Where to Eat Around Los Angeles International Airport

Dropping off or picking up family and friends at Los Angeles International Airport often feels like a chore — enough so that those on the receiving end of the favor may feel inclined (or obligated) to reward their driver with a meal. The airport is perched on the Westside of Los Angeles, giving it access to beachy neighborhoods in the South Bay , homey restaurants in Inglewood, and, of course, local standbys in Westchester, where it is located. Here's a list of restaurants to try within a 15-minute driving radius of the airport, from casual Pakistani market eats to an all-day hangout making some of the area’s best barbecue.

What’s changed this update: In this edition, we remove In-N-Out (kind of goes without saying right?), and filter in new entrants, including Inglewood red-sauce joint Sunday Gravy, Westchester newcomer Tomat, and breakfast mainstay Pann’s Restaurant, among others. Zam Zam Market It’s all about Pakistani treats like earthy lamb biryani at Zam Zam, an Inglewood Avenue spot that is fast, inexpensive, and delicious. Go for platters of deeply spiced kebab, topped with herbs and sliced onion; nihari (a Delhi-style stew); chicken karahi; and dal tadka — swipe up the last vestiges of curry with puffy, blistered garlic naan pulled fresh from the oven.

There’s a market side to the shop, as the namesake suggests, and also a comfortable sit-down area for those who have time to linger before or after their flights. Also featured in: The 21 Best Indian and South Asian Restaurants in Los Angeles Where to Order Incredible Indian and South Asian Food Jame Enoteca El Segundo’s Jame Enoteca sits in a corner strip mall only three miles away from the airport. Hop over for the homemade pastas like the arugula pappardelle or the creamy scarpinocc stuffed with braised beef cheek, brown butter, sage, and 12-year-old balsamic vinegar; add-ons like a charred octopus starter or seasonal panzanella salad complete the picture.

The restaurant comes from chef Jackson Kalb, whose Italian restaurant Ospi has become a beloved staple on the Westside. Jame happily offers the same attention to flavor detail. Also featured in: 19 Fantastic Salads Worth Ordering in Los Angeles 20 Best dineLA Restaurant Week Dinners to Try, Fall 2021 The Slice and Pint El Segundo’s mellow Slice and Pint offers some of Los Angeles’s best (and perhaps most unlikely) New York-style pizza, alongside a slew of locally made brews that offer a citrus-y IPA pop for before or after a long flight.

Appetizers like fried mozzarella sticks, baked garlic knots, meatballs, and a convincing Italian chopped salad seal the deal. There are tables inside and outside, but if the weather’s nice, you should opt for the latter, which is surprisingly picturesque — think string lights and gingham-print-covered picnic tables. Also featured in: The Best Restaurants in LA’s South Bay, According to Eater Editors 19 South Bay Restaurants to Explore While Social Distancing in LA Proud Bird It’s important to be straightforward about one thing: Food is the secondary attraction at Westchester’s food hall Proud Bird.

Sure, there’s barbecue sold under the Bludso’s name, which is good enough if not quite as good as the original, and also rotisserie chicken, burgers, and pizza. But the reason most parents are here is not the food court and its mercilessly long single line (only the bar counter takes orders for each stall) — it’s the massive playground right outside its doors. Regulars know to have someone wait to order food while the kids let out some energy on the jungle gym before eating.

Also featured in: The Best Kid-Friendly Restaurants in Los Angeles, According to Eater Editors Birrieria Gomez Looking for the ever-popular birria de res nearby the airport? Birrieria Gomez parks a truck not too far away in Lennox, where diners can load up on the tender, sauce-laden quesabirria tacos and a side of rich consomé. Those not in the quesataco mood can go for filling quesadillas, burritos, birria plates, and mulitas, all of which come with a near-neon-red sheen from dips in the warm, chile-inflected consomé. The truck also advertises its food as keto-friendly, which is a “Welcome to Los Angeles” sign if there ever was one.

Also featured in: 14 Busy Stops to Dive Into LA’s Enduring Birria Scene Sign up for our newsletter. Check your inbox for a welcome email. Oops.

Something went wrong. Please enter a valid email and try again. Aliki's Greek Taverna With the blue checkered tablecloths and kitschy decor, Aliki’s Greek Taverna has all the makings of a great neighborhood Greek eatery.

There are gyros (lamb and beef or chicken), beef and vegetarian moussaka, lemony potatoes, and buttery baklava, plus spanakopita, grilled halloumi, falafel, and other savory snacks. If you’re traveling with kids in tow, order the pasta ala Greco, spaghetti doused in brown butter and garlic and then topped with a small snowfall of Parmesan cheese. Banadir Somali Restaurant As the only official Somali restaurant in Los Angeles, this halal restaurant in Inglewood has some highlights, like slow-roasted lamb or stir-fry goat served with basmati rice and a simple salad (those going for a lighter meal can order the roasted salmon or tilapia).

