Good food, great atmosphere and they even deliver. Vees Café has it all. Small and cozy this coffee shop offers tradition coffee shop fare such as chai teas and espressos as well as food with a Mexican twist, such as their spinach tortillas and green sauce. There are also hot and cold sandwiches that you can eat with a delicious smoothie or freshly squeezed juice, even veggie juice. Their wide selection of coffee and teas guarantees that you’ll go home happy. They have loose tea leaves as well if you’re looking for something more natural. As if that’s not enough, they even have milkshakes.

It’s artsy and you might see people playing guitar or looking through their camera lens. It’s a relief to find a coffee shop that’s not geared towards yuppies or dinks. True to its artsy nature they offer vegan options as well. Want soy milk? No prob, your wish is their command. Green and down to earth, they’ve got friendly service and value their customers. They even have those punch cards that will get you a free drink.

Don’t forget dessert. After all, coffee shops are just as famous for their pastries, cookies and other sweets. Their red velvet cupcakes are absolutely divine. The only downside is that on weekends they close a bit early. Yet it’s for a good cause, they want the staff to be able to go out and party. Life doesn’t get much better than that.

Vees Café
www.veescafe.net
(323) 931-8337
5418 W Adams Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90016
Mon-Fri 7am to 8:30pm
Sat-Sun 7am to 8pm

Having trouble deciding what to eat? The Riverside Café’s got it all: French, British, and American food. Typically British, dogs are welcome and can even eat there every once in a while there’s even horses! While they don’t serve alcohol, you’re welcome to bring your own, they don’t care for corkage and if you do they’ll provide the wine glasses. It’s very laid-back and casual, which is something you’d expect from the American side of the restaurant.

The food is fresh and diverse, of course there are heaps of teas to choose from as well. They’ve got fresh baked bread to go with just about anything. Be sure to try the onion soup, or gazpacho if you need warming up. The Shepherd’s Pie, omelettes or steak casserole are great for a main course.

The atmosphere is very homey and the wait staff is exceptionally helpful and will make suggestions if necessary. The owner cares about his restaurant and welcomes your feedback in order to make your dining experience even better the next time around. If you’re looking for a place to relax and pass the afternoon, the Riverside Café is the place to go.

Riverside Café
www.iheartriversidecafe.com
(818) 563-3567
1221 W Riverside Dr
Burbank, CA 91506
Tue-Wed 11am to 8:30pm
Thu-Fri 11am to 9pm
Sat 8:30am to 9pm
Sun 8:30am to 8:30pm

Coffee shops are sprouting up all over the place and it seems like the bigger chains such as Starbucks are taking over and making coffee shops the same across the board. Aroma Coffee & Tea is a nice change from that. Originally a home which was converted into a café, it retains that homey feeling, complain with a beautiful backyard where you can take your high tea. With 15 years experience, they’ve perfected the art of service, sweets, and drinks that will make you want to come back and try the different things they have.

Fresh is the key ingredient here and with breakfast, lunch, and dinner dishes combined, you’ll have over 50 dishes to choose from. The salads vary from traditional to exotic, such as olasslo oobb salad which has chicken, bleu cheese and a variety of veggies. As if that’s not enough, you can add extras to any salad and create is just the way you like it. If you’re looking for hot sandwiches, such as paninis and melts, you’re in luck. That’s just the lunch menu, there are many more dishes to choose from on the breakfast and dinner ones.

It’s a popular place, so either go when it’s not crowded or be prepared for a chatty café experience. Your best bet is to go with a friend or two, they can scope out a table while you order. By the time you get your food, you should be able to find a good place to sit. If that’s not an option, you can always get your food to go and have a picnic in a park.

Aroma Coffee & Tea
www.aromacoffeeandtea.com
4360 Tujunga Ave
Studio City, CA 91604
Mon-Sat 6am to 11pm
Sun 7am to 10pm

American diners became popular years ago and while many of them have died out, a precious few have stayed open and Nat’s is one of them. For more than three decades, they’ve been serving up delicious homemade American dishes and have even branched out to Mexican and health food. With special kids’ meals and servers that know how to talk to children, you can’t go wrong.

Breakfast dishes include scrambles, fruits, cereals, hot cakes, French toast and waffles. If it’s lunch you’re looking for, you’ll find burgers, soups, salads, and sandwiches galore to choose from. As usual, dessert is often the best part of the meal. They’ve got a couple of set pies to choose from and desserts that change often enough, so be sure to ask your waiter for some recommendations. They even have dinners available, but as is often the case with diners, there isn’t much selection. That being said, if you’re at Nat’s for dinner, you can choose from chicken, fish, turkey, or meat dishes.

The décor is typical of a diner, a bit gaudy, but happy nonetheless. As with most diners, their hash browns and coffee are pretty good and always ready. They’ve got a number of daily specials to choose from as well as their regular meals. They’ve got more than a few loyal customers who keep coming back for more and whether it’s the food or the service, or a combination of both, Nat’s Early Bit Coffee Shop sure hits the spot.

Nat’s Early Bite Coffee Shop
www.natsearlybite.com
14115 Burbank Blvd
Van Nuys, CA 91497
(818) 781-3040
Mon 6am to 3pm
Tues-Fri 6am to 8pm
Sat 6:30am to 4pm
Sun 7:30am to 4pm

Family owned and run, you’ll be sure to get hearty meals and great service here at Polka Polish Restaurant. Their dishes certainly do justice to Polish food. All meals come with soup and salad, in addition to potatoes and veggies and the large portions mean that you can probably get away with ordering less meals than there are people or taking food home at the end.

