Photo credit: Gabby Kaplan

People sit at tables next to the grab-and-go section of the Joan’s on Third kitchen. Joan’s is gourmet marketplace cafe that serves as a great place for gathering with family and friends.

With any drink from an iced coffee to an Arnold Palmer in hand, Studio City inhabitants sit outside a big white building, laughing with friends and eating some of the best brunch food in the Los Angeles area. With two locations, Joan’s on Third’s gourmet market-style restaurant offers options for almost any time of day. This dog-friendly, family-run restaurant is one of my favorites in LA and one I am most likely to recommend to newcomers.

Walking in, you immediately hear the hustle and bustle of the kitchen and the chatter of people enjoying a fresh meal, bursting with the love and hard work put into it. Joan’s on Third has a modern, yet farm-style, feel to it, which is easily shown by the various cow statues in the decor. The only downside to Joan’s is that your average meal plus drink costs around 20 dollars. However, though you may find a cheaper version of these menu items in the area, the food quality at Joan’s will instantly prove itself to be the best.

The owner, Joan McNamara, runs the restaurant alongside her two daughters, Susie McNamara and Carol McNamara Glass. She opened the first restaurant on Third Street in 1995 and expanded to open one in Studio City in 2014. Joan’s is a place to gather, whether that be on Sunday afternoon with family or on a Friday morning with friends who are in town for the weekend.

While the menu offers countless delicious classics, some of my favorites are the strawberry muffin, the Chinese chicken salad, the grilled cheese, the Bonne Femme Omelet and the chocolate chip cookie.

My favorite is the strawberry muffin. I will, with no shame, devour this thing within five minutes if given the chance. The hard, sugary exterior topped with strawberries mixed with the flavorful soft interior makes for the most perfect muffin in the history of muffins. 11/10: would recommend.

Next, the Chinese chicken salad. When I tell you that this might be one of the best lunch items, you better believe it. The salad includes breaded chicken, fried wonton crisps, fresh lettuce and a dressing that has more vinegar than others, but all the more good. This menu item is a must and pairs perfectly with one of Joan’s on Third’s iced lavender lattes on a sunny day.

Equally as good is the grilled cheese. When I go to Joan’s for lunch, there are only three ways to go when ordering: Get the Chinese chicken salad and the grilled cheese and split with someone. This grilled cheese is served on bread toasted to perfection with a cheddar cheese that melts in your mouth. Something to note is that it comes with a little dish of bread and butter pickles that really put the cherry on top of the meal.

Although I’ve only had it twice, the Bonne Femme omelet is where it’s at if you are looking for an eggy meal to start your day. Containing potatoes, bacon, onion and cheese, this simply scrumptious breakfast item screams comfort food. Pair it with a fresh orange juice, and you are set to have a great day.

And finally, to close my list of favorite items, the infamously large chocolate chip cookie. One of my core memories of this sweet treat is when my mom used to bring it home after a lunch with her friends earlier in the day. My sister and I would eat half of this gooey goodness that night and save the rest for our lunches the next day. Though it was hard to resist eating the other half that night, spreading the cookie love into the next day was always a great decision. So, if you couldn’t tell already, I highly recommend this item when you are ordering to go.

No matter the mood you are in, the meal you are craving or the magic you are ready to experience, Joan’s on Third is the place to be. If you’re in the area, satisfy your cookie cravings or enjoy a hearty breakfast at this must-go restaurant that never gets old.