LA Palette

What is LA Palette? Occupying an 1885 former horse stable at 492 Queen Street West near Portland, LA Palette is restaurateur Shamez Amlani’s bohemian French bistro with an enduring counterculture soul. The dining room pairs dim ambient lighting, pressed-tin ceilings, and salon art with mismatched wooden seating, a snug front patio, and an energetic wooden bar overlooking the open line. It remains an unapologetically idiosyncratic Queen West institution, catering to late-night revelers, neighborhood regulars, and adventurous eaters.

LA Palette Menu & What to Order The kitchen leans into rustic French bistro fare and rare cuts, famously preparing classic beef striploin frites with black garlic butter, daily steak tartare, and specialty game meats. Don't miss the rich house-made Iberico pork pâté en croûte or the molten fried triple cream camembert balanced with peach and jalapeño, followed by tender duck confit with crisp skin. The cellar features an extensive, low-intervention wine list highlighting volcanic and organic European producers alongside Belgian ales and French aperitifs, with thoughtful vegetarian choices like pan-seared halloumi couscous rounding out the spread.

Know Before You Go Dinner reservations are booked the old-fashioned way by calling the restaurant directly, while drinks and late-night snacks are open for casual walk-ins. Prime weekend dinner slots fill up rapidly, though grabbing a stool at the bar is ideal for solo diners and duos. Reach the bistro easily via the 501 Queen streetcar to Portland Street; the kitchen runs Wednesday through Monday with the bar pouring until 2:00 a.m. on weekends, staying closed on Tuesdays.