République

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Building With a Past, a Kitchen With a Point of View

The address on South La Brea Avenue carries weight before you even walk through the door. The structure that houses République was built in 1928 by Charlie Chaplin, designed by architect Roy Seldon Price as a mixed-use space arranged around a tiled courtyard. It later became the home of La Brea Bakery and the seminal Campanile restaurant. When Chefs Walter and Margarita Manzke took over, their first instinct was to strip things back — removing layers of renovation to expose the original brick, tile, and ironwork — and return the space to its open, airy origins. The result is a room that feels simultaneously historic and alive: twenty-foot ceilings, custom chandeliers, and oversized mirrors in the main dining area, with a casual bakery and café at the front that hums from early morning onward.

The Manzkes

Walter Manzke's path to République ran through some of the most demanding kitchens in the world. He trained in Los Angeles under Joachim Splichal at Patina before working with Ferran Adrià and Alain Ducasse, then returned to LA to lead the kitchens at Bastide and Church & State. The Los Angeles Times restaurant critic Bill Addison has called his restaurants "an unassailable cornerstone of Los Angeles dining" — recognition that speaks to consistency as much as ambition.

Margarita Manzke, born and raised in the Philippines, came up through Patina, Spago, and Mélisse before the couple opened a series of acclaimed concepts in Carmel — where her signature French baguette took its definitive shape. At République, she pushed her craft further, earning eight consecutive James Beard Award nominations in the Outstanding Pastry Chef category before winning the title outright in 2023. That baguette, served with Rodolphe Le Meunier Normandy butter, still anchors every tasting menu.

French Cuisine, Shaped by the Season

The restaurant's French cuisine is composed daily, with the menu shifting to reflect what's available and what's at its peak. Tasting menus have featured dishes such as Santa Barbara uni panna cotta with smoked tomato gelée, Mediterranean rouget with Coleman Farms summer squash, and Reblochon de Savoie pithivier with Weiser Farms potatoes — the kind of sourcing that keeps the cooking grounded even when the preparations are technically ambitious. Wine pairings are a serious part of the experience, a commitment recognized by Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence.

The Space, in Full

République is not one room but several. The Kitchen Tables sit at the center of the restaurant, with open views of the brigade at work — the most kinetic spot in the house, accommodating up to sixteen guests. The Left Bank Wine Room upstairs is intimate and private, with exposed brick on one side and a glass-walled wine cellar on the other. The Alcove, perched above the main dining room, seats small groups and is designed for tasting menus. For larger gatherings, the main Dining Room can seat up to 68, and the full restaurant accommodates around 154 for seated dinners. The café opens daily at 8am; the restaurant runs Tuesday through Saturday evenings.

République has appeared repeatedly on the Los Angeles Times "101 Best" list and remains one of the most consistently recommended French dining destinations in the city — earned, not assumed.