The stress of holiday cooking and shopping should never overshadow all the excitement and quality family time abound! We've made lists of holiday essentials, from the perfect place to make reservations on Thanksgiving or New Year's Day to our favorite pies, eggnogs, and festive treats. It's probably way easier to pick up a few pies from a local bakery than it is to find room on the counter to roll out pie crust while dozens of relatives whirl around the kitchen..........and we bet everyone will enjoy themselves just as much, no matter where the pie came from.

Vegan Eggnog at Gracias Madre in West Hollywood

PERFECT HOLIDAY MEALS TO-GO

EREWHON MARKET, Multiple Locations
BARREL & ASHES, Studio City
REPUBLIQUE, Mid-Wilshire
THE LARDER at Tavern and Burton Way
MANHATTAN BEACH POST, Manhattan Beach
AKASHA, Culver City
M CAFE, Multiple LocationS

FESTIVE TREATS OF THE SEASON

SPICED GOAT CHEESE & PUMPKIN PIE ICE CREAM, SALT & STRAW, Multiple Locations
CHRISTMAS TIRAMISU, PORTO'S BAKERY & CAFE, Multiple Locations
SUFGANIYOT, BIBI'S BAKERY & CAFE, Pico-Robertson
PEPPERMINT BARK, SWEET ROSE CREAMERY, Multiple Locations
BÛCHES DE NOËL, JOAN'S ON THIRD, Multiple Locations

PIES, PIES, PIES

THE PIE HOLE, Multiple Locations
ATTICUS CREAMERY & PIES, West LA
KNOWREALITYPIE, Eagle Rock
CAKE MONKEY BAKERY, Fairfax
RUCKER'S PIES, Hancock Park

THANKSGIVING DINNER SPOTS

THE PIKEY, Hollywood
NICK + STEF'S STEAKHOUSE, Downtown
71ABOVE, Downtown
NAPOLEON & JOSEPHINE, Hollywood
THE LITTLE DOOR, Beverly Grove
AR CUCINA, Culver City

MUST-TRY EGGNOGS

GRACIAS MADRE, West Hollywood
HINOKI & THE BIRD, Century City
THE HUNGRY CAT, West Hollywood

OUR FAVORITE HOT CHOCOLATE

LAVENDER HOT CHOCOLATE, CAFE DEMITASSE, Little Tokyo
MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE, CACAO MEXICATESSEN, Eagle Rock
OAXACAN CHOCOLATE DE LECHE, GUELAGETZA, Koreatown
CHOCOLATE CALIENTE, CHURROS CALIENTES, West LA