The chef behind the now-closed has opened a Southern diner-inspired spot in the old Wesburger space. The Mission restaurant serves comfort dishes like patty melts, blooming onions, and of course, chicken fried steak.
As an LA native who loves exploring the far reaches of the city for the most delicious food I can find, I've spent a fair amount of time eating my way through nearby Long Beach. Known for its blue-collar roots and a bustling modern community of artists, families, and entrepreneurs, this once-sleepy beach town is widely recognized as a vibrant place to live, work, and yes, eat. What do you get when you combine all these factors together?
Just look at the British dish of beans on baked potatoes. Yes, it might sound a bit strange at first, but it is a dish that has legs - across the pond, at least. Closer to home, there is another stage of baked potato innovation unfolding, and it is one that you'll want to lock away for a tired night when you simply can't be bothered to cook a meal: topping a baked potato with a frozen dinner.
There is a reason that casseroles are such an enduring culinary category. Not only are they easy to put together, but casseroles are comfort food at its finest: warm, creamy, savory, and especially wonderful when they have a nice, crisp top - and one of the simplest and best ways to top a casserole is with a sleeve of Ritz crackers. There are several advantages to this creative use for Ritz crackers and the buttery crunch complements all different kinds of casserole recipes.
Stromboli, on the other hand, is one of those iconic dishes that we grab as an afterthought with our pizza order, or snag on the fly to snack on in between the day's tasks. However, as the third wave of Italian cuisine in the U.S. unfolds, homemade stromboli steps into the spotlight as more than just the stuff of our comfort food dreams.
Starting with canned black beans and adding a handful of accessible ingredients, the magic of this veggie-forward soup lies within the element of heat. Between chili powder, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, and canned chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, this soup is made to ignite your senses. The recipe also calls for a healthy helping of bell peppers, celery, onions, and carrots along with a zesty punch of lime juice and a handful of savory seasonings simmered in a vegetable broth.
A home-cooked meal is arguably even more satisfying when it's been whipped up in one pot. This fuss-free approach saves time and effort, while allowing you to build rich, complex flavors and making serving a breeze. One-pot cooking has been a go-to in busy households for generations, and many modern favorites lean into this convenient technique. But today we're focusing on some forgotten one-pot classics that bring just as much simplicity, comfort, and deliciousness.
We can thank Campbell's for America's love of broccoli and cheese soup, which inspired us to come up with an even tastier classic broccoli cheddar soup recipe. Naturally, fast food chains have also tuned in to the growing craze, and we reckon that, above all else, Jason's Deli has mastered its proprietary recipe. In Tasting Table's ranking of fast food soups from worst to best, Jason's Deli's broccoli cheese soup came in at a not-too-shabby second place overall.
Skip the kneading and use store-bought refrigerated crescent roll dough to make a quick top crust with homemade-worthy texture. Crescent roll dough is flaky and buttery, rising to golden brown perfection during its tenure in the oven. No need to worry whether your crust will "turn out, this time." Uncross those fingers and let the tried-and-true texture of store-bought crescent roll dough do its thing for your pot pie.
Forget chives and butter. What your baked potatoes really need is a Philly cheesesteak twist. Born on a street corner in Philadelphia, the next-level sandwich has long encapsulated the city's vivacious essence with its bold, intense flavors. Now, just imagine that same greatness crowning steaming hot, fresh-off-the-oven potatoes. No longer is the starchy base just predictably creamy and boring. The dish's overflow of cheese-smothered meat and veggies ensures that it arrives at your table dressed in the finest flavors.
For the uninitiated, shepherd's pie is an old-school classic. It's a casserole consisting of meat and mixed veggies, topped with fluffy, mashed potatoes. According to the History Channel, shepherd's pie is a traditional Irish dish, though the British and Scottish have also made claims to it. A similar version called cottage pie, in fact, pre-dates it. The main difference between the two, as any stickler will tell you, is that shepherd's pie uses ground lamb, whereas cottage pie uses ground beef.
That's both a sweet treat and a comfort food, especially when it's fresh out of the oven. The downside is that it takes time to make and bake, and then when it's done, you have a whole cake to deal with. The obvious answer, here, is to make a mug cake when you need "a little something" to help you cope. It's a single serving, it's warm and comforting, and it comes together just about as quickly as you can stir.
If you are a lover of all things fall, or simply enjoy a big hug in a bowl, then this super comforting apple cinnamon oatmeal recipe is for you. To make this warming spiced breakfast option, diced apple is sauteed in a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple syrup until soft and lightly caramelized. Oats, chia seeds, milk, and salt are then added to the pan and simmered until the oatmeal is thick and silky.
When it comes to comfort food, few dishes deliver like a classic casserole - bubbling, cheesy, and filling enough to feed a crowd without breaking the bank. That's the idea behind poor man's casserole - an easy lasagna bake that blends egg noodles, ground beef, cream cheese, and tomato sauce that's topped with, you guessed it, cheese. It's hearty and endlessly flexible, and one of those meals that hits the spot every time.
As autumn settles all over France, the light becomes moodier. Cinderella pumpkins spring up in the markets, along with wild mushrooms, and crisp heirloom apples. Kitchens are alive with soul comforting food- and no one evokes that spirit better than The Cook's Atelier's Marjorie Taylor who helps run a French cooking school, boutique kitchen, home store and wine shop in Burgundy. The Cook's Atelier's most recent book French at Heart contains 100 go-to recipes that exemplify living well, the French way.
In the bustling world of food and beverage trends, where viral flavors and plant-based dining dominate headlines, there's something refreshingly authentic about a humble noodle soup that has quietly sustained Hawaii's soul for over a century. Enter Aina Saimin, a culinary gem that represents more than just another restaurant concept: it's a living testament to Hawaii's unique food culture and the enduring power of comfort food done right.
If you grew up in the '80s, you probably have comforting memories of sitting cross-legged on the living room floor, watching cartoons while munching on your favorite foods. Perhaps you enjoyed the tangy-sweet mess of sloppy Joes or the magical layers of Jell-O Pudding Pops that defined your childhood. These comfort foods represented simpler times full of bustling weeknight dinners, after-school freedom, birthday party joy, and the unmistakable taste of childhood.
Cheesy funeral potatoes are so unfortunately named that some may hesitate to whip up the recipe for an occasion. However, the dish is not only filled with comfort, it can also feed a crowd and isn't difficult to master. Most recipes are packed with canned soup, sour cream, butter, cheese, and seasoned potatoes that are finished with corn flakes and tossed in the oven to cook.
The martinis are cold, the oysters endless and every table sounds like a dinner party. Lately, going out for martinis, fries, and oysters has become the night-time version of matcha and froyo - a ritual, a little luxury. But when did our "savory treats" become so... French? From West Village bistros to London brasseries, French cuisine - once dismissed as too heavy or too fussy - is suddenly what's on everyone's lips. After years of small plates and coastal Mediterranean, we're saying oui to butter,
2. A 24-pack of macarons because is a Girl Dinner *really* complete without *INHALES* chocolate, vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, espresso, pistachio, raspberry, and cassis-flavored sugary goodness to top it all off? I think not.
Fine dining and fast food definitely have their place in the foodie world, but there's nothing that hits quite like one of those classic comfort food dishes. We'd go as far as to argue that there's something about a perfectly-made, pillowy, flavorful meatball that makes them kind of the backbone of comfort foods. Whether they're served up in a rustic Italian wedding soup or a classic Swedish meatball dish that's perfect for when the weather starts turning cold, we'll never say no.
