FoodNutrition

The 20 buzziest healthy restaurants in Los Angeles right now

These restaurants, cafes, juice bars and healthy take-out joints are getting tons of wellness tastemaker buzz in 2016, where the menus go way beyond kale salad.

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Photo: Facebook/Bondi Harvest
Published Jul 28, 2016

Written by 

Erin Magner

It’s been a really good year for Los Angeles’ healthy food scene, which is saying a lot considering the oodles of innovation, copious juice bars, and the fact you can’t go a block without pointing out the car window saying “I totally want to eat there.”

But with all of the amazing new plant-based restaurants and clean fast-casual cafes comes a dilemma—which ones are so good that they deserve a place at the top of your dining priority list?

Luckily, you’ve got us. Out of all the new and healthy LA restaurants our editors have tried over the past 12 months (which is to say, pretty much all of them), these are the ones we keep coming back to—and, given the well-deserved hype (and social media love) surrounding them, it looks like a lot of other people are crazy about this crew, too.

Our criteria for this list was pretty strict: only restaurants that have been open for less than a year, have been recently revamped, or are in serious expansion mode made the cut. (Don’t worry—we still love you,  Sqirl, Crossroads, and Gjelina!)

So, take some extra long lunches, book some post-workout dinner reservations with your workout buddies, and prepare to eat your way through the last few weeks of summer.

Read on to discover our picks for the best, most buzz-worthy healthy restaurants in Los Angeles right now, presented in alphabetical order.

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Photo: Instagram/@lumadeline

Au Fudge

Judging by its name (and its kid-friendly vibe), you wouldn’t think Jessica Biel’s celeb-approved restaurant, bar, and market would be at all healthy. But there’s plenty of non-sugar-laden eats on the organic, locally sourced menu, including lots of vegan and gluten-free options. Spring pea fritters with beet hummus and roasted veggies, anyone?

Au Fudge, 9010 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, CA, 90069, 424-288-4268, aufudge.com

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Beaming

This popular organic juice bar and grab-and-go café chain is continuing to grow, with a sixth location now open at Equinox in La Costa (its first collab with the swanky gym chain). That’s not the only rad partnership it’s forged this year—check out the new porridge bars designed in collaboration with Breakfast Criminals, or its new menu of cold brews and kefir sodas from San Diego’s Superfood Coffee Co.

Beaming, various locations, livebeaming.com 

Bulletproof Coffee

Biohacking pioneer Dave Asprey just opened his second high-tech Bulletproof coffee shop at Downtown LA’s One Santa Fe development (the other location is in Santa Monica). It serves a Bulletproof diet-approved menu heavy in protein, healthy fats, and veggies; collagen-infused bone broth; and all sorts of butter-boosted coffee drinks (natch).

Bulletproof Coffee, 3110 Main St. #116, Santa Monica, CA, 90405, 310-399-1764; 300 S. Santa Fe Ave., Los Angeles, CA, 90013, 213-265-7040; bulletproofcoffee.com

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Photo: Facebook/Bondi Harvest

Bondi Harvest

This Aussie surfer fave has hopped the Pacific to open a farmers market-driven outpost in Santa Monica. Breakfast is its strong suit—don’t leave without trying the avocado halloumi toast, the summer squash pancakes, or the “rad bowl” filled with greens, turmeric grains, fermented veggies, and poached egg. Salivating yet?

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Bondi Harvest, 1814 Berkeley St., Santa Monica, CA, 90404, 310-586-7419, bondiharvest.com

The Butcher’s Daughter

This all-day Abbot Kinney eatery, juicery, and bar has all the ingredients of a massive hit—NYC notoriety, a drop-dead gorge design aesthetic, and equally stunning, yet approachable plant-based cuisine. (We’re partial to the vegan stone oven pizzas and anything between two slices of the killer gluten-free bread).

The Butcher’s Daughter, 1205 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, CA, 90291, 310-981-3004, thebutchersdaughter.com

By Chloe

Sorry, LA—when this vegan comfort-food phenom arrived here from NYC, it brought along its insane queues. But while you’re waiting to tuck into your guac burger, taco salad, or Purple Rain smoothie bowl, at least you can check out the first ever 365 by Whole Foods concept (it’s located inside).

