On this episode of The LA Food Podcast, we're heading south to explore San Diego’s rising food scene. Known for craft beer and beaches, San Diego is now a serious player in the California fine dining landscape. From creative tasting menus to casual neighborhood gems, we spent 48 hours eating our way through the city—and we're sharing every bite.

Highlights include:

🍽️ A full San Diego restaurant guide with picks for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night bites

🍷 The best cocktail bar in San Diego

🌟 Our in-depth review of William Bradley’s Addison, Southern California’s only 3-Michelin Star restaurant, and why it sparked a fierce debate between Father Sal and me

🏨 Where to stay for the perfect foodie weekend getaway

We also tackle this week’s Chef’s Kiss / Big Miss lightning round, featuring:

• The new New York Times food critics

• Esquire’s best bars in America

• Our feelings ahead of the Top Chef Season Finale
  

Whether you're into high-end tasting menus, restaurant reviews, bar guides, or just great conversation about California’s best food, this episode has something for you.

The LA Food Podcast is powered by Acquired Taste Media, a disruptive food media brand bringing fresh and irreverent takes to the world of food and culture. Visit acquiredtastemedia.com and please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen to podcasts!

Helpful Links:

The Lafayette

Wildflour Delicatessen

Cellar Hand Hillcrest

Roma Norte

Puesto

ADDISON

Tribute Pizza

Heritage BBQ    

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This week on The LA Food Podcast, we dive into Pete Wells’ provocative New York Times piece on how some of the world’s top chefs are using artificial intelligence to reinvent fine dining. From crafting the perfect sausage to generating entire tasting menus, is AI the secret sauce of the future—or the recipe for a soulless, flavorless culinary dystopia? Luca and Father Sal break it all down.

In Chef’s Kiss, Big Miss, we unpack:

• Evan Funke’s *ahem* sleek new Roman bar
• A spicy Bill Esparza take on Stanley Tucci
• Matt Rodbard’s controversial take on Jonathan Gold
• And McDonald’s getting… a little too online?

The LA Food Podcast is powered by Acquired Taste Media, the studio behind Taqueando with Bill Esparza and The LA Countdown. Explore more at acquiredtastemedia.com and don’t forget to rate and review wherever you listen.

#LAfood #foodpodcast #AIchefs #PeteWells #restauranttech #EvanFunke #BillEsparza #McDonalds #AcquiredTasteMedia

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This week on The LA Food Podcast, we're diving into a bold new plan to revive Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade: open-container entertainment zones. Think Bourbon Street meets beachside retail. LA Food Editor Karen Palmer of SFGate joins us to unpack the potential impact on local restaurants and bars, drawing on reporting from other California cities where these zones are already live. Could this be the key to revitalizing LA’s struggling dining corridors—or just another overhyped nothingburger?

In Part 2, we sit down with Scott Linder and Ryan Gianola of Matu and the brand-new Matu Kai in Brentwood. We get into why they expanded beyond Beverly Hills, how the new spot differs, and what they’ve learned in their first couple months serving steak to the Westside.

Plus, in our lightning round of Chef’s Kiss / Big Miss:

• Bay Cities and its vermin problem
  

• Yelp’s "definitive" ranking of the best fast food burgers
  

• The New York Times takes a swing at one of the world’s most famous pizzerias
  

Powered by Acquired Taste Media. Don’t miss our other show Taqueando with Bill Esparza—this week, Luca takes some friendly fire over his fish taco opinions. And mark your calendar: The LA Chef Conference returns to Redbird and Vibiana on October 6.

#LAfoodpodcast #SantaMonica #ThirdStreetPromenade #MatuKai #BrentwoodRestaurants #KarenPalmer #EntertainmentZones #LosAngelesDining #FastFoodRankings #LArestaurants #ChefsKissBigMiss #AcquiredTasteMedia

Helpful Links:

Karen Palmer on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/karenlpalmer/?hl=en

Karen on entertainment zones for SFGate https://www.sfgate.com/california/article/california-entertainment-zones-public-drinking-20327329.php

Bay Cities’ vermin problem https://la.eater.com/2025/5/27/24438312/bay-cities-deli-temporary-closure-rodent-insect-vermin-infestation

NYT on Lucali’s exclusion from their pizza list https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/22/dining/why-lucali-still-isnt-on-our-best-pizza-list.html

Yelp’s burger ranking https://www.foodbeast.com/news/yelp-reveals-the-top-burger-chains-of-2025/

Bettina Makalintal on influencer trips https://www.eater.com/24433836/food-creator-influencer-travel-tour

Matu Kai https://www.matusteak.com/

Scott Linder on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lindersc/

Ryan Gianola on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ryanzane15/?hl=en

The LA Chef Conference https://www.lachefconference.com/

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Go check out The Lonely Oyster in Echo Park! ⁠https://thelonelyoyster.com/⁠

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Get 10% off at House of Macadamias using code "LAFOOD" https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods

This week on The LA Food Podcast, we dive into one of the wildest chef vs. critic stories in recent memory: Thomas Keller of The French Laundry allegedly asked SF Chronicle critic Mackenzie Chung Fegan to leave the restaurant. Was it a momentary lapse or a sign of a chef in crisis?

