Los Angeles has never had more interesting restaurants. But even by LA standards, the spring 2026 lineup is remarkable. Here are the eight openings that have the city’s food world buzzing.
1. Solta — Silver Lake
Opens: Early April | Chef: Marcus Lindgren (ex-Noma, Amass)
The most anticipated opening of the year. Lindgren, who spent four years at Noma and two at Amass in Copenhagen, is bringing his fermentation-forward approach to a converted auto body shop on Sunset. The 32-seat dining room will serve a 12-course tasting menu ($185) built around California produce — but processed through Nordic technique.
Early reports from preview dinners mention a charred avocado course that has people losing their minds.
2. Masa y Matcha — Arts District
Opens: Late March | Chef: Elena Vargas & Kenji Ota
The most conceptually ambitious restaurant on this list. Vargas (who ran Mexico City’s acclaimed Contramar pop-up) and Ota (formerly of Sushi Ginza Onodera) are merging Oaxacan and Japanese kitchens under one roof. Shared dishes include mole negro with dashi, and blue corn tlayudas with yuzu kosho.
The space, designed by Studio Shamshiri, connects two shipping containers via a glass atrium filled with hanging gardens.
3. Brasserie Normandie — West Hollywood
Opens: April | Chef: Claire Beaumont
A proper French brasserie — something LA has never quite nailed. Beaumont trained under Alain Ducasse in Paris and is bringing the full experience: zinc bar, mosaic floors, steak frites, plateau de fruits de mer, and a raw bar program that rivals anything in the city.
The wine list skips the obvious Burgundy-heavy approach in favor of grower Champagne, Loire Valley, and Jura.
4. Cardamom Corner — Inglewood
Opens: March (soft open) | Chef: Priya Anand
Anand’s first brick-and-mortar after three years running one of LA’s most beloved pop-ups. South Indian street food executed at a high level: dosa with seasonal fillings, uttapam with heirloom tomato sambar, and a masala chai program that uses single-origin spices from her family’s farm in Kerala.
5. Pesce Crudo — Manhattan Beach
Opens: April | Chef: Antonio Ferro
Raw fish, Italian style. Ferro (ex-Urasawa, then Il Buco Alimentari in NYC) is opening a crudo-focused restaurant on the Manhattan Beach pier. The concept is deceptively simple: pristine local fish, Italian preparations, natural wine.
The space has 40 seats and an unobstructed ocean view.
6. Night Market — Thai Town
Opens: Late April | Chef: collective (rotating)
Not a single chef’s restaurant but a permanent indoor night market with six stalls, rotating monthly. The debut lineup includes a Chiang Mai curry specialist, a satay master from Bangkok’s Chinatown, a Lao papaya salad vendor, and three others. The beer garden pours Thai craft brews.
7. Alta Baja — Echo Park
Opens: April | Chef: Miguel Romero
Romero is bringing the border food of his childhood — Mexicali-Calexico cuisine, the food of the Imperial Valley — to Echo Park. Think machaca burritos, carne en su jugo, and Chinese-Mexican dishes like chop suey tacos that reflect the unique cultural history of the Mexicali-Chinese community.
8. Almanac — Pasadena
Opens: May | Chef: Sarah Kim
A California-Korean restaurant focused on seasonal preservation. Kim plans to change the menu quarterly based on what she’s putting up: spring might feature green strawberry pickles and fermented fava beans, while fall brings persimmon vinegar and dried mushroom broth.
The tasting menu ($95) includes a “pantry course” where diners taste that season’s preserves.
Reservation links and updated opening dates will be added as restaurants confirm. Follow California Wave for coverage of each opening.