Husband and wife duo Walter and Margarita Manzke are no strangers to the Los Angeles food scene, with their Parisian-inspired café Bicyclette routinely named as one of the best in the city. However, last year, the pair upped the ante with their most ambitious restaurant project yet: Manzke.
Housed above Bicyclette in a cutesy chateau-style building on LA’s Pico Boulevard, Manzke opened in March 2022 and by the end of the year, it was awarded Michelin star. Impeccable quality ingredients from only the most carefully selected purveyors are transformed at the hands of the Manzkes and their team, resulting in a refined ten-course tasting menu that is a force to be reckoned with.
For those who already know about the Manzkes’ cuisine, leave what you know at the door: This restaurant is on a whole new level. LA’s dining scene is back with a bang.
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Chef
Walter Manzke is a chef with a serious résumé. His career started under Joachin Splicha at the now-closed Patina, before he moved on to undertake a culinary tour of Europe, which included a stint at Monaco’s storied Louis XV under Alain Ducasse. Back in the States, his reputation only grew during his tenure as head chef at Bastide and Church & State.
Margarita’s experience is vast too, having entered the LA dining scene at some of its most notable restaurants, including Patina, Spago and Mélisse. Her skill in the kitchen has seen her nominated for the James Beard Awards Outstanding Pastry Chef award many times.
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However, it wasn’t until 2013, when the pair opened the wildly successful Republique, that they could really flex their culinary muscles and perfect their unique crafts. Found in a grand old building in LA’s Miracle Mile, the restaurant-café has become a mainstay for Angelenos.
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Since then, the dynamic duo has gone on to open several dining spots, including Petty Cash Taqueria and more recently Bicyclette. Their eponymous restaurant, Manzke, however, has so far proven to be the pinnacle of their shared ability, offering an elevated take on the French-inspired cuisine that they have become so well known for.
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Menu
The Manzkes’ latest venture is unashamedly high-end, offering a tasting-menu-only format. This menu is advertised as ten courses but expect a few extra treats along the way. Ingredient provenance is of top priority, with Walter calling on his vast experience to garner partnerships with some of the best producers available.
Naturally, ingredients are only part of the story with the Manzkes applying their considerable skill to create some very special dishes with impeccable presentation. While Walter and Margarita mostly root their cuisine in French-inspired classics, their vast shared experience does leave room for some well-executed experimentation, with the menu also drawing on Southern Californian and Mexican flavors and techniques.
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Highlights include a delicate Bluefin tuna tostada, served atop a minute glass of flavorsome broth; a decadent Alabone cauliflower royale with a grating of fresh black truffle; and gorgeously flakey Dover sole with morel mushrooms.
Naturally, given Margarita’s undeniable prowess in the pastry section, the Manzke experience is rounded off with some seriously delectable desserts, including a beautifully presented box of chocolates and cookies. There’s also a very serious optional wine pairing courtesy of wine director, Sarah Clarke.
Interior
As well as being half of the kitchen genius, chef Walter can impressively also take credit for Manzke’s interior design. The finished result is undeniably plush and suitably luxe, with cushioned banquette seating, double-height ceilings and dark wood finishes. The color scheme brings that signature blue from the buildings’ exterior indoors and darkens it, completing the decadent atmosphere.
Manzke, 9575 West Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90035