Then: Chef Ari Kolender of LA seafood hotspot Found Oyster and Eagle Rock’s Queen’s Raw Bar & Grill joins us to talk about his gorgeous new cookbook How to Cook the Finest Things in the Sea, the rebrand of Queen’s, and his journey from Kosher kid in South Carolina to one of LA’s most celebrated chefs.

We also get into:

🧾 Congress' push for a No Tax on Tips law and what it means for restaurants and diners

🍔 Questlove’s no-beef burger spot in Westlake Village

🥪 A Katz’s Deli dupe in Burbank

🍕 The unhinged, erm, rise and chaotic fall of Dough Drop Pizza, cyber-vigilanted by the one and only Turk’s Pizza Party in defense of LA’s pizza scene

Hit play for chef drama, seafood revelations, and the latest in LA food chaos.

Helpful Links:

Ari Kolender on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/arikolender/?hl=en

How To Cook The Finest Things In the Sea https://www.arikolender.com/cookbook

Found Oyster https://www.foundoyster.com/

Queen’s Raw Bar & Grill https://queensrawbar.com/

Mackenzie Chung Fegan on her dinner at The French Laundry https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/thomas-keller-french-laundry-20290670.php

QuestLove’s new spot per Rebecca Roland https://la.eater.com/2025/5/19/24433364/mixtape-burger-restaurant-opening-neighborly-westlake-village-questlove

No tax on tip law https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/21/dining/no-tax-on-tips-bill.html

Katz’s Deli dupe per Matthew Kang https://la.eater.com/2025/5/19/24433481/katzs-deli-jewish-deli-burbank-sandwiches-opening-los-angeles

Dough Drop Pizza lol https://www.instagram.com/doughdroppizza/?hl=en

Taqueando with Bill Esparza Episode 3, featuring Si! Mon chef Jose Olmedo Carles Rojas 

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Go check out The Lonely Oyster in Echo Park! ⁠https://thelonelyoyster.com/⁠

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Get 10% off at House of Macadamias using code "LAFOOD" https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods

This week on The LA Food Podcast, we’re joined by Claire Dinhut—aka Condiment Claire—cookbook author, flavor scientist, and social media sensation. Born and raised in Los Angeles but now based in Europe, Claire has taken TikTok by storm with her inventive approach to sauces, spreads, and the science of taste. Recorded at Venice’s iconic Roosterfish bar, this episode covers her global condiment obsessions, her viral rise to food fame, and the delicious details behind her new release, The Condiment Book—a must-have for any home cook.

We also dive into Claire’s “Condiment Mount Rushmore,” her hot takes on trending sauce brands, and her go-to LA eats whenever she’s back in town.

Plus: why chefs love and hate burgers, the surprising economics behind oysters, and a major shake-up coming to one of LA’s most beloved French restaurants.

Whether you’re a flavor fanatic, cookbook collector, or just obsessed with where to eat in LA, this episode’s for you.

Helpful Links:

Condiment Claire https://www.tiktok.com/@condimentclaire?lang=en

Julia Moskin on burgers https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/10/dining/burgers-jeremy-fox-birdie-gs.html

Amy McCarthy on oysters https://www.eater.com/2025/5/14/24430156/oyster-cost-dollar-oysters-restaurant?_gl=1*13g3fhu*_ga*NTY3MzcwNDY5LjE2Nzk1MzY5MTc.*_ga_GMSWCRTSTY*czE3NDczMzM3MzMkbzMyMyRnMSR0MTc0NzMzMzc1NSRqMzgkbDAkaDA.

Jenn Harris on Pasjoli https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2025-05-15/pasjoli-santa-monica-french-restaurant-reopen

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Go check out The Lonely Oyster in Echo Park! ⁠https://thelonelyoyster.com/⁠

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Go check out Roosterfish

This week on The LA Food Podcast, we dive into the results of a new survey from Substack favorite The Angel that asked Angelenos what they really want from restaurants. Hosts Luca and Father Sal break down what LA diners say matters most—vibe vs. food, great service, price, and originality—and reveal the surprising (and kind of maddening) contradictions in the data.

In Part 2, we’re joined by Nancy DaSilva and Bits Nicholas from Compliments to the Chef for a Top Chef Season 22 midseason check-in. We talk fantasy picks, emerging food trends, and who we think has what it takes to win it all.

