If you have ever talked to locals about the foodie scene in Los Angeles, surely you have heard of Sqirl. Chef Jessica Koslow has received numerous awards and recognition across tons of major channels, such as Food and Wine, Wall Street Journal, Rising Star and Eater. Sqirl has been named one of the top restaurants in LA by several notable critics and magazines, including Jonathan Gold. Sqirl sits in hipster Silverlake in the tiniest spot on Virgil Ave. If it weren’t for the long line wrapping around the corner, you would miss it completely.
The service is meant as a fast-casual dine-in – you wait in line, order and pay, and sit down to await your food. The turn-around is quite fast so don’t worry about the line. It shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes to get through. It is quite “cozy” – you are most likely on small cramped picnic tables.
The prices are on par with most restaurants of this caliber in LA – about $25 per person I’d say. That is, if you don’t add on too many of their freshly baked goods at the front of the line (their cookies are to die for). The best part is you can take anyone here despite dietary restrictions. Most menu items are vegan and/or gluten-free!
While Sqirl is complimented for innovative dishes and farm-to-table classics for breakfast and lunch, their preserves (jams and spreads) are the star. You will see Sqirl jam in all sorts of places all over LA – other restaurants, markets, fairs and more.
Since Sqirl’s jam is the star, one of their most famous breakfast items is the famed ricotta toast with seasonal jam on top. They take a thick piece of their freshly-baked brioche toast, add a heaping layer of fresh ricotta cheese on top, and finally top off with a layer of their chosen seasonal jam (my favorite is the strawberry because I am basic). The Sorrel Pesto Rice Bowl is my favorite savory menu item. The pesto is so light and citrusy and gets balanced out beautifully with the hot sauce and poached egg. When you go to Sqirl, you must have their jam and their brioche at the very least.
Sqirl’s Hot Menu Items
- Sorrel Pesto Rice Bowl = Kokuko Rose Brown Rice, Sorrel Pesto (nut free), Preserved Meyer Lemon, Lacto-Fermented, Hot Sauce, Radish, French Sheep Feta, Poached Egg
- Green Eggs and Jam Tartine = Creamed Spinach, onion jam, “toad in a hole” with wild arugula
- French Toast = Brioche Stuffed with Jam Jam & Baked “Pain Perdu” Style Served with Creme Fraiche
- Famed Ricotta Toast = Burnt Brioche Toast w/ House Ricotta, Choice of Seasonal Jam
- Horchoffee = Vegan horchata shaken with a double espresso
- Sweet Latte = Latte with homemade simple syrup (they do not have any flavored syrups)
- Rhubarb Lemonade
Sqirl (720 N Virgil Ave #4, Los Angeles, CA // 213.394.6526)