Skip to Content

Janette Villafana

Janette Villafana is an award-winning bilingual multimedia journalist. Her heart lies in community-based reporting, and her work is highly centered on showcasing and uplifting community voices, with a significant focus on the Latino community. She developed her beat at L.A. TACO, covering street vending communities in Los Angeles. Past work has been featured on NBC, LAist, Latino Rebels, and more. She is currently featured at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington in an exhibit titled “¡De última hora! Latinas Report Breaking News.”

11 Dog-Friendly Places in L.A. To Eat, Drink, and Play with Your Loyal Pup

From sit-down taquerías to World Beer Cup-winning IPAs and a place that serves a sushi menu for you and your dog, these spaces go above and beyond for you to kick it with your loyal pups.

December 11, 2024

La Virgen de Guadalupe’s Image Has No Borders, a Reminder of L.A.’s Latinidad

From Mexico to Los Angeles, La Virgen de Guadalupe has no borders. Her image can be found anywhere from corner markets to food trucks is a constant reminder that Latinos are presente (here).  

December 9, 2024

The Best Hot Chocolate, Champurrado, and Seasonal Warm Drinks in Los Angeles 

Rounding up the best seasonal warm drinks across Los Angeles. From champurrado, frothy drinking chocolate, to a fermented hot drink named atol shuco, here's a list of spots to keep you warm as the cold trickles into the city.

November 26, 2024

L.A.’s First ‘Paw-nadería’ For Dogs Just Opened Its Doors In Downey, With Pet-Friendly Pan Dulce

After a year of doing pop-ups, Adriana Montoya has opened L.A.'s panadería in southeast Los Angeles, including a menu of all the pan dulce classics, doggie guayaberas, and even 'Paw-cifico' cold ones to crack open with your loyal canine familia.

November 18, 2024

Nine L.A. Restaurants That Will Do Thanksgiving For You, From Pupusas to ‘Chinese Turkey’

From 12-hour-roasted brisket in East L.A. to a Thai feast in Atwater and Chinatown’s famous Chinese Turkey, have a stress-free Thanksgiving and buy your dinner this season at these L.A. restaurants.

November 12, 2024

16 Dodger-Themed Foods and Drinks to Celebrate Them Annihilating the New York Yankees

From baseball-shaped quesadillas in Downtown L.A. to blue esquites, tortillas, and donuts, here’s how to celebrate the team for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

L.A.’s 15 Best Panaderías For Pan De Muerto During Dia De Los Muertos

Los Angeles has the best pan de muerto scene in the country, from sourdough and vegan variations, to recipes that have been passed down through generations. Here are fifteen panaderías around L.A. where you can find the fluffy, gently spiced, sugar-dusted pan dulce that is as delicious as it is crucial to the Dia de Muertos Mexican tradition.

October 17, 2024

Five Delicious Spots to Try In the U.S.’s First Official ‘Little Arabia’ in Orange County

Where to go In O.C.'s Little Arabia for crispy falafel, sticky knafeh, and more.

October 14, 2024

Starting Tomorrow, Sonoratown is Open In Downtown Long Beach

Sonoratown's full menu will be available starting Tuesday, September 17th from 11 AM to 4 PM open Tuesday through Saturday to start. The spacious dining room set in a 106-year-old historic building seats 50 people and has high ceilings for days, making it the biggest—and their most stunning—of their three locations in L.A. County. It's the most anticipated taquería opening in Long Beach this year.

September 16, 2024

Disneyland Sees Peaceful Protest for Palestine During Record-Breaking Heatwave

"The amount of people visiting Disneyland today matches the death toll in Gaza," said one of the signs. The peaceful protest organizers held it in front of the theme park to also bring attention to Disney's $2 million donation to organizations providing humanitarian aid to Israel.

September 9, 2024