Kate Mantilini was a restaurant in Beverly Hills, California, at 9101 Wilshire Boulevard at the corner of Doheny Drive, two blocks from the headquarters of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. Harry and Marilyn Lewis opened the restaurant in March 1987 after selling the Hamburger Hamlet restaurant chain for $33 million. (Harry was an ex-actor who had appeared in the film Key Largo.[1] It was described as a "late night hot spot"[1] and as the "most consistently cool restaurant in Beverly Hills". Starting in 2010, sons David and Adam Lewis took over the management, with Adam serving as executive chef.[1][2]
| Kate Mantilini | |
|---|---|
 "Heat" posters at Kate Mantilini | |
 | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | March 17, 1987, Saint Patrick's Day |
| Closed | June 14, 2014 |
| Head chef | Adam Lewis |
| Food type | American classics |
| Street address | 9101 Wilshire Boulevard at Doheny Drive |
| City | Beverly Hills |
| County | Los Angeles |
| State | California |
| Postal/ZIP Code | 90212 |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 34°04′02″N 118°23′25″W / 34.0672037°N 118.3901544°W |
| Seating capacity | 300 |
| Reservations | no |
| Other locations | Woodland Hills |
Marilyn Lewis wrote about the Lewis family's history in the restaurant business in a book titled Marilyn, Are You Sure You Can Cook?[1]
Patronage by people in the entertainment industry
editRegular patrons included, reportedly, Mel Brooks, Ronald Reagan, Tony Curtis, and Sammy Davis Jr.[1] According to Pete Hammond of Deadline Hollywood:[2]
"It was almost impossible to go in there and not run into someone you know. It was really a hopping place, both at lunch, dinner and late night. And it not only has been host to numerous premiere parties (including several for Matt Weiner and Mad Men, a Marilyn Lewis obsession) it was also prominently featured in the movie Heat with a key scene between stars Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, now memorialized on the walls of Kate's. I was even in there after the Oscars and a winner with his brand new shiny statuette came in passing up the Vanity Fair party in favor of a late night snack at Kate's.
According to Los Angeles magazine, a "representative" of Harry Lewis said that Marilyn Lewis had an uncle named Rob who was a "philanderer", and had a mistress named Kate Mantilini, after whom the Lewises named the restaurant.[3]
Cuisine
editThe menu stated "We thank Musso and Frank, Ollie Hammonds and Armstrong Schroeder for the inspiration for this menu". According to the "Reluctant Gourmet", an anonymous restaurant critic at the Los Angeles Times, the menu was "straightforward, huge and very American". American classic dishes served included shrimp cocktail, clams casino, meat loaf, crab cakes, Greek salad, fish, steak, broiled pork chops, rotisserie chicken, macaroni and cheese, and chili. Desserts included apple pie, cake, and shortcake. The restaurant also served breakfast and were open until 3 am.[4][5][6]
Filming location
editKate Mantilini served as a set for the 1995 movie Heat for a scene featuring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino.[1]
Closure
editThe landlord raised the rent on the location, which Adam Lewis stated they couldn't afford, and so the restaurant closed after 27 years on June 14, 2014, though another location remained open in Woodland Hills[2] (5921 Owensmouth Avenue)[4] in the San Fernando Valley.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g Harris, Jenn (13 May 2014). "Kate Mantilini in Beverly Hills to close, ending a chapter in L.A. restaurant lore". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ a b c Hammond, Pete (14 June 2014). "R.I.P. Kate Mantilini: Beverly Hills Haven For Oscar Voters And So Many Others". Deadline. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ Galarza, Daniela (13 June 2013). "What's in a Name? The Kate Mantilini Story". LAmag – Culture, Food, Fashion, News & Los Angeles. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ a b "Kate Mantilini Beverly Hills Los Angeles CA Reviews | Gayot". www.gayot.com. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ "Kate Mantilini Review – Los Angeles California – Restaurant". Fodor's Travel. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ Reichl, Ruth (24 May 1987). "A Split Decision : At Kate Mantilini, Diners Win Some and Lose Some". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 3 April 2024.