Sqirl is the café that launched a thousand West Siders’ cars on the I-10 East. Opened in 2011, the small East Hollywood cafe, which only serves breakfast and lunch, quickly became known for its ricotta toast: a thick piece of burnt brioche with a layer of whipped ricotta and dollops of their signature homemade jams. The restaurant has sustained its hype for over a decade—and withstood a controversy that led to calls for its cancellation—because the entire menu is delicious. Lines still snake down the block to get the sorrel-pesto brown-rice bowls (made with preserved Meyer lemon and lacto-fermented hot sauce) and daily pastries, from yuzu morning buns to pistachio olive-oil loaves. —Jensen Davis

Jensen Davis is the Junior Editor at Air Mail