Los Angeles has always had an opinion on what makes good bread, and a few spots around town have recently garnered attention for offerings that stand out. From elevated dining experiences to the humble bagel, these establishments are pushing the boundaries of what a great loaf or roll can be.
Over in Los Angeles, near Pico Boulevard, Lielle's is serving a sourdough bread as part of its prix fixe menu that has been described by Rebecca Roland, deputy editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest, as "even more impressive." The small, domed loaf arrives with a firm crust that gives way to a slightly warm, tender interior and is accompanied by a towering pile of deep yellow butter. Roland noted that a good strategy is to enjoy the bread slathered in butter at the start of the meal, with another section saved to sop up sauces from later courses, especially if adding the lobster agnolotti.
In Studio City, Alto, a Uruguayan-Argentine dinner restaurant on Ventura Boulevard, is also turning heads with its bread. Co-owned and helmed by chefs Juana Castellanos Lagemann and Esteban Klenzi, the restaurant’s reimagined steakhouse menu includes four different breads. Nicole Fellah, Eater editorial manager, highlighted the chipa, a gluten-free cheesy bread roll. This version, typically found as a snack in Argentina, manifests as a yuca orb with a crisp, flaky exterior and a subtle tang. It's served with a hazelnut-studded tomato compound butter that delivers an "earthy, nutty roundness" to the bread strips.
Koreatown's Out of Ordi made an impression at a recent event in Atwater Village with its corn creme–stuffed salt bread. Kat Thompson, audience editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest, described the roll as having a buttery, crispy exterior and overflowing with a velvety, whipped corn cream center that tasted like summer. Thompson noted her understanding of why salt bread is currently popular, especially after trying this version.
Meanwhile, in Culver City, Mustard’s bagel shop has been recognized for its creative use of sourdough. Matthew Kang, correspondent, Eater, was particularly taken by a seasonal creation: a vanilla-schmeared bagel dressed with fresh passionfruit and Thai basil. Kang noted that the bagel shop's complex, 72-hour fermented sourdough bagels, rather than overpowering the sweet, almost dessert-like toppings, instead complemented the tartness of the passionfruit. A sweet vanilla bean-tinted soft cream cheese tied the flavors together, with pops of freshness from the basil. This innovative bagel was described as "astonishingly delicious" and a special offering from the shop.
These recent mentions highlight a dynamic local scene where both traditional and inventive bread preparations are finding their audience across Los Angeles, offering Angelenos new reasons to enjoy an essential part of the meal.