Leopardo — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Long departed from Saison, at one time America’s best Restaurant, Josh Skenes reemerged in Los Angeles May of 2024 with Leopardo, the former La Brea Bakery in Mid-Wilshire converted into what the Chef calls "a raw bar with Pizza."

Always fanatical about Ingredients, this newest venture following his Michelin 3* years in San Francisco plus Angler in its focus on the best natural products available, Leopardo finds Skenes focused on rare terrain that is elegant yet casual with service far outpacing the price point for LA.

Self-described as "unfamiliar takes on the familiar," a Pavesi Pizza oven capturing attention on entry, it is amidst brick and assorted artifacts that guests are seated to peruse the daily menu while the likes of Phil Collins and Prince play medium-loud overhead.

Only accepting reservations a week in advance so far, though walk-ins are welcomed, most will elect to begin with Cocktails including the two-part Bloody Mary, silky frozen Rose or the sweet yet savory “Neo White Russian” that rethinks the classic in a good way.

Best visited with a group, in this instance enough to share two of everything, starters include everything from Deer Tartare with crisps and spoonable Marrow to a classic Cesar or the “Cali-prese” featuring individually skinned Tomatoes that capture the essence of California Summer.

Also offering Olives, Oysters, Crudo and spicy Pickled Vegetables, plus a faultless Avocado in vibrant gel tinged by smoke, there’s no denying the spotlight nature of Leopardo’s crunchy yet yielding Polenta Waffle awaiting the addition of aged Osetra caviar, Barbecue Corn-cob Maple Syrup and Bordier Butter.

Turning attention to Pizza, four available on the evening after a power outage, Leopardo’s crust is the result of nine Flours plus Wild Yeast and a 48-hour ferment that bubbles big around the cornicione to yield an open web that is crisp yet chewy and ever so slightly sweet.

Predictably taking no shortcuts in terms of toppings, the Sauce canned by Skenes using Early Girls and Mozzarella housemade with Straus Creamery Milk, guests will find a classic Margherita alongside “Re-Marinara” enlivened by Smoked Ham and a sidecar of cool Stracciatella plus an all-new White Pie and “Hello Satan” loaded with Chilis, Salumi, Garlic and a kiss of Honey.

Offered without a Beef entree on Saturday, though Wild Boar Meatballs featuring a smooth grind and lots of complexity are available for carnivores, Tilefish comes grilled tender atop smoky Fish Sauce before concluding in desserts including Soft Serve, feather-light Tiramisu and a golden...

I’ve decided to be more thoughtful and detailed with my reviews starting today. There’s been a reason for the delay, which I won’t get into now, but here we go...

Leopardo restaurant now stands where the famous La Brea Bakery used to be, a place that held its ground through the Covid era and for many years before. Recently, Leopardo opened up at this spot, and since it’s just a minute away from my home, I’ve been curious to try it out for a while. Today, I finally did.

First impressions: It has a very American and casual vibe. A quick tip – they open at 6 PM, so make sure to get there on time. They won’t let you in before then.

After that first impression, I ordered a glass of wine and waited for my Tilefish Crudo, which I was told would take a little longer. In the meantime, I was served the Buffalo Milk Curds, and I was blown away. It was exactly my style. The bread was perfectly crispy yet soft, topped with a milky cheese and the sweet finish of Peach Mostarda – absolutely delightful.

When the Crudo finally arrived, it was a smaller portion compared to what I had at Stella, but much more enjoyable. It had a slight kick of spice at the end, which balanced out the richness. At Stella, I found the whole spectacle of cutting the fish head at the table a bit off-putting, so this was a pleasant change.

Then came the lasagna. It’s not your typical lasagna! The top layer was crispy, while the bottom was quite moist – but the combination was surprisingly impressive. And again, there was a hint of sweetness in the aftertaste, which I loved since I’m a fan of sweet flavors.

Of course, I couldn’t leave without trying the Margherita pizza. I’d describe it as a perfect blend of Neapolitan style and American pizza. Overall, I was very satisfied. Although they’re busy at dinner time, I hope they start opening for lunch on weekends – I’d probably visit more often. The flavors are casual, but far from simple.

Personally, I consider Saison one of my all-time favorite restaurants, while I was quite disappointed with Angler. But at Leopardo, I feel like I’ve rediscovered the chef’s sensitivity. I’ll definitely be back to try more...

What a lovely surprise! I had heard great things, but try not to raise my expectations and am rather cynical when it comes to new, heavily hyped up restaurants. Every dish was better than the prior one and the waitstaff was friendly, attentive and had great recommendations. I'd highly recommend the antelope tartare, cali-prese, Hello Satan pizza, and biscoff cookie + softserve for dessert if you still have room. The tartare was unlike any other tartare I've had before: unique flavor profile and a lovely mix of smokey spices. Don't sleep on the cali-prese. I didn't expect much from what seemed like a generic caprese salad, but the way they smoke the potatoes and dress them in a honey vinegar is to die for. I thought the Hello Satan pizza was just as good as people say it is. Cutting it with scissors was a bit much, but the crust / dough they're working with here is unlike any pizza dough I've had in the city. If you don't like hot honey + pepperoni pizzas, try one of the other pizzas because getting a pizza here is a non-negotiable. I'd also recommend saving room for dessert. The sourdough Biscoff cookie sandwiches (candied hazel nut & cookie butter center) + soft serve are the perfect sweet treat to share and end the evening.

The space it self is quite spacious, has a good balance of music and ambient noise while not being too loud. Fun decor and a genuinely lovely spot for a date-night, dinner with a larger group of friends or solo dining at the bar. Will...