Best Romantic Restaurants in LA Arts District (90021)
6 hand-picked restaurants, AI-analyzed and critic-validated
Essential Picks
#1
Bestia
9.1
A defining Arts District destination for house-cured charcuterie, blistered pizzas, and deeply flavored pastas from chefs Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis. The menu is bold and technique-forward, and the industrial dining room hums late into the night. Reservations are tough for a reason: the kitchen stays reliably excellent at scale.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bone marrow gnochetti with spinach and brown butter, Saffron tagliatelle with crab, uni, and chiles, Spicy lamb sausage pizza
What makes it special: A benchmark Arts District Italian kitchen with a top-tier salumi and pasta program.
Notable Picks
#2
Damian
8.8
A Michelin-recognized Arts District dining room from chef Enrique Olvera that leans modern without losing the thread of Mexican tradition. The kitchen excels at precise seafood and live-fire proteins, with polished service and an urban, greenhouse-like space that feels special for nights out. Reservations can be tough, but the payoff is a tightly executed, destination-level meal.
Must-Try Dishes:
Duck carnitas tacos, Rockfish ceviche, Banana leaf flan
What makes it special: Olvera’s refined, California-seasonal take on contemporary Mexican cooking.
#3
Bavel
8.6
A Middle Eastern feast house built for sharing, with dramatic arches and a warm, spice-perfumed dining room. Plates land in waves—smoky spreads, fire-kissed meats, and bright, herb-forward salads—so the meal feels like a slow reveal. It’s romantic in a celebratory way: dim lights, big flavors, and constant table buzz.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lamb neck shawarma, Duck hummus, Malawach with Yemenite dips
What makes it special: A share-plate Middle Eastern menu that’s both adventurous and crowd-pleasing.
8.6
A London-born Iranian kebab house that landed in the Arts District with a candlelit, garden-like dining room and a coal-fired focus. Expect refined mazeh spreads, expertly grilled skewers, and rice-bread pairings that feel both traditional and scene-ready. It’s the neighborhood’s most polished Persian experience right now, best enjoyed family-style.
Must-Try Dishes:
Koobideh Kebab Platter, Kashk-e Bademjan (smoky eggplant dip), Sangak with herb butter & torshi
What makes it special: Coal-grilled Iranian kebabs and luxe mazeh in a Persian-garden setting.
#5
Café 2001
8.0
A stylish all-day Arts District café from chef Giles Clark that treats breakfast like a real menu, not an afterthought. Expect careful technique—think katsu sandwiches and smoked fish plates—matched with excellent coffee in a calm, minimalist room.
Must-Try Dishes:
Smoked trout with hash browns & huckleberries, Pork katsu breakfast sandwich, Egg & relish salad sandwich
What makes it special: Chef-driven breakfast with Japanese-Western finesse.
Worthy Picks
#6
Camélia
7.8
A French-Japanese bistro that plays in the overlap between delicate Japanese seasoning and bistro comfort, served in a warm Arts District room. The cooking is precise but unfussy, with a menu that shifts with the seasons and rewards repeat visits.
Must-Try Dishes:
Seasonal crudo with Japanese citrus, Bistro-style steak with shiso accents, Sake-friendly small plates
What makes it special: Japanese technique meeting French bistro soul, smoothly and seasonally.