Every Friday our editors compile a trusty list of recommendations to answer the most pressing of questions: “Where should I eat?“ Here now are four places to check out this weekend in Los Angeles. And if you need some ideas on where to drink, here’s our list of the hottest places to get cocktails in town.

For a deeply personal Middle Eastern menu: Ladyhawk

Neetu Laddha Photography

The restaurant inside West Hollywood’s Kimpton La Peer has been a lot of things. Before chef Charbel Hayek introduced his dazzling Lebanese-inspired restaurant Ladyhawk, it was Issima and Viale dei Romani before that. But Ladyhawk fits comfortably into this long and low-lit dining room. Hayek’s personal touches are what makes Ladyhawk effective. Everything is served family-style with some of his mother’s recipes making an appearance including the fattoush salad, hummus, chicken, and tabbouli. The mezze platter with falafel, baba ghanoush, labneh, marinated olives, and tahini with fried cauliflower that can easily feed two should be eaten right away with the piping hot pita bread fermented for 48 hours. Order the ahi tuna crudo for the table; this signature dish won Hayek the competition for Top Chef: Middle East. 623 N. La Peer Drive, West Hollywood, CA, 90069. — Mona Holmes, reporter

For a refreshing Smorgasburg finish: HGG Tanghulu at Smorgasburg

It’s been a minute since I was in Beijing for the 2008 Summer Olympics and eating my weight in tanghulu, spears of fresh fruits coated in crackling candied sugar. I was pleased to see the popular Chinese streetside snack available at Smorgasburg right near the main entrance. The seasonal kumquats are especially good and lose all their bitterness in this preparation, just be sure to spit out the seeds. HGG’s portions are smaller than what’s available in China, but truly just as tasty so save some room for a few skewers on your next visit to the weekly outdoor food extravaganza. 777 S. Alameda Street, Los Angeles, CA 90021. — Cathy Chaplin, senior editor

For a weekend bagel craving: Calic Bagel

Rebecca Roland

I’m annoyingly picky about my bagels, and I can admit it. Now you may ask why I am this picky if I didn’t grow up on the heavily lauded East Coast bagels. To that, all I have to say is that LA also has great bagels. Among the more recent bagels I’ve enjoyed are the ones from Calic in Koreatown. The hand-rolled bagels are crispy-ish on the outside, which sometimes indicates that the inside will be dry, but that’s not the case here. The interior of the bagel is somehow fluffy and chewy at the same time, and even when ordering mid-morning or early afternoon, it still tastes fresh. Order the breakfast sandwich which comes with an outstanding gochujang sauce and a few loose bagels for a rip-and-dip situation. 2748 W. 8th Street, #107, Los Angeles, CA 90005. — Rebecca Roland, associate editor

For a next-level kebabs experience in Downtown: III Mas at Smorgasburg

Matthew Kang

Arthur Grigoryan has traversed the city with his Armenian-, Mesopotamian-, and Egyptian-influenced barbecue operation and finally settled on a weekly appearance at Smorgasburg in Downtown. The results are incredible from the get-go, with blistered pork khorovats skewers served over crisp-edged Armenian bread, grilled potatoes, spicy sauce, and electric magenta pickles. The pork belly, marinated with Aleppo pepper and dusted with summer savory, retains its juicy, meaty bite with a strong kiss of the charcoal flame. Smorgasburg’s array of food has never been better with its 2024 slate of vendors, and III Mas (pronounced, 3 Mas) is part of the reason why. 777 S. Alameda Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90021. — Matthew Kang, lead editor