This week, The Times unveiled its inaugural guide to the 101 Best Restaurants in California, marking an ambitious effort that expands on the annual 101 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles initiative.
The detailed guide is the result of extensive travel across the state over the past year, and it arrives during a period of significant unrest.
California has been grappling with a wave of immigration raids in Los Angeles, escalating tension due to President Donald Trump’s unusual deployment of U.S. Marines and National Guardsmen within the city, and numerous other widespread demonstrations opposing his administration.
These events take on added significance as reports have surfaced of federal agents clashing with U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla during a news conference.
As a resident of Los Angeles, I find myself increasingly frustrated with the mischaracterization of our city in the national conversation, especially in light of the recent protests against ICE.
My colleague Stephanie Breijo highlighted the struggles faced by downtown restaurants and bars under an imposed 8 p.m. curfew, which extends beyond areas heavily impacted by protests.
Breijo, along with Lauren Ng and Karla Marie Sanford, assessed how vendors in Grand Central Market are coping during these turbulent times.
Sanford also spoke with street vendors, including taqueros, about their concerns for safety amid the ongoing disruption.
These businesses have weathered more than their fair share of adversity in recent years.
In light of this, it may seem impractical to engage with a celebratory list of dining establishments during moments like these.
Yet, the publication can also serve as a welcome distraction from the often-overwhelming news cycle.
Despite the chaos, there is a palpable sense of unity among Californians in this moment.
Anyone writing about food in Los Angeles or the broader California area regularly reflects on the diversity of our communities, and this sentiment is embodied in every culinary narrative.
The publication of this guide reinforces the idea that the rich tapestry of culinary California is inherently tied to immigration.
For years, I have produced or contributed to six annual guides to the 101 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles since my arrival at The Times in late 2018, often pondering what it would be like to take that same concept and broaden it to encompass the entire state.
My curiosity was piqued by my past experiences, including a project I participated in while working as the national critic for Eater, where colleagues and I created a list of California’s 38 essential restaurants.
This prior exploration fueled my desire to further understand and appreciate the gastronomic landscape across the state.
Los Angeles represents a cultural microcosm, continuously evolving and sprawling — making it difficult to define.
Each year, with the L.A. 101 guide, the challenge has been identifying which selection of restaurants collectively tells the most authentic and compelling story of the city’s culinary scene at that moment.
As I took this broader trek across the state, I found the same quest for storytelling embedded in this new guide.
For the California 101 project, I opted not to rank the listed restaurants, fully aware that many prefer to engage in debates over ratings and accolades.
Even crafting the singular L.A. 101 ranking can be a daunting task.
In presenting this list, the focus is on offering valuable recommendations rather than laying out a definitive hierarchy.
The 101 restaurants mentioned serve as jumping-off points for exploration and discovery.
Given the sheer volume of exceptional dining options across California, it also proved useful to include ‘extra helpings’ — additional restaurant suggestions based on similar cuisines, thematic styles, or geographical proximity.
For instance, if one’s eye falls upon the highlighted eateries in San Francisco, known for its fine dining, one might initially feel daunted by the prices.
However, continuing through the guide unearths a selection of more accessible dining choices in the same city.
Should you find yourself spending a day in Orange County’s Little Saigon district, the guide includes not only a top recommendation for overall dining but also some local hidden gems to indulge your palate.
A frequently posed question about the California 101 initiative has been: “What surprised you the most?”
For me, the most enlightening discovery was how little I knew about our state capital, Sacramento, prior to embarking on this project.
During my two weeks spent there, I sought to absorb everything the city had to offer.
While I tapped the expertise of colleagues (including those at the San Francisco Chronicle) for recommendations in other parts of the state, I leaned on a close circle of culinarians familiar with Sacramento.
One particular evening, while dining at a decent yet unspectacular restaurant, I posed the question to three local companions about what they believe is the finest restaurant in the city.
In unison, they echoed: “Restaurant Josephine in Auburn.”
A mere half-minute later, I found myself securing the last available reservation for the following evening at Josephine, which lies a scenic 30-mile drive along I-80 from the capital.
At Josephine, I indulged in a California-French feast featuring deep-shelled oysters, duck liver mousse, garlicky escargot, and a succulent pork chop paired with bacony cabbage and apples.
As I savored each bite, the same company gathered around me, their expressions reflecting a knowing satisfaction as if to say, “See?”
And indeed, I saw.
image source from：https://www.latimes.com/food/newsletter/2025-06-14/101-best-restaurants-california-bill-addison
