Just before Botanica opened earlier this year, we hosted the founders for a feast at Jenni Kayne’s home here in L.A. and were floored by their recipes. Now, Botanica Restaurant & Market in Silverlake is in full swing, killing the game – and blowing up our Instagram feed – with food as beautiful as it is delicious. One of our fave healthy Eastside food bloggers, The True Spoon’s Celeste Wilson, popped by Botanica and is giving us the full scoop on what to eat and why you need to make a reso ASAP… 

What happens when a Pinterest board comes to life in the form of an all-day brick-and-mortar café with a dreamy bar? Magic happens and you happily get in line. Botanica Restaurant & Market is the new rustic feminine gem that fills a void on Silverlake Boulevard: a beautiful restaurant with a liquor license! The space is 50% restaurant, 25% bar, leaving 25% for a sweet coffee bar and Parisian-style market offering fresh produce and a few other artisanal items. Find a comfy seat at the long communal table on the sun-lit back patio and feel free to stay long enough to watch the coffee crowd turn into a natural wine scene.

What I ate: Botanica Restaurant & Market’s cashew date milk latte, hot smoked king salmon, shaved roots and fruits salad and fattoush-y salad.

Why I ate it: Botanica is located in a quaint walkable area of Silverlake and close to the recently filled Silverlake reservoir, perfect for a post-meal stroll. Botanica sources the highest quality farm-fresh products and skillfully prepares them into a bevy of thoughtful dishes one can describe as Californian meets the Middle East. The primarily plant-based, seasonal menu provides healthful on-trend food options for every dietary restriction. I was happily overwhelmed with the enticing menu options, but had a very easy time deciding on a homemade cashew date milk latte to start; it was delicious and not at all overly sweet.

Why you need it: I highly recommend the fattoush-y salad. The combination of raw veggies, torn herbs, an artful smear of garlic labne, sumac-crisped focaccia and za’atar vinaigrette danced in perfect harmony. The best part about this dish is the purity of ingredients. Botanica is dedicated to serving dishes made with only California olive oil, coconut oil, organic grapeseed oil and organic butter – completely omitting refined sugars, processed foods or products of industrial agriculture/aquaculture. Eat the creamy labne (Lebanese cream cheese) with a hunk of oiled focaccia without worry – mindful indulgence is the new food trend on the East Side.

Grab a few gorgeous recipes by Botanica from our cooking class with the ladies here and here.