'Brunchographers' Bloggers Veronica and Johnna's Guide To LA

For Johnna Todesco and Veronica Kablan, brunch isn't just a meal— it's one of the greatest connectors of life. Not only does their popular blog and Instagram account Brunchographers highlight their mouthwatering food finds from the best brunch spots around Los Angeles and beyond, but it also documents their favorite weekend ritual, which always consists of coffee, cocktails and conversation, of course!

The brunch-loving pair met in LA while working in animation production and decided to join forces to share delicious and beautiful brunch foods with the world. They also offer approachable recipes to make at home, discuss their favorite food-related products and services and provide inspiration for entertaining or throwing a brunch party.

Although the duo moved to the "vibrant, diverse and delicious" city several years ago, they are still amazed by the endless variety LA has to offer. "There’s something for everyone here, no matter your interests, passions, or background, and that goes especially for food," Todesco and Kablan explain. "Whether you’re looking for something new and innovative or traditional and classic, LA has it all."

It goes without saying that the pair has brunched all around the city, frequenting spots like Playa Provisions and Jon & Vinny’s. However, they also enjoy outdoor movie screenings at Hollywood Forever Cemetery and spending the day shopping, eating and strolling down Abbott Kinney Blvd. Check out the rest of these LA foodies' delightful suggestions for a day on the town:

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What neighborhood do you live in? Both live on the West Side — Johnna in Culver City and Veronica in Playa Vista.

Describe Los Angeles in three words: Vibrant, diverse, delicious

What’s your favorite overall Los Angeles restaurant? Johnna: Osteria Mozza, because it’s so comforting and feels special. Veronica: Elf Cafe in Silverlake for its amazing food and for fond memories made there.

Best things on toast: Lodge Bread in Culver City. Their fresh sourdough bread is unreal, and it’s even better when sliced thick, toasted and slathered in almond butter and honey, topped with avocado and fresh radishes, or sprinkled generously with cinnamon and sugar.

Best things in bowls: Botanica in Silver Lake. Garnished with flowers, herbs and microgreens, the food here is some of the most beautifully presented you will find, and it backs up its good looks with serious flavor.

Best weekday breakfast: Huckleberry in Santa Monica. It’s delicious enough to suffer the long lines that queue up on weekends, but if you can manage a visit on a weekday, you’ll find your breakfast somehow even more delicious when served with a side of peace and quiet.

Best bagel with lox: Gjusta Bakery. Whether you choose a bagel or a bialy, you’re in for a treat. We wholeheartedly recommend going for open-faced, because you’re going to want to load up on the delicious toppings and house-smoked fish.

Best pastries: It's a tie — either Dominique Ansel LA for a cronut (no matter the flavor, these are always wonderful) or Republique for just about anything.

Best French toast: A.O.C. in Beverly Grove. Topped with mascarpone, sweet berry compote and marcona almonds, Suzanne Goin’s Vanilla Bean French Toast is absolute heaven on a plate.

Best doughnuts: For an absolutely perfect glazed yeasted donut, Randy’s Donuts cannot be beat. If you like to mix up your flavors and try something new, try Blue Star Donuts on Abbott Kinney Blvd.

Best Sunday brunch: Veronica’s Pick: Jon & Vinny’s. Between the soft-scrambled eggs with burrata, the perfectly simple thin-crust pizzas and the fact that they take reservations (a rare find at brunch!), you really can’t go wrong. Johnna’s Pick: It’s so hard to choose, but my new favorites are Neighbor in Venice and Jaffa on 3rd Street. The both have delicious food and fun vibes! I do love Jon and Vinny’s too. Oh, the pizza…

Best brunch by the water: One of our favorite brunch experiences is at Playa Provisions in Playa del Rey. Just a short walk from the beach, this breezy, multi-concept space evokes the feeling of summer vacation all year round. Plus, the food is creative and delicious! Be sure to grab an ice cream cone or a cup of coffee on your way out.

