Monte Alban Restaurant, Los Angeles

Prepared from scratch using authentic recipes passed down for generations throughout the many regions of Oaxaca, Monte Alban Restaurant's cuisine earned the eatery a spot on Los Angeles magazine's Best of LA list. The honor is a testament to the restaurant’s culinary team, which crafts fire-roasted salsas, blackening seasonings, and handmade tortillas from scratch using ingredients from local sustainable producers. Dishes include tortillas filled with cheese doused in guacamole red salsa, a vegetarian turnover with squash blossoms and mushrooms, and five moles that include a yellow mole flavored with dry chiles, pepper, and cumin.

To wash down spicy bites, barkeeps whip up specialty cocktails and glasses of wine, beer, and Atole Blanco ó Champurrado—a hot drink made from corn dough. Feasts unfold in Monte Alban's cozy dining room, which surround guests with paintings of Oaxaca's mountainous boroughs.