Plus, big news: The LA Food Podcast is now part of the Acquired Taste Media network—home to the new show Taqueando with Bill Esparza! If you're into tacos, regional Mexican cuisine, and the LA food scene, this one’s a must-subscribe.

Keywords: LA food scene, restaurant survey, Top Chef Season 22, LA dining trends, Bill Esparza, Taqueando, LA restaurants, Substack The Angel, Mexican cuisine, foodie podcast

Helpful Links:

Taqueando with Bill Esparza https://open.spotify.com/show/5ZY5gUvBo0Z3pRmCJILM6S

James Beard media nominations https://www.jamesbeard.org/stories/2025-james-beard-media-award-nominees

The Angel survey https://www.theangel.la/p/what-angelenos-want-from-restaurants-survey-results

Compliments to the Chef https://open.spotify.com/show/5ySvTZh0inCpq1SJP9baq6

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Go check out The Lonely Oyster in Echo Park! ⁠https://thelonelyoyster.com/⁠

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Get 10% off at House of Macadamias using code "LAFOOD" https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods

Is Jordan Kahn's Meteora on track for a second Michelin star? On this episode of The LA Food Podcast, we dive deep into LA’s most ambitious fine-dining jungle—Meteora. After falling for Chef Jordan Kahn’s futuristic tasting menu at Vespertine, we head to his Melrose Avenue follow-up to see if the hype (and the hefty price tag) is justified. Is this lush, high-concept, nature-driven restaurant actually deserving of a second Michelin star? We break it down, course by course.

Plus, it’s Part 4 of our Opening Cafe Esca series with chefs Luke Reyes and Reilly Cox. This week, they walk us through the creative (and chaotic) process of building a food and beverage menu from scratch for their upcoming coastal Italian spot in LA’s Arts District.

And don’t miss our rapid-fire Chef’s Kiss / Big Miss segment, featuring TikTok-famous olive oil squeeze bottles, Apple TV’s new chef series, and maybe the most aggravating pizza guy on the internet.

Helpful Links:

Meteora https://meteora.la/

TASTE on those pesky squeeze bottles https://tastecooking.com/the-big-squeeze/

Careme preview, per The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/29/arts/television/careme-french-chef.html

Eater on Texas Strip https://ny.eater.com/2025/4/25/24416858/texas-renaming-new-york-strip-steak-bill-texas-strip

Opening Cafe Esca Part 1 https://open.spotify.com/episode/19HDiV4o0i2dP9ZZ7B7E9B

Part 2 https://open.spotify.com/episode/7DoKDMtS74ngrVzjBBkzXI

Part 3 https://open.spotify.com/episode/7J8MZ7HGuMIdRvq6zYezUy?si=hXmPzXKrQ9uwKktH3tIEuw

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Go check out The Lonely Oyster in Echo Park! ⁠https://thelonelyoyster.com/⁠

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Get 10% off at House of Macadamias using code "LAFOOD" https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods

Lele Dinner Club is the buzzy new supper club from Pizzana chef and master pizzaiolo Daniele Uditi, offering an exclusive 10-course Neapolitan tasting menu that’s quickly become Los Angeles’ hottest reservation. With only three seatings so far and a waitlist already topping 6,000 names, this underground culinary experience is redefining LA fine dining. On this episode of The LA Food Podcast, I take Father Sal behind the scenes of the entire Lele Dinner Club journey—how to get in, what’s on the menu, and why this immersive, communal experience is unlike anything else in the city’s restaurant scene.

In Part 2, we’re joined by 13-time James Beard Award winner Steve Dolinsky for an exclusive Pizza City Fest Los Angeles 2025 preview. Happening this weekend at LA Live, Pizza City Fest will feature over 40 top pizzerias from across Southern California. I sat down with Steve at LaSorted’s in Chinatown to talk all things LA pizza—what makes it special, how it compares to pizza scenes in New York and Chicago, and why he believes LA is becoming a major pizza capital in the U.S.

Whether you’re a die-hard foodie, pizza obsessive, or just trying to score a seat at Lele Dinner Club, this is one episode you don’t want to miss.

