At Fogo de Chão the spotlight shines on churrasco, the Brazilian art of roasting meats over an open fire. Fogo de Chão is one of the most popular restaurants on the famed Restaurant Row along La Cienega. In February 2015, Fogo de Chão opened a sleek, 8,000 square-foot location in Downtown L.A. The dining ritual will be familiar to fans of the La Cienega restaurant. Carvers are signaled with a double-sided disc. The green side tells them to keep delivering a selection of meats that are carved tableside. Options include the signature picanha (a prime cut of top sirloin), leg of lamb, pork loin and chicken. The red side tells the carvers to stand by until you’re ready for more. The Market Table features fresh seasonal salads, vegetables, imported cheeses and cured meats. Brazilian side dishes such as pão de queijo (traditional Brazilian cheese bread), crispy polenta, garlic mashed potatoes and caramelized bananas are served tableside. The new Downtown location offers a light lunch option, featuring unlimited trips to the Market Table and the option to add a single protein.

Originating in Quebec, Canada in the late 1950s, poutine has become a gastropub favorite with countless riffs on the basic formula of French fries topped with cheese curds and brown gravy. In July 2012, chef-owner Luc Alarie opened P’tit Soleil, an intimate bar that serves a variety of poutines, authentic Québécois small plates and Canadian beers on tap. Located adjacent to his neighborhood restaurant Soleil Westwood, P’tit Soleil is Alarie’s recreation of the casual hangouts of his younger days in Val-d’Or. Menu highlights include Poutine Marat (sliced filet mignon, mushrooms and a Cognac cream sauce), Poutine Île-du-Prince-Édouard with Mussels au Gratin, and Poutine Malik (merguez sausage and a spicy harissa crème sauce). There’s also the Glee Poutine - a flight of three different poutines.

Los Angeles is home to an extraordinary range of Chinese restaurants that serve classic and modern dishes, from the iconic xiao long bao (soup dumplings) at Din Tai Fung to a variety of Chinese noodles. Dim sum - bite-sized or individual portions of food, served in steamer baskets or small plates - is a quintessential Chinese dining experience. The greatest concentration of Chinese restaurants is in the San Gabriel Valley, just east of Downtown L.A. Located in Alhambra, Shi Hai is a handsomely designed dim sum house that’s earned critical acclaim and was named one of GQ Magazine’s 25 Outstanding Restaurants for 2015. In nearby Rosemead, Sea Harbor offers a well-executed, 90-item menu of dim sum that ranges from standards like har gao, siu mai and cheong feng to a variety of offal dishes, such as smoked pork hock, tripe and chicken feet.

From its working-class English origins, fish & chips have become a ubiquitous menu item at seafood restaurants, diners and gastropubs. The Pikey, a British pub located on Sunset Boulevard, features the refined cuisine of chef Ralph Johnson, a London native who honed his skills at some of London’s top restaurants and The Spotted Pig in New York. Johnson’s version of fish & chips features a large cut of delicately battered fish that’s flaky, moist and seasoned with coarse salt. The “triple-cooked chips” are based on Heston Blumenthal’s famed version. Add a few dashes of malt vinegar, a squeeze of lemon, and you’ll think you’ve just crossed the Pond.

Little Ethiopia is a vibrant collection of restaurants located along Fairfax Avenue between Olympic Boulevard and Whitworth Drive. Popular dishes include wots (various stews), kitfo (raw meat in warm clarified butter and spices), and a dazzling array of vegan items cooked with Eastern spices and fiery bebere (chilies and various spices). The hands-on dining experience features food that’s shared from a bed of injera (thin, slightly spongy fermented bread). Perhaps the most established restaurant in Little Ethiopia, Meals by Genet features chef Genet Agonafer’s signature version of doro wot, a rich, dense and smoky chicken stew that can take days to prepare.

Located in West Hollywood, L'Assiette (“The Dish”) serves only one thing - the classic French brasserie dish, steak-frites. Father-son restaurateurs Jacques and Marc Fiorentino opened L’Assiette to introduce Los Angeles to their interpretation of their favorite Parisian dining experience, the steak-frites at Le Relais de Venise (aka L'Entrecôte). Priced at $25, the steak-frites dinner includes sorrel soup or house salad to start. The very tender sirloin is prepared sous-vide and pan-seared in butter. The pommes frites are prepared through an eight-step, 24-hour process and cooked in beef tallow. The dish is served in two courses, to ensure that your steak frites will be hot throughout the meal. Other options include poisson frites (featuring the fish of the day) and a vegetarian version with grilled portobello mushrooms and peanut oil pommes frites.

