The Best Restaurants in Los Angeles for Instagram
More than half of Internet-using young adults age 18-29 use Instagram, and without a doubt, many of them are posting photos of what they’re eating. Fortunately for Instagrammers dining out in L.A., there are restaurants across the city that feature gorgeous food that tastes as good as it looks with lots of natural light and beautiful decor. If you want that money shot with guaranteed “likes,” here are our picks for the best restaurants in Los Angeles for Instagram.
Dinette
Gareth Kantner’s fast-casual sidewalk restaurant in Echo Park features comfort food and baked goods on camera-ready craft paper disposables that are served from a take-out window. Throw in the clean “DINETTE” logo with that breakfast pizza and it’s Instagram-ready. They make one of our favorite waffles, too. Our picks: waffle with bacon and poached egg; breakfast pizza with an egg; avocado toast; and spaghetti and meatballs. Instagram: @dinette.la
Fishing With Dynamite
The beachside location, colorful tiles, antique silverware and beautiful shellfish make David LeFevre’s Manhattan Beach seafood restaurant well worth seeking out. If you’re feeling like a baller, order the Mothershucker seafood platter, which comes with oysters, clams, shrimp, mussels, a whole lobster and king crab legs. Talk about a stunner! Don’t miss their key lime pie, which is also stunning. Instagram: @eat_fwd
Gjusta
No Instagram list would be complete without including one of the “Gj” restaurants. Who ever thought that food eaten on milk crates could look so good? Clearly, Fran Camaj and Chef Travis Lett did. Their ever-popular Gjusta Bakery serves breakfast all day. Smoked fish is a focus - it’s cured and smoked in-house. The salmon roe bagel is surely one of the most colorful variations on the breakfast classic in town. If you’re a gluten lover, their pastries and breads are worth buying by the dozen. Instagram: @gjustabakery
Howlin' Ray's
Johnny Zone and wife Amanda Chapman run fiery Howlin’ Ray’s in Far East Plaza, where people happily wait to eat at one of L.A.’s most popular restaurants. Their Nashville-inspired hot chicken incorporates a proprietary pepper blend that includes classic cayenne, habanero and more modern adrenaline inducers like Carolina Reaper and ghost. Spice levels range from “country,” just short of mild, to “howlin’,” which may ignite your mouth. Their fantastic fried chicken sandwich combines juicy breast meat with cabbage slaw, pickles and spicy “comeback sauce” made with ingredients like chile powder and paprika. Take the experience up a notch with their Luis-style fried chicken sandwich, which substitutes Texas toast for a buttery bun and adds cooling Cheddar.
Jon & Vinny's
When the guys behind Animal and Son of a Gun open an Italian spot, you know it’s going to be solid. Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo’s dining spot on Fairfax is modern with clean lines, and skylights throughout the restaurant to help us capture that perfect Instagram. You can’t miss the pizza, especially the LA Woman topped with burrata. They also serve breakfast every day until 11:30 a.m. - Breakfast Pizza FTW: Yukon Gold potatoes, egg, rosemary, olive oil, parmesan and red onion. Instagram: @jonandvinnydelivery
Redbird
Housed in what was once the Vibiana Cathedral rectory, Redbird features a main dining room that is truly breathtaking. For the best lighting, lunch is the time to pop in - be sure to order the Fried Egg Sandwich with pancetta. If you go for an early dinner, our picks for Chef Neal Fraser’s most Instagrammable dishes include New Caledonian shrimp served on grits with cocoa nib chipotle mole, grilled Spanish octopus salad with kale, and the chicken pot pie served in a very Instagrammable copper pot. Instagram: @redbirdLA
République
This place has it all: historic architecture, Walter Manzke’s food, Margarita Manzke’s pastries, a ton of natural light, and the prettiest handmade tiles from the Philippines (they may actually get more Insta-love than the food). We love that Republique is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, which just helps to feed into our addiction. Our picks for the most Instagrammable dishes: Kimchi Fried Rice with a soft egg and short rib; and Eggs on Toast with Santa Barbara uni and soft scrambled eggs. Even their salads are photogenic. Instagram: @republiquela
Sqirl
Jessica Koslow, the mastermind behind this Eastside breakfast spot, must have had Instagram in mind as she built out the space and menu. The plates are all vintage and the outdoor tables make for the most colorful backdrop for her food. All of her dishes would qualify as art if there were a beautiful food category. Our picks: ricotta toast with Sqirl’s signature seasonal jam cascading over the side; the Sorrel Pesto Rice Bowl with Kokuho Rose Brown Rice, preserved Meyer lemon, watermelon radish, French sheep feta, and a poached egg. Instagram: @sqirlla