By Chloe, 2520 Glendale Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA, 90026, 323-378-3891, bychefchloe.com

Cava Grill

If you haven’t heard of this Mediterranean fast-casual joint yet, you definitely will soon. It’s currently serving hummus with harissa in Westwood and the Valley, and it’s coming to Culver City soon, with Venice and Santa Monica locations on deck for 2017. (There’s a reason we deemed it the next Sweetgreen.)

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Cava Grill, various locations, cavagrill.com

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Photo: Fala Bar

Fala Bar

“No Fake Sh*t” is this organic falafel house’s slogan, and it’s not just a clever hashtag. The all-vegan menu was created by holistic health coach Gina “Granola Bitch” Ragnone, and everything is made fresh in-house from local produce, without any preservatives, soy, GMOs, or processed ingredients. More locations are currently being developed, but for now, you can get your fala-fix in WeHo and Venice. (Pro tip: go straight for the kale burger).

Fala Bar, 7751 1/2 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA, 90046, 323-424-7131; 1146 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, CA, 90291, 310-399-0809, falabar.com

Flower Child

This True Food Kitchen offshoot was practically made for post-spin class lunch dates—its menu is full of energizing dishes like protein-topped grain bowls (much love for the Forbidden Rice!), salads heaping with organic veggies, and sharable sides (the gluten-free mac and cheese is a best-seller). And like spring flowers, it has locations popping up everywhere.

Flower Child, 1332 2nd St., Santa Monica, CA, 90401, 480-905-6920, iamaflowerchild.com

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Gratitude

On your next jaunt down to the O.C., be sure to check out this new, upscale concept from the founders of Café Gratitude—but be sure to book a hotel nearby, because its bar program is out-of-this-world. (Boozy snow cones… enough said). The all-vegan menu’s piece de resistance? An $18 salad made with 7 types of kale, all harvested the same day. (You can take the restaurant out of LA…) 

1617 Westcliff Dr., Newport Beach, CA, 92660, 949-386-8103, cafegratitude.com

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Photo: Facebook/Greenleaf Beverly Hills

Greenleaf Gourmet Chopshop

This 9-year-old organic chain is expanding at a rapid clip, and its newest destination is the most impressive yet—an elegant, craftsman-style outpost on Abbot Kinney with a full bar, on-site chef’s garden, and patio seating. Pretty soon, you’ll also be able to get your Kitchen Sink Cobb salads and thin-crust pizzas at a 7th location in Glendale.

Greenleaf Gourmet Chopshop, various locations, greenleafchopshop.com

Lifehouse Tonics

The shakes at this next-gen tonic bar will rock your world, each one filled with adaptogenic herbs, superfood powders, and plant-based fats and proteins. The only thing better than that: the fact that they all taste like they’re made with ice cream. (You can’t go wrong with the minty, chocolatey Greenhouse Chip).

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Lifehouse Tonics, 7515 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90046, 323-378-5691, lifehousetonics.com

Little Pine

One of our favorite new Sunday dinner spots on the Eastside, Moby’s Little Pine is all organic, all vegan, and all charm. The menu’s got a heavy Italian accent, with standout dishes including the broccoli arancini, risotto, and mushroom crostini. But maybe the best part is that the musician-restaurateur is donating 100 percent of profits to animal welfare groups—yep, really.

Little Pine, 2870 Rowena Ave., Silver Lake, CA, 90039, 323-741-8148, littlepinerestaurant.com

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Photo: Facebook/M Cafe

M Café

Okay, I know what you’re thinking: “Isn’t M Café, like, a thousand years old?” Yes, it’s been around since 2005 (eons in restaurant years), but the macrobiotic pioneer’s flagship outpost recently underwent a design revamp (trendy geometric tiles, cedar wood, adorable new logo) and unveiled a new menu, including a must-try Japanese-inspired, bread-free take on avocado toast. We have a feeling macro fan Gwyneth Paltrow would dig it.

M Cafe, various locations, mcafedechaya.com

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Plant Food + Wine

Matthew Kenney is a veritable artist when it comes to in plant-based cuisine, and this crazy-chic Venice restaurant is where his most brilliant masterpieces, like his recent collab with Sakara, come to life. (His fast-casual Make Out is pretty great, too). The raw restaurateur has big plans to take his brand global, but first he’s bringing Asia to LA with Arata, a pop-up noodle bar that’s taking over Plant Food + Wine from July 28 to August 7.

