LAGuide
The Best Spots For Paella In Los Angeles
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Paella is not an easy dish to cook. Things can take an unpleasant turn for the mushy or salty, or you could end up eating overcooked shellfish that tastes like chewing on an eraser. But find a great paella, and you have one of the best communal meals out there: a big pan of saffron-tinted rice with crackly edges and whatever meat, fish, or vegetables your heart desires. Of all the Spanish restaurants in LA, only a select few know how to pull off this dish like a pro. Here are the best restaurants for paella in the city (plus a bonus add in Santa Barbara).
THE SPOTS
photo credit: Jakob Layman
A lot of Spanish restaurants serve paella, but none of them have the cojones to call themselves paella specialists. Dos Besos in Old Town Pasadena can rightfully boast said cojones. At this stylish yet casual spot, the paella takes 30 minutes to make and it’s near perfect. The paella valenciana feeds two to three and comes with mussels, clams, calamari, shrimp, and two very large prawns sharing a kiss in the middle. The rice is the real star, however, with its crispy soccarat and fragrant garlic-white wine broth.
photo credit: Jessie Clapp
Look, the paella valenciana at this family-run restaurant in Beverly Grove is perfectly fine. It’s a little too soft and wet for our liking, but that never stops us from ordering it when we come here. A night at this tavern-like spot is one the best overall Spanish meals in LA, complete with warm staff that plates this risotto-like dish tableside. Order the paella as a centerpiece to a meal that ideally includes a bottle of tempranillo and plenty of tapas.
The tapas at this modern spot in Highland Park can be hit or miss, but the paella (and goblet-sized gin tonics) make us happier than a (Spanish?) clam. From the four varieties to choose from, the mariscos paella is our favorite with its big prawns, tender squid, and dollops of tangy aioli that moisten up the socarrat. It’s that thin, crackly crust that Otoño gets right every time, giving every spoonful all the burnt, crispy bits we want.
A.O.C, which has a second location in Brentwood, has been a trusted LA classic for the past two decades and change. And while some small plates at this Spanish-French-Italian wine bar can seem like holdovers from another era (bacon-wrapped dates, anyone?) other dishes get our full attention, like their arroz negro. This Spanish-style squid ink paella tastes lemony and bright, topped with a pile of tangled baby squids and a blob of saffron aioli in the middle. Like a good creme brulee, this paella has two distinct textures. It develops a nice crust in the oven but stays soft and fluffy inside.
We’re not sure any paella is worth driving two hours from LA for, but if there was, it would be the one at this modern Spanish spot in Downtown Santa Barbara. Loquita takes an empty-the-fridge approach to its rice dishes, tossing in things like gigante beans, marinated artichoke hearts, and pickled shiitakes. Prioritize a sunny afternoon on their patio next time and split their mariscos paella with the table. An order comfortably feeds two to three, with lots of jumbo prawns, mussels, and grilled scallops, and rice coated in a funky black garlic sofrito that gives it an edge like an eccentric haircut.