Los Angeles Not a Top Dining City?
Tuesday, August 9, 2005 16:48
Bon Appetit’s 12th annual restaurant is out naming the top five American cities for dining out. Los Angeles is not among them.
The top cities? New York, San Francisco, Chicago, New Orleans and Las Vegas.
I don’t think I can adequately comment on the best cities for dining in the country, as I’ve never been to New Orleans and my experiences with Chicago have been lackluster (but financially challenged). I guess the shocker to most is that Las Vegas is on the list, but the fact that there are so many high end chefs there, I’m not at all suprised that Vegas is getting its due. But I’m also guessing that Vegas pursues that a little more than someplace than Los Angeles does. Let’s face it, there’s plenty to do in LA that it’s not really a destination for dining alone. Or maybe it should be. I find Los Angeles to be an incredibly accessible city when it comes to food and international cuisine.
By cybele (see more of her posts). You can find more of cybele's writing all about candy at her own website Candyblog.net
sarah says:
August 9th, 2005 at 4:57 pm
where was it that i just recently read that LA IS in the top of the dining scene….crap crap crap. the thing is, i think i will have to agree with BA’s choice of leaving LA off. NY, SF and Chi of course. New Orleans? Maybe. Vegas - yeah. that’s pretty weird. have they ever actually TASTED the buffet at treasure island?!?! ;)
SoCalorie says:
August 9th, 2005 at 5:26 pm
Not a problem. Less out-of-towners to duke it out with over prime seatings.
db says:
August 9th, 2005 at 5:38 pm
The thing is, obviously, any list like this is bogus.
First of all, I bet many of those “great” Vegas places aren’t really in Vegas at all, but just outside of the city in Clark County. Did Bon Appetit include surrounding areas when considering Los Angeles, such as Santa Monica or Beverly Hills or *any* of the Northern San Gabriel Valley? Prolly not.
Also, L.A. is *huge*, compared with S.F. which is about the size of Burbank. As great as some places are up north, I find it hard to think that there aren’t an equal number of great places down here, albeit spread out all over. This is what makes me question Chicago’s inclusion. As good as they have to offer, I can’t imagine they have an equally broad variety of top-line places to eat, if only they were to look hard enough.
So, okay, these are probably 5 cities where you can get really good meals. But the *top* five? I doubt it.
MaxMillion says:
August 9th, 2005 at 7:53 pm
I agree — these lists are totally bogus. Shouldn’t really put too much faith in them, nor take offense. It’s all about selling magazines and said magazines trying to posit themselves as the arbiters of taste and style.
There was a recent flap in Europe about most of the top restaurants being in England, or some such rubbish. All according to some so-called authority… Forget which, now. It was all just a tempest in a tea cup, for about five seconds.
BTW — Vegas does have some awesome restaurants. Aureole at Mandalay Bay, for example, which is a sister-restaurant to the one in NY, I believe.
sarah says:
August 10th, 2005 at 10:16 am
okay. i just completely lost all hope for BA, which i so lovingly read for almost 8 years during and after college.
they put a HUGE photo of GEISHA HOUSE in there. *GAG*
marissa says:
August 10th, 2005 at 12:47 pm
I think this might have been what sarah is referring to: http://www.gridskipper.com/travel/new-york/forgq-all-yall-115878.php
LA is a top dining city in GQ, new york is not.
Renee says:
August 11th, 2005 at 6:26 pm
Hey there -
New to foodblogger but I’m hoping y’all can guide me to some great ethnic foodie stops when I’m in town, which is pretty frequently.
I must say, I’ve dined in NY, SF, and NO lots, especially NO, and I agree that the food options there are stellar. Street vendors in NO outdo most restaurants in Phoenix, where I live. But I love eating out in LA, and seem to stumble into great meals most places.
Keep the recommendations coming, and thanks for being out there!
sarah says:
August 12th, 2005 at 9:43 am
lol! focking gq. makes me laugh. they also listed houston’s (i think?) as a top burger. weird.
CJ says:
August 19th, 2005 at 1:00 pm
Hi,
I am a huge fan of LA Dining, but I would still have to agree with the list For their audience.
That magazine is focussed on high-end restaurants of the sort that reach their apex in Las Vegas. Celebrity chefs, over-the-top ingredients, customer service, etc. Think French Laundry, Le Cirque, Spago, etc.
LA does not compete with those other cities when it comes to the Bon Apetite style restaurants. I’m fine with that!
david says:
January 10th, 2006 at 8:54 pm
I’d have to agree with this list as well as the GQ list. As a dining town, LA doesn’t have anything close to a French Laundry. But “dining” is different from “eating.” I define “dining” as more high-end. As an eating town, I think Los Angeles is the most exceptional of US cities. The city has no weakness in Southeast Asian cuisine. From Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai to the different regions of China, it’s superior across the board.
Matt says:
August 21st, 2006 at 9:41 pm
GQ, a few years ago, listed LA as the BEST food city in the country, mostly because the great food was so much more ‘accessible’ than other cities. The magazine touted that LA’s restaurants were less “high brow” than restaurants particularly in NY. Restaurants such as Saladang in Pasadena and Cafe Bizou are great example of the “bang for the buck” that GQ really liked about LA. Also the great authentic ethnic dining (best korean food outside of Seoul)!