Plant Food + Wine, 1109 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, CA, 90291, 310-450-1009, matthewkenneycuisine.com 

Sweetfin Poké

If poké is the new sushi, then Sweetfin is the Nobu of the genre (with way less pretension). And the number of places you can wait in line for its super-fresh fish atop bamboo rice, kelp noodles, or kale is multiplying—along with the OG Santa Monica spot, it’s got outposts under construction in WeHo and Westwood, with Larchmont and Topanga up next.

Sweetfin Poké, 829 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA, 90401, 310-395-1097, sweetfin.com

Sweetgreen

After planting its flag in Santa Monica, West Hollywood, and Downtown LA, the East Coast-born sustainable salad shop decided it might as well just move here, opening a new HQ at Platform earlier this year. Rumor has it the cool food brand’s planning a next-level restaurant for the wellness-focused lifestyle center—watch this space.

Sweetgreen, various locations, sweetgreen.com 

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Photo: Instagram/@localwanderer

The Rose

The Venice institution formerly known as The Rose Café reopened after an extensive remodel in September, and it’s hardly recognizable—from the beer garden to the artisanal marketplace to the Verve coffee bar. Grab a patio seat, a glass of (yes way) rosé, and some crudo from the raw bar, and you’ve got the perfect healthy Friday night date spot.

The Rose, 220 Rose Ave., Venice, CA, 90291, 310-399-0711, rosecafevenice.com

The Springs

We were a little concerned when this DTLA wellness Shangri-la shut down its awesome vegan restaurant for several months, but it turns out they had a good reason—they were onboarding three new chefs, who just revamped the plant-based menu and made it better than ever. If you try one thing, make it the genius Philly “cheesesteak” wrap.

The Springs, 608 Mateo St., Los Angeles, CA, 90021, 213-223-6226, thespringsla.com

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Wolf

Top Chef alum Marcel Vigneron recently opened this seasonal, zero-waste restaurant on Melrose Avenue, which sources all of its ingredients from sustainable, organic, and local family farms. The menu is traditional with a twist—dishes include “Burnt Carrots” with tropical fruit and charcoal, and a baby kale salad with pickled Asian pears and dried apricots.

Wolf, 7661 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA, 90046, 323-424-7735, wolfdiningla.com

Where else are wellness tastemakers hanging out in LA? They’re tapping it back with this cult-fave SoulCycle instructor, getting their infrared sweat on, and tooling around town in these super-stylish local leggings. 

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FoodNutrition

Hold Up: Is Your Nutrition App Working Against You?

Here are 6 warning signs experts say to watch out for when using nutrition and fitness apps.

High angle shot of fitness young Asian sports woman relaxing after working out, lying on yoga mat and using her smartphone against sunlight in the morning, reusable water bottle and headphones by her side.
Photo: Getty
Published Mar 7, 2025

Written by 

Korin Miller

Fitness and nutrition tracking apps provide an easy way to keep tabs on your health data. But new research suggests that you could accidentally work against your health goals when you use these platforms. 

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The scientific review, which was published in the journal Body Image, analyzed data from 38 studies on fitness and diet apps, along with symptoms people had while using them. The researchers ultimately found that people who used health and fitness apps regularly were more likely to struggle with disordered eating, body image concerns, and compulsive exercise. 

While it’s hard to say whether the concerning habits or apps came first, mental health professionals aren’t shocked by the findings. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll fall into damaging health habits if you use one of these apps, but this is an important association to at least be aware of, according to Hillary Ammon, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at the Center for Anxiety & Women's Emotional Wellness. 

Below, mental health providers break down why fitness apps can work against your health, plus warning signs that your use is venturing into unhealthy territory.

How are tracking apps working against your health goals?

There are a few things that could be happening here. “We don't necessarily know that diet and fitness apps ‘cause’ symptoms of disordered eating, body image concerns, and compulsive exercise,” says Isabella Anderberg, lead study author and researcher at Flinders University. Meaning, it’s entirely possible that people who already have concerns around eating and body image are drawn to the apps as a way to manage this, Anderberg says. 

