Old and new meet to great effect at this Culver City restaurant that embraces wood-fired cooking and classic Southern foods with skill and precision. That means the cornbread is of the white cheddar variety and comes with shishitos, cultured butter, and sea salt, and meats, such as the Hunter’s Style rabbit schnitzel, are hearty yet inventive. Quaint decor that would be at home in a Victorian-era home, a magical garden, and that semi-secret Old Man Bar in the back make it all the more special.

Darkened, crusty loaves of sprouted rye, ancient grains, and other naturally leavened breads give this Culver City shop its name, but there’s a whole menu waiting to be discovered that pivots around the breads. There is toast, including an artful rendition of avocado toast with sliced radishes and sea salt. Also available are hot dishes such as shakshuka, wood-fired cauliflower, and an ancient grain waffle. Owners Or Amsalam and Alexander Phaneuf are often behind the counter, and there’s an undeniable family feel whether you stop in for a big-as-your-head cinnamon roll or for a pizza piled high with wild mushrooms.

Many an island expat has made Rutt’s a second home for a plate of spam and eggs or perhaps a mixed plate special with rice, macaroni salad, steamed veggies, and three meats for lunch. The restaurant has been around since 1976 and is on its second location, but the casual island attitude remains, along with a laundry list of Hawaiian comfort foods.

Another old-school favorite, Tito’s Tacos has cornered the Westside hard-shell taco market since 1959. Its basic beef taco — shredded meat, crisp iceberg lettuce, and a sprinkle of orange cheese, served with chips and salsa — is what draws the nostalgic crowds. Day or night, there’s almost always a line, but it moves quickly. While mostly a takeout joint, there’s an indoor dining room and outdoor tables for crunching into that taco pronto.

Vegans dine like carnivores at this Culver City spot with hot wings, taco salad, banh mi, tacos, and pizza on the cheese-free, plant-only menu — the range of food, plus the 24 beers on tap, might just attract seasoned meat eaters too. On sunny days, the outdoor patio is the place to be with its mature trees and string lights. Inside, the high-ceilinged industrial space feels warm thanks to the reclaimed barn wood on the walls. One of three LA Sage locations, this one is the largest and serves breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner and has a family-style menu for big groups.

It’s an LA truism that applies here: Sometimes the most underrated sushi spots are in strip malls. Chef Mickey Horino, who named his restaurant after his hometown in Japan, is a constant presence at the bustling Culver City eatery. Expect a sushi-only lunch four days a week and dinner five nights. The simple but well-done sushi menu has the expected nigiri, plus rolls along the lines of spicy scallop and eel avocado, and a few special rolls. Dinner adds things like salmon skin salad and black cod.

The giant red-and-white bucket high above its entrance offers a clue as to what’s cooking inside this longtime Westside spot. Yes, fried chicken has been the big draw since Dinah’s opening in 1959, meaning generations of Angelenos have given the crisp bird pieces the nod. That said, the diner-style menu offers a bevy of choices, from burgers to sandwiches to breakfast items such as baked German apple pancakes, Belgian waffles (order them with fried chicken if you like), and omelettes. If the red leather booths look familiar, it’s because the restaurant was featured in The Big Lebowski.

This classic, family-owned Westchester haunt has been around since 1958, and its futuristic Googie coffee shop design has gotten a nod from the Los Angeles Conservancy. Still, it’s the friendly service, big portions, and better-than-average execution of classic breakfast and lunch favorites — waffles, sunny-side-up eggs, fried chicken, salmon patties — that keep people coming back.