Vespertine

The recipient of two Michelin stars, Vespertine is probably the most over-the-top restaurant you’ll ever dine at—in a good way. While they’re currently only offering take-home meals, you’ll soon be able to experience Vespertine’s trippy, transformative culinary odyssey IRL. The stark dining room is housed in a dramatic, undulating, glass-and-steel structure called “The Waffle,” which helps set the tone as soon as you step inside. Chef Jordan Kahn (who’s also behind Culver City’s Destroyer) takes diners on a sensory journey, turning out beautifully plated courses set to a specially curated musical score. Past ingredients (some of which Kahn forages himself) have included giant kelp, black currant, abalone, smoked soy, and sunchoke, fashioned into mysterious, abstract shapes that look absolutely nothing like what they are. Meanwhile, servers move in unison in a choreographed dance (no, really, they’ve been trained by a choreographer), gracefully pouring drinks and setting down plates in sync.
How to book: Order take-home meals online and stay tuned for news of their reopening.