The 10 best food spots featured in Issa Rae’s ‘Insecure’ L.A.

When Issa Rae moved from Maryland to L.A.’s View Park-Windsor Hills neighborhood as a child, she swiftly learned that the reality of the city’s Black culture defies the stereotypes — gang shootings, cyclical poverty — that it’s often reduced to.

What she found instead, despite the city’s gentrification and the criminalization of Black and brown L.A. neighborhoods, was a home that was much more than a war zone and included wealthy Black neighborhoods like Baldwin Hills, known as the Black Beverly Hills.

In 2016, she launched “Insecure,” inspired by her web series “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl.” Rae wanted to depict Los Angeles, particularly South Los Angeles, as the hub for cultural celebration and community building it is in real life.

The HBO comedy, created by Rae and Larry Wilmore, tells the story of Angelenos and best friends Issa Dee (Rae) and Molly Carter (Yvonne Orji), with story lines focused on the challenges and victories they experience as Black women in their late 20s in everything from their careers to their romantic relationships. In five seasons, the series has taken on issues of racism, mental health, gentrification and much more, all with the vibrant cityscape of Los Angeles as a backdrop.

In many ways, “Insecure” is a love letter to Black and brown L.A., bringing Rae’s dreams for Los Angeles to fruition by showcasing communities and businesses often overlooked — or actively stigmatized — by the media. Her devotion to the city shines boldly and brightly in ways that not all L.A.-set shows successfully achieve. With the series finale set to air later this month, The Times is taking a look back at a number of local businesses highlighted in the series’ run.

Here‘s our guide to 10 local eateries featured in “Insecure,” which not only offer a range of cuisines, but also in many cases give back to the community. If you have an appetite for more L.A. adventures — even after the series has ended — this guide is for you.