Rustic British Fare Meets a California Palette at Wilde’s in Los Feliz

British-inspired fare meets seasonal California ingredients

While Ettensberger and Price didn’t set out to create a British restaurant, the direction felt organic given Price’s background. “We think of ourselves as offering rustic fare and the question isn’t necessarily, ‘is this British or not,’ but rather, does a dish offer nourishing, seasonal, and local ingredients?” explains Ettensberger.  While thematically the team is guided by a British palette, it’s not a strict boundary, with Californian crossover found throughout.

Menu descriptions are simple relative to the flavors and textures of each dish. The crumbed duck leg starter (crumbed being the British reference for breaded) is well-crusted and gently fried, served alongside herbed aioli and pickled carrots. It pairs well with one of the salads where local, seasonal produce shines, like the wintery chicory number with fig and sheep’s curd, or the bright kohlrabi salad with crispy pork cracklings dressed in coriander seed vinaigrette. 

Price’s battered fish (the specific variety rotates) is fried to a golden crisp, plated over a gorgeous green mint sauce and dressed mint leaves. Her salt and vinegar chips (sold separately) are nonnegotiable. Soaked in water, boiled in vinegar, and twice fried, these large, tender wedges are served with a side of aioli and a tableside bottle of malt vinegar for added tang to your preference. Fittingly, there’s  sticky toffee pudding dessert, dusted with aged vanilla jaggery and served in a creamy-tart pool of crème fraîche anglaise. 

The whole hog program shines

Chef de cuisine Sarah Durning is spearheading a whole hog program in partnership with Peads & Barnetts butchery. Durning, who most recently led Dunsmoor’s pastry program, and previously learned butchering skills at Gwen, is utilizing the entire animal, from bones for stock, to trim cuts for sausages, to pork skin cracklings for the kohlrabi salad. 

The decadent bangers and mash is just one example of Durning flexing her abilities. The grilled sausage sits atop a potato purée with a dollop of brown sauce mostarda, surrounded by a shallow moat of velvety gravy made with pork bone stock and Guinness. “This dish is a labor of love,” says Durning, who hand-pipes all the sausages from scratch.

The wine list is tight but right

Ettensberger has assembled a tight but robust wine list that lets diners explore from approachable to adventurous. Presenting a few dozen bottles primarily from France, Italy, Spain, and California, with a handful of gems from Germany and Switzerland, “the main throughline for the wine list is showcasing producers that I admire, similar to how we care about every farmer for the food menu” Ettensberger explains. “I try to have at least three regions represented within each style,” she adds. One bottle she’s excited about right now is L’Absurde Genie des Fleurs’ Arc 2024, a light cinsault from Heraulwith with “a touch of fruity, cherry notes that bring out the flavors of the peppered banger and buttery mash.”

Outside of wine, you’ll find Guinness and Miller High Life (“a selfish offering,” laughs Ettensberger), plus n/a beer and a sparkling tea from winemakers Romain des Grottes, made with apple and gamay juices that the maker aromatizes with herbs and flowers from their vineyard.

Come back for breakfast 

From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, the team is also offering a compact breakfast and pastry program, to which locals have been quickly gravitating. Alongside espresso drinks and tea, you’ll find housemade sausage rolls wrapped in buttery puff pastry; scones with jam, butter and clotted cream; a not-too-sweet bakewell tart with layers of jam and frangipane topped with sliced almonds and powdered sugar; as well as seasonally rotating tea cake and quiche. They anticipate growing its daytime program into a full breakfast and lunch with heartier savory options soon.

The space is cozy and welcoming

Dining at Wilde’s is like being invited to your favorite dinner party.  Homey and relaxing, hitting high on all the levels, rooted in a bedrock of friendship.  The restaurant  sits on a corner with large, inviting windows, letting diners cozily observe passersby from within. Warm light, wood detailing, and white tablecloths lend to a relaxing atmosphere.  A small glass window inlaid above the dining room offers a peek of Price and Durning plating dishes in the kitchen, and personal touches abound, from Price’s family photos in England to artwork gifted from friends ‘for your restaurant, one day.’ The interior tells the story of Ettensberger and Price’s lifelong friendship, and the inevitable nature of their latest venture. .  

Wilde’s seating is primarily walk-in, with limited reservations for early evening seatings and more experimentation to come as the restaurant settles into itself. (If you miss a table, a waitlist will keep your place in line.) The handful of counter seats serve as a waiting area, where guests can sip wine or order an appetizer, though solo diners are welcome to dine on the entire menu — a thoughtful touch for a neighborhood restaurant that cares about its neighbors.