Best spot for a quick lunch: The cafe side at Akasha in Culver City. We love the Wild Planet Tuna sandwich and the Bahn Mi with tofu and can’t resist bringing back an almond milk latte back to our desks with us — their house-made almond milk is delicious!

Best cup of coffee: The Assembly in West Hollywood. Between the lovely back patio and the super-friendly baristas, this is a perfect spot to relax and take a break from your day.

Best pizza: The pizza scene in LA is an interesting one. Given that we’re both from the East Coast, where pizza is taken very seriously, it’s taken a while to find pizza places we really enjoy. Mozza is of course wonderful for that perfect dough and fun combinations, Jon & Vinny’s has that down-home pizza that also feels so elegant and special and La Rocco’s in Culver City is our go-to local New York style pizza. Can you really go that wrong with pizza, though?

What hotel would you recommend for your out of town guests? While we’ve never actually stayed there ourselves, we love to send folks to the Culver Hotel in downtown Culver City. Between its unique history and its proximity to an awesome array of shops and restaurants, it’s one of the most accessible and charming spots in the city!

Favorite shopping venue or boutique: As hipster as it may sound, we really love a day spent strolling down Abbott Kinney Blvd. Start off with a laid-back brunch at Neighbor or Gjelina, thumb through the stacks of handmade cards at Urbanic Paper Boutique and Burro, ogle over the shiny jewels at Sofia Kaman, stop in for a coffee at Intelligentsia, admire the incredible Japanese pottery at Tortoise General Store, try on some cool new clothes at Buck Mason or Principessa and finish it all off with a double scoop from Salt & Straw or a donut from Blue Star (or both?). Perfect day.

Favorite charity event or organization: We both enjoy volunteering at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank in Downtown L.A. As people who spend a lot of time focused on food, we feel especially motivated to contribute to an organization that works so hard to alleviate hunger in our community.

Favorite cultural event: In the summertime, we always make a point to enjoy one of Los Angeles’ many outdoor movie screenings. The best of the best of these is at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery — we love the movie selections, the DJs and the warm sense of community that occurs at these events. And — no surprise here — we love having the opportunity to put together a lavish picnic spread! There’s not much better than sitting under the stars with your friends while sipping wine, noshing on delicious treats and watching a classic movie.

Favorite cultural institution: Grand Central Market. We will take almost any excuse to stop by and wander the stalls there. It’s so much fun to ogle over the beautiful cheeses and meats and take in all the gorgeous sights and smells from the wide variety of food vendors. There’s easily something for everyone — tacos, falafel, deli sandwiches, ramen, pupusas, ice cream, coffee — oh, and Filipino rice bowls. Definitely don’t skip those.

What’s the best museum or current exhibit in Los Angeles? The Getty Museum and The Getty Villa hold the gold standard for an excellent museum experience in Los Angeles. Both museums house an incredible amount of art in their permanent collections, while offering thoughtfully-curated rotating exhibitions and live theater and musical performances throughout the summer. Better yet, it’s all set against a backdrop of some of the most jaw-dropping architecture in the city.

Best historic or iconic Los Angeles landmark to see or explore: The Griffith Observatory is an unforgettable Hollywood icon. Either hike up the hill to get some exercise and fresh air, or drive up and enjoy an afternoon at the science museum. And if you ever need a bit of perspective in your life, the museum’s planetarium show is the perfect reminder of how tiny we are when compared to the overwhelming vastness of the universe. It’s a good reset for those times when you realize you’ve had your nose glued to your iPhone for as long as you can remember, obsessing over all the tiny details in your Instagram feed.

What’s your all-time favorite spot in Los Angeles? Maybe this sounds cheesy, but it’s gotta be the beach at sunset. Even though we live so close to the ocean, it’s easy to let weeks go by without seeing it. But even if we saw it every day, we’re sure that those cotton-candy sunsets would never get old.

The best aspect of Los Angeles is: Its incredible amount of variety and diversity. There’s something for everyone here, no matter your interests, passions, or background, and that goes especially for food — whether you’re looking for something new and innovative or traditional and classic, LA has it all!

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Image Credit: Johnna Todesco and Veronica Kablan