Best Instagram Worthy Middle Eastern Restaurants in Los Angeles
5 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Laya Restaurant
Chef Charbel Hayek’s polished Eastern Mediterranean cooking in a high-energy, design-led room.
Notable Picks
8.8
Laya is a chef-driven Middle Eastern restaurant just off Cahuenga, pairing Lebanese-inspired mezzes and skewers with cocktails in a moody, design-forward space. It’s where Hollywood comes for lively, shared dinners that feel equal parts night-out destination and serious modern cooking.
Must-Try Dishes:
Beetroot hummus with warm pita, Charcoal-grilled lamb skewers, Sumac-roasted chicken with toum
What Makes it Special: Chef Charbel Hayek’s polished Eastern Mediterranean cooking in a high-energy, design-led room.
#2
Ladyhawk
8.7
Top Chef Middle East winner Charbel Hayek's refined Eastern Mediterranean restaurant inside Kimpton La Peer Hotel serves elevated Lebanese cuisine with California flair. The $110 mezze platter on a rotating lazy susan is the star, featuring nine spreads, falafel, and warm pita that easily feeds two.
Must-Try Dishes:
Mezze Platter with Nine Spreads, Shawarma-Spiced Australian Wagyu, Spanish Ahi Tuna Crudo
What Makes it Special: Michelin-trained Top Chef winner elevating Lebanese home cooking
Vibes:
Sweet Treats Escapes
Date Night Magic
Birthday & Celebration Central
Instagram Worthy Wonders
A Westwood institution since the 1970s, Saffron & Rose scoops dense, floral Persian-style ice cream in flavors that define the neighborhood’s Persian Square. Lines of locals, students, and families turn the modest shop and sidewalk tables into a nightly scene after dinner.
Must-Try Dishes:
Saffron pistachio ice cream, Rosewater ice cream, Classic faloodeh
What Makes it Special: Decades-old Persian ice cream shop central to Westwood’s dessert culture.
#4
esme
8.6
This design-forward cafe blends California ingredients with Middle Eastern and Latin flavors in refined dishes like shakshuka and merguez sandwiches. Founded by Ivan and Gabby in their deeply personal vision from 2017, the bright space showcases thoughtful plating and a warm community atmosphere.
Must-Try Dishes:
Shakshuka, Merguez Sandwich, Barbari Bread
What Makes it Special: Husband-wife founded cafe merging Middle Eastern-Latin flavors with California seasonality
#5
Cafe Glace
8.2
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Sweet Treats Escapes
Instagram Worthy Wonders
Late Night Legends
Café Glacé is a Persian-influenced cafe where Crazy Fries and Special Fries sit alongside sandwiches, Persian tacos, and saffron ice cream. Students and neighborhood regulars drop in for oven-baked fries piled with mortadella, hot dogs, cheese, and sauce, then linger over milkshakes and coffee drinks.
Must-Try Dishes:
Crazy Fries, Special Fries, French Fries
What Makes it Special: Persian-inspired cafe where loaded Crazy Fries share the menu with shakes, Persian tacos, and saffron ice cream.