You might name a hundred reasons why Los Angeles is the best city on Earth, and nobody would argue with that.
Unluckily, keto-friendliness is not on the list—it was a challenge to find spots that have the words “keto” or “low-carb” mentioned in their Yelp reviews.
Did we give up? Hell no.
If you’re hanging out in the City of Angels and ravenous about your food, these 15 incredible spots got your keto cravings covered.
Table of Contents
Culture Club 101
Culture Club is a savior for those who want their food to fit into their keto macros and be more than, like, bleh. Customized broth bowls, savory salads (egg, cobb, waldorf, and others), bulletproof lattes, and impeccable roasted chicken—extraterrestrial cooking that is somehow perfect for your low-carb cravings. As come back to earth after finishing your meal, make sure to grab some almond butter from their market—it’s almost impossible to not become addicted to it.
Wild Living Foods
“Top tier healthy eating finally made easy”, said one keto-minded Yelper, also calling this spot a savior for all keto followers. Indeed, the name of this place speaks for itself—all ingredients are organic, fresh, and natural, and every single dish looks like a vivid piece of art. But what makes it so keto-friendly? Sun-dried in-house made tomato-coconut wraps. These totally shift the gear from run-of-the-mill lettuce wraps, and the best thing is that they don’t even taste like coconut. Speaking of other keto options, the only issue is that Wild Living Foods has too many of them.
Cyclo Noodles
Noodles don’t go well with keto and we all know it. But is it possible to fix it? When you’re at Cyclo Noodles, the answer is yes. For an extra $1.50 any high-carb option can be substituted with Shirataki zero carb noodles, creating more than a dozen keto-friendly soup options with seafood, chicken, or beef. Just one tip: before ordering a Chicken Lettuce Wrap ask the staff about how it looks—their definition of a wrap differs slightly from a traditional one.
Max City BBQ
Searching for a BBQ joint which is decent both on meat and sides is like trying to find a unicorn. Well, maybe not quite literally because no one has ever seen this horny equine yet, but it’s definitely hard. Actually, it used to be hard—Max City BBQ is changing the game. First, their meat shines on its own—you won’t even need a sauce. Second, their coleslaw serves as the definition of the perfect cabbage salad. Lastly, their greens… so amazing you will be fighting over them with your friends (tip: order bigger sides). Following keto? Do not hesitate to reserve a table.
Soh Grill House
As eggs are for omelets, meat is for keto—that’s the law of the low-carb jungle. But who is the biggest ape in the wild? Not sure about the size, but speaking of modernity, Soh Grill House state-of-the-art grill technology coins a new definition of Korean BBQ. Grilled to perfection? Forget about this boring stuff—you can burn it down to whatever degree you want… completely smoke-free. Go nuts, and don’t hesitate to garnish your bonfire with spicy keto-friendly bibimbop or something less mysterious to your taste.
The Boiling Crab
As soon as you see their signboard, you don’t need any further explanation—it’s all about boiling seafood. What makes this place so keto-special? Apparently, the ridiculously long line combined with a constant lack of parking lots. Oh, and it also might be the fact that those guys have been tossing crustaceans into hot water for years, totally killing it. As for carbs, you don’t need to worry—keto-friendly is The Boiling Crab’s middle name. Just dump all those potatoes and be a bit picky with sauces.
Bulletproof Coffee
If you ask an average human about his ideas on bulletproof coffee, what would the ingredients be? Say, cinnamon, caramel, probably some sugary cream—basically everything that adds a well-known treacly taste and is totally unacceptable on keto. Bulletproof Coffee shifts the gear—now it’s all about MCT oil, coconut milk, and high fat content. It might be too ambitious to call it a restaurant, but they clearly have some tables. And a couple of options with avocados. Totally worth stopping by from time to time.
Rocco’s Cheesecake
Have you ever seen a website that was designed so ridiculously bad that it is actually good in some weird unexplainable way? Have you ever found the interior of the cafe so gaudy and tasteless but at the same time so frighteningly attractive? Hail to this little pink gem in Santa Monica, which generously allows you to experience both of these bizarre feelings simultaneously. And be sure you will have to because these keto-friendly cheesecakes and cookies are no doubt the best in L.A.
Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong
If we were challenged to describe this spot in just three words, “pricey keto heaven” would’ve served best. What makes Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong stand out? Thousands of top-rated Yelp reviews, upbeat pop music, unlimited sides, top-notch meat, and servers who grill it for you in a lit and lovely atmosphere. If you’re into keto and your kids are into BTS, this place will give you the best of both worlds.
