Best Trendy Restaurants in Highland Park
12 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Villa's Tacos
Hand-pressed blue corn tortillas with MICHELIN-recognized toppings.
Notable Picks
8.9
Chef Victor Villa’s Highland Park flagship turns handmade blue-corn tortillas into overloaded tacos layered with grilled meats, melted cheese, and bright salsas that regulars line up for. Recognized with a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand, it blends street-taco roots with destination-level execution while still feeling very neighborhood.
Must-Try Dishes:
Blue corn carne asada taco, Queso taco with asada or al pastor, Papa con chorizo taco
What Makes it Special: Hand-pressed blue corn tortillas with MICHELIN-recognized toppings.
8.9
Vibes:
Sweet Treats Escapes
Instagram Worthy Wonders
Family Friendly Favorites
Trendy Table Hotspots
Chef-driven Magpies brings scratch-made soft serve and over-the-top frozen pies to York Boulevard, carrying on the dessert-focused vision Warren and Rose Schwartz launched in 2016. Expect rotating dairy and vegan flavors plus cult pies that locals treat more like special-occasion cakes than casual ice cream cups.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cornflake Softserve Pie, Strawberry Shortcake Softserve Pie, Original Fried Softserve Pie (vegan corn almond)
What Makes it Special: Chef-created soft serve and pies that treat frozen dessert with restaurant-level creativity.
#3
Hippo
8.8
Tucked behind a former post office, Hippo is chef Matt Molina’s Cal-Italian dining room with handmade pastas and wood-grilled mains in a tall, buzzing space. It sits at the intersection of neighborhood hangout and destination date-night, with a menu that changes often but leans heavily on seasonal produce and technique.
Must-Try Dishes:
Hippo house rolls with honey butter and sea salt, Tagliolini with duck ragù, Ricotta tortelloni in lemon butter
What Makes it Special: James Beard–decorated chef-driven Cal-Italian with standout pastas in a lofty room.
#4
Nativo
8.8
Nativo is a modern agave-focused cantina where chef-driven Mexican plates meet one of Highland Park’s strongest cocktail programs, with owners Gabriel Paredes and Corissa Hernandez steering the vision. Weekday happy hour brings discounted tacos, snacks, and signature drinks, making the back patio and bar a go-to early-evening hangout for locals.
Must-Try Dishes:
Mole-covered tater tots, Street-style taco trio (tinga, mole verde, barbacoa), Cucurrucu mezcal cocktail
What Makes it Special: Cocktail-bar energy with serious regional Mexican cooking and agave.
#5
Checker Hall
8.6
Checker Hall transforms a restored 1920s Masonic hall into a Mediterranean-leaning supper-and-cocktails room with shareable mezze, skewers, and composed plates. The menu blends California produce with dishes like labneh, seared halloumi, and harissa-spiced vegetables, so it works as well for a full dinner as it does for snacks with drinks. A buzzy bar, balcony views over Figueroa, and ties to the Lodge Room music venue make it a fixture of Highland Park nights out.
Must-Try Dishes:
Roasted Harissa Carrots, Seared Halloumi Salad, Baja Shrimp Skewers
What Makes it Special: Part restaurant, part cocktail den, Checker Hall pairs Mediterranean-leaning plates with a dramatically lit 1920s Masonic hall setting.
#6
Yi Cha
8.5
Yi Cha is a modern Korean pub from chef Debbie Lee, bringing pocha-style drinking food, creative small plates, and a serious soju and cocktail program to Highland Park. Open late on weekends, it’s become a neighborhood destination for shared plates like Korean fried chicken, gamjatang, and playful bar snacks in a neon-lit, alley-like dining room.
Must-Try Dishes:
Gochujang buffalo Korean fried chicken, Wagyu bone marrow corn cheese, Gamjatang (spicy pork and potato stew)
What Makes it Special: A true Korean pocha experience with serious cocktails outside Koreatown.
#7
Mala Class
8.5
Mala Class is a modern Sichuan dining room where crisp mala wings share menu space with dan dan noodles and numbing small plates. Opened in 2024, it’s already a buzzy York Blvd destination for sharp, chili-forward flavors and a compact, design-forward room.
Must-Try Dishes:
Mala Wings, Dan Dan Noodles, Mushroom Fries
What Makes it Special: Modern Sichuan dining where mala wings share spotlight with noodle classics.
#8
Donut Friend
8.4
Vibes:
Sweet Treats Escapes
Instagram Worthy Wonders
Trendy Table Hotspots
Family Friendly Favorites
Since 2013, Donut Friend’s Highland Park flagship has been drawing lines for over-the-top vegan donuts and, increasingly, its in-house ice cream. With sundaes like the Taking Back Sundae and affogato-style creations built on their Creamo ice cream, it doubles as both a bakery and a serious dessert stop.
Must-Try Dishes:
Taking Back Sundae donut ice cream sandwich, Vanilla Bean Creamo ice cream scoop, Off!ogatto espresso-over-ice-cream
What Makes it Special: Cult-favorite vegan donut shop that backs up its reputation with house-made ice cream and donut sundaes.
8.4
Ggiata’s Highland Park outpost brings East Coast Italian deli swagger to York with overstuffed hot and cold sandwiches on charred seeded baguettes. The narrow dining room, mosaic floors, and counter seating make it a lively spot for saucy, crunchy chicken cutlets and classic Italian combos.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spicy P, The Masterpiece, The Classic Italian
What Makes it Special: East Coast–style Italian deli sandwiches with serious crunch and sauce.
8.3
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Trendy Table Hotspots
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Born from a lauded pop-up and anchored on York since 2020, Goldburger serves double smash burgers with lacy edges, soft buns, and carefully tuned sauces. Lines can stretch late into the evening as locals and burger tourists chase one of LA’s most talked-about patties.
Must-Try Dishes:
Goldburger, LA Special, California Classic
What Makes it Special: A best-in-city contender where dialed-in smash patties, long-running pop-up cred, and constant lines make even a late-night burger feel like an event.
8.3
Belle’s Delicatessen & Bar turns the beloved Belle’s Bagels pop-up into a full-on Jewish deli and nighttime hangout, with double-fermented bagels, hefty pastrami sandwiches, and cocktails like the pickle martini. The room blends vintage memorabilia with a busy bar, making it as good for a late-night Reuben as a brunchy bacon-egg-and-cheese.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bacon, Egg & Cheese Bagel, Reuben, Westlake Sandwich
What Makes it Special: An all-day Jewish deli where serious bagel sandwiches meet a real bar.
8.1
Highly Likely’s Highland Park outpost is an all-day American cafe where excellent coffee meets cheffy comfort plates and all-day breakfast. Laptop-toting regulars and neighborhood families share the airy, plant-filled space over black sesame waffles, breakfast burritos, and seasonal mains.
Must-Try Dishes:
Black sesame waffle, The Levantine sando, Breakfast burrito
What Makes it Special: Design-forward cafe energy with a menu that treats brunch and dinner with equal care.