Here are 15 fabulous fast-casual restaurants in Los Angeles that are great options for takeout during quarantine!
When I think of fast-casual restaurants, I immediately think of Panera. You order and pay for your food at the register, then they bring it to your table or you grab it from the counter. Your total comes out to be about $15 no matter what you get. The food seems pretty healthy, and the restaurant seems equally popular for dine-in as it is for takeout.
Southern California takes fast-casual to another level. These restaurants are classy with aesthetic menus and have avocado everything. When you’re in LA, there is absolutely no reason to be going to national chains (not even Chipotle!) when there are so many other delicious places to try! I love going to one of these places after a photo shoot for a quick dinner before I start editing.
If you’re looking for a quick bite to eat, I highly recommend checking out these fast-casual restaurants in Los Angeles!
Note: Be sure to check each location’s hours online during COVID-19, as some locations might be temporarily closed.
Sandwiches/Salads/Soups ~~~~~~
California Chicken Cafe – menu
Santa Monica, Venice, Westwood, West Hollywood, Downtown LA
Do you like chicken? If yes, this is the place to go! Here you can get juicy rotisserie chickens, salad with chicken, and chicken wraps! The salads are large and come with pita bread, so it can definitely become two meals. CCC is always popping, so prepare for a small wait even if you call in your order.
My order: Chinese Chicken Salad, whole wheat pita, extra dressing on the side
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Greenleaf Chopshop – menu
Santa Monica, Venice, Century City, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Downtown LA, Pasadena
I love salads, I really do, and Greenleaf is my favorite place to get one! They use a ton of colorful ingredients in their salads and bowls and they’re delicious. The menu is pretty extensive, so they also have sandwiches, bowls, brunch, and other healthy entrees. If I had to eat at one fast-casual restaurant for the rest of my life, I think it would be Greenleaf.
My order: one of their seasonal salads, they’re usually listed at the restaurant, so you have to go and order in person
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Joan’s on Third – menu
Fairfax, Studio City
Joan’s is kind of more of an artisanal marketplace, but they also have a small menu of breakfast all day, sandwiches, and salads. They also have a ton of yummy baked goods and pastries! The menu changes all the time, so it’s best to go in and order at the counter!
My order: breakfast burrito
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Lemonade – menu
Santa Monica, Venice, West Hollywood, Larchmont, Downtown LA, Studio City, Toluca Lake, Glendale
I first tried Lemonade after my USC college tour, and that may have been a reason why I wanted to apply there hehe. I love that there are so many options at Lemonade! In pre-pandemic times, you grabbed a tray and a plate and there were a ton of containers of hot and cold food and you tell the server what you want and you get served cafeteria-style. You can also order sandwiches and bowls. And of course, they always have a variety of lemonade flavors.
My order: some sort of veggies and a cup of half regular mac & cheese/half white truffle mac & cheese
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Mendocino Farms – menu
Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey, El Segundo, Brentwood, Century City, West Hollywood, Culver City, Fairfax, Downtown LA, Pasadena, Studio City
Mendocino Farms is a better version of Panera, with more creative sandwiches, salads, soups, and sides. You can’t really go wrong, here. They also have seasonal specials!
My order: Italiano Classico sandwich
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Urth Caffe – menu
Santa Monica, LAX, Melrose Ave, Beverly Hills, Downtown LA, Pasadena
Urth’s menu is extensive and honestly kind of overwhelming, it takes me forever to choose what I want! This place is good for any time of day. There are delicious pastries and desserts, as well as soups, sandwiches, and salads. They also have a ton of other entrees like lasagna if you’re looking for a heavier dinner. This is definitely my favorite fast-casual restaurant in Los Angeles!
My order: Butternut Squash & Ricotta Pizza and the Blended Black Tea Boba
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Well-Balanced Plates ~~~~~~
Fresh Corn Grill – menu
Santa Monica, Westwood, West Hollywood
If you’re looking for a balanced meal, Fresh Corn Grill is great! They have soup, salads, sandwiches, pizza, and pasta. There are also customizable plates where you pick your protein and sides.
My order: Grilled Specialty Plate with skirt steak with sides of grilled zucchini and mashed potatoes
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Tender Greens – menu
Santa Monica, El Segundo, Marina Del Rey, Westwood, Culver City, Century City, West Hollywood, Hollywood, Downtown LA, Burbank, Studio City, Glendale
Similar to Fresh Corn Grill, you will find balanced protein/carb/veggie meals here. I love how everything at Tender Greens is so fresh and well-seasoned. They serve brunch, salads, bowls, soups, and sandwiches. You can also build your own plate! I find that their portions are pretty average/borderline small, but they’re tasty!
