5 restaurants pushing the envelope in Los Angeles

It doesn’t get grander than Redbird, an acclaimed New American restaurant in what was a historic cathedral. Co-owners Neal and Amy Knoll Fraser turned it into a breathtaking dining space in 2014, earning nods from Vogue, Architectural Digest, and more. The Latin-inscribed stone facade and terracotta pavers suggest the building belongs to a different era. But sleek additions including plush orange stools, a couple of dramatically backlit bars, and a glass-encased wine cellar give it a modern feel—without overshadowing the structure’s original majesty. It all makes for a unique past-meets-present meal, enhanced by award-winning cocktails from bar director Tobin Shea. Don’t skip the bourbon-forward Cardinal Punch—proof that spirits (of a different kind) still rule this former house of worship.

The edgiest thing about Brian Dunsmoor’s northeast LA restaurant is the chef’s commitment to early American cooking traditions. The kitchen ditches 21st-century influences (no blenders or induction burners) and opts for a large brick hearth and wood-fired oven for Southern-inspired dishes such as white cheddar cornbread, cider-glazed Bandera quail, and coal-roasted seafood. Though the chef’s previous place, Hatchet Hall in Culver City, also featured fire-pit cooking, Dunsmoor goes all in with its heritage-heavy approach. Its long communal tables offer prime views of the action-packed kitchen and the hardworking hearths that help the restaurant shake up the status quo.

Leona’s is a Japanese-Peruvian paradise known for pitch-perfect fusion. Udon noodles get the carbonara treatment, uni from Hokkaido plays a starring role in a garlicky tiradito, and shimeji mushrooms stud a fontina-flavored risotto. The inventive creations come from veteran sushi chef Shigenori Fujimoto, who knows how to make a Japanese restaurant pop, even on Ventura Boulevard’s crowded sushi strip. Choose from three very different dining areas (a marble-clad indoor-outdoor space, a hushed sushi bar, or a chandelier-decked dining room) and dig into a menu that isn’t afraid of coloring outside the lines.

This rustic charmer in the Hauser & Wirth complex is known for a knockout brunch, but it also stands out for executive chef Kris Tominaga’s devotion to honoring chefs, farmers, and artists. If you need proof, look no further than the thriving urban garden he planted next door, which provides the herbs, fruits, and chiles for the restaurant’s dishes and cocktails. That outdoor oasis is also home to a flock of chickens who supply fresh eggs for California-inspired dishes such as black bean chilaquiles and popover Benedicts. Add striking art from world-renowned names including Franz West and Subodh Gupta, and it's a winning formula for a full-fledged sensory feast.

Rare Catalan specialties take center stage at this first-of-its-kind downtown stunner. Flor y Solera is led by aerospace engineer-turned-chef Mònica Angelats, a Barcelona native who wants to give Angelenos a nuanced take on tapas. There are some familiar dishes such as tortilla de patatas and arroz con negro. But skip the usual suspects and go for lesser-seen treasures such as mandonguilles amb sèpia (pork meatballs with cuttlefish and almonds), best paired with a velvety sherry flight—not typically found at tapas places in America. Angelats learned to cook from her grandparents and draws inspiration from post-church family lunches. Enjoy the quintessentially Spanish meal in a space that’s just as transportive, lined with tiles modeled after Barcelona’s signature mosaics.