Hardeep and Lena Manak opened the first Berlin Currywurst in Silver Lake in February 2011, only a few months after they moved to L.A. from Germany. Currywurst is a beloved German street food - its basic form is whole or sliced pork sausage served with curry ketchup. Berlin Currywurst's version features all-natural meat and organic sauce, served with fresh and crispy German farmer’s bread. Sides include German-style fries that are hand-cut from organic potatoes. To order, start by selecting from a variety of meat sausages (the Paprikawurst is a popular choice) or tofu-based vegan options. Then pick a heat level - numbers 3 and 4 are “at own risk” and only for ages 16 and up. Finally, choose a flavor like fruity, chipotle, jambalaya, garlic or ginger-orange. Following their Silver Lake location the Manaks opened a Berlin Currywurst stall at the bustling Grand Central Market in Downtown L.A.

Papa Cristo’s is an L.A. institution that opened in 1948. Located in the heart of the Byzantine-Latino Quarter, Papa Cristo’s is a restaurant, market and bakery that serves a wide range of authentic Greek dishes, from their acclaimed gyros to house-made baklava. Tsipoura (gilt-head bream) is flown in from Greece. The whole fish is grilled on an open flame with Greek seasonings, extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon. Family Night is every Thursday, featuring a family-style feast of traditional Greek appetizers, entrees and dessert. Dinner is accompanied by a live bouzouki player and belly dancers. Family Night starts with wine tasting at 6:30 p.m. and finishes around 8:15 p.m.

Opened on Beverly Boulevard in October 2014, Cardamom serves contemporary Indian cuisine that showcases the techniques of the UK’s top Indian chefs. Executive Chef Badrul Chowdhury features an extensive menu with more than 100 items that span the regions of India. The restaurant’s charcoal-powered tandoor oven imparts a subtle smokiness to many of the dishes. Cardamom’s signature dish, Manju’s Lamb Shank is marinated and cooked overnight on charcoal until it practically falls off the bone, then served with a spicy onion, tomato and chickpea sauce. Cardamom is one of L.A.’s best restaurants for affordable group dining - two dishes are priced at $25 and the majority of entrees are around $15 or less.

Named for the legendary narrator of “One Thousand and One Nights,” Shaherzad opened in 1982 and was one of the first restaurants in the area now known as Persian Square. The pocket of Persian restaurants is located along Westwood Boulevard south of the UCLA campus. Shaherzad is known for their kebabs, the traditional dish with pieces of meat, poultry, fish or vegetables cooked on skewers. Like many Persian restaurants, meals at Shaherzad begin with a complimentary basket of bread that’s baked in-house. Kebab entrees are served with a choice of fluffy white basmati rice or green salad. Chenjeh Soltani is a combination of two popular beef kebabs, the filet mignon and the koobideh (seasoned ground sirloin mixed with onions and rolled around the skewer). Succulent, all-natural rack of lamb is marinated and broiled with bell peppers and onions. The Cornish game hen is marinated in lemon juice and saffron, then broiled to perfection.

With L.A.’s Mediterranean-style climate, abundant fresh produce and laid-back vibe, it’s no wonder that Los Angeles has had a long love affair with Italian cuisine. Pizza is one of the world’s great comfort foods and can mean many things to many people, from a New York-style slice to a deep dish Chicago pie. Authentic Neapolitan-style pizza is the star at DeSano Pizza Bakery, which features four massive, 10,000-pound ovens named after Italian saints. Highlights include a classic Margherita D.O.P. (San Marzano tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, basil, garlic) the namesake DeSano (sausage, pepperoni, garlic, buffalo mozzarella) and the Verdura (broccoli rabe, mushroom, cherry tomato, garlic, buffalo mozzarella).

Pasta is another Italian favorite, and a myriad of dishes are served throughout L.A., from rich Northern Italian pastas to the more rustic flavors of the South. Located at the Montage Beverly Hills, Scarpetta is an elegant stage for Scott Conant’s modern takes on Italian classics. The signature dish is Conant’s deceptively simple spaghetti with tomato and basil, which lives up to its reputation and is a must for any pasta fan.

From Little Tokyo in Downtown L.A. to Sawtelle Japantown on the Westside, Japanese cuisine is showcased at dining spots that range from casual eateries to high end restaurants. While great sushi often means an expensive dinner, there are sushi lunch deals across L.A. that hit the sweet spot of price and quality. One of the most popular deals is the sashimi lunch special at Sushi Gen. Priced at just $15, the special includes miso soup, a warm tofu dish, rice bowl and a large sashimi plate.

