From tasting menus to taco takeovers, L.A.’s restaurant scene is serving up something for everyone this month. Read more in August food news below.
Credit: Wonho Frank Lee
Tyler Burges’ fire-driven Japanese restaurant in the Arts District just debuted a daily eight-course tasting menu — with beverage pairings — for $98, highlighting some of Bengara’s greatest hits. The menu includes Toyosu carpaccio with chili coffee oil, pork belly “tacos” wrapped in mochi crepes, Teuchi citrus soba and miso cod, with wagyu and uni supplements offered for extra special occasions. Beverage pairings feature cocktails, sake and wine, while an inventive spread holds down the non-alcoholic option, from a yuzu mojito to an oolong old fashioned.
Credit: Casa Leo
The Los Feliz Spanish tapas spot has introduced monthly paella drops, where chef Joshua Whigham makes a specialized version of the famous rice dish for just 20 guests during Sunday brunch. July’s paella featured farmer’s market mushrooms and summer truffle — be sure to follow Casa Leo on Instagram to keep an eye out for August’s date and dish.
Credit: Coffee2Me
This new Koreatown café serves creative coffee drinks, with matcha sourced directly from Kagoshima, Japan. Don’t miss the signature London fog cream top or double strawberry matcha, layered with strawberry purée and finished with their classic silky cream. If you’re hungry, Coffee2Me has got you covered with a fresh caprese sandwich and comforting grilled cheese with tomato soup.
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Credit: Morhiro
The acclaimed Japanese restaurant offers a one-night-only bar event on Aug. 2 with founder of New York’s Museum of Food and Drink, Dave Arnold. For $95 per person, guests can watch the acclaimed bartender work his magic and dine on bites from the Morihiro team, including chips and caviar, spicy tuna handrolls, futomaki, daifuku and panna cotta. Cocktails from Arnold and Morihiro bar director Han Suk Cho will be available for purchase throughout the night beginning at 4 p.m.
Credit: Girl & the Goat
Chef Stephanie Izard celebrates five years of the Downtown L.A. staple with an anniversary special on Aug. 9 from 3 to 6 p.m., featuring chef stations serving Girl & the Goat classics, live music from DJ Kareem, raffle prizes and more. For $65 per person, diners can enjoy menu favorites and redeem one drink ticket, with additional cocktails, beer and wine available for purchase throughout the event. If you’re feeling adventurous, add-on a curated wine flight of five tasting pours for $35.
Credit: goodboybob
Situated inside Venice’s Deus Ex Machina temple, this new café is already off to a hot start, gaining attention for specialty drinks like the BBL — espresso and milk mixed with caramelized brown butter syrup. Also on the menu is the yuzu tonic, featuring Goodboybob’s signature yuzu syrup, tonic water and your choice of espresso or matcha for the perfect afternoon pick-me-up. Don’t skip the Kickstarter breakfast of Nueske’s smoked bacon, egg, California cheddar and aji aioli on a toasted Röckenwagner English muffin.
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All six locations of this beloved regional chain now offer a daily happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m., featuring $6 beers, $7 micheladas, $8 margaritas and three-for-two beer and margarita specials, all of which pair perfectly with a new off-menu snack spread.
Credit: La Lo La Rooftop
The Downtown rooftop restaurant has brought back brunch, now available from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. Dine 34 stories above Downtown L.A. while enjoying steak and eggs with chimichurri, loaded breakfast burritos, New York-style bagels with smoked salmon or waffles with gelato and berry compote. If boozy brunch is your thing, opt for the paloma verde with mezcal, poblano and grapefruit or stick to the classics with mimosas and Bloody Marys abound.
Credit: Courtesy Marea
Where better to celebrate National Oyster Day than Beverly Hills’ award-winning Marea? On Aug. 14 from 5 to 8 p.m., the iconic Italian eatery offers unlimited oysters and free-flowing champagne Delamotte for $95 per person. Make sure to catch The Clover String Quartet, performing from 5 to 5:45 p.m. and 7:15 to 8 p.m., rounding out an evening oozing with elegance.
