Los Angeles can feel like a microcosm of the whole world, particularly when it comes to dining. At some point, though, the road will call. Maybe it’s a two-hour drive into the desert, or a short flight to the Bay Area, or a quiet coastal stretch where the marine layer doesn’t burn off until early afternoon. There are reasons to go — and eat — everywhere in California.
Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French, Ethiopian, Syrian, Italian: As you’ll find in this guide to the 101 Best Restaurants in California, these cuisines embody who we are, and they’re only the jumping-off point. Many entries on the list include additional recommendations, and the Times has previously published deeper dives (based on my ongoing statewide reporting) into San Francisco, San Diego and Palm Springs. More will be coming.
These are the best restaurants in California. From San Diego to the Bay Area and wine country, our food critic guides you to the best dining spots in the state.
Take a break from sunbathing and vintage shopping to check out the best restaurants in Palm Springs and as far afield as Cathedral City and Yucca Valley, including a secret speakeasy, a Balkan-inspired beer hall and a classic steakhouse.
Restaurant critic Bill Addison names new and nostalgic favorites in the ever-evolving City by the Bay.
Stop for haute cuisine, an apothecary-themed speakeasy, coffee and fish tacos on your next trip to San Diego.
Restaurant critic Bill Addison released his guide to the 101 Best Restaurants in California. Is your favorite restaurant on the list?
Eat your way across L.A.
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Bill Addison is the restaurant critic of the Los Angeles Times. He is recipient of the 2023 Craig Claiborne Distinguished Restaurant Review Award from the James Beard Foundation, among numerous other accolades. Addison was previously national critic for Eater and held food critic positions at the San Francisco Chronicle, the Dallas Morning News and Atlanta magazine.
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