Los Angeles Spotlight: Mazal

Mazal in Los Angeles is a laid-back Israeli restaurant specializing in original vegan and vegetarian Middle Eastern cuisine.¹

🌟 What Makes Mazal Unique

• Cuisine Focus: It provides a new perspective on Israeli and MENA cuisine with a handcrafted and carefully selected collection of shareable small plates, focusing on a vegetarian menu with many vegan options.²

   

• Family-Owned and Operated: It is a family-run business, with the menu inspired by the owner’s mother, Hanni, who often cooks five dishes at a time.³ The owner, Tal Zaiet, and his father, Davis, built the restaurant from scratch.⁴ Some of the herbs and spices used are grown by the family on their farm about 40 miles outside LA.⁵

   

• Atmosphere: The restaurant has a warm, cozy, urban, and chic atmosphere with beautiful wall decor, lighting, and great music.⁶ It features an open kitchen setting, and an outside patio for dining, which reviewers describe as serene and private, like a “middle eastern alley.”⁷

   

📜 History

• Founding: Mazal is the brainchild of Southern California native Tal Zaiet.⁸ It was a lifelong dream of his father, Davis Zaiet, to open a restaurant.⁹

   

• Construction: Tal and Davis, who previously had a career in the construction industry, spent two years building the restaurant themselves, converting the former warehouse of Davis’s business, Z-Best Hardwood Floors, which he had run for two decades.¹⁰

   

• Opening: The restaurant grand-opened on November 12, 2020, with its soft opening pushed back to late October 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.¹¹ They initially served only takeout and delivery, later growing the restaurant as restrictions lifted.¹²

   

🗣️ Customer Feedback Highlights

• High Praise for Food: Customers frequently rave about the food, calling it “absolutely delicious,” “authentic,” “flavorful,” and “perfectly seasoned.”¹³

   

• Specific Dish Acclaim: The Hummus is often cited as the “best in LA” or “best I’ve ever had.”¹⁴ The Pita bread is described as “mind blowing,” “soft, fluffy, toasty, and warm.”¹⁵ Other favorites include the Maghrebi Potatoes (air-fried spuds on a bed of Maghrebi tahini), Charred Broccoli, Japanese Eggplant, and the Vegan “Labneh”.¹⁶

   

• Ambiance and Service: The atmosphere is highlighted for its warmth, charm, and lively vibe. The staff is consistently described as friendly, attentive, and the service as “flawless.”¹⁷

   

🍴 Highlight Menu Items

The menu is designed for sharing and includes:

• Spreads (served with pita):¹⁸

   

  • Hummus (A must-try, available spicy)¹⁹

     

  • Baba Ghanoush (Fire roasted eggplant spread)²⁰

     

  • Vegan “Labneh” & Air-Fried Olives (Almond-based house vegan “labneh”)²¹

     

• Bites/Sides:
  • Maghrebi Potatoes (Air-fried spuds on a bed of Maghrebi tahini)²²

     

  • Charred Broccoli (with lemon garlic aioli)²³

     

  • Roasted Asparagus (Smoked bell peppers, walnuts)²⁴

     

• Mains:
  • Shawarma Rubbed Oyster Mushrooms (Over cannellini purée with mint chimichurri)²⁵

     

  • Vegan Steak (Soy-based, served with red wine cremini bordelaise sauce & artichoke bottoms)²⁶

     

  • Jerusalem Bagel Toast (Provolone, schug, kale, tomato, pesto, served with Za’atar Labneh – Cannot be made vegan)

🗓️ Significant Events

• Mazal’s grand-opening on November 12, 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, is a significant part of its history, as the opening was delayed and they had to adapt to outdoor dining and takeout only.²⁷

   

• The conversion of the former Z-Best Hardwood Floors warehouse into the restaurant space by the father and son team is a key element of the restaurant’s background.²⁸

   

(Note: Information found on a “Mazal Market” and “Mazal Event” relates to separate businesses/events with similar names and is not directly tied to the Mazal restaurant’s history or operations.)

📍 Mazal Los Angeles Details