Bavel

Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis's Levantine stunner in the Arts District — the follow-up to Bestia, wood-fired everything, and one of LA's most exciting restaurants. The lamb-neck shawarma is legendary, the pita comes from the wood-fired oven, the duck with apricot is a standout, and the spreads — benchmark hummus and labneh — start the meal. Reserve weeks ahead on Resy; the patio is lovely in good weather, dinner the full experience. It is a destination kitchen — Middle Eastern cooking executed at the highest level by a team with a proven track record, in an industrial-gorgeous Arts District room. For one of the most thrilling meals in the city, the shawarma and the spreads alone justify the planning.