€€€€ • Europea • Culver City
Esme is a café by day and restaurant by night, born from the shared vision of founders Ivan and Gabby. Inspired by their favorite flavors, childhood memories, travels, and creative backgrounds, Esme is a deeply personal project — years in the making. The idea was born in 2017, while they sat in a TriBeCa coffee shop dreaming of a space where they could serve meaningful food and build community. Ivan, a chef with experience in NYC Michelin-star restaurants, and Gabby, a marketer with a background in design and events, poured their passions into bringing Esme to life. At its heart, Esme is about connection — a place where people can gather intentionally around a meal or drink and feel at home. With love, hard work, and support from family and friends, their dream has finally come true.
