Los Angeles welcomed several notable restaurant openings in February 2026, ranging from coastal Mexican seafood spots to Swedish-inspired fine dining. These debuts highlight diverse culinary influences and sustainable practices in the city's evolving food scene. Highlights include family-run mariscos in East LA and a permanent cafe in Altadena.
Los Angeles continues to expand its dining landscape with a series of openings in February 2026, as detailed in a recent Eater LA roundup. The month featured a mix of permanent spots from pop-ups, expansions, and chef-driven ventures across neighborhoods.
On February 7, chef Anthony Plascencia launched Mariscos Los Corchos in a former East Los Angeles beauty salon. This family operation draws from the Plascencia family's roots in Puerta de Mangos, Nayarit, Mexico, offering dishes like whole barbecued Mexican pargo or barramundi, spicy shrimp and fish tostadas, and crab tinga tostadas made with fresh tortillas. Plascencia emphasizes sustainability by using the entire fish for a rich oceanic consommé.
Swedish chef Marcus Jernmark opened Lielle in Pico-Robertson on February 12, transforming the former Bicyclette space into a 42-seat venue with a seasonal four-course menu priced at $150 per person. Jernmark, previously a partner at New York's Aquavit and involved with Restaurant Frantzén in Stockholm and Zén in Singapore, plans rotating dishes such as aged squab, barbecued abalone with seaweed rice, and a 36-hour proofed bread course using Rouge de Bordeaux wheat. A sister restaurant, Marée, is slated for later in the year next door.
Liu’s Cafe expanded to Westwood on February 13, replicating its Koreatown menu with items like Chiayi chicken rice, spicy wontons in chile oil, and Hong Kong-style French toast with lava custard. The new location adopts a vintage Hong Kong cafe aesthetic with sage greens, warm wood, and tiled floors, though pastries are no longer available at either site.
In Paso Robles, chef Charlie Palmer debuted Cattlemen’s Bar at the historic Paso Robles Inn on February 21. The Western-style spot serves updated ranch fare, including cornflake-crusted chicken drumsticks, pulled pork croquettes, chili, a dry-aged beef burger with white cheddar, hot honey chicken biscuit, and steak au poivre. Cocktails feature twists like the s’mores Old Fashioned with marshmallow syrup and the Ranch Hand using pomegranate.
Finally, Bevel Coffee transitions to a permanent cafe in Altadena on February 28, led by owner Kevin Mejia. Across from Prime Pizza, it offers drinks like cardamom lattes, Speculoos lattes, flat whites, and vanilla elderflower lattes, using beans from Honduras roasted in Monrovia. The menu includes loose-leaf teas, matcha lattes, and baked goods from Bakers Kneaded and Mustard’s Bagels.