A First Look at Laurel Grill: Culver City’s New Rooftop Dining Destination
By James H. Sterling
The kitchen at Laurel Grill organizes its offerings around straightforward fire and season-driven produce. Wood-charred steaks, whole roasted branzino, and spatchcocked chicken form the anchors of the evening entrées. Side dishes avoid excessive culinary deconstruction, leaning into crisp shoestring fries tossed in sea salt, charred broccolini with lemon vinaigrette, and little gem salads coated in buttermilk and fine herbs.
Midday lunch service emphasizes brisk execution for office workers from nearby Sony Pictures and Apple media offices. Smoked turkey clubs on toasted sourdough, grain bowls loaded with avocado and seasonal squash, and dry-aged smashburgers offer straightforward comfort without lingering prep times.
At the center island bar, the rooftop cocktail lounge runs an energetic beverage program. Clarified milk punches and bitter Italian aperitifs take precedence alongside effervescent spritzes tailored for daytime drinking. A tightly curated wine list highlights biodynamic producers from the Central Coast and northern France, rounding out a list designed for broad accessibility.
James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.
