Want to Eat Like an A-List Star? Here Are the Best Restaurants to Spot Celebs in L.A.

Celebrities—they’re just like us! Well, except that A) they make a lot more money B) they get free stuff just for being celebrities and C) no one ever photographs or keeps detailed records of the places where we like to eat.  

We’re serious about that last one—there are endless websites dedicated to tracking and documenting celebrity sightings at different restaurants, bars, and cafés all around Los Angeles. If you're itching to spot Katy Perry or Ryan Gosling while you're in town, here's a short list to get you started. Don't think of it as a stalker starter kit; think of it as a guide to dining like your favorite celebs (and maybe, maybe catching a glimpse of one). 

Lady Gaga, table for…well, actually, she almost certainly rented out the entirety of this Venice eatery when she held her 31^st birthday party there in March. Elton John and Johnny Depp were both in attendance on that particular evening, but you’ve got a good chance of spotting celebrities even on days that don’t celebrate Gaga’s birth. Prince Harry, for example, made a pit stop here on his last stateside trip. 

A 340-seat rooftop, gorgeous views, slick cocktails and trendy menu options: even if this seafood restaurant wasn't a celebrity haven you should still probably find a way to pencil it in to your next West Coast trip. But assuming you do stop by to try and catch someone famous, here's a condensed list of who's been spotted in the past: the Jenners/Kardashians, Nas, Cindy Crawford, Paris Hilton, Jamie Foxx, Mariah Carey, David Beckham, Zach Braff, [pause for breath] Hillary Duff, Quincy Jones, Larry David, Brie Larson, Jennifer Lopez, Miranda Kerr—you get the picture. It's good eating meets good star gazing.

Co-owned by Robert DeNiro, it’s probably not much of a surprise this Italian eatery is popular among A-list actors. Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, and Bruce Willis are among the many celebs who have been spotted here, along with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who celebrated 12 Years A Slave's best picture Oscar by heading here after the ceremony. 

Rule of thumb: if a restaurant is good enough for Jay-Z’s birthday, it’s good enough for us. By that token, Café Gratitude is gold. Jay and his wife (her name is Beyoncé, maybe you’ve heard of her?) dined at this vegan restaurant during a 22-day meat-free diet. According to LA Magazine, the couple ordered the “I Am Pure” kale salad, “I Am Humble” curried lentil bowl, the “I Am Transformed” corn tacos, and the “I Am Delighted” chocolate truffles. (Ed note: “I Am Annoyed” by the way this menu is named.) 

There are a lot of Alfreds throughout the L.A. area and, from the sound of it, you’ve got a decent chance of running into celebs at just about any of them. In particular, patrons at the Melrose Place location have included Joe Jonas and Kendall Jenner, the latter of who probably comes here for tea when she’s tired of a certain soft drink. (We couldn't resist.) 

Selena Gomez, Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, Victoria Beckham, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga—there’s really no celebrity who hasn’t dined at this Italian eatery in Santa Monica. The star you’re most likely to spot here is, without question, Rihanna. Speaking about the restaurant, Rihanna told Vogue, “If I am in town six days, I’m here six days a week,” before casually ordering calamari and a bottle of Pinot Noir. How is EVERYTHING she does so cool? 

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Jon Hamm, Katherine Heigl, Michelle Williams, Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds—this small, hip Italian joint in Los Feliz is catnip for celebrities. The person you’re most likely to run into here, however, is Ryan Gosling, who dines so frequently he’s been spotted coming and going at least three times in a two-week span. They must be doing something right. 

Katy Perry has listed the Four Curry Chicken Salad at Urth as one of her favorite foods back in 2009, but she’s not the only one digging in at this downtown L.A. coffee house: Demi Lovato, Sia, and even the Biebs have been spotted here as well. Those names alone seem like enough to help us ignore the fact that Urth is perhaps the least flattering sounding name of any café ever.