Zagat’s Top Los Angeles Area Restaurants Picks

Los Angeles - Spago is still the most popular restaurant in Zagat's annual Southern California survey released today, but another Beverly Hills eatery, Matsuhisa, topped the list for food quality and The Edison in downtown Los Angeles got the top score for decor.

Rodeo Drive's Ursawa was the No. 1 restaurant for service, and also made it into the top five for food quality.

Rounding out the top five for food quality were Angelina Osteria, Asanebo and Melisse. For decor, the top five included Culina Modern Italian, Belvedere, Bazaar by Jose Andres and Saddle Peak Lodge.

For service, Urasawa is joined in the top five by Melisse, Providence and Sam's by the Beach.

The annual survey rates the top 25 restaurants in the Los Angeles metro area, based on 2,027 eateries surveyed by 11,166 diners, according to Zagat. The survey has grown from 370 restaurants in 1987.

In addition to Spago, restaurants that still made the cut after 25 years were Chinois on Main, El Cholo, Grill on the Alley, Ivy, Jitlada, Michael's, Parkway Grill in Pasadena and Pink's, the venerable hot dog stand on La Brea Avenue.

According to Zagat, gourmet food trucks are the "best development" in the Los Angeles restaurant scene, with 24 percent of those surveyed saying they follow their favorites via web-based social networks. Among the 57 top-rated trucks were Kogi Korean BBQ, Grill 'Em All and Shrimp Pimp.

Other popular food trucks were Coolhaus (ice cream), Nom Nom (Vietnamese), Great Balls on Tires (meatball sliders), Lobsta Truck (seafood) and LudoTruck (eclectic/sandwiches).

Notable newcomers to the top 25 restaurant list were the Savory, Scarpetta in the Montage Beverly Hills, chef Michael Voltaggio's Ink, the Patina Group's Ray's & Stark Bar at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Cleo in Hollywood's Redbury Hotel and Mezze in West Hollywood, which was named the "best dining neighborhood."

The average meal price rose about 2 percent to $35.56 -- a penny more than the national average, according to Zagat, and Angelenos remain among the frequent restaurant-goers nationwide, eating out 3.1 times per week.

Before the recession the eat-out rate was 3.8 percent, according to Zagat.