Though their menu is limited to only 15 dishes, as they say at Polka’s, “Take it or leave it”. If you want to sample all their dishes, you can try the All You Can Eat Party, which at $20 a person is pretty much a bargain for what you get. Even vegetarians will enjoy eating here as Number 10 is a Vegetarian Plate. With 10 items to choose from, their tea menu is almost as big as their meal menu. From Golden Seal to Black Tea or Green Tea, you’ll have plenty to choose from.

If you’ve got kids, they’re more than welcome here. All their meals can be made to be kids’ meals, they simply halve the price and the portion. As far as desserts go, they don’t have much to offer other than pudding and ice cream or coffee, but that’s only one downside to Polka Polish Restaurant. If you’re looking for authentic Polish food and a homey atmosphere, then Polka Polish Restaurant is the place to go.

Polka Polish Restaurant
www.polkacatering.com
4221 Verdugo Rd
Los Angeles, CA 90065
(323) 255-7887
Wed-Sun 11am to 9pm

Health nuts take heart, more and more restaurants are opening up that cater just for you. Cru serves raw food, which is believed to be healthier and more satisfying than cooked food. Squimish people need not worry, you’re not going to be served sushi or raw meat. Raw food refers to vegan, uncooked food, so there’s no need to worry about salmonella. Though technically not completely vegan, they do use honey, you won’t find diary in their dishes, but you will find creative and innovative dishes. Their vegan lasagna uses cashew cheese and mushrooms rather than the traditional meat and cheese filling. Once you try it, you’ll see why people say different is good.

Unlike many of the new-aged, vegan restaurants, Cru is far from pretentious and pricey. The casual, laid-back atmosphere goes hand in hand with the friendly staff. Fast service can’t be added to the list, so you might have to wait a bit for your order, but that will just give you more time to appreciate the ambience.

Don’t know what to order? Ask the wait staff, they’ll be sure to offer a couple suggestions to help you out. In addition to the lasagna, try the raw spring roll, or raw noodle bowl. There’s vegan ice cream on the menu and free truffles that the waiters pass out at the end of the meal. After your meal, you’ll feel full, but not heavy. That along with the tasty treats you’ve had to eat should be enough to convince you why Cru has become so popular among the vegan and non-vegan crowds.

Cru
www.crusilverlake.com
1521 Griffith Park Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(323) 667-1551
Mon-Sun 11am to 4pm
Mon-Sun 5:30 to 11pm

Who could resist traditional American style cooking? Hot out of the oven homemade apple pies and hearty breakfasts can be found at The Village Kitchen. While it’s a little bit difficult to find, it’s well worth the drive out there. Be sure to ask about any specials that they have; those usually aren’t listed on the menu, and if you ask, you’ll receive a delicious treat! Portions are pretty well sized as well, so you won’t be going home hungry.

If the food isn’t enough of a reason for you to try The Village Kitchen, then you should go because of their ethics. Not only do they give jobs to women who need them, but they all give some of their profits to the homeless shelter that is right behind the restaurant. In fact, The Village Kitchen is run by the Good Shepherd Center for Homeless Women and Children.

If you’re not hungry enough for a full meal, then try something from their bakery. Their red velvet cakes are constantly popular with their customers. The apple turnovers, blueberry muffin, and cream puffs also must be tried. So if you’re looking for a great place with good food and want to help support a good cause, then try The Village Kitchen.

The Village Kitchen
1667 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Mon-Fri 6:30am to 6:30pm

Located on 8738 W 3rd St, Jack n Jill’s Too offers good old fashioned southern cooking as well as terrific breakfasts and brunches. If there’s one dish that you’ve got to try while here, it’s their crepes. Sweet and tantalizing, be sure you save room at the end of your meal for one. Better yet – skip the main dish and eat dessert first. Their apple crepes are a classic and as such are super delicious, top it off with ice cream and you’ll be in heaven. They’re accommodating as well and are happy to substitute veggies instead of meat in a crepe if you ask them to do so.

The downside of Jack n Jill’s Too is the service. The wait staff seems to be pretty busy helping other customers or in the back getting the food, so don’t expect instant service. Another negative point is the fact that they microwave their muffins. A minor issue, but so much for freshly baked goods. If you order the bacon, make sure you like it very well-done, almost to the point of being burnt. If that’s not to your taste, then skip it altogether.

Price-wise, Jack n Jill’s Too is decent, especially if you consider it’s in Beverly Hills. If you want to save even more money, ask for the Groupon. Prices are mid-range, but remember this is a southern style restaurant, so portions are on the large side. Overall, a decent restaurant, dishes might be touch and go, but if you order the crepes, you’re sure to enjoy your meal.

Jack n Jill’s Too
www.jacknjillstoo.com
8738 W 3rd St
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(310) 858-4900
Mon-Fri 8am to 10pm
Sat 9am to 10pm
Sun 9am to 5pm

Second location:
342 N Beverly Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 247-4500
Mon-Sun 8am to 5pm

Cafe 50’s
11623 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025

Neighborhood: West Los Angeles
(310) 479-1955
www.cafe50s.com

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