My order: plate with steak, kale salad, and mashed potatoes
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Cuban ~~~~~~
Porto’s Bakery and Cafe – menu
Burbank, Glendale
Good things come in pink boxes (iykyk), but even better things come in yellow boxes from Porto’s. At one of my summer internships, we had Porto’s delivered every other Friday for breakfast, and I was introduced to all the delicious golden pastries and croquettes! The menu is kind of like Urth Caffe but for Cuban food, so you can get sweet and savory pastries, cakes, as well as more complete plates and meals. I hate driving to Burbank more than anyone, but trust me, this is worth it. Definitely order extra pastries to go!
My order: guava and cheese strudels, potato balls, spinach and feta empanadas, ham croquettes…literally everything is so good, try them all!
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Indian ~~~~~~
Samosa House – menu
Santa Monica, El Segundo, Culver City, Silver Lake
Samosa House is all vegetarian, and it’s super tasty! You can order typical Indian items like dosas and chaats, but you can also order Chipotle-style and fill a tray of food and pick different entrees. My favorite part is the naan (check their Yelp for better photos). They make them fresh, so it comes out puffy and warm – yummmm.
My order: 2 item combo plate with white rice, chicken tikka masala, another entree, yogurt, garlic naan
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Mediterranean ~~~~~~
Cava – menu
Santa Monica, Westwood, Culver City, USC Village, Pasadena
I call this place the Mediterranean Chipotle and I desperately wish Cava expanded to the Seattle area!! In Chipotle fashion, here you build your own bowl or pita. You pick your base of greens or grains or both, then your dips and spreads (think tzatziki and hummus), then your protein, and your toppings and dressings. The bowl comes with a piece of pita bread. These are pretty big bowls and I often have enough for lunch the next day.
My order: a greens+grains bowl with romaine lettuce, saffron rice, tzatziki, hummus, red pepper hummus, grilled chicken, pickled onions, diced cucumbers, kalamata olives, crumbled feta, pita crisps, tomato+cucumber salad, with lemon herb tahini dressing
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Mexican & Tex-Mex ~~~~~~
HomeState – menu
Playa Vista, Hollywood, Highland Park
I tried queso and Texan tacos in Austin for the first time in at Torchy’s Tacos in 2019, and I fell in love! Thankfully there are a few HomeState locations in Los Angeles, and I can get my breakfast tacos and anytime tacos fix. They also serve migas, kale cabbage salad, frito pie in a bag, and a Texas toast sandwich.
My order: Comal breakfast taco, Brisket anytime taco, and the big queso & chips
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Tocaya Organica – menu
Playa Vista, El Segundo, Santa Monica, Venice, Westwood, Century City, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Hollywood, Downtown LA
Think Mexican food, but super Instagram-ready. Tocaya has a bunch of bowls, salads, tacos, and burritos. I also really like their lemonades! If you dine-in, they come in cute mason jar cups with paper straws. I’ve heard their alcoholic beverages are good too! This is the epitome of aesthetic fast-casual restaurants in Los Angeles. If you step into a Tocaya, you’ll understand what I mean.
My order: fajita del rey bowl, guacamole + plantain chips
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American ~~~~~~
The Pizza Press – menu
West Hollywood, North Hollywood
MOD Pizza and Blaze Pizza aren’t bad or anything, but in my opinion, Pizza Press is just better. There was one near my college in Orange County, and it was one of my favorite places to go! Pizza Press a newspaper-themed pizza chain, and it has signature pizzas called “The Times” and “The Chronicle.” You can also “publish” your own pizza, which is what most people do. The variety of toppings is on another level with a ton of veggies and meats and an amazing 10 types of cheese!! You can also use the toppings to create your own salad.
My order: Publish Your Own Pizza with a pink sauce base, mozzarella, perlini mozzarella, smoked gouda, ricotta, pepperoni, kalamata olives, basil, green bell peppers, basil pesto sauce
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Shake Shack – menu
El Segundo, Marina Del Rey, Century City, West Hollywood, Downtown LA, Hollywood, Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena
In-N-Out is nice because it’s super cheap, but if you’re looking for something a little more flavorful, definitely go to Shake Shack. While it was founded in New York and there are restaurants all over the country, if you’ve never tried Shake Shack before, why not in Los Angeles? There’s a line at all hours of the day and it might cost you $20, but I’d say it’s worth it. They have burgers, fries, milkshakes, and custard. If you don’t eat red meat, there’s chicken and a vegetarian mushroom burger. I always leave absolutely stuffed!
My order: single patty Shackburger, cheese fries, strawberry shake
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What are your favorite fast-casual restaurants in Los Angeles? Let me know if I missed anything in the comments below!
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