This New Southern California Restaurant Celebrates The International Vibe Of A Century-Old Bazaar

One of the reasons I love to travel is the opportunity to experience different cultures, which is also something I appreciated about living for many years in the Los Angeles area. LA is the very epitome of a melting pot and food is one of the most accessible and enjoyable ways to experience the many cultures that converge here. One of the city’s newest restaurants is bringing a special international vibe to the food scene. Welcome to Carmel Restaurant in Los Angeles!

Carmel opened in May 2024 on Melrose Avenue, in the heart of one of LA’s most popular shopping and dining destinations.

This restaurant takes its inspiration (and its name) from the largest market in Tel Aviv, the Shuk HaCarmel. I once visited this outdoor marketplace with its buzzing energy, traditional homemade foods, cheeses, local goods and produce, and piles of fragrant spices.

The old-world cooking techniques, culture, and vibrant flavors that characterize the renowned Tel Aviv market are exactly what Carmel has brought right here to LA. It's an exotic little world of its own.

The restaurant’s lively space invites guests to settle in and enjoy an immersive culinary experience and perhaps even linger late into the night.

Ancient cooking traditions - preparing food over an open flame and in a wood-burning oven - are combined with a modern interpretation using local, seasonal, and sustainable produce, meats, and seafood.

The seasonal menu features Middle Eastern flavors that draw on the chef’s Syrian and Italian roots as well as Moroccan, Yemenite, and Eastern European influences - a melting pot just like the market that inspired it and the city it now calls home.

Complement your meal with natural wines on draft, seasonal cocktails, and amazing bread baked in-house including a traditional 72-hour fermented Moroccan frena.

Finish things off with one of the mouthwatering desserts like the "Knafeh that will send you back to Jerusalem," a traditional crispy and creamy Arabic dessert made with shredded pastry (and a taste similar to baklava, in case you have never tried it).

Carmel serves dinner nightly from Tuesday through Sunday and brunch on the weekend featuring the chef’s beloved hummus. Whether you hang out at the bar, grab a seat at the Chef’s Counter facing the open kitchen, or cozy up in a corner booth, you’ll love the chic, old-world ambiance.

Have you had the chance to experience Carmel Restaurant, a Tel Aviv-inspired Mediterranean restaurant in Los Angeles? We want to know what you think, so share with us in the comments! Find out more about Carmel Melrose on its website and Facebook page. Want to explore even more of LA's amazing food scene? Check out this awesome walking foodie tour through downtown. And, of course, be sure to peruse more of our favorite spots to eat and drink in SoCal!