Where To Get Great Greek Food In LA
photo credit: Andrea D'Agosto
The most Greek thing in the Angeleno food pyramid is probably Greek yogurt. As much as we adore a nice gyro, this city has limited options when the craving for juicy lamb souvlaki or crispy spanakopita hits. Since you’re here, we’ll assume you’re craving those things, too. Here are our favorite spots in Los Angeles for a night of grilled octopus, seared saganaki, and maybe a shot of ouzo, too.
No rating: This is a restaurant we want to re-visit before rating, or it’s a coffee shop, bar, or dessert shop. We only rate spots where you can eat a full meal.
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Greek meze are a great excuse for a snacky, family-style dinner much like flaming saganaki is a great excuse to shout opa! at a restaurant (and not embarrass yourself). Taverna in Mar Vista offers both of these things, as well as a casual hang for cold beer and Greek classics like crisp horiatiki and subtly minty keftedes. The You Dip We Dip platter feeds four with dips like sweet-salty tirokafteri and creamier-than-usual tzatziki, but save belly room for the highlight: the giant slabs of moussaka with enough broiled mashed potatoes to kickstart an afternoon nap.
Deme describes itself as Eastern Mediterranean, which means it's a little Greek, a little Turkish, and big on mezze all around. And for a hotel restaurant, this chic spot inside Hotel Figueroa serves one of the better meals we’ve eaten next to a pool. Come to lounge in a red velvet booth with a fig leaf-infused cocktail and a spread of lamb manti in tangy sheep’s yogurt, octopus skewers over smoked labneh, and taramasalata served with a basket of warm pita. If you’re looking for a laidback corner of DTLA to have a professional lunch or a catch-up over duck shawarma, Deme delivers.
If you go to one Greek restaurant in LA, make it Papa Cristo’s. In operation since 1948, a meal at this restaurant/market in Pico-Union feels less like eating at a traditional restaurant and more like stumbling into a neighborhood potluck at a community center. Everyone orders what they want from the deli counter in front—we love the saganaki, veggie moussaka, and any plate involving lamb—then heads to the adjoining dining room where tables are pushed together as needed. Be sure to grab some housemade Greek yogurt and honey for dessert.
Located in the back corner of Malibu Country Mart, away from the revving Porsches and toddlers in Gucci, is Taverna Tony: an oasis of great (albeit pricey) Greek food. This romantic indoor-outdoor space is a quintessential Malibu date spot, but not nearly as sceney as the restaurants near the water. It’s a great option for a post-beach dinner, though, where you can stretch your sand-covered legs on the beautiful patio and split grilled octopus, bowls of creamy taramasalata, and whole grilled branzino. And if you’re looking for a little entertainment, they typically have live music and belly dancers on weekends, too.
Aliki’s is a tiny diner-esque Greek restaurant in the shadow of LAX’s parking structures. It’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it kind of spot (parking is shared with the Super 8 next door), so don’t get frustrated if you have to circle the block. The excellent, homey family-style Greek food inside is why this place has stuck around. The menu covers a lot of ground, including a long list of traditional hot and cold appetizers. For entrees, stick to the classics—the juicy lamb souvlaki and sizzling feta plate are our go-tos. Plus, if you’re staying the night at a hotel near LAX, Aliki’s is easily one of the best options within walking distance.
Not only do we love the food at Greekman’s, we also love the kitsch. This lively Silver Lake spot (previously Freedman’s) is adorned with miniature marble busts and grapevines, with a walled blue and white patio in the parking lot. Even after several ouzo shots, it does not teleport you to Paros, but it’s nice. Nights here involve white wine from the islands and small plates of tender grilled octopus, lamb chops over tzatziki, and feta-stuffed phyllo pockets that we’d happily order ten times over if the prices didn’t add up so quickly. Use Greekman’s for drinks and a few bites, and you’ll have plenty of fun.
When you want to celebrate something special over grilled seafood and spanakopita, Louka is the place. This Beverly Hills spot is on the fancier side and best suited for dinners where everyone is comfortable splurging a bit. The menu has as many whole fish options as CVS has “funny birthday” greeting cards. Servers stroll around the massive dining room in fitted blazers bearing crispy zucchini chips, marinated octopus, and lamb moussaka. Finish with dessert presented tableside, which involves a silver platter topped with things like flaky baklava and digestifs in crystal decanters.
Elena’s is a Greek/Armenian restaurant that’s been operating just south of downtown Glendale since the ’80s. The dining room has marble columns (naturally), and the Greek music blasting over the speaker and a massive flatscreen airing MSNBC are thrilling touches. This is your spot for lentil soups, Greek salads, lule kebabs, and lemony stuffed grape leaves—plus, the warm flatbread with whipped garlic sauce they give you to start the meal. If you’re looking for a midday pick-me-up, one cup of their Armenian coffee will pick you up, twirl you around, and send you flying into the stratosphere.
We’re not sure what’s with good Greek restaurants being next to airports, but as with Aliki’s, Long Beach's Pita Pitaki is a short drive from the tarmac (LBX in this case), squeezed between a sushi bar and a doughnut shop. The menu at this family-run operation is larger than you’d expect given the casual strip mall digs: usual takeout suspects like spicy feta dip, greek salad, and gyro wraps are done well, but there are also homey entrees like rice-stuffed peppers, beef-eggplant moussaka, and lemony roasted chicken worth hanging around for. If you’re looking to feed a group, the mezze combo and Pitaki Apola special are an excellent value.
