New arrivals from heavy hitters are heating up L.A.’s food and drink scene, from revamped Hollywood staple La Dolce Vita to The Maybourne Beverly Hills’ rooftop outpost of iconic New York City restaurant and bar Dante.
Dante Beverly Hills serves signature takes on the Negroni, spritz and martini PHOTO BY ASHLEY RANDALL
DANTE BEVERLY HILLS
“The original Dante opened in 1915 as a meeting house for Italian immigrants in New York City,” says Linden Pride, who, in 2015, took the reins of the Greenwich Village institution that’s hosted creatives from Ernest Hemingway to Patti Smith to Jerry Seinfeld. Along with his wife and partner, Nathalie Hudson, Pride continued Dante’s legacy as an unpretentious community gathering place, while embracing the tradition of aperitivo: “a coming together over shared bites and delicious European-style cocktails.” After welcoming London-based Claridge’s, The Maybourne Beverly Hills’ sister hotel, for a spring 2022 pop-up at Dante West Village (Pride’s second Dante outpost), the teams sought to continue the collaboration with Dante Beverly Hills. “As Australians, we’ve always been inspired by the California lifestyle and cuisine,” says Pride, whose wife oversaw the creative transformation of The Maybourne’s rooftop. Pass under a cove ceiling with an Italian-inspired fresco by L.A. artist Abel Macias into an alfresco dining area with a wood-fired oven, transporting trees and flowers, a stunning pool and views of Bel-Air. “We see this space as an Italian garden—lush, green and surrounded by stunning local plants, water and white marble tables,” Pride says. Enjoy Dante’s Italian- and Mediterranean-inspired favorites like fresh ricotta with charred marinated peppers and tagliatelle al limone alongside signature takes on the Negroni, spritz and martini. New dishes and cocktails employ local ingredients, and an aperitivo hour will feature live music from artists like pianist Louis B. Middleton. But what you can expect most from the winner of many global best bar accolades is a special and memorable hospitality experience—“a celebration of life.” Says Pride, “That is why we’re here.” dantebeverlyhills.com
co-owner Linden Pride also helms Dante’s New York City locations. PHOTO BY ASHLEY RANDALL
chef Nick Russo created a menu of Italian American classics. LA DOLCE VITA PHOTO BY SHELBY MOORE
La Dolce Vita’s all-booth dining room LA DOLCE VITA PHOTO BY SHELBY MOORE
LA DOLCE VITA Originally opened in 1966 by investors including Frank Sinatra and George Raft, legendary Beverly Hills Italian eatery La Dolce Vita closed its doors during the pandemic—until Med Abrous and Marc Rose of Call Mom (The Spare Room, Genghis Cohen) set out to continue its legacy. “It’s an under-the-radar, iconic restaurant that, even though it’s been around since the ’60s, is not necessarily known to most people,” says co-owner Abrous of the neighborhood Hollywood hangout for notables from the Reagans to Tom Ford—which Rose attributes to the level of privacy afforded by owners and former Villa Capri waiters George Smith and Jimmy Ullo. “The layout remains exactly the same and our design intention was to preserve its magic,” says Rose of the all-booth dining room reimagined to juxtapose the old and the new, with ’60s vintage sconces, ’80s Italian chairs and replicas of the “Sinatra” stool at a handsome bar with extended lounge. Chef Nick Russo (Ink) nods to his Italian American upbringing in L.A. with traditional dishes like buffalo mozzarella with eggplant caponata; his grandma’s spaghetti and meatballs; and veal parmigiana, which diners can pair with vintage wines acquired at auction or Michael Toscano’s twists on martinis and classic cocktails. Completing the team is Christos Kalabogias (Tower Bar, San Vicente Bungalows) at the front of house, and servers donning Italian-made uniforms by Leo DiCaprio’s tailor that conjure Casino. Hints Abrous, “It was important to incorporate high-touch service elements that add a little theater to the experience.” ladolcevitabeverlyhills.com
La Dolce Vita’s new owners Marc Rose (left) and Med Abrous LA DOLCE VITA PHOTO BY SHELBY MOORE
Angler’s sea snails ANGLER LOS ANGELES PHOTO BY JAKOB LAYMAN
Angler Los Angeles’ dining room features warm, rich materials ANGLER LOS ANGELES PHOTO BY JAKOB LAYMAN
ANGLER LOS ANGELES
