LAReview

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Elf Cafe image
8.0

Elf Cafe

MediterraneanVegetarian

Echo Park

$$$$Perfect For:Casual Weeknight DinnerVegetarians
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Elf Cafe in Echo Park has lived many lives since opening in 2006. Known as the predecessor to Dune, this tiny, low-lit Mediterranean restaurant was originally vegetarian, then closed during the pandemic, and has since come out the other side with a menu that invites meat to the party (alongside trout, anchovies, and cheese—quite the hot clique, we must say). And after years of pivoting, Elf Cafe is the best it's ever been.

Elf Cafe image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Elf Cafe image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Elf Cafe image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Elf Cafe image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Elf Cafe image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Elf Cafe image
Elf Cafe image
Elf Cafe image
Elf Cafe image
Elf Cafe image

Just because Elf Cafe is into lamb now doesn’t mean it kicked vegetables to the curb. In fact, most dishes on the restaurant's Turkish, Lebanese, and Italian-influenced menu are vegetarian-friendly and stick to the “whole foods” mantra: roasted carrots in a garlicky herb sauce, meatless tagine, warm hummus with a baguette for smearing, and non-fried proteins to fuel that temple of a body. 

Maybe the notion of “whole foods” doesn't read very glamorous on paper. But Elf Cafe’s versatility makes it hugely exciting to (and useful for) people in Echo Park, especially those who are particularly fond of sound baths. Picture a serene boutique that sells Japanese incense, plop a tiny kitchen and amari bar in the corner, and you get something like Elf Cafe. It smells like an oil diffuser blew up in a nice way, with the occasional whiff of juicy siš kepab pollinating the air with warming spices. Keep the new and improved Elf Cafe in mind for casual meals that are still special enough to delight someone with good wine and hummus that wasn't sourced from the depths of your fridge. (And if more wine sounds like an enticing post-hummus plan, head to Bar Bandini across the street to keep the night going.) Does someone from Santa Monica need to come to Elf Cafe? No, but that doesn't mean it's not the little neighborhood spot everyone wishes they had nearby. 

Food Rundown

Elf Cafe image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Smoked Trout Brandade

Elf Cafe's warm, whipped trout spread reaffirms that cheese and fish belong together (sometimes). The raclette crust is still bubbly when it hits the table, and there are big clumps of salty fish inside to smear on bread. This is the heaviest thing on the menu, but a must.

Elf Cafe image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Blistered Carrots

These simple, whole rainbow carrots come al dente: not mushy, not underdone, with just the right amount of bite. There’s also a tasty yin-yang of herby, garlic sauce and maple syrup on top.

Elf Cafe image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Warm Hummus

Keyword: warm. Turns out, hummus improves exponentially when it's served at the perfect bath temperature. This one is tangy from lemon juice and luscious.

Elf Cafe image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Tagine

If we were trekking Siberia in the winter, we’d want something hot, spicy, and extremely filling like this quinoa tagine. With its chunks of celery root and carrot, crunch is king in this dish. But it could use some salt or acid to cut the edge off the nutmeg and cinnamon.

Elf Cafe image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Cascade Creek Lamb Šiš Kepab

We’d send anyone to Elf Cafe just for these steaming hot skewers with a wave of warming spices. Juicy lamb comes on fluffy pita and a spread of charred vegetables like Anaheim chiles and sweet cherry tomatoes.

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FOOD RUNDOWN

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