Manuela
American restaurant · Historic Core ·
Seasonal menus, cocktails, and housegrown ingredients in a rustic-chic arts complex.
Seasonal menus, cocktails, and housegrown ingredients in a rustic-chic arts complex.
"I have dinner amid icons at Manuela, a restaurant infused with art where Warhols hang beside seasonal, market-driven dishes that are elegant without being fussy—like heirloom tomatoes with sea salt and olive oil that I keep dreaming about—making the meal feel like dining inside a living canvas." - Paris Wilson
"The sprawling complex owned by mega-gallery Hauser & Wirth in the heart of the Downtown L.A. Arts District contains enough within its four walls to keep you occupied all morning (make a beeline for the excellent art bookshop, in particular). But if all that wandering through its grand industrial halls has you feeling hungry, there’s a reason to extend your visit through to lunchtime, too. Namely, in order to stop by Manuela, named after one-half of the Swiss couple behind the art powerhouse. There, you’ll find a sharing menu notable for its farm-to-table freshness and the perfectly judged accents of Southern cuisine that are thrown in the mix. (Think: a lip-smackingly fresh shrimp aguachile, skirt steak grilled to perfection and dressed in a poblano chimichurri, and a kaleidoscopic orange salad that looks like an artwork in and of itself.) Manuela is just as much of a culinary destination as the gallery surrounding it is a cultural one. —Liam Hess"
"Think of this upscale Southern restaurant as one big brunch party in the heart of the Arts District's candle shops and specialty cafes. Despite being located inside Hauser & Wirth, Manuela feels like a world unto itself: loud, unstuffy, and overflowing with locals in intricate tank tops sitting in the charming courtyard. As far as the food goes, order the shrimp and grits, a popover benedict, and as many beignets as you deem reasonable." - brant cox, sylvio martins, cathy park
"Tucked inside the multi-use Hauser & Wirth Arts Complex with an open-plan kitchen and conceptual art, Manuela has a creative, contemporary look and feel. The cooking is strong, with a Southern leaning, and features a menu with a heavy leaning toward local ingredients (including from their own garden). Choose a cocktail from their classic list, all elevated with house-made bitters and tonics. Warm, flaky biscuits with aged country ham and whipped butter are a must before a main course like their roasted duck breast with nicely rendered, crispy skin served over a bed of smoked soubise and paired with sliced yellow peaches. End the meal with one of their desserts, like their take on s'mores or their Harry's Berries and genmaicha shortbread ice cream." - Michelin Inspector
"Art galleries can be intimidating. The good news is, if you’re at Hauser & Wirth, you’re 100 feet away from Manuela—a restaurant that, despite being inside an art gallery, isn’t stuffy. It’s just a cool place to hang out, whether art is part of your agenda or not. Most dishes are Southern and involve lots of vegetables. We like to stick with small plates, like sweet Kusshi oysters, trout tartare, and fluffy cream biscuits served with a small mountain of aged country ham that’ll make you consider selling your car to open a farm." - sylvio martins, brant cox, garrett snyder
