Most Angelenos hear the words “Beverly Center” and think shopping—and perhaps even the shopping of yesteryear—but a multimillion-dollar revamp of the high-end mall is currently underway, and if Michael Mina Group has it their way, the name “Cal Mare” will be what pops into your head soon enough.
The latest in Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur Michael Mina’s rapidly expanding empire, Cal Mare sits on the ground floor of the shopping destination and is bringing a bit of Italy to the busy stretch of La Cienega. The Mid-City West strip’s gotten a bit more, well, coastal thanks to the seafood-focused restaurant, a modern, blue-hued dining room and open kitchen that draw inspiration from the ocean-adjacent areas of both Italy and California.
What was once the home of a California Pizza Kitchen is now an alfresco-inspired space that features a bougainvillea-laced indoor terrace above a bar proffering negronis and spritzes, plus spins on Italian classics. From the expansive, blue-tiled open kitchen come brick-oven pizzas, bright crudos, house-made pastas, an array of artful antipasti and one of the most untraditional “bread programs” you'll find in L.A.: cinnamon-bun-inspired focaccia layers pesto inside its curved dough, instead of cinnamon and sugar, and in lieu of icing, is drizzled with fonduta; fried dough—zeppole—arrives topped with prosciutto and even caviar, served alongside mozzarella. There are pasture-raised meats; seasonal market vegetables; must-try house-made gelati; and there’s even an in-house limoncello program.
Helming Cal Mare’s robust menu is chef-partner Adam Sobel, a member of the Mina family who previously held rank in the kitchens of both D.C.’s Bourbon Steak and San Francisco’s RN74. His restaurant—open during dinner only, for now—is the first of many dining concepts set to revitalize the Beverly Center as part of its $500 million “re-imagination,” which is slated to conclude by the holiday season next year. In the coming months, expect an outpost of Eggslut, Miami’s Yardbird and even a food hall with concepts selected by Mina himself. According to Eater, we’ll eventually receive a restaurant called Angler: a more casual branch of San Francisco’s lauded Saison.
As of now, Cal Mare is the first and only restaurant opened in the revamp, and it’s a glamorous one. Take a peek at what you can expect, below, then stop by for yourself. (And again, don’t skip dessert.)
Photograph: Courtesy Cal Mare/James Carriere
Photograph: Courtesy Cal Mare/James Carriere
Cal Mare is now open on the ground floor of the Beverly Center, serving dinner nightly from 5:30 to 10pm. Looking to stop by the a quick drink? The bar opens daily at 4pm.