tartine manufactory

San Francisco is such a great food city, but one that I really haven’t gotten the chance to explore all that much. A few months ago when I was spending a night there before heading out to wine country, I made it a top priority to make dinner reservations at Tartine Manufactory. You’ve probably heard of Tartine Bakery before, or at least drooled over their tasty looking baked goods on Instagram, but did you know they also have a chic restaurant in a bright, industrial space in the Mission District? I’d been following them for a while, and practically every dish I see is calling my name. The menu draws from local, seasonal California ingredients, and of course offers some killer pasta and bread. There’s a huge bakery in the restaurant, and I can only imagine how many fresh loaves of sourdough they’re churning out each day (check out all those proofing baskets stacked up below!). It’s worth having a glass of wine at the bar and just watching the entire process unfold. Serious bakers are practically my idols! PS- if you’re looking to get into baking yourself, I highly suggest you start out with the critically acclaimed Tartine Bread book. It’s full of foolproof classics that are sure to satisfy your cravings.

Getting back to our meal, it did not disappoint in the least. We tried a bunch of dishes (as evidenced by scrolling through the slideshow above), and while it would be easy to say the bread was the highlight of the meal, that really wouldn’t do the rest of the food justice. The lamb meatballs were delicately spiced and served with a deliciously creamy, yet earthy fava bean purée. One of my faves was the marinated artichoke with fennel and pistachio- such a unique dish, and a total flavor explosion. The slightly sweet, caramelized fennel paired perfectly with the hearty pistachio spread. Yum! Most people would agree that once you’ve tried homemade pasta it’s hard to go back, and Tartine’s pasta will really do you in. Classically simple, non-fussy, and perfectly al dente! Of course my favorite part of any meal is dessert, so I naturally (greedily?) chose the one that serves 2-4 people! Although it was not my first time devouring the PB&J ice cream pie, it was just as decadently tasty as I remembered. Seriously, the peanut caramel and peanut cookie crust take this treat to another level entirely. Don’t forget to stop by the ice cream counter on your way out for a cone to-go, and definitely take a freshly baked loaf of bread for to enjoy at home! Good news for those in Los Angeles- you don’t have to drive eight hours to enjoy all that Tartine has to offer- a Southern Cali outpost is opening soon!

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botanica market & restaurant

our favorite romesco // seared winter vegetables, charred leeks, peewee potatoes, almonds, cilantro, farm fried egg

morning mezze // roasted squash hummus, roasted beet-apple salad with dukkah, 6-minute egg with salsa verde, marinated olives, Bub & Grandma's bread

Oh my, Botanica Market & Restaurant. Where to even start?! One of my new neighborhood spots since being in LA has been this gem of a place, and it honestly couldn't be more up my alley if it tried! Seasonal vegetables, homemade baked goods, refreshing cocktails, natural wines... the list goes on and on. While the restaurant isn't vegetarian by any means, they emphasize vegetables, fruits, and grains, creating delicious, balanced, and fulfilling dishes that would satisfy anyone. I love their belief that healthy cooking doesn't have to be boring, but rather vibrant, creative, and super satisfying! You'll find tons of color and flavor on the menu at Botanica, along with a touch of Middle Eastern flair. I have yet to be disappointed in anything I've tried, and I love tasting new things each time I visit. The morning mezze offers a rotating mix of things like roasted squash hummus, roasted beet-apple radish salad with dukkah, a 6-minute egg with salsa verde, olives, and that wonderfully chewy Bub & Grandma's bread! Heaven! Most recently I got the smoked beet tartine, with fromage blanc, pickled onions & smoked beets on Bub & Grandma's bread with arugula, herbs, pistachios & puffed wild rice! So many delicious textures and flavors, and so much more exciting than a simple salad. Botanica is the perfect spot for grabbing a quick cup of coffee and pastry in the front market, as well as for a wonderfully relaxed meal on the foliage-filled back patio. Making a reservation for dinner is next on my agenda, and soon! Trust me, this is not a place to skip on your next trip to Los Angeles!

turkish eggs // poached farm eggs, aleppo-urfa butter, garlicky yogurt, charred scallions, lemony salad, cornmeal foccaccia // maple bacon

fattoush-y salad // caramelized spiced lamb, chopped spring vegetables, sumac croutons, roasted garlic labne, za'atar vinaigrette

lodge bread co.

I'll just come right out and say it- I'm obsessed with Lodge Bread Company. This bakery and café in west LA focuses on whole grain sourdough bread baking, freshly milled flours, and wood-fired pizzas, and truly impresses in all ways, if you ask me. Every day, Lodge Bread churns out some seriously delish and hearty bread, unique pastries, and both Neapolitan & pan pizzas, not to mention some tasty wood-fired veggie dishes as well. It's truly everything I want in a meal- carbs and sweets! I'd been eyeing the (gigantic!) sourdough cinnamon roll ever since I first saw it on Instagram, and finally indulged on my most recent visit. It's not overly sweet, thanks to a lighter, whipped frosting and that hearty whole grain sourdough, but utterly delicious with the perfect amount of cinnamon flavor! Next on my must-try list is the babka!

