Graduation season is upon Los Angeles. Parents and extended family members are traveling in for the occasion, while students are wrapping up finals and preparing to walk across the stage into a new, postgraduate phase of life.
This year, due to nationwide pro-Palestine protests on college campuses, some of those annual celebrations look a little different. Citing security concerns, USC canceled its mainstage commencement and held a smaller ceremony at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum last week; attendance was limited to graduates, their families and loved ones.
At UCLA, a pro-Palestine encampment was destroyed with more than 200 protesters arrested, though graduation ceremonies remain on schedule for June 13 through June 16. At other campuses across Southern California, campus life is marching on as usual, with some students heading home for the summer while others enter the “real world” of interviews and job hunting.
Dining options near college campuses usually are focused on convenience and affordability, such as the USC Village development that opened in 2017 with a Trader Joe’s and Starbucks below new student housing. Fine-dining options fit for a special occasion like commencement can be harder to come by.
But in the neighborhoods just outside of L.A.’s college campuses, there are plenty of restaurants that affirm the city’s status as a global food capital and are fit for a celebratory meal. Whether you are visiting for college tours or helping a family member move in or out of the dorms, skip the student dining experience at least once for establishments that offer a rich glimpse into the city’s culinary world, from a classic deli near Cal State Northridge to Yucatán-influenced seafood near USC, Persian cuisine within walking distance from UCLA, Colombian comfort food convenient to Cal State Long Beach and more.