Michele StuevenWhether it’s champagne and caviar or tapas at the counter, here are some easy and elegant ways to kick off the New Year 2025 from downtown to the valley with views to match.
Ring in the New Year at José Andrés’ San Laurel at Conrad Los Angeles on the 10th floor of the hotel in the Frank Gehry-designed The Grand complex. Highlights include Hokkaido scallops with Périgord truffle and Kaluga caviar, flat iron Wagyu crusted with porcini and peppercorn, and sea bass with smoked trout roe and fennel. Reservations can be made here.
InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown will be one of the best places to view fireworks. Take in the breathtaking city views and celebrate New Year’s Eve at Spire 73, including a DJ, dancing, dinner, a countdown, and champagne toast at midnight. Reservations available here
La Boucherie on the 71st floor of the InterContinental will be offering special prix fixe menus with tiered pricing and two seatings at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Menu highlights include a duck liver eclair, yellowfin tuna tartar, Wagyu rib eye cap, white chocolate champagne mousse and a glass of Perrier Jouet Brut. The Starlight Booth Dining Experience includes a bottle of Dom Perignon Brut, an amuse bouche and six indulgent courses. Or listen to jazz in the hotel’s lobby lounge and sip craft cocktails as you countdown to 2025. Admission is not ticketed and seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Spire 73 (Courtesy InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown)
Dining and dancing venue Puzzle will offer six and nine-course menus. The six-course tasting menu includes Cèpe Velouté with truffle Chantilly, Puzzle signature ribeye, and truffle Brillat-Savarin, while the nine-course menu includes the above as well as additional delicacies. At 10 p.m., Puzzle’s masquerade party kicks off with a live DJ to ring in the new year. Tickets are available at SevenRooms.
Carmel on Melrose Ave. is returning to the glam days of Studio 54 in The Jaffa Room. Access is standing room only, with DJ Tiego spinning all night. While dinner is served in the main dining room, The Jaffa Room will remain open all night. The celebration moves to the dining room after the second seating for the countdown to midnight. The menu, curated by Chef Asaf Maoz, features an amuse bouche, choice of appetizer, entree, dessert, and shareables for the table. The first seating is from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The second seating is from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. with a countdown to midnight and a complimentary champagne toast, live DJ & other surprises. Mediterranean wine pairing will be curated by sommelier Stephen Cox and includes a sparkling, rose, white, and either a red or white for the main course, followed by a dessert wine, for $90.
Spago Beverly Hills will also celebrate with a masquerade celebration and a four-course prix fixe menu filled with seasonal choices. Late-seating guests will enjoy live music, dancing, and a champagne toast at midnight. Tickets are available on SevenRooms.
Brunch Spread at the Hideaway
CUT Beverly Hills is offering a four-course menu and a theme of All That Glitters with two seatings. The second seating begins at 9 p.m. for adults ages 21 and over and includes access to CUT Lounge for the after-dinner party, a glass of Telmont Champagne at midnight, a DJ, and party favors.
On New Year’s Day, TLV Tapas in Tarzana will kick off 2025 with Mediterranean small plates to share, like TLV’s Jerusalem bagel, kohlrabi, short rib cigar, and chicken Musakhan. For Hannukah, TLV Tapas Bar will host a nightly ceremonial candle lighting led by a local rabbi and serve traditional sfenj, a Maghrebi doughnut that is light, spongy, and sprinkled with sugar.
Also on New Year’s Day, The Hideaway will open at 11 a.m. and offer its weekend brunch menu until 4 p.m. The restaurant will offer its regular menu from 11 a.m. to 9:45 p.m., with the bar continuing the fun until midnight. Brunch highlights include a decadent churro sticky bun, the ultimate breakfast burger covered in black truffle aioli, and an avocado toast with the option to add butter-poached Maine lobster as well boozy popsicles, including strawberry and mint or kiwi and lime.