For fine-dining restaurants in Los Angeles, the opening process often looks like this: an up-and-coming chef branches out from the restaurant where they cut their teeth to offer their own more personal tasting menu. It’s a bold gamble with high stakes, especially when charging from $195 to $700 per person. That was the case with Dave Beran, who was chef de cuisine at Chicago’s Alinea before opening Seline and Pasjoli, as well as Michael Cimarusti, who departed from Water Grill to operate his Michelin-rated tasting menu at Providence. This is a common path for fine-dining chefs in just about any city, which is why Lielle’s $150 four-course prix fixe menu feels like such a refreshing anomaly in Los Angeles.
Lielle’s early success — reservations
remained scarce in its first months — could be due to Swedish-born chef Marcus Jernmark playing the long game before opening his Pico-Robertson restaurant in February 2026. He moved his family from Stockholm to Los Angeles in 2022 and spent four years getting to know California. He marveled at Los Angeles’s farmers’ markets. “No place is like Los Angeles, where you actually go with your chefs to a farmers’ market, buying produce, loading it into your car, saying hello to your customers buying their home produce,” says Jernmark. “Talk about communities when it comes to food; there is no other place like this.”
What to order
- During my early March visit, I tasted Lielle’s second menu (which changes every five weeks), where Jernmark’s team prepared aged jack using the kombujime technique that enhances the fish’s flavor by aging it between layers of kelp. They bedded it with a farmers’ market selection of peas, cucumber, green gooseberry, and wasabi.
- Our second course wowed: a smoky abalone with delta asparagus, to which the chef added nori seaweed rice and smothered it in a fermented white asparagus sauce. This dish had a Midas touch during peak asparagus season.
- We also had squab with hazelnut miso, smoked matcha butter, hen of the woods mushrooms, and a black truffle jus. The bird maintains a balance of earthy matcha and hearty fungi, creating a whole that felt (and tasted) innovative.
- Specials reflect what Jernmark’s team finds at the market. That mid-spring night saw a spaghetti all’assassina with lobster, sea urchin, yuzu, and preserved yellow tomato that was briny and lightly acidic.
- The Jersey cow milk sherbet, aka Eton Mess, was an astonishing final course. Lielle’s take on the classic no-bake dessert featured chamomile meringue, black currant, black tea, and an infusion of dried beet to appeal to the not-too-sweet dessert crowd. Crack the top baked meringue layer with a spoon to experience half the satisfaction of the dish. Your first bite will take care of the rest.
The vibe
Upon first glance, Lielle looks upscale: the former Bicyclette space offers a sexy yet vibrant room. The team’s personalities lighten up the place, which feels kind during a serious time in the world. My dining partner and I marveled at how we could both hear the playlist and have an easy conversation. The soundproofing and individual speakers near each seat make it possible to decrease the volume, if needed. This is a good place to step up your casual dress, if you feel like it. But some diners wore T-shirts and jeans, and no one batted an eye.
Insider tip
Though the wine list is stellar, I was stunned by the non-alcoholic options, which beautifully paired apple-oxidized wine with the third and fourth courses. Staff helped guide my sober dining partner, who was excited to see something that extended beyond the predictable mocktail. Though $150 is the starting point, expect the check average to be closer to $250 per person with wine pairings.
Bottom line
Lielle remains one of the most exciting restaurants to open in Los Angeles this year. It’s not just notable Los Angeles chefs talking about it; seasoned diners find it a compelling place to visit without heavily compromising their wallets.
