San Laurel

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

California Flavor with a Spanish Accent

San Laurel is the flagship restaurant in Michelin-starred chef José Andrés' collection at Conrad Los Angeles, occupying the 10th floor of Frank Gehry-designed The Grand LA in Downtown Los Angeles. The concept is built on a clear idea: draw a culinary line between the Iberian Peninsula and Southern California, using the freshest sustainable produce from local farmers' markets to marry bold Spanish flavors with the bounty of the Golden State. The restaurant's name itself carries that transatlantic story — bay laurel, aromatic and Mediterranean in origin, long since transplanted to the California coast.

The dining room pairs organic, earthy tones and natural wood finishes with richer hues, a setting that complements what arrives on the plate. Outside, the terrace offers one of Downtown L.A.'s most striking vantage points: at sunset, light catches the stainless-steel curves of Walt Disney Concert Hall directly across the street, a view that Forbes Travel Guide — which awarded San Laurel a Four-Star rating — describes as one of the most dazzling in the city.

The Food and Drink

The menu moves through shared plates and larger cuts with equal confidence. From the sea, Hiramasa Crudo arrives with buttermilk leche de tigre, pickled blueberries, and fresno chili; Seared Hokkaido Scallops come with roasted tomato purée and daikon dashi. The Jamón Ibérico de Bellota Cinco Jotas — hand-cut from acorn-fed, black-footed Spanish pigs — is a starter that Forbes singled out as essential. From the land, the bone-in ribeye from Blackhawk Farms in Kentucky is a centerpiece dish, served simply as 'Meat and Potatoes' with potato purée and jus. Wild Mushrooms in Laurel Cream, topped with a fried farm egg and toasted pan de cristal, speaks to the Californian-Spanish register the kitchen operates in throughout.

At the bar, cocktail maestro Miguel Lancha brings a modern hand to classics like the Pisco Sour and Mai Tai, while theatrical creations — some arriving with billowing smoke, beakers, or treasure chests — set a tone that's playful without being gimmicky. The zero-ABV program is equally considered, and the wine list, recognized with a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, leans into cool-climate bottles from California, the West Coast, Spain, and beyond.

Chef José Andrés

Named one of Time magazine's "100 Most Influential People" in both 2012 and 2018, and recipient of the 2015 National Humanities Medal, José Andrés is widely credited as a pioneer of Spanish tapas in the United States. His award-winning José Andrés Group spans restaurants across the country. In 2010, he founded World Central Kitchen, the non-profit that has served millions of meals in disaster zones worldwide — work recognized by the James Beard Foundation with both Outstanding Chef and Humanitarian of the Year honors. At San Laurel, his forward-thinking approach to Spanish cuisine finds its West Coast expression, grounded in the produce and light of Southern California.