There are rooftop restaurants where the view does most of the work. Gemma, perched twelve stories above Beverly Hills at the Waldorf Astoria, is fortunate enough to have the panorama—and smart enough not to rely on it.
Come for an early dinner and Los Angeles stretches seemingly forever below, from the Santa Monica Mountains to the Hollywood Hills. With the restaurant designed to take advantage of those sweeping sightlines, there hardly seems to be a bad table in the house. As afternoon light begins to soften and the city slowly changes color, it becomes difficult to imagine a better hour to experience the space.
Opened in May 2026, Gemma represents a complete reinvention of the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills rooftop. Created by Chef Peleg Miron and the hotel’s award-winning culinary team, the menu is described as California-inspired Pan-Asian, drawing particularly from Southeast Asia and the Pacific. The handsome indoor-outdoor setting follows the same relaxed sophistication, with terracotta and sienna tones, greenery and pale stone providing a warm counterpoint to all that sky.
Our meal began with the Tuna Tartar, layered with creamy avocado, citrus soy and crisp lotus chips. It established a recurring theme: flavors that are restrained rather than aggressive. The tuna was notably fresh, with the citrus and soy providing definition without obscuring the fish, while the delicate crunch above gave the dish welcome texture. A perfectly chilled gin martini with blue-cheese olives proved that not everything here needs reinvention. Clean, bracing and properly cold, it was precisely what a martini should be, and an especially good companion as the sun began its descent.
The Thai Curry continued the kitchen’s lighter touch. Branzino and impressively large, juicy shrimp arrived in a fragrant kaffir-lime curry, with generous pieces of meaty fish holding their own against the sauce. Despite its vivid appearance, the dish remained surprisingly subtle and fresh rather than heavy, allowing the seafood to remain the focus. Thai curry is among the dishes the hotel identifies as signatures of Miron’s Southeast Asian-influenced menu.
Then Gemma’s Orange Chicken changed the tempo completely. Crisp pieces of chicken were enveloped in a glossy sauce that balanced sweetness with citrus and tang, accompanied simply by steamed rice. The name inevitably evokes the familiar takeout staple, but this was a richer, more complex interpretation, with enough acidity to keep the sticky sauce from becoming cloying.
What makes Gemma particularly appealing is how easily the experience moves between luxury and informality. Service was exceptionally attentive, yet the rooftop never felt stiff. One can arrive for a martini and a few small plates or settle in for a full dinner while watching Los Angeles transform from daylight into a glittering nighttime panorama. And that may be the best way to experience it: go early.
— Ghalib Dhalla
Gemma at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills
9850 Wilshire Boulevard
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Phone: (310) 860-6666
Website: waldorfastoriabeverlyhills.com/dining/gemma
Hours: Monday–Thursday, 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m.; Friday, 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m.; Saturday, 2–11 p.m.; Sunday, 2–10 p.m. Weekend brunch is served Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
