At Linden Los Angeles, classic New York comfort food gets its due

Next time you're in Hollywood for a show, plan ahead and book a pre-or post-dinner at Linden on Sunset Boulevard. Backed by a powerhouse team of hospitality and entertainment industry veterans, this intimate venue is Black-owned and operated.

The team previously launched New York's Chopped Cheese, an Angeleno homage to a Harlem bodega staple. Linden is also an homage to New York's cuisine (Linden Boulevard stretches through some of of Brooklyn and Queens' most diverse neighborhoods), but offers sophisticated twists on Caribbean, African-American, Jewish and South Asian dishes.

Wallpaper* dines at Linden, Los Angeles

The mood: Old-school New York gets a facelift

Designed by Alahna Jade, the team was inspired by classic New York joints that are filled with knick-knacks collected over the years. To achieve that look, Jade went on a scavenger hunt for décor that told its own story – from distressed mirrors to vintage gold frames – to decorate the restaurant’s walls. It features photos of moments in Black history, nods to the Big Apple, and a specially-commissioned 3D map of New York.

While the space is intimate, guests can enjoy three different experiences and styles of seating. The bar, placed beneath white brick arches, is ideal for vesper martinis with house-pickled crudités, while the main dining room is perfect for groups. A hidden back corner table is perfect for a date night.

The food: Queens in the City of Angels

Chef Jonathan Harris’ brunch and dinner menus take guests on a journey through milestones in his life – each dish telling a story. Growing up in Long Island, New York, as a third-generation chef, his dishes pay homage to the places, flavours and people who have shaped him throughout his career. These include a wagyu pie (puff pastry stuffed with pulled wagyu oxtail and plantain chutney) which creatively replicates Jamaica’s independence from Britain in 1962.

A dish of prawns and polenta combines Southern-style shrimp and grits with the traditional Italian staple, showcasing Harris's talent for fusion and love of comfort food. The Southern fried chicken is finished with beet-pickled onions over smoked turkey collard green purée, inspired by his father’s ‘HotLanta’ recipe. Meanwhile, a dish called 'breaking bread' includes a melting-pot of house-made cornbread, herbed focaccia and an everything bagel, served with fried chicken butter, schmaltz cream cheese and seasoned olive oil.

Even the drinks reflect an element of New York storytelling: the King Cole Old Fashioned references the iconic St. Regis watering hole while featuring Uncle Nearest whiskey (a spirit that honours Nathan ‘Nearest’ Green, the formerly enslaved man who taught Jack Daniel how to distill), while a potion called the L.I.R.R. is a cheeky riff on Long Island's boozy iced tea and its commuter rail – proof that whatever you indulge in at Linden, you're in for a fun ride.

Linden is located at 5936 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028, United States; lindenlosangeles.com