At the heart of California’s luxury lifestyle, Los Angeles is one of the world’s most iconic cities. As home to Hollywood and its entertainment industry, people from the world over visit LA to see its most famous productions and landmarks, and hope for the chance to meet their heroes from the silver screen.

With such a heady mix of glitz and glamour, it's no wonder that LA is home to some of the finest delicacies across the country. LA’s thriving food industry offers its own unique dishes, as well as putting its own twist on some of the best loved cuisines from around the world.

If you are planning a visit to LA make sure you try these five unsung heroes of the Los Angeles food scene.

French Dip

Named after the French bread used in creating these delicious hot sandwiches rather than referring to its country of origin, the trademark of French Dip is the beef dripping ‘jus’ which is served with the snack.

It’s unclear where the French Dip Sandwich originated from; LA landmark restaurant Philippe claims to have created the French Dip by mistake. The story goes that a French roll was accidentally dropped into a roasting pan filled with drippings. The customer who had ordered the sandwich agreed to eat it anyway and returned the next day with friends all asking for the “dipped sandwich”. 

No trip to LA would be complete without a French Dip; the combination of a crusty French roll, tender roast meat topped with cheese and Philippe’s own “jus” is out of this world.

Thai

You would be forgiven for LA not being your first thought when thinking of Thai cuisine, but trust us it should be. Jitlada on West Sunset Boulevard is the most popular Thai restaurant in town, with its impressive specialities from Thailand's southern regions including the most amazingly spicy dishes your tongue could meet.

Strawberry Donut

The strawberry donut is one of those LA delicacies that once tried is never forgotten. Available during strawberry season at The Donut Man, located on the iconic Route 66 and open 24 hours a day, the donut is filled with fresh strawberries and coated in a signature glaze, and definitely requires both hands to eat. Words cannot describe the combination of the glaze, the ripe strawberries and sweet donut; you simply have to try it for yourself.

Hickory Burger

You can’t go to the US without trying at least one burger and you can’t go to LA without trying The Apple Pan Hickory Burger. The Hickory Burger has a devoted following and after just one bite you will fall in love with the beef patty covered with a sweet and smoky hickory sauce, topped with mayonnaise, pickles and iceberg lettuce for a little crunch. If you like it cheesy, you can add a slice of melted Tillamook cheddar as an optional extra.

These are just a few of the heroes of the LA food scene, but to fully explore all the amazing restaurants and delicacies the city has to offer, hire a car from one of our LA pick up points.