Best Mediterranean Restaurant in Los Angeles

To my grandmother, Aziza, it was very easy to know what a good baklava should be like:

She used to tell us, before you smell or taste the baklava, you should hear it: The crisps should be very loud. If not, don't even try it; it'll be sugary and soggy. Curious neighbors loved this new desert and recommended her to sell it in nearby convenience stores. Within three quick years, she was able to make $20,000 in sales from this modest desert.

Being a wonderful mother, she gave this money to her sons Norman and Emmanuel to start their jewelry store.

So, the story goes as such: From Baklava to Diamonds!

I didn't get the diamonds ... but I got the recipe, that I am now serving to you! Order today and try our prized family Baklava recipe made with love!

We take traditional recipes and give them new flare! Our pastries are a delicate balance of technique, aesthetic and taste. Consciously healthy, we only use the best organic ingredients from around the Mediterranean. We also make sure to make eating vegan and gluten-free fun and delicious!

It all started in March of 2020, when Eli traveled to Los Angeles for a conference. On the last day of the conference, news hit about covid which left him devastated and stranded from his wife and family. He worked with the Lebanese American Foundation and was put into contact with Ferris, who offered to let Eli stay at one of his properties. During this time Eli would make his traditional Lebanese dishes for Ferris as a way to say thank you for everything he had done for him. Flash forward 3 months, August 4th 2020, the famous blast in Beirut caused by a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored in the port -destroyed everything Eli and his wife Stephanie had built back home in Lebanon and all of their investments were gone. While Eli was feeling low on hope and money, Ferris came to him and asked if he would ever consider opening up a restaurant. Ferris offered to be an investor to help Eli get started. Eli showed him the building he was interested in and low and behold - Ferris was the landlord! It was all written in the stars - a sign that it was meant to be! SUMAC® wouldn't be where they are today without the incredible kindness of a man who was once a stranger! That foundation has helped build this business into what it is today - a company focused on treating everyone equally, doing good works for others, and connecting cultures over quality food! Sumac is more than a meal, SUMAC® is a place of comfort, appreciation and joy!

"A Meal Only Tastes Good if It Smells Good”

Eli realized his passion for cooking as a youngster observing his mother perform magic in the kitchen. “A dash of salt, a sprinkle of pepper, and a whole lot of love” she would say. As an adult, Eli attended the Institute Hotelier Cezar Ritz and Les Roches Hotel Management School, two of the finest hospitality schools in Switzerland where he learned at the hands of the most reputable chefs in the world. Eli took his newly founded eloquence in cooking and perfected it by roaming the world and working with prestigious hotels and launching new ones including Raffles Dubai, Armani Hotel, and many others.