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Chicken and mushroom shaomai dumplings at Xibei Dumpling in Silver Lake. | Matthew Kang Your handy guide on where to eat from the editors at Eater LA Every Friday, our editors compile a trusty list of recommendations to answer the most pressing of questions: “Where should I eat?“ Here now are four places to check out this weekend in Los Angeles. And if you need some ideas on where to drink, here’s our list of the hottest places to get cocktails in town.
For the ideal weekend bagel: Boichik Bagels Boichik Bagels Boichik bagels lined up. The Bay Area’s Boichik Bagels has just arrived in Los Angeles, and yet, the bagel shop seems to already have found its groove. The bagel shop turns out fresh, chewy bagels every day, available by themselves or in an outstanding sandwich with cream cheese, lox, and more.
Some have gripes about the cost of bagels in LA (many of which are fair), but Boichik comes in at $3.25 for a loose bagel, which feels fair for the quality and size. On my first trip here, I opted for the classic sandwich with lox, tomato, capers, cream cheese, and onions on an everything bagel.
One of my biggest bagel complaints is when the seasonings on an everything bagel immediately fall off and get everywhere, but Boichik has someone avoided this, with the sesame and poppy seeds securely attached to the bagel. Honestly, I probably could’ve taken half the sandwich to-go, but it was so good that I finished the whole thing in one go. 4655 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90027.
— Rebecca Roland, editor, Eater Southern California/SouthwestFor ethereal handmade dumplings in Silver Lake: Xibei Dumpling Matthew Kang Chicken and mushroom shaomai dumplings at Xibei Dumpling in Silver Lake. Ask the manager how long this tiny dumpling spot has been open and he’ll say two months. The opening for Xibei Dumpling was originally slated for “early 2025” but has been quietly serving at the new Sunset Row development in Silver Lake for at least a few weeks.
Either way, this restaurant doesn’t seem like it really belongs here, but instead a dusty strip mall space in Temple City or Rosemead. Silver Lake denizens will be the beneficiaries of these very regionally-specifically Chinese dumpling spot from veteran chef Meng Defei. Start with the very herbal, almost medicinal-smelling hot and sour soup that is really delicious and like no other hot and sour soup I’ve had.
The dumplings are a Mongolian-inflected pleated package that’s almost too big to eat with one single bite. The skins are incredibly thin, yielding an almost feather-like ethereal quality, filled with meaty beef or chicken with mushroom. The cold sesame noodles, wide pappardelle-like strands of rice noodles, are a cooling contrast to the hot dumplings.
So far, I really enjoy Xibei and could see myself coming back to try the rest of the menu, as long as I get lucky enough to find parking. 3300 W. Sunset Boulevard, Suite 105, Los Angeles, CA 90026.
— Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest For a Japanese-Italian pasta experience in Redondo Beach: Unico Pasta Co. Matthew Kang Yasai bolognese at Unico in Redondo Beach. Italian food in Japan has become its own genre, a blending of classic spaghetti dishes mixed and made with a slight edge of Japanese sensibility and flavoring.
That means dishes like bolognese come with sliced mushrooms and asparagus nestled into a tangle of al dente noodles and mellow meat sauce. Unico, a new restaurant from the team behind izakaya chainlet Japonica, opened in a welcoming space in Redondo Beach, serving a fairly wide range of Japanese-Italian pasta, including pollock roe-cream mentaiko, uni cream, and curry bolognese, all tossed with long, chewy spaghetti stands. The restaurant only opened a week and a half ago but still seems to be getting its sea legs from an operations standpoint.
That doesn’t mean slow or inattentive service — in fact, our food came out so quickly and piping hot that there was little to complain about. Instead, staff might tell diners that wait times for a seat might take 30 or more minutes, when in fact, it might be well under that. Going in with those expectations, know that Unico is here to please and feed, with heaping pasta portions served on hearty diner plates.
Expect to go home very, very full. 1310 S. Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach, CA 90277.
— Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest For flavorful pizza from a blossoming pop-up: BLK Crust Mona Holmes A cheese pizza at BLK Crust in Leimert Park. It’s not uncommon for Los Angeles residents to find out about new pop-ups before Eater editors. Those of us on the editorial side admire those sleuthing around the Southland for new dishes to share with friends and family.
This brings us to BLK Crust, a pizza pop-up by Altadena resident Adrion Thomas, who launched his pop-up in 2024. He’s also an Eaton Fire evacuee who has yet to return home. Thankfully, Thomas’s home is still intact, and he continues to prepare pies throughout LA.
A former tech recruiter, Adrion was laid off in 2022 and found a new career centered on a 48-hour fermented dough. Thomas likes to add activated charcoal powder to the dough for digestion and flavor. You heard that correctly, BLK Crust is a Black-owned pizza pop-up that serves a blackened crust with flavors like cheese, pepperoni, and hot honey pepperoni.
Always check BLK Crust’s Instagram to see where the oven will land. On Sunday, February 16, Thomas will set up in Leimert Park from noon until 5 p.m.
4395 Leimert Boulevard, Leimert Park, CA, 90008. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest.
