Berenjak
Persian restaurant · Downtown Los Angeles ·
Coal-grilled kebabs, shareable mezze, and unique cocktails
Coal-grilled kebabs, shareable mezze, and unique cocktails
"Set in the verdant back gardens of Soho Warehouse in the Arts District, this London export offers a moody, candlelit setting for a kebab-focused dinner. The menu, inspired by founder Kian Samyani’s childhood in Tehran, spans coal-grilled lamb kebabs stacked on flatbreads, cucumber-dotted yogurt, and saffron-tinged rice. The interior feels like a cross between a midcentury modern artist’s loft and a Persian grandmother’s living room, with tall exposed wood beams and tapered candles, and though its attachment to Soho Warehouse lends it cachet, the restaurant stands on its own as an instant classic." - Eater Staff
"On nearly every table and free surface at this sprawling, dimly lit space, thick white tapered candles stand between plates of lamb koobideh and saffron rice, giving the restaurant a tangible sense of intimacy and a romantic, dramatic vibe that makes eating there feel special and celebratory." - Khushbu Shah
"A new London import known for coal-grilled kebabs and family-style dining, this swanky Persian spot sits on the garden floor of Soho Warehouse and draws on founder Kian Samyani’s childhood in Tehran. Shared plates invite discovery — like a jammy coal-fired eggplant dip simmered with tomato and strained yogurt with cucumber — and the menu ranges from meze to kebabs to stews in a twinkling, date-night-ready room that leans quiet luxury. Black truffle olivieh renders chicken salad luxurious with mayonnaise, shredded chicken, crunchy pickles, and black truffle, perfect with sesame-crusted taftoon. The hummus uses black chickpeas blended with sunflower seed tahini for an impossibly smooth, nutty dip; tikkeh masti (beef fillet) is so tender it cuts with a fork; and the house rice, tossed with salted butter, saffron, and pops of crispy rice, becomes a savory, textural wonderland. It’s dark and romantic, with low-burning candlesticks and a heater-equipped garden patio that feels like an enchanted forest, though the music can be louder than the room’s intimate mood. For a broad sampling, the $90-per-person Feast menu starts with olives, assorted dips and flatbreads, continues with a selection of kebab, and finishes with date-packed white chocolate cookies." - Kat Thompson
"Now operating on the garden floor of Soho Warehouse in the Arts District, this London-born Iranian restaurant from chef Kian Samyani—founded in 2018 and inspired by Tehran’s vibrant kebab (also spelled “kabab”) houses—arrives with widespread acclaim, including a Michelin Bib Gourmand in London. The LA menu centers on mezze, fresh bread, khoresht, and kebabs; start with taftoon, a wood-oven-baked seeded sourdough, then move to mezze like olives pooled with lemon and garlic or creamy hummus. Kebabs are cooked over coals and include minced lamb shoulder, marinated chicken, beef filet, and more." - Rebecca Roland
"This Iranian kebab restaurantfrom Londonjust opened an LA branch inside the Arts District Soho House, but unlike the members-only location at Soho House Brooklyn, this one is fully open to the public. The space has tall factory windows and garden courtyard seating, and the menu sticks mostly to traditional Persian dishes such as charcoal-grilled koobideh and gormeh sabzi, plus fun cocktails infused with Persian flavors like a saffron carajillo." - Cathy Park
