Elf Cafe (CLOSED)

This Echo Park haunt is a date night go-to for Eastside vegetarians and omnivores alike who fall for the Middle-Eastern and Mediterranean menu that changes with the season. Call ahead to claim a spot at the counter or table, rubbing elbows with your date (or neighbor) inside the cozy, dimly-lit dining room. Choose from the well-curated wine and cocktail menu (you can also BYOB for a $20 corkage fee) and toast over vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options like Moroccan vegetable tagine and walnut-pesto pappardelle. The kitchen at Elf also makes a rich, wild exotic mushroom risotto and a housemade labneh topped with date-olive tapenade—tangy, cool and ready to be scooped up with pieces of warm pita.