Here are a few places to get you startedAmerica’s Best Beer Bars
- Father’s Office– An upscale pub with the can’t-go-wrong motto “Beer Makes You Strong”
- Verdugo– A restored 1930s bar decked out in Art Deco style and with a DJ lineup that varies from reggae to retro soul classics.
America’s Best Sandwiches
- Bäco Mercat– This place has specialty flatbread sandwiches; don’t miss out on the fried shrimp and creamy cabbage slaw version that’s finished off with a dab of Sriracha.
Best Burgers in the U.S.
- Father’s Office– Try the dry-aged Office Burger, topped with Gruyère cheese, Maytag blue cheese, arugula, and applewood-bacon compote—you’ll never go visit an In-N-Out Burger again! And don’t forget, Father’s Office is also one of America’s best beer bars.
Best Pizza Places in the U.S.
- 800 Degrees– Fast (60 seconds!) artisanal pizza—made to order, and only costs around six bucks.
- Pizzeria Mozza– Traditional wood-burning ovens and house-made mozzarella conspire to produce some of L.A.’s best pizzas.
50 Best Bars in America
- Copa d’Oro– Concoct your own drinks with seasonal ingredients and top-notch spirits.
- Rivera– Seasonal tequila infusions as well as a private-label añejo.
- Roger Room-A tough-to-find speakeasy, next door to telling a fortune-telling parlor; well worth the trouble of finding it! (370 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood; no website)
- The Tasting Kitchen– A terrific bar and restaurant, where nearly everything is done in-house. This place has gotten accolades from the LA Times, LA Weekly, NY Times, GQ, Gourmet, and Zagat so they’re the real deal!
- The Varnish– Accessed through a secret door at Cole’s!
Best Hotel Bars
- The Rooftop at The Standard– A poolside roof deck with futuristic-looking bright red waterbed pods, white deck chairs, sculpted topiary, and a Biergarten—‘nuff said.
Top 10 Best New Bars in the U.S.
- Pour Vous– A Parisian-style cocktail lounge with red velvet banquettes and a focus on French spirits. There’s a trolley car out back for smokers to hang out on.
America’s Best Salty-Sweet Deserts
To finish everything off in style
- Huckleberry Bakery and Café– Try the salted caramel squares at only 75 cents each.
- Simplethings Sandwich & Pie Shop– Their salted caramel pie (based on dulce de leche-style caramel) is a best seller since they opened in 2010.
Thanks to Food & Wine Magazine (online) for recognizing our great Los Angeles area establishments.