Welcome to the Year in Eater 2021 – an annual tradition that looks back at the ups, downs and gaps of the Los Angeles dining scene. Today, LA’s top food writers, editors, and reporters introduce the restaurants that have sprung up for the Los Angeles community this year.
Cathy Chaplin, Associate Editor of Eater LA
Kudos to the Bé Ù in East Hollywood and the Broadway Kitchen in Chinatown for putting people before profit.
Danielle Dorsey, LA Thrillist Editor
In all honesty, I was so impressed with the amount of restaurants doing a portion of the sales to various nonprofits like No Us Without You, Downtown Women’s Center, etc. that they have given their local unhoused community to support. It’s really inspiring to see.
Esther Tseng, freelance food writer
Brittney Valles’ Gogo’s Tacos, structured so that a fifth of her profits go to the Juan Carlos Cantoni Foundation, a foundation she set up in honor of her late friend. I love Valles’ focus through the foundation on young people in transition (18-25), their mental health and professional development. From a young age, she constantly promotes good mental health in the kitchen, which will help to fundamentally change the kitchen culture.
Gogos Tacos Sergio Robleto
Evan Kleiman, host for good food
Flavors from Afar for their program that highlights refugee chefs to serve families of refugees, immigrants and displaced indigenous communities.
Farley Elliott, managing editor of Eater LA
Not a restaurant in particular, but hospitality veterans Damián Diaz and Othón Nolasco are (still) doing an incredible job with No Us Without You. It’s hard to imagine a harder working duo – or really a nonprofit that does more to help out locally in the LA restaurant community.
Josh Lurie, founder of FoodGPS.com
Hospitality professionals Damian Diaz and Othón Nolasco and their organization No Us Without You continue to make great efforts to feed undocumented restaurant workers. It is remarkable to see how people get involved in the restaurant community to feed, house and keep the people hopeful.
Lesley Suter, Eater’s travel editor
I was so proud that the proof bakery had become a cooperative – it’s so difficult to pull off and the baked goods just taste even better.
Matthew Kang, editor of Eater LA
Bé Ù. I just love everything that defines the restaurant and I wish it every success.
Mona Holmes, Eater LA reporter
I interviewed Brittany Valles earlier this year and I love what she’s doing for Los Angeles. She is hiring young people who are looking for guidance and has a vision to inspire LA youth. I also appreciate Tiffany Hinton, the founder of Black Owned Food Week in LA. She has put together a locally organized restaurant week to help restaurants. The owner of Post & Beam always shows up for the community. This year, his restaurant will serve hundreds of meals to the homeless by the end of 2021.
Nicole Adlman, Eater Cities Manager
I learned that Filipino barbecue legend The Park’s Finest, apparently in a dormant state since the pandemic began, continued its Feed the Frontliners initiative to feed health workers in Los Angeles in 2021. To date, the Restaurant and Community pillar has prepared more than 90,000 meals for first aiders, nurses, doctors and other health care workers.
Patricia Kelly Yeo, Food and Drink Editor, TimeOut LA
Brittney Valles. Between opening Gogo’s Tacos, founding a nonprofit, and continuing Tiago and Guerrilla Tacos, she has done a lot for the LA food service industry.
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