It's nearly Halloween, which means you should take advantage of all the stellar pumpkin items being offered at L.A.'s favorite restaurants and lounges. Here are our picks for the best pumpkin-themed dishes, desserts and cocktails on offer this Halloween in the City of Angels.
Dia de Campo fries up a hearty breakfast with Chef Ken Johnson's Pumpkin Pound Cake French Toast, topped with deliciously tart persimmons, black plums, and mascarpone.
Barton G. serves up an entire platter of Pumpkin Spice Donuts paired with cranberry compote, pumpkin butter, spiced molten chocolate, and cinnamon anglaise.
The Sassafras Saloon has an awesome adaptation on a Dark & Stormy with its Pumpkin Dark & Stormy, made with housemade pumpkin spice ginger beer and aged rum.
Manhattan House has an entire Halloween-themed menu, believe it or not. Start with a Bloody Beet Salad before moving on the "guts" of your meal—fried chicken livers with fermented chili sauce, sausage and risotto stuffed pumpkins—before finishing with Trick or Treat, Give Me Something Good to Eat (dessert): house-made pumpkin ice cream and salted caramel apples. Special cocktails include The Grim Reaper Punch and Anthem Red Cherry Cider.
Bouchon Bakery is going big with its festive Halloween options, serving up everything from pumpkin macarons and brioche to pumpkin cupcakes and shortbread. You'll also find sips like a delectable pumpkin spice latte and spiced apple cider available.
Cast at The Viceroy Santa Monica is offering up a Pumpkin Spice Old Fashioned with Bulleit Bourbon, pumpkin spice syrup and Stoughton's bitters. Bourbon is accented by the pumpkin and clove spices, reminiscent of a super boozy pumpkin pie.
Ray's & Stark Bar is serving up a Pumpkin Spice Old Fashioned with Michte'rs Bourbon, applejack, pumpkin purée, honey and bitters.
Firefly in Studio City is serving up a Pumpkin Spiced Cable Car with spiced rum, lemon juice, orange juice, housemade pumpkin syrup, sage leaf, cinnamon sugar rim and candied ginger.
Gracias Madre, an amazing vegan hotspot on Melrose, has added Pie One On (with tastes like pumpkie pie) with housemade pepita pumpkin butter, Anejo tequila, port wine, lemon juice, demarara syrup, and aromatic bitters, to its menu.
Bo Nuage, the Parisian-style bakery on Melrose, is offering a new fall flavor of their "nuage" cakes this fall: Pumpkin Spice. They are selling two varieties, both with two layers of meringue filled with flavored whipped cream, one covered in chocolate flakes, the other without chocolate, which is dairy-free. In honor of Bo Nuage's new second location at 9523 Santa Monica Blvd. in Beverly Hills, anyone who comes into the Beverly Hills shop on Halloween in costume will receive a Pumpkin Spice cloud cake for free.