Where To Eat Khachapuri In Los Angeles, According To A Local

Khachapuri is an indulgence. I'll sometimes get the dish for breakfast to power me through a big hike in Angeles National Forest. While khachapuri is traditionally an anytime food, I usually start my morning with the Adjaruli version, which comes with a runny egg and butter in a central pool of molten cheese. To eat the dish, you rip off chunks of the thick, doughy crust to dip in the hot cheese and egg in the middle. Los Angeles has a strong khachapuri scene, so narrowing down my recommendations to these five options was tricky: Momed, Tony Khachapuri at Oui Melrose, Pink Orchid, Tun Lahmanjo, and a frozen version from Super King that you can heat up at home.

Originally from the country of Georgia, khachapuri  is also popular in neighboring countries throughout the Caucasus, including Armenia. Los Angeles has a large Armenian population as well as many Armenian restaurants and bakeries. Throughout my time here, I've tried khachapuri from many different spots, both Armenian and Georgian. While I belong to neither of these groups, I am an appreciator of the dish.

Operating out of the Oui Melrose shop, which specializes in donuts, cookies, burgers, sandwiches, and laffa wraps, Tony Khachapuri makes a delicious example of the Georgian dish. From the outside, the small storefront is easy to miss as you zoom down Melrose. I don't often venture this far west, so I have yet to try the khachapuri with black truffles. I still went beyond a basic version, however, by adding za'atar to the crust. Other toppings include mushrooms, bacon and chives, and soujouk (a cured sausage common to the region).

The crust is fresh and warm, the cheese is hot and creamy, and the egg is runny and rich. The za'atar addition brings a fresh, herby, nutty taste. Adding za'atar (or either sesame or salt) to the crust is free, and the basic khachapuri costs $16.99. The cashier also gave me a free chocolate doughnut (presumably from the Oui Melrose side), which was deliciously fudgy and rich.

Pink Orchid is where I first tried khachapuri. I still bring people here to try the dish, as this Armenian bakery makes a great version. The egg is baked in with the cheese instead of added to the melty center after the dish comes out of the oven. Fortunately, the yolk is still runny and nice for dipping the unadorned crust into. This crust is soft on the inside with a crisp exterior — Pink Orchid is a bakery, after all.

The menu of sandwiches, salads, pizzas, and breakfast items is large, supplemented by a case filled with cakes, baklava, and pastries. I've only sampled the honey cake, but it's a favorite of mine. You'll often see groups of older people here in the afternoon enjoying a slice of cake with a strong Armenian coffee or tea, which is honestly how I aspire to live my life. If you're looking to try more coffee from Armenia, Lumen in Highland Park is a specialty Yerevan coffee shop that makes LA a unique place to wake up in.

Momed's version of khachapuri comes with za'atar and Calabrian chili butter. The cheeses are akawi and smoked mozzarella. Akawi is a Palestinian cheese that's popular throughout the Levant. It has a slight saltiness that helps approximate sulguni, the traditional khachapuri cheese. The smoked mozzarella adds a level of umami, while the Calabrian chili butter brings heat. This is a more complex version of a dish that's beautiful in its simplicity — luckily, it works. The flavors all come together to make a delicious meal.

The restaurant only serves khachapuri for lunch and brunch. Elevated foods from around the Mediterranean comprise the rest of its menu. The flavors are fresh and unique with a wide range of influences. The avocado hummus with peanut salsa macha, muhammara, and wild mushroom manti are personal favorites of mine. I'll often go during happy hour just to have some momo chips — thick-cut fried potatoes with a fluffy interior. Momed's is secreted away in the Atwater Village neighborhood, and it's a spot where I'll take out-of-town guests when they visit LA.

One of the big benefits of living in Los Angeles is its mix of cultures and their respective foods. One of my favorite grocery stores here in Southern California, Super King, embraces the region's international aspect. Armenian-owned, Super Kings around the area focus on providing ingredients at low prices for whichever culture is locally prevalent. My local store is situated within a large Mexican, Armenian, and Levantine population, so that's what it focuses on. I can get akawi cheese, tomatillos, matnakash bread covered with sesame seeds, tahini, dried beans, eight types of feta, wildly cheap cucumbers, Oaxaca cheese, and frozen khachapuri. All I have to do is brave the rows of little old ladies elbowing past me to get the pick of the produce.

The khachapuri in the freezer aisle here is BYOE (bring your own egg) but has the bread and cheese set. You bake it, pull it out to crack an egg on top, then put it back in the oven for a little longer. I haven't perfected the baking process yet. My last khachapuri was overcooked and a little dry, but the lake of melted cheese and runny egg more than made up for the bread.