best pizza, tacos, and cheap eats in west hollywood

West Hollywood doesn't exactly have a reputation as a budget-friendly city. But if you know where to look, there are genuinely great meals here that won't require a valet and a credit card you're afraid to open. Here's where to eat well without overthinking it.

Pizza

Pura Vita Pizzeria at 8274 Santa Monica Blvd is the move for plant-based pizza done right, and we mean that even if you're not vegan. The wood-fired pies here are blistered and chewy in all the right places, and they pour natural wine by the glass without being weird about it. It's casual enough for a Tuesday but pretty enough for a date. Rated 4.7★, which tracks. Try to snag a spot during brunch hours if you want the full spread. Street parking on Santa Monica can be hit or miss; try the side streets off Westbourne.

Tacos

For tacos, head to Las Perlas at 7511 Santa Monica Blvd. Yes, it's primarily a mezcal bar, one of the best in the city, but the food here punches well above its weight. The tacos are straightforward, properly seasoned, and priced like they want you to come back. The patio is a good hang, and on nights when there's live music, it feels like the whole block wakes up. Rated 4.6★. Go early on weekends before the line forms at the bar next door.

Cheap Eats Worth Knowing

The Original Farmers Market at 6333 W 3rd St is technically on the WeHo edge, but it belongs on this list. Specifically: Du-par's for pancakes that have been feeding Angelenos since 1938, and Magee's Kitchen for a bag of mixed nuts and dried fruit you'll finish before you hit the parking lot. The whole market runs on a stall-by-stall logic, you wander, you point, you eat. Rated 4.6★. Parking is validated in the structure off 3rd.

Galanga Thai Fusion at 7440 Santa Monica Blvd is one of the few genuinely affordable sit-down restaurants in the neighborhood, one dollar sign on a WeHo block is worth noting. The pad see ew is the order. There's a patio, they take reservations for groups, and the portions are generous. Rated 4.5★.

Joey's Cafe at 8301 Santa Monica Blvd is a neighborhood staple that hasn't forgotten it's a neighborhood cafe. Two dollar signs, a patio, solid brunch, and the kind of eggs-and-coffee situation that doesn't require a twelve-step decision. Rated 4.5★. Good for solo dining.

The Griddle Cafe at 7916 W Sunset Blvd is the classic WeHo weekend brunch spot, big pancakes, bigger portions, long lines. Two dollar signs. Go on a weekday if you can. The red velvet pancakes are the thing everyone orders and everyone is right to order. Rated 4.4★.

A Few Notes

West Hollywood parking is genuinely annoying. Most of these spots have street parking nearby if you're willing to walk two blocks, which, in WeHo, is asking a lot of some people, but you'll be fine. Several city lots along Santa Monica are metered and reasonable during off-peak hours.

None of these spots will make you feel like you wandered into the wrong restaurant. That's the point.