I've now gotten to try a good variety of things from the menu, and have yet to be disappointed. Upon first entering the bakery, after checking out the bakers handling the dough with such care , you'll find the beautiful array of pastries baked fresh that day. I highly recommend trying a couple (or five). Other than the cinnamon roll, the pine nut blondie and the carrot olive oil cake are to die for! The wood-fired cauliflower with pickled raisins & chermoula is just bursting with flavor, as are the roasted beets with chicories, cara cara oranges, labne & pepitas. You can't come to Lodge without ordering pizza. Trust me, just do it. My pan pizza was thick and chewy, almost like a slightly crusty sourdough focaccia, piled high with roasted veggies. Our sweet pea pie was the perfect seasonal treat, topped with snap peas, pea tendrils, green garlic & ricotta! I'm now drooling again just thinking about this meal, so looks like a return trip is in my very near future!

golda kitchen

Okay, y'all- I'm going to go out on a limb and say I have a new favorite restaurant in Brooklyn. Golda Kitchen is an all-day New American café with the perfect touch of Middle Eastern flavors that serves some seriously tasty breakfast and lunch fare. Local, seasonal ingredients truly shine here, but one of major highlights for me is the beautiful case of freshly baked pastries! There are tons on offer each day, and the flavor combinations are equally unique and delicious. I wanted to try one of each on my recent visit, but managed to narrow it down to a pumpkin olive oil cake with labne frosting and a plum-soaked brioche with pistachios. Glory, were they scrumptious! Our savory dishes didn't disappoint either, and I loved my charred broccoli rabe plate with sweet potato, figs & soft-boiled egg. The sandwiches are pretty impressive as well, as you can see from the photos below. Talk about a mouthful!

Click through the photos to read more about our meal, as I honestly cannot say enough good things about Golda. Really dying to try some of their other goodies as well- how good does hot chocolate with malted tahini marshmallows sound?! Or romanesco & kale moussaka with egg & flax-pinenut streusel?? Or finally, how about persimmon & gingerbread cake with rye flour, whey caramel & labne?! I'm literally obsessed with all these flavor combinations, and cannot wait to go back to Golda again soon!

top shop byron bay

Byron Bay is truly one of the most magical places. I got to spend a few days there with friends on my trip to Australia, but I'd gladly return at the drop of a hat! It's a picturesque beach town, with tons of cute shops and places to eat. I've raved about my love for Aussie food culture before, but it's seriously the best. I love the idea of going out for a leisurely breakfast or lunch, sitting outside, and enjoying all the fresh flavors the season has to offer. Top Shop Byron Bay is a popular little corner store and café (super close to where we stayed!) that focuses on local and organic produce, and makes some really great coffee! We stopped in multiple times on our three day getaway from Sydney, and practically everything on the menu is right up my alley. The acaí bowls come topped with tropical fruit, dried coconut, and granola, and are the perfect refreshment after a morning in the sun. I became particularly obsessed with the maca-mango smoothie, made from mango, macadamia nut milk, and macadamia nut butter. Oh my glory it was so delicious, and I cannot wait to recreate it at home! My husband was a fan of the breaky burger, which comes fully loaded with egg, bacon, and avocado! All the homemade baked goods are laid out on display to tempt you as well, and they are absolutely worth the indulgence. Top Shop is totally my kind of spot, one that I definitely wish there were more of stateside!

sweets by chloe

I obviously love a baked good, vegan or not. But when a bakery can whip up delicious treats without using butter or eggs, it's pretty impressive. I'd been wanting to try Sweets by Chloe for some time now, and finally stopped by during fashion week on a quick break between shows with a friend. The daily menu consists of several types of cookies, cakes, cupcakes, and breads, all of which are baked from scratch daily. Although the banana cream pie, carrot cake, and cinnamon espresso chocolate chip cookie all looked tempting, we decided on the peanut butter everything cookie and a slice of the matcha chocolate babka. The cookie was super peanut buttery with a nice texture from all the various mix-ins (oats, nuts, raisins), however it could've been baked just a bit less for my taste. The babka, however, was amazing! The subtle hint of matcha paired perfectly with the melted chocolate. I loved pulling it apart layer by layer to reveal more ooey gooey pockets! Doughy and delicious! I can't wait to go back and try the Chill by Chloe ice creams too. How good does coffee ice cream with homemade cinnamon rolls sound, or what about a push pop of salted caramel ice cream with homemade banana bread? Yum!!!