmon (which has a bit of olive oil drizzled over it and makes all the difference), and then the divine Run it Through the Garden with cucumbers. Each of these celebrates both the bagel as well as the freshest and most delicious ingredients. My last recommendation: Courage offers halves, so ordering two different halves to make it one full makes for an amazing breakfast — one half smoked salmon and one half run it through the garden, and you will be in heaven.

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Gjelina Take Away sits on Venice’s Abbot Kinney Boulevard, sometimes called one of America’s coolest streets, and has a relaxed vibe with stylish decor. It’s a convenient spot for both breakfast and dinner, offering a range of creative menu options in a casual setting. The same team behind Gjusta runs it, keeping the atmosphere laid-back and inviting.

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David P. Leja

@thegastrojourney

Even though it says Gjelina Take Away (or GTA), we will refer mainly to Gjelina. Gjelina is one of our favorite breakfast spots in Venice, probably only beaten by Gjusta (and they are the same owners anyway). We love the vibe of this place, the decoration, and the location in the middle of America's coolest street, Abbot Kinney Boulevard! Whenever we come for breakfast we always order their yogurt with granola and some fancy unique fruit (as mentioned with Gjusta, these guys manage to make of this almost boring dish something really exciting) and the soft scramble with smoked trout and mushrooms! The place is also great for dinner, offering wood-oven pizzas and many other creative dishes.

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Hail Mary Pizza in Los Angeles is a laid-back spot that draws people in with its focus on local, organic ingredients and friendly vibe. The staff is warm and welcoming, making it a favorite gathering place in the neighborhood. Even if the menu changes, their commitment to quality stays the same.

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Brian McGinn

Director and Producer

Great pizzas with organic local ingredients, amazing brunch and bread (maybe best in LA). My local. I eat here more than almost anywhere. Great pizzas with organic local ingredients, amazing brunch and bread (maybe best in LA), the best people, and a good vibe. Salads are all awesome, pancakes too. Love this place and these folks. UPDATE: sold to new ownership.

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Petit Trois is a cozy French spot in Los Angeles that’s often recognized as one of the city’s standout places to eat. It has a relaxed, welcoming vibe where people can enjoy a taste of refined yet approachable French cooking in a casual setting.

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Hani AlMalki

Writer @BedouinFoodie

Come here for the French onion soup and their legendary burger. On some lists it is rated number 1 in Los Angeles. It’s a French restaurant so don’t expect an American style burger. See photos. It’s incredible!

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