Bavel

From Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis, the same couple behind Bestia, Bavel draws upon Levantine culinary traditions in a sprawling, plant-filled dining room offset by a string-lit patio. The menu lends itself to family-style dining, with fire-roasted meats, seasonal vegetables and some of the best hummus in Los Angeles. Middle Eastern-inspired specialty cocktails and a Mediterranean-heavy wine list complement starters like fried quail and oyster mushrooms kebab. Though the reservation process is just as difficult at Bavel as it is at Bestia, the wait is worth it. Both restaurants have helped usher in the era of the Arts District as a veritable dining destination—and though you’d honestly come away pleased with a meal at either one, Bavel is the couple’s finest restaurant in my book. Every small plate here is carefully considered and packed with flavor; the substantial, far pricier entrées are equally dazzling. Save room for one of Gergis’s excellent desserts.