Bestia’s beginnings

Bestia was the restaurant that was never supposed to work, according to chefs Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis. In 2012, the Arts District was a different animal. For their chef-driven Italian restaurant, the couple chose a cavernous space at what one Yelp reviewer called “the corner of Crack and Murder.” Six years later, Bestia remains one of the busiest spots in town, where getting a reservation is a coup—and now there’s a new cookbook.