Credit: Robert Campbell
This Los Feliz gem just unveiled a reimagined dinner menu rooted in the Mexico City upbringing of executive chef Alan Sanz, emphasizing shared plates and the distinct culinary tradition of the Yucatán Peninsula. Highlights include a vibrant Kampachi crudo with California’s purest bounty, a pan de pulque with caramelized onion-miso butter and enmoladas de pato with blackberry mole. The fresh selection is sure to please longtime Mírate lovers and new guests alike.
Credit: Monsieur Dior
Dior’s Beverly Hills fine dining establishment introduces afternoon tea, available for $155 per guest with an additional caviar service offered for $175. The menu features classic afternoon tea traditions elevated by French technique and includes a summer vegetable tart, cucumber brioche, smoked salmon sandwich and crispy potato choux flower. Finish off with an assortment of sweets, from brown butter madeleines to yuzu matcha éclairs for the perfect taste of English elegance, California-style.
Credit: Natalie’s Juices x Popup Bagels
Everyone’s favorite bagel shop partners up with Natalie’s Juices to debut a limited-edition Tangerine Dream Butter schmear, made with Natalie’s fresh-squeezed tangerine juice. The collaboration is available at PopUp Bagels locations nationwide from Aug. 6 through Aug. 19, and diners can even add a bottle of Natalie’s tangerine juice to their order for the ultimate, irresistible summer breakfast.
Credit: Ardor
New York’s legendary cocktail bar Double Chicken Please makes its L.A. debut with a bar takeover at Ardor at The West Hollywood Edition’s signature restaurant. From 6 to 10 p.m. on Aug. 13 and 14, guests can enjoy the decadent, design-forward drinks from Double Chicken Please’s co-founder Faye Chen, as well as its beloved bar snacks. Beverage standouts include the Holy Shishito, made with Patrón Silver tequila, charred shishito kabosu, kiwi and wasabi, as well as the Tomatijo, featuring Bacardi Superior rum, tomato vine and mint.
Credit: Prince St. Pizza
The beloved slice shop teams up with Avenged Sevenfold and Good Charlotte for a limited run through Aug. 30. A Little Pizza Heaven brings charcoal dough, smoked mozzarella, spicy vodka sauce and Calabrian hot peppers, while The Deserve You Pie opts for a garlic cream base with mushrooms, basil pesto, whipped lemon ricotta and edible blue borage flowers. Members of Prince St. Pizza’s loyalty program who order a slice or pie are automatically entered for a chance to win concert tickets to either of these iconic rock bands. Then, from Aug. 3 to 31, don’t miss Prince St.’s first-ever dessert pizza, made in collaboration with McCormick: the black currant big apple pie pizza.
Credit: Randy’s
Ahead of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast: The Musical at the Hollywood Pantages, Randy’s is serving a limited-edition donut through Aug. 13, finished with purple icing, red velvet rose crumbs, gold sprinkles and a custom wafer topper. Fans can also enter an Instagram giveaway for a chance to win four tickets to the Aug. 13 performance by following @randysdonuts, liking the post and tagging a friend.
Credit: Andrea D’Agosto
Italian butcher Dario Cecchini heads west to join chef Neal Fraser for Redbird | Vibiana’s 11th annual beefsteak event on Aug. 29 at 7 p.m — timed to the Vibiana building’s 150th anniversary. Expect mountains of beef, flowing wine and a rotating cast of co-hosts. General admission is $350, while the $450 VIP ticket adds early entry and bites from Cecchini. To top it off, all proceeds benefit Regarding Her, the nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing and supporting women-owned businesses in the food and beverage industry.
Credit: Seline
Dave Beran’s Seline now offers an extended seasonal tasting menu, stretching to 24 to 27 courses for $465 per person, with beverage pairings in wine ($345), hybrid ($285) or non-alcoholic ($225). Tables are scarce by design, so make a reservation online while you still can.
Credit: Lucia
The Afro-Caribbean spot from Sam Jordan and Chef Cleophus “Ophus” Hethington launches two recurring nights. Live at Lucia brings Wednesday performances over dishes like the wagyu beef patty with mango calypso and jerk lamb shank with whipped sweet potato. Thursdays bring Sobremesa, a late-night salsa and merengue party with a $50 prix fixe menu and a mojito martini in classic, passionfruit or tropical fruit.
Dining and Cooking