The editors at Eater Los Angeles dine out several times a week, if not per day, which means we’re always encountering standout dishes that deserve time in the limelight. Here’s the very best of everything the team has eaten this week.
White chocolate and strawberry cookie from Hello You’re Welcome in Pasadena
A trip to the San
Gabriel Valley over the weekend set me up for an ideal side quest: I stopped into all-gluten-free bakery and cafe Hello You’re Welcome, which opened in 2023, on the way. The bakery’s menu has evolved over the last three years, adding stacked vegan and non-vegan biscuit breakfast sandwiches and other savory dishes alongside an array of gluten-free pastries and miniature doughnuts. The egg-and-cheese sandwich, served on a formidable chive-cheddar biscuit, made an ideal morning snack that I followed with a cookie larger than the circumference of my three-year-old’s head. Both the brown butter chocolate chip and white chocolate and strawberry cookies may be some of the best I have had in Los Angeles, but I preferred the latter for its dulcet umami undertones and sesame seed–pocked exterior, which added surprising depth and nuttiness. Gluten-avoidant or not, these are cookies you cannot miss in this lifetime. 445 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91101. — Nicole Fellah, Eater editorial manager
New York strip at American Beauty in Beverly Grove
For me, most Los Angeles steakhouses fall into three genres: The dive, where cheap cocktails flow freely; the luxury den with white tablecloth–topped tables and eye-popping prices; and the everyday steakhouse that stays malleable to occasions ranging from date night out to a last-minute group dinner. American Beauty, a steakhouse with locations in Venice and at the Grove, falls into the latter category with an approachable menu offering steaks that span an eight-ounce hanger to a dry-aged Prime porterhouse. A 12-ounce Niman Ranch grass fed New York strip feels like the best middle ground for most, a cut large enough to share without it dominating the entire meal. Complement the steak with sides that hold their own, like grilled crimini mushrooms, crispy french fries, and charred broccolini. 189 The Grove Drive Unit Y-80, Los Angeles, CA 90036. — Rebecca Roland, deputy editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
Cheezus and Franzl’s Franks Austrian Käserkrainer dog at Smorgasburg in the Arts District
Smorgasburg celebrated its 10th anniversary in the Arts District on June 21, and, among the festivities, were old vendors returning for one final run and collaborations that highlighted how inventive — and utterly delicious — the food in Los Angeles is. One such collaboration happened between Franzl’s Franks, an Austrian sausage specialist, and Cheezus, a former Smorgasburg vendor slinging grilled cheeses and bubbling raclette. The resulting dish featured a cheese-studded Austrian sausage cozied into a bun and topped with a sharp, homemade horseradish mustard; pickled onions; and bright tarragon pickles. To finish, the entire sausage got blanketed in a stream of molten raclette, then dusted with chives and a hit of Austrian pumpkin seed oil. The nuttiness of the raclette felt optimally accented by the sharpness of the pickles, while the savory sausage was tamed by the horseradish mustard. The entire dish was a revelation — albeit a fleeting one. I can only hope the two collaborate together again. 777 S. Alameda Street, Los Angeles, CA 90021. — Kat Thompson, audience editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
Hot dogs from Night on Earth in Hollywood
Things have changed a bit for me in June 2026. As a light alcohol drinker, I’ve been roped by a random European into having beer at the Estrano Verano pop-up and at events throughout Juneteenth weekend. Another outing pushed me into Night On Earth, where the room reads like a 1980s music video to complement a thoughtfully curated cocktail menu and stellar drinks like the mezcal-forward Holla @ Chamoy, as smooth as it was divine. When hunger struck, I found myself hovering over two hot dogs. Our bartender’s skill went far beyond mixing cocktail ingredients like tinctures and fermented cherries: he griddled all-beef frankfurters, added Japanese mayonnaise, and topped the pair with sprinkles of furikake. A well-made cocktail and a hot dog elevated the end of a boozy night and marked the beginning of summer, a time when Los Angeles always feels like its best self. 3256 Cahuenga Boulevard, Hollywood Hills, CA 90068. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
