The best restaurants in Silver Lake, LA
From ramen to ceviche, here are the best restaurants in the Silver Lake neighbourhood of Los Angeles
Head east of Hollywood in Los Angeles and you’ll find yourself in Silver Lake, a creative neighbourhood dotted with low-key bars, boutique hotels, artisanal coffee stops, quaint cafes, and unassuming restaurants hosting some of LA’s best Asian and produce-driven food. Fusing grit and glamour, Silver Lake’s restaurants boast eclectic dishes and award-winning wine menus. Starting at Sunset Junction, where Sunset Boulevard meets Santa Monica Boulevard, find restaurants hidden under arching trees and in former fire stations. From family-run classics to inventive newcomers placing a subversive spin on traditional cuisine, here are the restaurants to try in Silver Lake, LA.
Ceviche Project
Best for: Seafood fans, shared plates
Location: 2524 Hyperion Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Price: Plates from 18 USD
Almost the entire menu at Ceviche Project consists of raw seafood, especially inventive ceviche dishes. Take the Tai Snapper, diced fresh and gently tossed with cucumbers, jicama, carrots, cilantro, pineapple, and a jalapeno and ginger leche de tigre for a subtly sweet and savoury bite. Cevichero Octavio Olivas is a delight to watch as he prepares your order from behind the marble-topped bar. Order a Mexican Michelada cocktail made with fresh shrimp stock before digging into several of the ceviches, the Peruvian scallop shooters, and fresh oysters to share.
cevicheproject.com
Pine & Crane
Best for: Noodle lovers
Location: 1521 Griffith Park Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Price: Mains from 10 USD
Pine & Crane is a casual, contemporary restaurant serving affordable Taiwanese dishes. The menu here is compact, featuring salads, handmade wontons and potstickers, crispy rolls, and noodle and rice dishes. The noodles are a must-try, particularly the Dan Dan noodles, which are cooked al dente for a delightful spring, and served with cucumbers for a refreshing reprieve from the heat that comes from the chilli oil. For small plates, the crunchy beef roll is a favourite, while the sea salt cream tea with boba makes for a fantastic drinkable dessert.
pineandcrane.com
Botanica Restaurant and Market
Best for: Brunch, gluten-free
Location: 1620 Silver Lake Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Price: Mains from 16 USD for brunch, 24 USD for dinner
Botanica excels at showcasing fresh produce with big, bold flavours. Botanica’s light-filled space is a cheerful setting for brunch complete with vegetable-forward cocktails, from yuzu mimosas to mezcal with fresh beet juice and cilantro. Don’t overlook the brunch sides, from seasonal jam and cultured butter to ultra crispy bacon. For sweet lovers, the Cake for Breakfast – brown sugar almond cake topped with a citrus packed orange marmalade and mandarinquats – will make you forget all about pancakes. After your meal, wander to their market to pick up marinated olives, spiced honeys, homemade sauces, granolas, and natural wines.
botanicarestaurant.com
Pijja Palace
Best for: Group dinners, adventurous eaters
Location: 2711 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Price: Mains from 17 USD
Pijja Palace is a quirky newcomer gaining attention for its unconventional bar fare served with an Indian twist. Dishes here are hearty and best enjoyed when shared, from the batter-heavy and crispy dosa onion rings to the okra fries served with a tangy lemon sauce. Of all the dishes, the malai rigatoni is the star, featuring a tomato masala sauce with cream and coriander atop al dente rigatoni. Save room to taste the malted chai soft serve for dessert, and make sure to sample one of their homemade sodas, from the mango cream soda to the desi crush, served from their vintage soda machine.
pijjapalace.com
Night + Market Song
Best for: Dinner with friends, wine lovers
Location: 3322 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Price: Mains from 17 USD
When chef Kris Yenbamroong opened Night + Market Song in West Hollywood, it became a buzzing celebrity hangout, and his Silver Lake establishment still retains a bustling atmosphere, where bright colours and playful decor set the stage for enjoying Thai street food. Besides popular plates from the original location, including the pad see ew and crispy rice salad (a cool and crunchy mix of ginger, peanuts, cilantro, pork, and chilli), you’ll find exclusive plates like the startled pig salad – tender grilled pork served with fresh Thai basil and light citrus dressing.
nightmarketla.com
Bacari
Best for: Date night, brunch
Location: 3626 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Price: Mains from 13 USD
Bacari retains the charm of the former restaurant occupying this plot, Cliff’s Edge, and its outdoor courtyard adorned with trees. The addition of wooden accents and lush greenery are reminiscent of a luxurious Balinese treehouse. Favourite small plates on the menu include brunch dishes like the chilaquiles and shawarma tacos, and handmade pastas like the Oaxaca, featuring a smoky romesco sauce, and the pillowy ricotta and beet gnocchi served for dinner. Whatever time of day you go, make sure to order their fries, topped with their secret sauce and a fried egg.
