Lauded as having one of the most diverse and distinguished culinary scenes in the world, Los Angeles continues to wow with new openings every month. Although 2025 was a particularly hard year for local restaurants, between economic struggles and the devastating January fires, business owners have displayed a special kind of resilience that proves how this city continues to reinvent itself, time and time again.

From Santa Monica to Downtown Los Angeles, the entire county welcomed new faces in 2025, many of which are hopefully here to stay. After dealing with the disappointing closure of his Koreatown restaurant, Kinn, chef Ki Kim is back and better than ever with Restaurant Ki, which managed to score its first Michelin star within a year of opening. Beverly Hills has also played host to a historic opening, with Dior launching its first restaurant outside of Paris.

Foodie Phil Rosenthal partnered with renowned L.A. chef Nancy Silverton to create a nostalgic diner that has a line out the door at all hours of the day, while chef Ray Garcia brought his former Broken Spanish restaurant back to life with a more casual iteration in Culver City.

Whether you’re looking to enjoy elegant French fare by the sea or sit down for a traditional Japanese kaiseki meal near Sawtelle, we’ve rounded up L.A.’s best restaurant openings of 2025.

When chef Ki Kim set out to create Restaurant Ki in January 2025, he was on a mission to share his love of Korean food through a refined and innovative lens. In its first year of opening, this hidden Downtown L.A. gem has earned a coveted Michelin star, and chef Kim himself was named Michelin's California Young Chef Award Winner. Finding the speakeasy-style restaurant is part of the fun (but it can be a bit stressful when you’re beating L.A. traffic to make the single 6:30 p.m. seating). After parking in the public garage on San Pedro Street, find the lobby on the second floor—the garage is pretty small, so there’s not too much ground to cover. After entering through the glass doors, select the elevator button that says “Restaurant,” and a specific lift with access to the basement arrives. Press B, and you’ll have found your destination. 

There are only 10 seats at the chef’s counter, giving you ample facetime with Kim and his talented team. The meal starts off with an array of snacks, including Kim’s famous crispy octopus, all plated on unique and vintage finds, many of which Kim himself has hand-collected over the years. While you never know when the menu will change, expect it to lean seafood-heavy, featuring a balance of raw and cooked dishes. Some highlights on the current iteration include a pear and duck liver mousse, a delicate raw squid and uni creation with puffed quinoa, a cozy cup of noodles with a rich crab broth and the most delicately tender grilled lobster you’ll ever have.

Broken Spanish Comedor brings one of chef Ray Garcia’s greatest culinary successes back to life with a more casual ethos. Located in a........

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