Bavel, with its bright, cavernous space outfitted with tons of greenery and stunning Middle Eastern fare from Ori and Genevieve Menashe of Bestia, is an escape in the heart of the Arts District. Dredge blistered housemade pitas through spreads like duck ‘nduja-topped hummus and baba ganoush made with eggplant and beets before moving on to beef cheek tagines, and you won't be disappointed.

Packed since the day it opened in 2012, Ori and Genevieve Menashe’s acclaimed California-Italian restaurant has made a name for itself for excellent cocktails, wood-fired pizzas, and now-iconic dishes like slow-roasted lamb neck. Housed in a former warehouse, the cavernous, industrial-chic restaurant ushered in a new era of Arts District dining—and feels just as vibrant and energetic as it did a decade ago.

Of Ori and Genevieve Menashe’s three restaurants, Saffy’s is the most laid-back—but still has a laser focus on technique. Dig into shareable plates like wood-fired lamb and beef shawarma, hearth-grilled lobster tail skewers, and 18-hour spiced short rib in a gorgeous dining room that pays homage to mid-century Morocco. Playful cocktails and a Mediterranean-focused wine list add to the always-lively vibe.

This MICHELIN-Starred restaurant from legendary, James Beard Award-winning chef and owner Nancy Silverton is the obvious choice for special occasions. The refined lineup of Italian food like grilled octopus, crispy duck confit, and housemade pasta—plus an impressive Old World wine list to match—makes for an outstanding meal, but touches like the mozzarella bar where Silverton herself may plate your food keep things approachable.

The award-winning pastries and French brasserie fare created by chefs Walter and Margarita Manzke are still the talk of the town at this Mid-City restaurant more than a decade after its opening. Plus, the showstopping interiors are an extra incentive: Charlie Chaplin and architect Roy Seldon Price built the space in 1928, and you can still see the original brick, tile, and ironwork along with dramatic archways and green-and-white tiled floors.

Head to this stunning spot for elegant New American cuisine laced with Los Angeles influences. Housed in a former cathedral in downtown LA, the restaurant's modern-meets-classic design, complete with an open-air ceiling, makes it a showstopper. Dishes like grilled hamachi collar with ancho chile and California sea bass with spring gazpacho, from acclaimed chef Neal Fraser, make the restaurant standout from the crowd even more.

Anyone who can’t imagine a celebration dinner without meat—and lots of it—should go straight to this upscale Tuscan steakhouse. Part of chef Nancy Silverton’s Mozza empire, Chi Spacca zeroes in on butcher-inspired mains like a 50-ounce bistecca Fiorentina and tomahawk pork chop. The supporting characters on the menu are just as impressive, and so is the massive Italian wine list. Add a candlelit dining room, and you’ve got all the essentials for a big night out.

Few chefs can work a hearth like Brian Dunsmoor, who cut his teeth at Southern star Hatchet Hall before opening his namesake restaurant in 2022. The long tables adorned with flickering candles make the restaurant an ideal place for a date, as do fiery dishes like wood-roasted oysters and mushroom-crusted pork chops. The cornbread, slathered in cultured butter, is the stuff of dreams.

In the years since its 2016 debut, owner Lien Ta’s restaurant has established itself as a neighborhood go-to, critical hit, and beloved third space for Angelenos. That's because HLAY—as locals call it—turns out inventive California-inspired and Asian-inflected small plates like uni panna cotta and spicy Caesar salad with sesame breadcrumbs alongside an excellent cocktail list and buzzy dining room that combine to feel like a dinner party every night.

Part high-end butcher shop, part steakhouse, Gwen is the brainchild of Curtis Stone and his brother Luke Stone. The MICHELIN-Starred experience is a celebration of all things meat: The dramatic dining room is surrounded by glass-enclosed dry-age rooms and a central fire pit. Expect housemade charcuterie, pasta with bacon Bolognese, and impressive steaks like a 30-day aged Creekstone Farm ribeye.