bacarisilverlake.com
El Cochinito
Best for: Sandwich lovers, casual lunch and dinner
Location: 3508 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Price: Mains from 12 USD
El Cochinito proves family-run eateries are some of the best for authentic recipes. Since 1988, this local Cuban stop has been providing succulent, slow roasted pork, crisp plantain chips, and one of LA’s best flans. Its Cubano sandwich is the star of the show. It all starts with the dedicated hours spent marinating and slow roasting pork butts seasoned in lime and spices. It’s the little details that make all the difference, from adding the thinly sliced pickles just before pressing the sandwich to ensure a crunchy bite, to topping and smashing their sweet plantain chips into the Cochinito Sandwich for a balanced combination.
cochinitola.com
Same Same
Best for: Date night, wine lovers
Location: 2835 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA, 90026
Price: Mains from 13 USD
Silver Lake is no stranger to strip mall stops, but stepping into Same Same quickly whisks you away into a playful Bangkok atmosphere, complete with dim lighting, plenty of conversation, and lots of drinks. The wine bar at Same Same is as much of a draw as its spicy Thai options, with a rotating list of wines that span flavour profiles from citrus and stone fruit to berry, pepper, and more. There’s a great selection of beers to enjoy here as well before you tuck into soups like the Tom Yum, the pad see ew noodles, or a hearty bowl of pork belly fried rice.
samesamethai.com
Edendale
Best for: Brunch, skipping lines
Location: 2838 Rowena Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90039
Price: Mains from 21 USD for dinner, 15 USD for brunch
Finding Silver Lake restaurants without hefty lines is tough, but thanks to its large size, Edendale regularly has tables for groups looking for relaxed dining with stellar drinks. Housed in a former 1924 fire station, where silent film stills frequently held in the neighbourhood adorn its walls, the restaurant features both an indoor area with a large bar, and two patios for al fresco dining. Order a plate of chilaquiles stuffed with chorizo or the enchiladas for a great vegetarian brunch option, and ask for a side of fries; they’re super crisp here, made the way fries should be.
theedendale.com
Spoon and Pork
Best for: Hearty dishes, pork lovers
Location: 3131 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Price: Mains from 17 USD
Spoon and Pork was known as one of the best food trucks in the city, and the raving reviews continued with its first brick and mortar location in Silver Lake. The menu is heavy on pork, though you will find tasty chicken and beef dishes. The best item here is the Patita – a big chunk of pork shank, slow cooked and deep fried in a vinegar, chilli, and garlic sauce. From the small plates, the Adobo Belly Nigiri packs tons of flavour into a small bite, featuring a juicy pork belly speckled with furikake and chives.
spoonandpork.com
Blair’s Restaurant
Best for: Pasta lovers, date night
Location: 2901 Rowena Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90039
Price: Mains from 17 USD
Blair’s has been drawing in locals who come for New American cuisine in a cosy setting for years. All the dishes are made using local produce and meats, which truly shine in plates like the gnocchi served with kale, sausage, and pecorino cheese, the tender braised short ribs with leeks and polenta, and the smoky grilled octopus served with a nice char atop potatoes with a salsa verde. Blair’s is a great choice for comforting food served by friendly staff. It’s the type of place where you can sit and relax for hours, sharing pizza, pasta, and the tiramisu for dessert.
blairsrestaurant.com
Silverlake Ramen
Best for: Casual dinner, weeknight dinner
Location: 2927 West Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA
Price: Mains from 17 USD
Home to the original location of Silverlake Ramen, now a franchise with over 20 locations, the humble Silver Lake outpost, boasting only a small number of seats, still retains its high quality. The best ramen here is their house specialty, The Blaze, whose broth is cooked for hours on end for a thick and creamy texture that’s rich in umami and served at just the right temperature for a soothing sip. This restaurant may have one of the longest lines you’ll see in the area, but once you have a spoon of this broth, you’ll know why.
silverlakeramen.com
L&E Oyster Bar
Best for: Seafood lovers, drinks
Location: 1637 Silver Lake Boulevard, Los Angeles CA 90026
Price: Mains from 15 USD
L&E Oyster Bar is a neighbourhood hangout perfect for when you want a relaxed atmosphere for enjoying prime cocktails, wines, and seafood. The oysters are all astounding and rotate daily as they’re delivered fresh each morning. The best way to try them is to order them raw by the dozen to sample the variety of selections offered that day. Get them with the cast iron cornbread and a wedge salad to start your meal, before moving to cooked plates like the crab linguine, fish and chips, or lobster mac and cheese.
leoysterbar.com
Hot Tongue Pizza
Best for: Gluten free, vegan pizzas
Location: 2590 Glendale Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90039
Price: Mains from 14 USD
Their mantra here is “Don’t let the lack of dairy and meat cloud your judgement; this is one of the best slices in the city,” and they’re right. Hot Tongue Pizza dishes out vegan pizzas that are downright delicious, with a dough baked in-house that’s airy, crisp and thin. The Detroit-style pizza is gluten free and topped with marina, mushrooms, spinach, garlic, and an almond ricotta that’s rich and creamy. The same almond ricotta features on the thick-crust Sicilian, pan baked with that gooey pull we’ve come to love and expect from cheese-topped pies.
hottonguepizza.com