Helpful Links:

Lele Dinner Club https://www.leledinnerclub.com/

Pizza City Fest https://pizzacityfest.com/

Jenn Harris on Lele Dinner Club https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2025-04-21/le-le-dinner-club-italian-food-daniele-uditi

NYT’s Priya Krishna on restaurant design https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/09/dining/restaurant-ambience-vibes.html

NYT’s Kim Severson on the return of meat https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/18/dining/meat-beef-restaurants-politics.html

EEEEEATSCON 2025 https://www.eeeeeatscon.com/los-angeles

Antoni Porowski’s cheese raves https://www.eater.com/2025/4/22/24413509/antoni-porowski-interview-queer-eye

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Go check out The Lonely Oyster in Echo Park! ⁠https://thelonelyoyster.com/⁠

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Get 10% off at House of Macadamias using code "LAFOOD" https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods

Melissa Lopez is the James Beard semifinalist chef behind Barra Santos, one of the buzziest restaurants in recent memory to grace Los Angeles. Barra Santos is a tiny, sardine-tin of a restaurant in Cypress Park serving up thoughtful, super high-quality Portuguese fare. But as small as the restaurant’s footprint is, the noise it’s made since opening has been nothing short of deafening. After visiting the restaurant myself, I knew I wanted to get to know the mastermind behind the operation, and Chef Melissa did not disappoint. Would I go so far as to say we’ve got one of the country’s brightest rising stars on our hands? Yes, yes, I would. But listen to the interview and visit Barra Santos to make up your own mind on the matter. 

But first, a nasally rendition of a couple of things that caught my eye this week. There’s a Jenn Harris piece on how the tariffs are endangering the diversity that makes LA’s food scene one of the best in the country, a Substack newsletter (Khushbu Shah’s Tap Is Fine) on whether or not we should view influencers as experts, and an exciting new survey (from Emily Wilson at The Angel) on what Angelenos want from restaurants that I highly encourage you to take. 

Helpful Links:

Jenn Harris on tariffs https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2025-04-11/los-angeles-restaurants-tariffs-southeast-asian-food

Laurie Ochoa on chili crisp and tariffs https://www.latimes.com/food/newsletter/2025-04-12/its-too-late-to-tariff-the-globalization-out-of-american-cuisine-more-chili-crisp-please-tasting-notes

Khushbu Shah on influencers, amateurs, and expertise https://khushbushah.substack.com/p/when-did-we-all-become-afraid-of?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=2026436&post_id=161441896&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=31nins&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email

Emily Wilson’s survey in The Angel https://www.theangel.la/p/what-angelenos-want-from-restaurants-survey?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1717567&post_id=161269590&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=31nins&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email&hide_intro_popup=true

Gab Chabran and Suzanne Levy on grants for restaurants from the California Restaurant Foundation https://laist.com/news/food/10-000-grant-available-for-restaurants-affected-by-la-fires

Barra Santos https://www.barrasantosla.com/

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Go check out The Lonely Oyster in Echo Park! ⁠https://thelonelyoyster.com/⁠

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Get 10% off at House of Macadamias using code "LAFOOD" https://www.houseofmacadamias.com/pages/la-foods

Tariffs, tariffs, tariffs. It’s the word on everybody’s lips this week and, as you’d expect, every food media outlet in the country published some sort of breakdown of what this means for restaurants and the food industry at large. Father Sal and I sift through the noise to distill what this means for LA restaurateurs and diners alike. 

Also on this episode, we issue a correction from last episode, we recap a beefy meal at the newly opened Matu Kai in Brentwood, and we dive deep on Meghan McCarron’s piece for the New York Times’ tracking how the decline of middle class restaurants - think Red Lobster, Chili’s, Outback Steakhouse and the like - speaks to a worrying trend in American dining. 

In Chef’s Kiss Big Miss, there’s the closure of an iconic Greek restaurant, the launch of a questionable celebrity (Glen Powell) sauce brand, and the announcement of a brand new Vince Vaughn flick that hit a little too close to home for yours truly.

Helpful links:

Jaya Saxena and Bettina Makalintal on tariffs https://www.eater.com/24401316/trump-tariffs-effects-on-food-spices-explained-burlap-barrel-natoora-tuk-tuk-snack-shop-interview

The LA Times’ Patrick Comiskey on tariffs and wine https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2025-04-07/will-tariffs-kill-mid-priced-wines

The NY Times’ Eric Asimov on tariffs and wine https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/10/dining/drinks/wine-tariffs.html

Matu Kai https://www.matusteak.com/

Meghan McCarron on the decline of casual dining chains https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/04/dining/middle-class-restaurant.html

Papa Cristos closing https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2025-04-06/papa-cristos-closing-dupars-chili-johns-struggling-la-old-restaurants-in-trouble

Glen Powell BLT https://www.delish.com/food-news/a64410917/glen-powell-blt-recipe/

Molly Baz vegan burgers https://pdx.eater.com/2025/4/3/24398516/portland-oregon-vegan-fast-food-restaurant-face-plant-open-molly-baz

Scott McTominay and tomatoes https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6234877/2025/04/03/scott-mctominay-man-united-napoli-italy-tomatoes/

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Go check out The Lonely Oyster in Echo Park! ⁠https://thelonelyoyster.com/⁠