By day, local characters linger at the french bistro’s outdoor tables with fresh croissant and espresso drinks made by Intelligentsia next door. By night, they're still there, now with twinkling lights overhead, and steak frites on the way. The infamous burger is only served at the bar.

They take coffee very seriously. Baristas aim to bring out the best in beans from out of town roasters such as Portland's Coava and San Francisco's Sight Glass. Also under constant scrutiny: breakfast pastries.

Even with a reservation at this Italian institution (checkered tablecloths, hanging Chianti bottles, chicken parm), there's always a wait for a table. The charming old school waiters and over-the-top clientele put on a real good show.

Restaurateur Steven Arroyo (Cobras & Matadors, Potato Chips) puts his elevated spin on down-home Mexican fare. Though there are no shortage of taco stands in town — and some much cheaper — carnitas, tamales, and chewy chips and guacamole keep locals coming back for more. 

Rustic, market-driven plates and crafted cockails for brunch on the weekend and dinner every night of the week. Take in the cityscape from a cozy seat on the covered patio. It's hard to believe you're sitting on the Sunset Strip.

Skip the formalities and wind downstairs to the Beverly Hills Hotel’s old timey breakfast and lunch counter for waffles, fried eggs, or a classic BLT. Fine linen napkins catch toast crumbs.

People clamour for a reservations or cross their fingers for a seat at the farm-style communal tables in front. Wood-fire specialty pizzas and simple, rustic cooking make it worth the wait. Grab breakfast, lunch, or dinner from Gjelina To Go next door if it gets to be too much. 

A sunny neighborhood place for breakfast, lunch, and dinner to go. Buttery croissants and eggs many ways segue from breakfast to lunch's farmers’ market deli salads and hearty chalkboard special sandwiches. Take home a rotisserie duck and rustic cake for later. Cater for a crowd. 

Whatever their zip code, residents of the city claim this to stay or to go spot as their own. Sidewalk seating or indoor tables both offer good vantage points for enjoying Chinese chicken salad, a cakey hunk of brownie, or one of the many popular sandwiches with a side of people watching. Sundries and prepared foods in the freezer make it easy to take it all home.

A Hollywood institution that predates the talkies. Stick with steaks as Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin, and Rudolph Valentino would do. Follow in the footsteps of Fitzgerald, Faulkner, and Hemingway and sneak back for a nightcap in the writer's room. 

The super-sized spinoff to the Silver Lake original is tops on nights when the gang's all in for chewy chips, guacamole, and medicina latinas. Potato/cheddar and beef/pickle tacos are specialties of the house.

Some call it the Five Cent Diner; others, The Nickel. Everyone knows it as the old-school diner where hearty plates and hefty maple bacon donuts keep the downtown dwellers and weekend brunch crowd well fed.

What started as a nook of a juice bar in Brentwood has expanded to a Malibu outpost, West Hollywood shop, and a busy delivery service. Freshly-pressed, well-balanced fruit and veg blends, and heartier nut milks are at the ready. At this location they crank out healthy smoothies, too.

The seafaring answer to meat feast Animal: shrimp toast, lobster rolls, and elevated East Coast fish shack fare. Just weathered enough and always buzzing, the maritime-themed spot welcomes walk-ins at the communal table.

Fans of chef Suzanne Goin (AOC, Lucques) stream in from afar for a casual nosh at the bar or a dressier affair in the dining room. Well-heeled homebodies get short ribs, charcuterie, and house-made bread from the marketplace to go.

Come hungry. Each of the six kitchen stations around the periphery of the room focuses on a specialty, be that mixed drinks, cured meats, mile-high sandwiches, or juicy burgers layered with ingredients gunning for the fifth taste, after which the dining hall happens to be named.