About this episode

Luca and Father Sal discuss the implications of the new North America's 50 Best Restaurants list and share their recent dining experiences.

This week on the LA Food Podcast, Luca and Father Sal dig into the new North America’s 50 Best Restaurants list and what it says about the state of dining in Los Angeles, New York, Canada, New Orleans and beyond. LA landed four restaurants on the 2026 list — Holbox, Providence, Somni and Kato — while major Bay Area names fell off, raising the question of whether Los Angeles has fully closed the gap as California’s most exciting fine dining city. Before that, Luca shares the launch of Pizza Run Club , his pizza-fueled marathon fundraiser for Soccer Without Borders, and the guys trade recent eats from Anna Pizzeria, Etra, La Burg, Bridgetown Roti, La Coupe and Pasjoli. Then, in Chef’s Kiss / Big Miss, they debate Pizzeria Sei being named one of the best pizzerias in America, Dudley Market’s seafood controversy, Connie & Ted’s closing, Eric Greenspan’s deli comeback at Mish, restaurants becoming a political issue in LA, and whether even the Baklava Guy can make Sal feel anything positive about the Knicks. LINKS WE PROMISED TO SHARE: Pizza Run Club sign-up Robert Haleblian's article The last time we covered North America's 50 Best

People in this episode

Hosts: Father Sal, Luca

Topics covered

• North America's 50 Best Restaurants
• fine dining
• pizza
• restaurant controversies
• Los Angeles dining scene
• recent eats

Keywords

• North America's 50 Best
• fine dining
• Los Angeles restaurants
• Pizzeria Sei
• Dudley Market
• Pizza Run Club
• restaurant controversies
• recent eats

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Soccer Without Borders, Dudley Market, Pizzeria Sei, Connie & Ted’s, Mish

Books & works: North America’s 50 Best Restaurants, Pizza Run Club

Places: Los Angeles, New York, Canada, New Orleans, Bay Area

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