After making waves with Michelin-starred Angler San Francisco, Saison Hospitality brought the brand’s sustainable seafood and signature hearth and live-fire cooking to West Hollywood in 2019. When it closed in spring 2022, the group took some time to reconceptualize the Beverly Center-housed eatery. “Our goal with reimagining the space was to nurture a more social aspect to the dining room by bringing more visibility to the new main entrance on La Cienega, and creating an overall fun energy,” says Saison Hospitality chief of staff Jessica Kapoor. John Sofio of Built Inc. transformed the venue with warm, rich materials such as Italian white oak floors, mahogany walls and vintage wallpaper, and created separate spaces. “The bar now has a dedicated lounge to allow informal gatherings for guests, while the dining room is well balanced and more intimate,” Sofio says. Culinary director Paul Chung’s new menu reflects L.A.’s diverse cultures— as well as his Southern and Korean upbringing. Pair dishes like hot fried California striped bass collar and seaweed rice with sangria towers, punch bowls or refreshing cocktails like the Sea Spray. Chung notes the L.A. menu is 90% different from the waterfront San Francisco property’s—and the vibe differs as well. “With L.A. we had to take a different approach and cater the experience to reflect more of a downtown city vibe,” he says. anglerla.com
Jeremiah Brent designed stunning Culver City French restaurant Juliet PHOTO BY: SHADE DEGGES
JULIET
“Paris is one of my favorite cities in the world, and traveling there over the years, I was struck by how the culinary scene was evolving,” says Rohan Talwar of IB Hospitality (Norah, Margot). “Many people think that Parisian food is heavy and rich bistro fare, but modern Parisian food is much lighter and brighter, and influenced by global flavors.” Juliet, his new venture with Joseph Miller and David Fishbein of Runyon Group, reflects the way Parisians are dining now—serving light seafood and hyperseasonal vegetables, and open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Pair popular dishes like oysters with cucumber and trout roe or chilled mussels and sauce verte with nearly 50 by-the-glass wine selections from French producers, which come in accessible sizes such as 1-ounce tastes and half glasses. This spring will see a more elaborate caviar program and even more vibrancy to the outdoor patio—which was what drew Talwar to this space in Culver City, near his restaurant Margot. “We have a generous sidewalk and outdoor patio, which is unique in L.A.,” he notes. “It feels like a mini-destination in itself.” The first hospitality project of AD 100 designer Jeremiah Brent—with whom Miller and Fishbein worked on neighboring home store Atrio—the French-inspired venue features a walk-up marble bar, a communal wooden table and floor-to-ceiling iron doors that open to a stunning shaded terrace. Talwar and Brent shared similar goals for Juliet: “To create a lasting space that was an ode to Paris but decidedly made for Los Angeles,” Talwar says. juliet.la
Juliet’s endive salad PHOTO BY: LIZ BARCLAY
Jeffrey Best modeled APB after a vintage greenhouse. PHOTO BY: ROB STARK
APB Celebrity event planner and The Hideaway owner Jeffrey Best noticed that his family and friends began eating vegan dishes much in the same way they took to any cuisine, like ramen or Thai food. “We are not vegan full time, more like aspiring vegan,” he notes. “With that said, having a bar-lounge-dining concept that would allow vegans the opportunity to be the lead rather than the addendum seems to make sense.” Best and his business partner Ken Jones set about transforming the former Darkroom space into tropical vegan paradise APB (All Plant Based)—complete with delicious cocktails from master mixologist Julian Cox that use only vegan-certified alcohol, and plant-based sushi and menu items from chef Niko Zaragoza’s Niku Nashi. “The street and space are timeless,” says Best of the Melrose Avenue venue—the interior of which he modeled after a vintage greenhouse and serves as “a temple to plants.” Guests can sink into a trellised booth surrounded by transporting greenery and enjoy dishes like No Yellowtail jalapeno carpaccio made from mushrooms, or veggie udon noodles. The Beets By J tequila concoction and 5th & Adams mezcal drink are among his favorite cocktails, and as a nod to wellness, APB will offer a “0 Hour” menu for non-imbibers and be alcohol-free every Sunday. apbmelrose.com
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