Pollo a La Brasa Western
They have grilled beef hearts, rib-eye steaks, and some salads, but you need none of them—the only two words a cashier should hear from you are “rotisserie chicken.” Why? Maybe because of their wood-burning fire oven, maybe because of the huge multi-line spit which allows fatty drips to circulate from top to bottom and back so hens are cooked evenly in their juice as the spit rotates. Or maybe because of some unexplainable Peruvian magic which turns this hole-in-the-wall spot into a magnet for all poultry lovers in town. Who knows, who knows…
Feng Mao Lamb Kebab
Either these guys are trying to set a fume hood size record, or their skewer-brazier variation of KBBQ is that smokey indeed. One thing remains perfectly clear—their charred squids, prawns, or lamb are inimitable. Charcoal flavors mixed with the scent of burning meat in a loud and boisterous atmosphere—this is how you eat kebab in L.A. Speaking of carbs, this place is as keto-friendly as any BBQ joint could possibly be. So, if you ever wanted to give toasted chicken gizzards a try, Feng Mao Lamb Kebab has got you covered.
Chengdu Taste
Szechuan cuisine is mostly famous for one notorious sauce and food that is all spicy. In Chengdu Taste, the food is not spicy but rather numbing due to Szechuan peppercorns—their unique flavor is already a decent reason to stop by. Other reasons are toothpick cumin lamb, baby ginger rabbit, and fish in green pepper sauce. Just make sure to skip all the rice and noodles menu sections and your keto diet is out of any danger.
Thirty5 Degrees
Simple, quick, and reasonably priced—this is the fastest way to describe this small cozy spot on the first floor of a two-story plaza in the north of Huntington Park. Inside, the story is mainly about wraps and salads, and we all know how tangled it can be sometimes. So, what about keto? First, the veggie wrap, the champion of flavors. Second, veggie soup, just for some extra fiber. And third, all sorts of chicken-strawberry salads. Probably none of these are special by themselves but mixed with the friendliest and the most attentive service ever, they make a great combo.
Shabuya
Mussels? Check. Baby crabs? Check. All sorts of greens? Check. All keto-friendly? You bet. But it’s not a surprise since the name of the restaurant derives from shabu-shabu—an Asian hotpot dish made with thinly sliced meat, chicken, poultry, or seafood, usually served with veggies and tofu. What makes it even better? Weekday lunch AYCE for a couple dozen bucks, no lines, and an atmosphere which will blow you away. Any flies in the ointment? Four people per table limit, so you better not tell all your friends about this gem.
Sustainabowl
Stopping by a bowl joint, you usually expect to just have some greens instead of rice and be happy with it. When you enter Sustainabowl, you can forget about it because keto actually means something in here. Local executive chief is breaking this boring run-of-the-mill bowl creation routine with the unsurpassed attention he gives to the food he prepares. Not saying that he’s passionate about keto, but he clearly knows the rules of the game. With a pinch of luck, you might get him personally helping you create your bowl. If ten Yelp stars were possible, they would’ve got it for sure.
Bonus: Keto-Friendly Pick-ups, Stores, and Deliveries
Sometimes things change.
No eating out and no cooking—it should be just you, Netflix, and your favorite keto food.
Sounds familiar?
No worries, we got you covered.
FitChow
Following keto while using food delivery services has never been easier—FitChow has created a separate keto section for their keto-friendly meals. Unluckily, their delivery area is quite small, but you can always pick up your order at either of their two stores while driving back home.
Sugar Free Markets
If you are on keto but can’t live without cookies, this might become your favorite place in L.A.—they’ve got dozens of keto-friendly options with just 1g carbs per serving. Cheesecakes, lava cakes, lemon pies, chocolate cookies—they’ve got everything a keto sweet-tooth could ever dream of.
Milk and Eggs (merged with GrubMarket in July 2019)
Milk and Eggs shortens the distance between farm and fork to 24 hours, delivering fresh artisan foods right to your door every morning. As for low-carb options, they have a designated keto section on their perfectly-crafted website. Avoiding traditional grocery stores at the cost of a couple of clicks—saving your time has never been that easy.
UPDATE: As we were publishing it, Milk and Eggs announced the partnership with GrubMarket who, as they say, will continue their vision. Hopefully, they are as passionate about keto as Milk and Eggs were. At least, they have Keto FarmBox to start with.