Spaghetti Alla Assassina. Credit: Andrea Jernmark
The Most Talked-About Dishes in Los Angeles – April 2026
10 Minute read
04 May 2026
Journalist
Spaghetti all’Assassina from Lielle
Marcus Jernmark’s Lielle has quickly become one of the most closely watched openings of the year. The former executive chef of Frantzén presents a restrained four-course format, with optional pasta additions that have become essential orders. The standout is the spaghetti all’assassina, a scorched preparation layered with preserved yellow tomato, yuzu zest, sea urchin, and perilla. Finished with prawn tartare and an aromatic herb salad, it’s one of the most precise and compelling pasta dishes in the city right now. Dishes shift frequently, but those in the know may still find an abalone course available off menu.
Waffle from Max and Helen’s
With Bill Addison’s recent review in the Los Angeles Times, it’s safe to say we’ve hit peak waffle. Despite the trappings of a neighborhood diner, the star power behind Max and Helen’s—Phil Rosenthal and Nancy Silverton—has created a phenomenon that tests the bounds of even the most seasoned line-waiter. You see, there are really only two types of people in this world: those who will wait in lines and those who will not, under any circumstance.
Among a Nancy-fication of classic diner staples—tuna melts, chocolate milkshakes—it’s the waffle that has entered the cultural lexicon of the moment. It arrives modestly, round and crisp with a custardy interior, topped with a mound of maple butter. Ultimately, it becomes the table’s question: is the wait worth it?
Burrata and English Pea Toast from Gjelina
Ah, spring in Los Angeles. Nothing captures it quite like the burrata and English pea toast at Gjelina. This yearly offering, tied to the rhythms of the Santa Monica Farmers Market, is here for a good time, not a long time. An oversized slice of grilled bread layered with a thick slathering of burrata is topped with a glut of bright green peas and delicate tendrils, a vivid expression of the season that reminds you why Gjelina remains one of the city’s defining restaurants. It’s only available during weekend brunch, still one of the best in town 18 years on.
Pastina from Bruce
When West Hollywood’s Horses closed in December, Brittany Ha found herself suddenly without a kitchen. What followed became Bruce, a roving pop-up that has taken hold across the city, with stops at Cafe Tropical, Little Fish, and Pinyon. While the menu shifts, one dish anchors the experience: the pastina. A golden bowl of miniature pasta, laced with butter, Parmesan, and saffron, it leans into nostalgia with precision.
“I wanted a dish that was nostalgic for anyone,” Ha says. “You’d be surprised how many adults go to restaurants and order ‘the kids pasta’ (butter noodles). So I wanted to make that, but chic.”
Masala au Poivre Steak Frites from BADMAASH Venice
“How many times must we melt your minds and blow up your beliefs?,” Nakul Mahendro asks. “I take this shit seriously but not too seriously…I just thought it would be cool if an Indian restaurant had the best steak in L.A., that excited me.”
At BADMAASH’s Venice outpost, that idea has taken hold. The steak frites arrives with a silver gravy boat of rich masala au poivre, and has quickly become one of the most talked-about steak dishes in the city. It’s a natural extension of the group’s approach, pushing expectations of what Indian food can look like while maintaining the playful edge they’ve carried since the early days.
Aji Toast from Corridor 109
At Corridor 109, chef Brian Baik’s seafood-focused tasting menu has quickly found its signature in the Aji Toast. While the burger at its casual sibling, Bar 109, draws attention, this is the dish circulating among the city’s fine dining crowd.
“The inspiration for this dish is Spanish pintxos, but with a fish preparation that is reflective of my time working at Sushi Noz in NYC,” Baik says. “I wanted to create a dish that encapsulated my cooking experiences in a way that’s unique and personal. The Aji Toast starts with meticulously sourced line-caught tsuri aji, or horse mackerel, that is served over homemade milk bread, aioli, pickled red peppers, and relish.”
It’s a composed, technical bite that reflects Baik’s background, and one that continues to draw attention as the restaurant builds momentum.
Moronga and Egg Breakfast Taco from Lugya’h at Maydan Market
Chef Alfonso “Poncho” Martinez has built a following for his Oaxacan tlayudas, but his move from a backyard operation in South Los Angeles to Lugya’h, a permanent stall inside Maydan Market, has brought broader attention. The recent addition of morning hours has only amplified that interest, with the moronga and egg breakfast taco emerging as a standout.
“Lugya’h’s breakfast taco is my interpretation of a traditional Oaxacan taco, enjoyed by my people in the region’s Indigenous communities,” Martinez says. “Historically, these tacos were made with leftover food wrapped in a freshly prepared tortilla, designed to be carried and eaten while working in the fields.”
Heirloom corn is nixtamalized and pressed in-house into soft tortillas layered with black beans, eggs, and seasonal greens, with fillings like house-made moronga sausage, chorizo, or mushrooms. It’s a grounded, culturally rooted addition to the city’s breakfast landscape.
Weekly Ice Cream Drop from Henry’s Secret Ice Cream
Chef Brad Ray’s Henry’s Secret Ice Cream has quickly become one of the city’s most closely followed weekly releases. Just weeks in, the project builds on the cult following he developed at Antico Nuovo, with small-batch flavors like milk and honey, strawberry, and strawberry shortcake selling out with each drop.
“We’ll be adding multiple flavors to the drops soon,” Ray says. “I’ll also be doing a cold brew coffee ice cream but won’t tell you the rest because I want to keep it a surprise.”
