Best Business Lunch Restaurants in Sawtelle
4 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Il Moro
Longstanding Italian dining room with a quieter dog-friendly patio.
Notable Picks
#1
Il Moro
8.7
Il Moro has served polished Northern Italian fare since the mid-1990s, pairing housemade pastas and seafood with an extensive wine list. The shaded patio offers a more refined dog-friendly option on this stretch of Olympic, suited to business meals or quieter date nights with a pup in tow.
Must-Try Dishes:
Housemade Tagliatelle, Risotto of the Day, Grilled Branzino
What Makes it Special: Longstanding Italian dining room with a quieter dog-friendly patio.
A branch of a storied LA deli, delivering the full Jewish-deli sandwich canon—thick pastrami, corned beef, and towering Reubens on rye. The scale, speed, and around-the-clock legacy translate well to this Westside outpost.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pastrami on Rye, Reuben Sandwich, Matzo Ball Soup + Half Sandwich
What Makes it Special: Old-guard LA deli sandwiches in West LA with massive volume-proof consistency.
#3
Daikokuya
8.3
A high-traffic ramen institution that delivers rich tonkotsu and garlic-forward bowls with dependable speed. It’s casual and loud, but ideal for a no-nonsense lunch that feels like a neighborhood ritual.
Must-Try Dishes:
Daikoku Ramen, Spicy Miso Ramen, Homemade Gyoza
What Makes it Special: Classic LA tonkotsu ramen with decades of local loyalty.
Worthy Picks
Vibes:
Trendy Table Hotspots
Group Dining Gatherings
Instagram Worthy Wonders
Business Lunch Power Players
A fast-casual chain that built its reputation on handmade xiao long bao and wok-fried noodles with quality a notch above typical counter-service Chinese. The short rib dan mein and crab mapo tofu draw repeat visits from Sawtelle regulars who want something more refined than takeout but faster than a sit-down dinner. Expect competent execution across the menu with occasional wrapper inconsistency on the soup dumplings.
Must-Try Dishes:
Xiao Long Bao (pork soup dumplings), Short Rib Dan Mein, Dungeness Crab Fried Rice
What Makes it Special: High-volume favorite for consistently strong handmade dumplings and noodles.