Inside Chez Mia: Marissa Hermer’s Celeb-Loved LA Restaurant

Avoid the long flight to Europe and go to LA’s Chez Mia instead!

Located on Melrose Ave, Marissa Hermer’s new restaurant has been described as “transporting” guests to the South of France with art found in the Côte d’Azur and fresh takes on classic French cocktails and dishes.

“The artwork of Chez Mia, in particular, is a scrapbook of my favorite places and moments in Provence, [France,]” Hermer, 42, exclusively told Us Weekly. “And, naturally, there’s the food and drink at Chez Mia. Light, bright and super fresh are the guidelines, just like the South of France … with a Hugo Spritz in hand, of course.”

“One component that I wanted to draw on was emulating the walls of the La Colombe d’Or Hotel in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, where works from Picasso, Miró and Matisse hang, as the artists exchanged their artwork for meals and lodging,” Hermer said. “In the same way, I’ve worked with local artist friends to create artwork for Chez Mia, in return for meals on us. Justine Carrol — my high school roommate from boarding school in Monterey — is one example of this; she painted an oil rendering of the reflection of the Calder, inspired by a photo I took on one of my last trips.”

Since the Ladies of London star’s restaurant opened in October 2024, it has already turned into the city’s new hotspot. Celebs like Kevin Costner, Christine Chiu, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kathy Hilton, Al Pacino, Rosanna Arquette, Laura Dern and Maria Menounos have all been spotted at Chez Mia.

However, Chez Mia is meant to be an “oasis” and welcomes all guests, not just LA’s A-listers. “When our patrons walk in our front gate, they’re all treated as Chez Mia VIPs,” Hermer said. “You’re at your home away from home here.”

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Hermer also told Us that the Pissaladière — a caramelized onion tart dish with black olives and anchovies — “has been hitting most every table since opening, star studded and otherwise.” And not to miss out on the Le Mia cocktail as it’s “the perfect marriage between the South of France and LA.”

For those of Us not in the City of Angels, Hermer shared how to make the margarita: Le Mia

Ingredients:

• 4-5 kumquats, muddled (interesting, seasonal citrus typically works great too!)
• 2 oz Lalo Blanco Tequila
• .75 oz lime juice
• .75 oz agave syrup
• Sprinkle of Espelette salt (a combo of coarse sea salt, ground Espelette pepper, and spices)

Method: Mix kumquats, tequila, juice and syrup in a shaker. Pour into a tumbler prepared with a half rim of Espelette salt (include the muddled fruit). Garnish with kumquat on a pick.

Reporting by Amanda Williams