New on Resy: 189 by Dominique Ansel, Dialogue, and More

Many know Dominique Ansel for his ground-breaking pastries (or, more specifically, as the inventor of the Cronut®). While the creations he’s celebrated for are served and sought-after in New York, LA is now getting a taste of his genius, thanks to his debut full-service restaurant. Expect dishes like “crunchy over crispy” fried chicken, pull-apart elotes milk bread, and acorn squash gnocchi, plus wine and cocktails. 189 opens in The Grove in mid-November (11/4 for brunch and 11/11 for dinner), but reservations are live now–and moving quickly. Pro-tip: Located just downstairs from the restaurant, is Dominique’s eponymous bakery, making its West Coast debut on Friday, 11/10, and offering brand-new, exclusive-to-LA treats alongside the classics.

Best Girl is the Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles’ signature restaurant, named after the 1927 film of the same name — the first to ever be screened at the United Artists Theater (now known as The Theatre at Ace Hotel). Award-winning chef Michael Cimarusti — best known for his acclaimed restaurants, Providence and Connie and Ted’s — is the mastermind behind the breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch menus, all keenly inspired by the city’s history, culture, and cuisines.

An import from New York City, The Butcher’s Daughter is a cafe and juice bar with a daily-changing menu that’s 100% vegetarian, and mostly vegan and gluten-free. Spacious and sunny, with whitewashed brick walls and hanging plants, this Abbott Kinney locale is a haven for health-minded folks (and just the place to see and be seen). Smoothies, bowls, salads, and stone oven pizzas make up the majority of the menu, accompanied by special cocktails and house wines, too. Reservations accepted for parties of 8+ only.

A Santa Monica staple for lunch and dinner, The Curious Palate makes everything from scratch with locally procured ingredients. The menu offers sandwiches, salads, pastas, and more, plus 20 craft beers, kombucha, and cider on tap. Just steps away from the Arclight cinema, it’s a go-to spot for a pre- or post-movie meal.

Dave Beran is a James Beard award-winning chef most well-known for his tenure at Chicago’s Next. Having just descended upon Los Angeles, his first solo venture, Dialogue, is an intimate 18-seat restaurant in Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade. Here, Beran tells a story via a market-driven tasting menu format. Guests should expect an immersive experience that plays to multiple senses and emotions. With eight counter seats and only three tables, the space is meant to incite conversations amongst diners and staff.

Opened seven years ago by chef Jeff Cerciello (a Thomas Keller Group alum), Farmshop is a rustic-modern, restaurant-meets-grocery located in the Brentwood Country Mart, bordering Santa Monica. For each meal, the kitchen serves up the very best local ingredients, simply prepared—from house-made pastries at breakfast to whole roasted chicken at dinner.

Met with much critical acclaim since its opening in 2012, including a glowing review by The LA Times and an acknowledgement as one of the Best New Restaurants by Esquire, Gusto is a soulful and unpretentious trattoria on West Third Street, in Beverly Grove. It’s a warm and welcoming place to enjoy top-notch traditional Italian fare, with a stellar dish of bucatini carbonara that’s not to be missed.

Inspired by pintxo bars of San Sebastian and bistros of Southern France, Journeymen is a neat concept from Gjelina vets chef David Wilcox and general manager Guy Tabibian. All daily pinxtos, seasonal bites, and plates to share are meticulously sourced and thoughtfully prepared; guests are encouraged to order food from a counter upon entering, then can continue to do so from their tables; and gratuity and tax are included in the price of each dish, making closing out as straightforward a task as possible.

A slice of the French countryside in LA, Marvin comes from the team behind Capo, in Santa Monica (Bruce Marder and his son, Max Marder, along with executive chef Ricardo Moreno). Inspired by Max’s favorite restaurant in France, the menu utilizes fresh, local ingredients in dishes like ratatouille & goat cheese toast and steak frites; and the wine list is accessible, and impressive in scope, with a range of stellar European varieties and vintages.

A casual eatery focused on farm-to-table fare and cocktails (shaken or stirred), Neighbor is very well suited to the area it inhabits— Venice. The beachy, easygoing space is outfitted with tufted sofas, a large marble bar, and a brick garden patio. Executive chef Joshua Luce (formerly of Ace Hotel in DTLA and Jean-Georges in NYC) crafts the small, New American menu while the global wine list is assembled by James Endicott (of Per Se).

Orto (Italian for vegetable garden) is a “natural” Italian restaurant. The kitchen utilizes organic herbs and spices grown on-site alongside produce from the nearby Santa Monica Farmers Market to craft Italian dishes — from pastas, like tagliolini with black truffles, to mains, such as bone-in Wagyu ribeye.

Inspired by Old Hollywood, Paley functions as a step back in time. There’s the grand, mid-century design; and then there’s the food, from notable LA chef Greg Bernhardt (think raw bar, power-lunch salads, crab cakes, and filet mignon with rosemary and garlic). It’s American fare done up, and done right. In the words of Jonathan Gold, “Have a martini. Or another glass of iced tea.”

Petite Taqueria is a posh restaurant from h.wood hospitality group serving Mexican-American comfort food. Menu highlights include a bay scallop and uni tostada, crispy ground beef tacos, and esquites-style roasted summer squash, while (naturally) the cocktail program is heavy on tequila and mezcal. Deep-seated velvet booths, dim lighting, and a marble-topped bar set the scene.

Nestled in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains, Saddle Peak Lodge is an iconic fine dining destination. Fashioned as a classic hunting lodge, adorned with mounted trophy heads and fishing apparel, the restaurant maintains a rustic yet elegant ambiance. Its rich history, top-notch service, and critically-acclaimed new American menu (notable for its emphasis on exotic wild game), solidify its status as a one-of-a-kind hideaway.

The menu at Sausal is inspired by the foundational elements of Rancho cooking: wood fire, smoke, and slow-roasting; celebrates the bold flavors of Mexican cuisine in combination with the elemental flavors of Spain (citrus, olives, figs); and revels in the bounty of contemporary California. Dishes like short rib picadillo empanadas and pork chili verde with sweet corn elote are best enjoyed with the house-made sangria. The space itself is clean, warm, and welcoming — outfitted with a massive wood bar and a fireplace.

Firmly rooted in Santa Monica (since 1972), Valentino is an anchor of the Los Angeles restaurant scene. Excellent pastas; a lengthy wine list; and classy, old-school decor are defining features. Owned by Piero Selvaggio, the kitchen here is where many great Italian chefs have honed their chops over the years.