For comfort food, it’s tough to beat a hearty bowl of ramen. The wildly popular Tsujita LA Artisan Noodle specializes in tsukemen (dipping ramen), attracting ramen fanatics to Sawtelle Boulevard from near and far. Available only at lunch, Tsujita’s tsukemen is experienced through a three-step process. First, enjoy a third of the noodles dipped in the broth. Next, squeeze lime juice over the noodles for a very different flavor profile. Customize the ramen with condiments like sesame, karashi takana (spicy pickled mustard greens) and beni shoga (red pickled ginger). After you’ve finished the noodles, a server adds hot water to the broth so you can enjoy it like a soup.

Koreatown is one of L.A.’s most exciting districts, teeming with dining and nightlife destinations. Korean barbecue is a staple of the area, and Park’s BBQ is one of the best KBBQ restaurants in the country. Opened in 2003 by Jenee Kim, Park’s BBQ raised the bar for Koreatown restaurants and has been at the forefront of Korean barbecue restaurants in America ever since. Renowned for its high quality and unrivaled selection of meats, Park’s BBQ offers its galbi (short rib) marinated or undressed. Enjoy the tender prime beef wrapped in lettuce with fermented bean paste, raw garlic and jalapeños.

From old school taco trucks to the James Beard Award-winning Guelaguetza, the incredible cuisine of Mexico can be explored in every corner of Los Angeles. For an essential late night L.A. experience, queue up at Tacos Leo for their $1 al pastor tacos. The meat is shaved directly off the trompo (rotating spit) and onto a pair of griddled tortillas. Customize your tacos with a variety of salsas and toppings, then tuck into one of the best dining bargains in the city.

Whether it’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner, burritos are offered in endless variations across Los Angeles, from traditional to Asian fusion. One of L.A.’s best burritos is from La Azteca Tortilleria, an East L.A. institution that opened in 1945. The famed chile relleno burrito features a griddled flour tortilla wrapped around a Jack cheese-filled pepper, carne asada, pinto beans and pico de gallo.

Named for the historic balconies of Lima, Peru, Los Balcones was opened by brothers Jorge, Eduardo and Walter Rodriguez in 2005. The menu is an eclectic mix of authentic Peruvian cuisine, modern takes on traditional dishes, and family favorites. A recent renovation added a lounge and full bar, which features the classic Pisco Sour as well as signature cocktails. Ceviche is regarded as part of Peru’s national heritage - the classic version of the coastal dish is made with chunks of raw fish marinated in a citrus mixture, spiked with chili peppers and served with sliced onions and seasonings. A related dish is tiradito, or Peruvian sashimi. Los Balcones offers three ceviches in its small plates section - Clasico, Mixto and the eponymous Los Balcones, which adds crispy calamari to the Mixto ceviche.

smoke.oil.salt. is an authentic Spanish restaurant and wine bar that features traditional Catalan dishes, including paella, fideua, wood-grilled fish and seafoods, vegetarian specialties, and high-quality hams and cheeses. An extensive list of regional wines, cavas and sherries match the complex flavors of the food. Chef Perfecto Rocher, a third-generation paella master, offers Paella Night at smoke.oil.salt. every Sunday. The signature dish is the highlight of a prix fixe four-course meal that’s priced at $49 per person. Paella options include traditional Valencian, with meat; seafood, with carabineros and prawns; and vegetable paella for two.

Los Angeles is home to the largest Thai population outside of Thailand, so it’s no surprise that great Thai food can be enjoyed throughout L.A. Many of the city’s best Thai restaurants are located in Thai Town, a six-block area centered along Hollywood Boulevard between Normandie and Western Avenue. From boat noodle specialists to spicy Southern Thai fare and fusion Thai food, there’s something for everyone.

Pad thai is a quintessential dish that ideally blends the best parts of Thai cuisine: sweet, spicy, sour and funky. In recent years, the overly sweet, bright orange noodle dish served on most menus has given way to off-menu specials or alternates that are some of the best pad thai dishes in L.A.

Originating in northern Vietnam in the early 20th century, pho has become a favorite international comfort food. The more common southern pho makes liberal use of spices and flavorings, along with versatile cuts of meat like tripe and brisket. Northern pho is more minimal and focused on its pure beef broth, thinly sliced raw beef and rice noodles. Located in South El Monte about 15 minutes east of Downtown L.A., Pho Filet specializes in pho bac, a northern Vietnamese noodle soup with wider noodles and thick chunks of green onions. Thin, bloodied filet mignon pieces are added in generous portions to each bowl of pho. The well-balanced broth is heavy on beef and ginger, with hints of cinnamon and clove.