Breakfast dishes in the morning are mainly composed of anjero, a pancake-like bread that’s prominent in Somali cuisine, and beef, chicken, lamb, or shuka shuka, a tomato-based stew. Also featured in: The Best Restaurants in South LA The 17 Best Hidden Gem Restaurants in Los Angeles Playa Provisions Owned by Top Chef winner Brooke Williamson and her husband Nick Roberts, Playa Provisions is an easygoing stop for all-day fare, starting with breakfast in the morning and extending into the night with dinner and cocktails. The restaurant is actually four concepts in one, made up of King Beach Cafe, Dockside, Small Batch Ice Cream Bar, and Grain Whiskey Bar.

Head to King Beach for breakfast or lunch, with dishes like a crispy fish sandwich and a patty melt. Dockside offers evening bites like steamed mussels, seared ahi tuna, and a grilled bone-in pork chop. Also featured in: 16 Stunning Waterfront Restaurants to Relish in Los Angeles 17 Spots to Sip Cocktails in the Los Angeles Area Tomat London comes to Los Angeles with the arrival of Tomat, a Westchester restaurant from husband and wife team Harry Posner and Natalie Dial.

At Tomat, Posner takes cues from global cuisine, blending British dishes with Los Angeles’s bounty of produce as well as Persian flavors from his own upbringing. The influences can be seen in dishes like smoky barbaric bread with roasted tomato butter and a fesenjān-inspired roast duck. In the mornings, Tomat serves croissants, dates, and pastries alongside coffee and tea; on nice nights, make sure to grab a seat (and a blanket) on the rooftop terrace for cocktails and plane-spotting.

The all-day hours are ideal if you’re trying to kill time before or after an airport arrival. Also featured in: The Best Restaurants to Celebrate New Year's Eve in Los Angeles Ayara Thai Cuisine Ayara Thai is a staple of the greater Westchester area. While known for its broad menu of Thai dishes like lip-puckering papaya salad, tom kha and tom yum soups, and laab, the spot also takes some departures with dishes like baby back ribs, swathed in a crying tiger sauce, and lobster pad thai.

Don’t miss the affordable lunch sets served from 11 a.m. to 4 p.

m. daily — the regular set comes with one small plate, one large plate, and a non-alcoholic beverage for $20; the premium set kicks it up with the same plate combination plus beer. This is a place to spend some leisurely time before a flight — or while waiting out traffic.

Also featured in: The Best Thai Restaurants in Los Angeles, According to Eater Editors 15 Awesome LA Spots for Thai Takeout and Delivery Mutiara Food and Market Everything is priced reasonably at this family-run spot in Inglewood. Mutiara Food and Market’s South Asian menu spans Thai, Indian, Chinese, Indonesian, Burmese, and Malaysian cuisines, and can amply satisfy both vegans and omnivores. The rice noodle fish soup, or mohinga, is Mutiara’s specialty and shouldn’t be missed, nor should the murtabak, a pan-fried bread stuffed with ground chicken and heady spices.

Rich curries, different variations of nasi goreng, and filling biryani round out the menu. Taj India Palace Whether it's for take-out or dine-in, Taj India Palace is bustling at lunchtime. Double up on the garlic naan or whole, bone-in chicken tandoor gleaming that familiar shade of red; the vegan thali plate, which includes tofu saag, dal, mixed vegetables, curry, roti, and salad on a gleaming silver tray, will please vegans and non-vegans alike.

Inside, expect to be surrounded by stucco walls painted in a muted terracotta shade, white-tablecloth-covered tables, and friendly staff. The Wood Urban Kitchen The Wood has a bit of something for everyone. This Inglewood restaurant and bar always has a game on to watch, well-made drinks, and impressive barbecue.

Load up on brisket, ribs, smoked turkey legs, and potato salad while sipping on an ice-cold beer or Moscow mule. Every day, between 3 p.m.

and 8 p.m. and 10 p.

m. to midnight, the Wood offers discounts on drinks and food during happy hour. Go for brisket fries, wings, and pulled pork or chicken sliders, or finish with a tray of crispy Tater Tots, which are always a winning choice.

Also featured in: The Best Restaurants in South LA The Best Barbecue Restaurants in Los Angeles Two Hommés A trip to LAX is just a good excuse to make a detour to Abdoulaye Balde and Yaw Marcus Johnson’s West African-Californian restaurant Two Hommés. A refresh from AfriCali cookbook author and designer Kiana Moju has brought new life into the space with bright walls and imported light fixtures from Ghana. Balde and Johnson describe the restaurant as “Afrocentric,” serving a menu of dishes like jollof rice, honey- and berbere-flavored chicken bites, and root beer-braised short ribs with whipped yams.

Save space for the plantain sticky cake or a sweet potato churro for dessert. Also featured in: The 38 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles The Best Restaurants in South LA Sunday Gravy A dose of homey Italian American cooking is essential before or after sitting in airport traffic. Sunday Gravy, operated by brother and sister duo Sol and Ghazi Bashirian, has gained a cult following for its preparation of classic East Coast red sauce dishes like spaghetti and meatballs, ragu, and Bolognese.

For post-flight hunger, try one of the larger mains, like the chicken Parm cutlet, paired with one of Los Angeles’s best Caesar salads. Grab a glass of wine from the tight selection, and let any memory of the airport slowly dissipate between bites of pasta. Also featured in: The Best Places for Pasta in Los Angeles The Best Restaurants in South LA.