Los Angeles’s 13 most drop-dead gorgeous restaurants

Enter a Middle Eastern paradise at Bavel in the Arts District, where the ceilings are high, the arched bar is gorgeous, and the greenery is abundant. STUDIO UNLTD’s airy design, complete with round marble tables and curved mustard banquettes, allows natural light to set the stage for chef Ori Menashe’s signature dishes like lamb neck shawarma and duck andouille hummus.

Chef Dave Beran’s Santa Monica restaurant is all about modern French elegance, a throughline that runs between the food (think: pressed whole duck for two) and the dining room’s beautiful design. Once you enter through the restaurant’s blue door, it’s Paris meets Los Angeles, with navy tones, arches adorned with hand-painted floral silk wallpaper from de Gournay, and exposed brick. It’s at once intimate and grand, aka the perfect place.

Fairfax’s ADKT, which bills itself as a Parisian supperclub, is sexy and glamorous without taking itself too seriously (note the disco ball hanging overhead). Rounded crimson and turquoise velvet booths are lit by mismatched fringed Victorian lamps, while boudoir art hangs in sturdy gold frames. Much like the cuisine, which combines French technique with Japanese accents, the aesthetic is a mash-up in a very good way.

AOC isn’t just a classic because of legendary chef Suzanne Goin’s California-French food. It also has one of the most beautiful patios in town. It’s pure romance, outfitted with a wood-fired hearth, trees, and ivy curling up the side of the restaurant. It’s the ideal place to linger over bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with Parmesan and clams sherry and green garlic—as well as a glass from co-owner Caroline Styne’s impressive wine list.

Award-winning chef Jordan Kahn’s tasting menu restaurant on Melrose feels both organic and otherworldly, done up in neutral tones and all-natural materials (without a hint of plastic to be found, anywhere). You walk through a massive swirl of twigs that envelope the front door, and that prehistoric-meets-space-age aesthetic continues throughout the space, which is accented with macrame-like lamps and hanging greenery.

Tropical vibes abound at this Hawaiian-inspired restaurant just steps away from Venice Beach. Light wood, lounge-y sofas covered in frond-adorned fabric, wicker chandeliers, and massive tiki-themed lights at the bar all reinforce that here, you’re on island time. It’s the perfect mindset to sip a tequila-spiked Maui Waui slushie while you dig into char siu pork ribs and huli huli chicken.

Upscale teppanyaki restaurant Maison Kasai at the immersive Level 8 in DTLA takes a more upscale approach to hibachi: There are 10 steel flattop grills from which to enjoy heirloom cauliflower steaks and whole Maine lobsters with truffle sauce from chef Josh Gil. The rest of the wood-heavy space is modern with romantic accents, like metal chairs upholstered in a purple-and-white emerald pattern and French Art Deco-inspired wallpaper designed by Candice Kaye.

Combining industrial details like exposed beams with Italian-inspired accents, Steve and Dana Samson’s Rossoblu is an airy oasis smack-dab in the middle of the gritty Fashion District. A gigantic mural by street artist Cyrcle takes up an entire wall and is offset by details like sandblasted floors and lace-inspired detailing on the banquettes. All of it creates an impressive backdrop for Samson’s hearty fare inspired by the Emilia-Romagna region.

Unlike old-school steakhouses known for big tables and rounded red leather booths, Matu in Beverly Hills is all about defined lines and dark wood. The dimly lit dining room from architecture firm Marmol Radziner has a mostly monochromatic palette of rich wood and dark gray, with brick, brass accents, and subtle bursts of greenery. It’s a sleeker way to devour a martini and a grass-fed cut of Wagyu, the restaurant’s specialty.

CATCH in Beverly Hills isn’t only a celebrity magnet for its baked king crab hand rolls: It’s also a gorgeous place to see and be seen. From its lush greenery and flower-lined entryway to the sculptures and fountains on its sweeping terrace, the rooftop restaurant also has some of the best views in town—whether they be star sightings or the Hollywood Hills.

One of the new hotspots to emerge in DTLA over the past year, Southern-inspired seafood restaurant Joyce put as much thought into the restaurant’s interior as to how it sustainably sources cobia and striped bass. The building’s mid century arches are on full display in the sunny dining room, as are three oversized portraits of owner Prince Riley’s mother painted by artist Shannon Scates. Curved light-blue booths and a mirrored bar feel both throwback and entirely of-the-moment.

One of LA’s most coveted reservations also happens to be one of its most stunning, occasion-worthy restaurants. Michael Cimarusti’s two-MICHELIN-starred seafood tasting menu restaurant Providence underwent a makeover a few years ago, and the result is an intimate space awash in navy, emerald green, and dark wood tones. Although relatively simple, the design lets Cimarusti’s impeccable food take center stage. Plan your celebrations accordingly, as Providence is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Built by Charlie Chaplin and architect Roy Seldon Price in 1928, République is worth a visit for the design alone—not to mention owners Walter Manzke’s upscale Cal-French-Italian fare and Margarita Manzke’s superlative baked goods and desserts. République is only the second restaurant to live in the space, which was stripped down to reveal its original brick, tile, and ironwork. The result, with its dramatic archways and green-and-white tiled floors, is simply stunning.