PRICE RANGE: $$$$
AMBIENCE: 10/10 if you are on the patio, 5/10 if not
LOCATION: 225 N Canon Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90064
RESERVATIONS: Book Here

RECOMMENDED DISHES: Scrambled Eggs with Caviar & The Roasted Herbs of Provence Chicken

For this summer, The Restaurant at Montage Beverly Hills has been transformed by Chef Ludo Lefebvre and his friend Gilles Epié. One of the most influential LA chefs, Chef Ludo, along with his notable French chef counterpart, are taking us to the French Riviera. The pop-up will focus on serving classics from the South of France, and will be open through the end of September.

Chef Ludo has been named the “pop-up king” after he completed a multi-city restaurant tour of LudoBites. His restaurants have received a lot of attention and many awards, most notably, and recently, a Michelin star at Trois Mec.

Chef Gilles is no stranger to success himself. As the youngest chef ever to receive a Michelin star, he will be making his grand debut back to Beverly Hills after 16 yearsr away from his restaurant Citrus Ètoile – Paris Champs Elysèes.

It wasn’t always this way. Ludo & Gilles first met when Ludo worked for Gilles at L’Orangerie, L.A. in 1996. It was at this time when Chef Gilles received Best Chef in America by Food & Wine Magazine.

The Atmosphere

The Beverly Canon Garden, the courtyard between the Montage and recently closed Bouchon, is one of Beverly Hill’s nicest areas to relax and enjoy the beautiful LA weather. The dining room for The Summer of Ludo & Gilles runs adjacent to the Garden, offering an open-air in-dining room experience as well as tables on the outdoor patio. Diners enjoy a complete sensory experience, from the sounds of French music to the indoor/outdoor seating.

Beverage Program

The Summer of Ludo & Gilles beverage program features a comprehensive Rosé menu with unique French producers and purveyors. By no means is the wine list cheap, this is Beverly Hills, but my favorite beverage to consume here is the Veuve Cliquot special cocktail.

The Food

The Summer of Ludo & Gilles

All in all, this was a great dining experience, and I’ve actually been back again since. This might be a bit overkill, but I’d recommend only eating on the patio. It’s much quieter and the LA summer evening weather is perfect for it. With the backdrop of Beverly Canon Garden, it doesn’t get much better than this. I mean, the French Riviera would probably better… 😉

After Dinner Drinks at £10 (Ten Pound Bar)

No dinner is complete in Beverly Hills without heading over to £10 afterwards. Check out my review here.

Fried Chicken LudoBird

Not in the mood for a sit down lunch? LudoBird is open for lunch next door Monday through Friday from 12-2pm (sometimes 3pm). It’s here where Ludo is serving his signature fried chicken sandwiches and “The Original” Buttermilk Provencal you can find at Universal City and Staples Center.

Now, in my opinion, the sandwiches are not consistent across these three locations. The sandwich at Staples is a whole lot more fried than chicken, while the sandwich in Beverly Hills was a lot more chicken than fried. The one at the Montage just looked, and tasted, cleaner. That being said, I actually prefer the Staples Center version to the Montage, because if I wanted to be healthy, I’d order a salad.