Haute Top 5: Best Mediterranean Food in Los Angeles

We love the magical, tree-studded, secret garden like atmosphere of AOC almost as much as we love award-winning chef Suzanne Goin's delectable small plate menu of Mediterranean fare. That Goin took home last year's top trophy at the James Beard Awards (and scored a Who's Who award this year) while business partner Caroline Styne was nominated for the very same award this year should say it all.

We love the delectable seafood fare at Petros, a Manhattan Beach restaurant right near the ocean that will make you feel as if you're in Greece. Expect to find Hellenic California cuisine-foods including fresh fish, vegetables, salads, ripe tomatoes, fresh cheeses and homemade yogurts all based on simple, high-quality ingredients and Greek flavors like honey, olive oil, oregano, lemon and homemade phyllo dough.

Get a taste of old Hollywood glamour with your food at this Mediterranean-inspired reinvention of Tinseltown from sbe. Executive Chef Danny Elmaleh has crafted a fan favorite menu of flatbreads, veggies, meat, kebabs and delicacies from the wood-burning oven. Our inside tip: request Cleopatra’s Table under the stairs.

Fig & Olive's West Coast flagship location is as chic as they come thanks to its pedigreed address on impossibly glamorous (and quite tiny), tree-lined Melrose Place. The eatery is visually stunning thanks to 8,000 square feet of light-filled space, double height ceilings, 50-foot tasting bar and communal table, two floors of dining, bar/lounge, enclosed patio with an abundance of rosemary plants, open kitchen and walls of olive oil and wine make this stunning location perfect for groups or intimate dining, and informal drinks and sharing dishes. That there are high-end olive oils from the best Mediterranean vendors on the market is reason enough to come.

Le Petit Greek is a beloved Larchmont spot for Hellenic fare. The simple, elegant dining room is awash in white and green, adorned with baskets of fresh lemons. The walls are covered with black and white photographs of Greece. You'll love the healthy, fresh fare, as well as the restaurant's award winning wine list from all over the world including a fabulous selection of Greek wines. Make sure to try the eatery's signature item, a baby rack of lamb that melts in your mouth.