7 Essential Restaurants Silver Lake Los Angeles

Know before you go! Where to wine and dine in this uber-cool east side city.

SAWYER

Photo Credit: Ryan Tanaka

You’ll find a daily rotating menu at the airy and gorgeous Sunset Boulevard spot, Sawyer, which offers a seafood-heavy menu of new American fare. Make sure to request a table in the rear outdoor patio—thanks to a fire pit, wooden beams and loads of shrubbery, it’s an ace space for an intimate evening. That it opens at 4 pm is a bonus—most spots in the area don’t open until 5 or 6—whereupon you’ll be able to enjoy a stellar happy hour from 4-7 that includes grilled Corn on the Cob with mayo, cilantro, parmesan cheese; Sawyer frites with kennebec potatoes, garlic aioli, mornay and sunny egg; a fried chicken sandwich with house made dill pickles and red cabbage slaw; or a half dozen oysters.

3709 Sunset Blvd.

KETTLE BLACK

Photo Credit: Wonho Frank Lee

The dimly lit ambiance of Kettle Black, a rustic Italian eatery on Sunset, is the perfect setting for a great date night, though overindulging in the awesome fare could be a problem. The Margherita pizza was one of the best we’ve had in L.A. (and we couldn’t resist eating ALL of it). In addition to it’s food, it’s also an awesome option for happy hour. From 5-7, treat yourself to a glass of Frosé for $8; Slice & A Sip, which includes a slice of Margherita pizza with a Peroni or glass of red or white wine for $8; or Pizza&Pop which includes a whole Margherita pizza with a Peroni or glass of red or white wine for $15. Additionally, on Sundays the restaurant has launched a new supper series that includes a three-course Italian dinner for $20 per person. To accompany the dinner, $20 bottles of wine – a Chianti and a Pinot Grigio – are also offered along with a $3 glass of Olympia Lager. Note: the menus change every Sunday.

3705 Sunset Blvd.

ALIMENTO

Photo Credit: Dylan + Jeni

Alimento frequently tops “best of L.A.” lists thanks to creative and soulful Italian fare. The food draws inspiration from Italy’s regional traditions while not adhering too strictly to them and carefully sources ingredients from local artisans and growers feature prominently among the menu’s selection of small plates, pastas, and large platters designed for sharing. You’ll find that the food is complemented by an eclectic wine list showcasing lesser-known varietals and hard-to-find wines from small producers—many of which are organic and/or biodynamic—and by a rotating selection of microbrews from the U.S. and Italy. Chef Zach Pollack’s “tortellini in brodo”—a reverse tortellini with broth inside the pasta instead of vice versa—is infamous in these parts.

1710 Silver Lake Blvd.

NIGHT+MARKET SONG

Photo Credit: LJ Photo

Even West siders travel to Silver Lake for the Thai culinary stylings of L.A.-born Chef Kris Yenbamroong at his NIght + Market Song. A testament to this should be his back-to-back semifinal nods from the James Beard Foundation in the Rising Star Chef category. There’s always a line out the door for his curries, noodles and hot pot soup. If you can get a table, you’re one lucky son of a gun.

3322 W. Sunset Blvd.

CLIFF’S EDGE

Photo Credit: Noted Media

Cliff’s Edge is one of the dreamiest restaurants you’ll ever have the pleasure to dine in. You’ll feel like you’ve wandered into a gigantic treehouse thanks to an enclosed, leafy outdoor patio with brightly colored furniture and decor—like a home away from home, but better. The frequently changing menu focuses on fresh, local produce with a simple preparation, making each dish taste better than the next. We urge you to try the calamari Kung Pao—Thai chili, bean sprouts, peanuts, green onion and cilantro… only because we, who absolutely loathe calamari, completely hogged this entire dish. The wine list here wins awards, but if you prefer cocktails, these craft babies will do you right thanks to mixologist Malina Bickford, who makes fresh syrups and infusions daily.

3626 Sunset Blvd.

PINE & CRANE

Photo Credit: Pine Crane

For those craving Taiwanese-Chinese fare, Pine & Crane is your jam. It isn’t fast food per se, but you’ll receive it quickly—and in vast amounts. Whenever possible, the eatery sources seasonal produce from a local Asian vegetable farm owned by family; as a result, vegetable dishes change frequently to showcase rare items. It’s hard not to find many things you like on the menu (or not to over order). We were tempted by a plethora of dishes, which we immediately craved again the next day. Make sure to try the spicy shrimp wontons, made with house chili oil, scallions and cilantro; whatever rare veggie the restaurant is showcasing that day (it will be dang good); Dan Dan noodles made with sesame peanut sauce, chili oil, cucumbers and peanuts; and the exceptional vegetarian mapo tofu with trumpet mushrooms and Sichuan peppercorns.

1521 Griffith Park Blvd.

L&E OYSTER BAR

Photo Credit: Devin Pedde

Brunch, brunch, brunch. That’s all we really need to say here. L&E Oyster Bar is the perfect place to while away a Saturday or Sunday morning, sipping at Champagne and noshing on, as the name implies, oysters from the Pacific and Atlantic. There’s more than just oysters, of course: you’ll find many seafood delicacies here, from crab claws and prawns to smoked mussels and lobster rolls. And—just saying—you may even have a celebrity sighting at this spot that’s beloved by locals and the A-list alike.

1637 Silver Lake Blvd.