12 must-try new restaurants and bars in Los Angeles

The days are long and the sun is shining in L.A. again, reminding us all why we submit to hours-long commutes and ridiculous rents. Another feature of our incredible city that we (begrudgingly) pay a premium for? A dining scene that overflows with new and worthwhile options, from fancy date-night occasions to casual pop-ups, night markets and everything in between.

With April showers thankfully over, our writers hit the road. Along with 250,000 other music fans, we headed east to the Indio desert for Coachella Music Festival, where we gorged on tacos, vegan chicken wraps and boozy slushies in between performances by Bad Bunny and Bjork. We braved traffic to and from Anaheim to bring you the Great Big Highly Specific Guide to Disneyland, complete with our favorite food spots in both Disneyland and California Adventure, a 21-and-up drinking guide, vegetarian and affordable dining options, a roundup of local favorites in Anaheim, a critic’s review of Downtown Disney’s most sophisticated restaurant and much more.

If you’re wondering what reservations to book for the month of May, we’ve got you covered. From Culver City to Santa Monica to North Hollywood and beyond, here are 12 of the best new restaurant openings, plus a couple stalwarts worth re-exploring, spanning oceanfront barbecue, modern Mexican, a West African concept kitchen and more.