But some apps can also create an environment that can be stressful, says Rebecca Boswell, PhD, a clinical associate professor of psychiatry and director of psychiatric services at Penn Medicine. “Diet and fitness apps set rules about how people should and should not eat and exercise,” she points out. “They are designed to provide praise for eating less and punishment for eating more.” Boswell also notes that these apps are also designed to encourage activity to compensate for eating.

Certain apps also offer guidelines that can be customized without flagging goals that aren’t medically or nutritionally sound, Boswell says. “Apps often default to very low-calorie recommendations, e.g. 1,200 calories, the recommended intake for a toddler, and do not raise flags when people lower their ‘budgets,’” she says. “They rarely focus on the quality, balance, and nutritional density of foods.”

These apps tend to center around numbers and setting goals, which can be “unhelpful” for some people, Ammon says. Some even contain images that push thinness as an ideal body type, which excludes the rest of the population, she adds. 

Who does this impact? 

Again, plenty of people use fitness and wellness apps with no issue, and the link between problematic health behaviors and this tech is still being explored. But certain people may be more susceptible to developing unhealthy behaviors while using fitness apps than others. 

People with a previous history of disordered eating or body image concerns should probably steer clear of these apps, Ammon says. “This is because these apps can bring greater focus to their eating habits, caloric intake, and weight,” she explains. “Individuals with disordered habits tend to track caloric intake or caloric deficits, as a means of controlling weight [and] these apps can enhance those tracking habits with real time metrics and reminders.”

People who have struggled with overtraining in the past may also be at risk of using these apps in an unhealthy way, says Eric Storch, PhD, professor and vice chair of psychology at Baylor College of Medicine. 

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But even if you don’t have a history of disordered behavior around food or exercise, Ammon says it’s still a good idea to keep an eye on how you react to fitness and health apps—especially if you tend to be very goal-oriented or have a type A personality. Boswell agrees. “People who are prone to perfectionism may have a harder time flexibly using these apps, especially because of their greater sensitivity to reward and punishment,” she says. “It’s very hard for some people to get feedback that they’re not getting an A+ in health behaviors, even when the healthier behaviors might be striking a balance and setting more moderate goals.”

What are the signs your app isn’t helping?

There are a few clues that your app isn’t being a positive force in your life.

  1. 1.
    Being rigid around your app is a big red flag. “When you start to seem like you ‘have to’ work out daily or ‘have to’ track every single calorie ingested or burned, it may be teetering with an unhelpful focus on these habits,” Ammon says. 
  2. 2.
    Feeling frazzled about not meeting certain goals can also be a warning sign that something is off, she says. “If you notice yourself getting anxious or distressed because you didn’t hit your move goal for a day, it may be worth exploring why you need to hit that goal daily,” Ammon says. 
  3. 3.
    Guilt is also an emotion to be wary of, Anderberg says. Meaning, while it’s OK to feel a little disappointed that you didn’t make a goal on any given day, you shouldn’t feel guilty about it.
  4. 4.
    This is more indirect, but is still important: Boswell recommends keeping tabs on your internal monologue when using these apps. “If you can’t stop thinking about food or activity, it’s time to take a break and listen to your body instead of an app,” she says. 
  5. 5.
    Negative lifestyle impact is also a big warning sign that this isn’t a good fit for you, according to Ammon. She cites examples like staying up late to burn 500 calories before the end of the day because you feel pressure to, or cancelling plans with friends because you feel like you need to fit in a workout that day as being problematic. 

How to use an app in a productive, healthy way

Ammon points out that there are risks and rewards to practically every decision you make in life, including using health and fitness apps. “Rewards can be an improved lifestyle and improved physical health,” she says. “For many, these apps can act as an accountability system with virtual rewards.” Focusing on the positive—as in, you’re doing the best you can to support your health and wellness—is a productive way to view these apps, she says. 

Storch also recommends trying to be flexible in how you use these apps, looking at them as more of a guide than what you have to do on any given day. “Approach these apps as a tool to achieve goals, but ones that should be used flexibly versus rigidly, and without angst motivating their use,” he says. 

Of course, if you start using an app and you find that you don’t have a good relationship with it, it’s OK to stop. “It’s important to approach them with some level of caution,” Boswell says. “However, not everyone will have a negative experience with diet and fitness apps, and some might find them to be a helpful tool.”

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