Trendy, must-have-a-reservation, popular among the well-dressed, top of many mainstream food lists DTLA establishments are usually not my vibe. Usually they are easy to brush off as overrated, good but not worth the waits and reservation alerts. Fortunately or perhaps unfortunately for us all, Bavel is worth the hype. Since opening in 2018 from the same brains behind the beloved Bestia a bit further south, Bavel has consistently drawn crowds and quickly become an LA institution in its own right.

To be honest, the biggest green flag is the location. Occupying a vaguely triangular block of Arts District just past all the art warehouses and far enough from East 3rd street cluster and the 7th street/south of 7th Santa Fe strip that you don’t really get foot traffic. Bavel knows that it is worthy of being a destination in itself. And on any given night you’ll see Ubers dropping people off, and (for the true locals) cars lining the streets of the otherwise quiet blocks (though now there are more businesses and offices popping into the previously sleepy industrial buildings). Inside, you’re transported to a dinner party environment. High energy, warmly lit, with the occasional flare from the fire of the open kitchen. Large and small plates filling tables til there’s no more surface area and a continuous stream of puffy pita coming out of the kitchen. No where I’d rather be on any given night.