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West 3rd Street, one of the Jewels of Los Angeles, stretching from Beverly Hills to DTLA. The stretch in Mid-City offers a variety of attractions, from shopping malls to boutiques and cafes. While it’s generally accepted for people to visit Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade to enjoy a variety of reasons, especially among the younger generations, where does that leave West 3rd Street’s dining quarter? If you ask me, I will point you in the direction of the Beverly Grove neighborhood. This neighborhood, situated next to the legendary Grove, is home to a restaurant row, consisting of different restaurants ranging from inexpensive to pricey, as well as local and international cuisines. Learn about 10 fine establishments in the “Restaurant Quarter” along West 3rd Street between Doheny Drive and Fairfax Avenue, a 1.3-mile stretch with impressive culinary diversity. Listings appear in alphabetical order.

6. Jaffa [CLOSED]

Step inside the restaurant from chef Anne Conness, Nancy Vrankovic, and Brad Conroy, and you may feel as though you are in the ancient port city of Jaffa itself.
 The interior pays homage to the city itself, with photos of Jewish artifacts and Arab Bedouins on the walls, referencing the city’s mixed population. My father, being Israeli himself, claims that no Israeli, or Middle Eastern restaurant in general, can be good if it does not pass the hummus test. Much to our approval, Jaffa certainly passed that test. Don’t fill up on hummus, though tempting, to save room for entrées like Mediterranean salmon. While not a traditional dish, this salmon feels that way, as Conness prepares the fillet using traditional Middle Eastern ingredients, tops with toum, a traditional Arabic garlic sauce, and serves with a side of tahini and tabouleh, a cracked bulgur salad that’s also popular in the region. For dessert, stick to traditional malabi, a milky cornstarch pudding that is traditionally 
eaten by both Arabs and Mizrahi Jews (from Arab countries). Finally, to cleanse your
 palate of all that umami, sip mint tea.

Must Order Dishes: Cauliflower bi T’hina, Hummus, Malabi

7. Little Next Door

French cuisine is considered an international treasure. Little Next Door, located next to Frederic and Nicolas Meschin’s more upscale Little Door, serves typical dishes from almost any Paris bistro. For example, escargot involves a dish of cooked sea snails served in their shells with plenty of garlic butter. This is a starter, or what the French refer to as an “entree.” For a main course, keep it simple by indulging in classic steak frites, the star of French bistro cooking, served alongside julienned carrots. For dessert, enjoy tarte tatin, an upside apple cake, served with espresso, in the traditional French manner.

Must Order Dishes: Catfish Fillet, Escargot, Steak Frites, Tarte Tatin

8. Mama’s Secret Bakery & Cafe
 [CLOSED]

If you are interested in learning what Turks eat when waking up in the morning, visit Mama’s Secret Bakery & Cafe, which is no secret to the Turks who frequent the restaurant. This cafe from Istanbul native Alican Bayar specializes in simple and traditional Turkish fare and is renowned for serving the classic Turkish breakfast, which Turks know as “kahvalti.” Turkish breakfast is a personal favorite, dating back to a trip to Istanbul with my father in 2013 and first enjoyed the meal in my hotel’s dining hall. Turkish breakfast consists of a bunch of different small plates or “mezzes” that usually include proteins such as pastirma, pastrami’s predecessor; various cheeses, notably feta and kashkaval, as well as condiments like honey and Nutella. At Mama’s Secret, including gozleme in Turkish breakfast is a must. This Turkish quesadilla-like dish usually consists of cheese and vegetables or sujuk, a traditional Turkish beef sausage. I also recommend sipping a nice Turkish coffee or Egyptian Mint tea to soothe your tastebuds.

Must Order Dishes: Gozleme, Menemen, Turkish Breakfast

9. Mercado


Any Native Angeleno should be more than acquainted with Mexican cuisine. After all, it’s literally everywhere! Thanks to our shared border with Mexico, California alone has the largest Mexican diaspora in the world. Therefore, their culture of course has a major impact. Yes, it’s difficult for Mexican food to standout given the ubiquity, but definitely possible. A trip to Mercado might convince you. This
 upscale joint from Jesse Gomez and chef Jose Acevedo specializes in a modern take on traditional Mexican cooking. Feel free to enjoy an upscale version of the classic dishes such as the breakfast burrito in the morning, as well as the elegantly prepared version of carnitas for dinner. The restaurant’s popular with both Mexicans and non-Mexicans of all ages. Another thing to keep mind when frequenting Mercado is the upscale ambience, with clientele sporting particularly fancy attire in the afternoon. Dress to impress.

Must Order Dishes: Carnitas Plate, Carnitas Tacos, Breakfast Burrito

10. Son of a Gun

While most of my restaurant picks focus on different global 
cuisines, this one doesn’t drift so far from home. In fact, at Son of a Gun, the cuisine of the Southern United States comes to L.A. This restaurant from Florida-born hitmakers Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo will truly make you feel like you’re in the Bayou with dishes like alligator schnitzel, which I first had when I
 visited this restaurant in 2011. Linguini with clams is another dish that will make you feel at home, served here with breadcrumbs and delivering a flavor similar to jambalaya. The fusion between Italian and Southern cooking is totally justified in this case, as Louisiana has a large Italian presence to this day. That influence extends to the dessert menu, which features the “Italian hamburger” – gelato sandwiched between two sweet brioche buns – which is extra enjoyable with
 cappuccino.

Must Order Dishes: Alligator Schnitzel, Italian Hamburger, Linguini with Clams

Max Michelson is an Anthropology student at Santa Monica College, who has always had a passion for food. Born to parents from Israel in Los Angeles, he has always had a passion for the regions cuisine, and was exposed to a variety of different foods. With food always being something on his mind in his spare time, and a common topic of research, he aspires to open a YouTube channel and Blog entirely dedicated to this subject.