Elf Cafe is an American Mediterranean cuisine restaurant based in Echo Park, California.^[1]

Los Angeles magazine wrote "Elf Cafe is one of Echo Park's most deserving mainstays. When it opened eight years ago, the vegetarian restaurant quickly created buzz with its Mediterranean-influenced fare, winning over even the staunchest of meat-eaters with comforting, vibrantly flavored vegetable dishes, tarts, and tagines, plus one of the first noteworthy kale salads in L.A. Now, even as it's gone from being a gem amidst shuttered storefronts to literally living in the shadow of Mohawk Bend's big marquee (the vegan-friendly behemoth opened next door in 2011), the ever popular Elf continues to flourish.^[2]

The Los Angeles Times said "The indie-rock band Viva K says that opening Elf Cafe -- a tiny Echo Park vegetarian restaurant specializing in organic Eastern Mediterranean cuisine -- was a lot like making a record. “Being in a band can be a very political experience, when you have things to say to the world,” says bassist/head chef Scott Zwiezen. “We’re all vegetarians and we have strong feelings about cruelty to animals. Elf was a way to make a statement in a very tactile sense.”"^[1]

Michelin Guide said "There are no elves running the show at this intimate spot but with just three people staffing the kitchen throughout service, they're certainly working like Santa's helpers. It's a wine bar, so expect a nice selection of bottles, but there's also cider and beer, as well as non-alcoholic offerings. Originally fully vegetarian, Elf Cafe has tweaked its Mediterranean-minded menu to now include animal proteins. Case in point? The lamb skewers, marinated and seared to a crisp crust. Paired with a refreshing yogurt sauce and onions hit with sumac, it's skillfull and satisfying. For a vegetable-focused plate, consider the maitake, grilled over a wood fire, topped with chimichurri, and served over a smashed potato with a ramekin of ají verde for dipping. Craving something sweet? Warm date cake with rich caramel sauce and pomegranate seeds does the trick."^[3]

The Infatuation wrote "Elf Cafe in Echo Park has lived many lives since opening in 2006. Known as the predecessor to Dune, this tiny, low-lit Mediterranean restaurant was originally vegetarian, then closed during the pandemic, and has since come out the other side with a menu that invites meat to the party (alongside trout, anchovies, and cheese—quite the hot clique, we must say). And after years of pivoting, Elf Cafe is the best it's ever been."^[4]

Elf Cafe temporarily closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet in 2023 the food website Eater reported that "A duo of restaurants that closed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic are finally reopening. Elf, the trailblazing Echo Park vegetarian restaurant, is up and running again Thursday through Sunday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Scott Zwiezen of Dune is still there, overseeing the restaurant he founded with bandmates back in 2006. Elf’s updated menu veers slightly from the restaurant’s vegetarian and Lebanese roots, and includes toast topped with a smoked trout brandade and raclette, creamy polenta with aged cheddar, and house-made gnocchi."^[5]

• Official website