Ladyhawk

On our list of the best special-occasion restaurants in Los Angeles.

Charbel Hayek, who cooked under Josiah Citrin at Melisse before winning Top Chef, opened this eastern Mediterranean dining room in the Kimpton La Peer in 2023. Most tables start with za'atar man'oushe on dough left to ferment two days, then mezze, wood-grilled prawns and dry-aged duck; arak and Lebanese gin turn up in the cocktails. Reservations open fourteen days ahead at noon and the prime slots go fast, so the courtyard bar is where walk-ins wait.