Beverly Hills

• From Los Angeles International Airport (LAX ^IATA): Travel on Interstate 405 North (San Diego Freeway), then exit into State Route 2 East which is Santa Monica Boulevard.
• From Bob Hope Airport in Burbank: Travel south on Hollywood Way, exit into the Ventura Freeway (California State Route 134 and US 101), then go south on Coldwater Canyon Drive.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority provides bus service into Beverly Hills, connecting with the rail network. Rapid bus 720 runs along Wilshire Boulevard, connecting Beverly Hills with the Fairfax district, Koreatown, and Downtown Los Angeles to the east, and with Westwood and Santa Monica to the west. Rapid bus 704 runs along Santa Monica Boulevard, connecting Beverly Hills with West Hollywood, Hollywood, Silver Lake and Downtown Los Angeles to the east, and with Century City and Santa Monica to the west.

• 🌍 The Farm, 439 N Beverly Dr (at Little Santa Monica Blvd), ☏ +1-310-273-5578. M-Th 7:30AM-9:30PM, F 7:30AM-10PM, Sa 8AM-10PM, Su 8AM-9:30PM. Situated on the bustling Beverly Drive, this cozy eatery has had a loyal clientele since its '97 debut and routinely packs in new converts for its American-style comfort food. Uncomplicated, but no less innovative and tasty salads, fish, meats, sandwiches and assorted entrees form an inviting menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Ahi Three Ways (Seared Ahi with Pepper Corn, Crepe Wrapped Ahi, Ahi Tartar, Mixed Greens and a Warm Ponzu Sauce), Black & White Salmon, Breakfast Quesadilla, Applewood Smoked Bacon Sandwich and Three Cheese Ravioli are menu standouts. Prepare for an excellent bread assortment. The room is bright, airy and warm, presenting a taste of Americana with old farm utensils and folk art hanging on the muted-colored walls. Location equals waiting list for Saturday-Sunday brunch. But it's worth the wait. Most weeknights a reservation can be avoided. But this is Beverly Hills, so... Amazing brownies. 
• 🌍 Il Cielo, 9018 Burton Way (at Doheny Dr), ☏ +1-310-276-9990. Romantic, alfresco hideaway in Beverly Hills combines dreamy ambiance and fine, Italian cuisine. A steady favorite for those 'special occasions', the upscale restaurant features a fountain garden, with retractable glass roof, and fireplace for dining under the stars. Many come for the setting, but the Northern Italian menu features a variety of equally heartwarming main dishes and desserts. 
• 🌍 Kate Mantilini, 9101 Wilshire Blvd (at Doheny Dr), ☏ +1-310-278-3699. More than just the backdrop for the classic scene in the film "Heat" that featured Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro going mano e mano, Kate Mantilini is a Beverly Hills classic, serving up a monster menu of comfort food morning, noon and night since the 1980s. The daily specials never disappoint and the menu is dotted with one great dish after another. 
• 🌍 La Scala, 434 N Cañon Dr (at Santa Monica Blvd), ☏ +1-310-275-0579. Su-F 11:30AM-9PM, Sa noon-9PM. The original La Scala dominated the culinary scene (specifically Italian food) in Los Angeles of the 1950s and 1960s, yet the newer embodiment of the eatery remains a hotbed for excellent Italian cuisine. The cozy environs, replete with red, vinyl booths, add to the pleasant experience. The venerable chopped salad remains a must-have. (updated Nov 2020)
• 🌍 Porta Via, 424 N Cañon Dr (at Brighton), ☏ +1-310-274-6534. Neighborhood bistro is a charming locale for breakfast, lunch and dinner; very cozy exterior/interior sets the stage for idyllic consumption of fresh salads, tasty sandwiches and other goodies. Not too pricey, which is nice. 

• 🌍 Crustacean, 9646 South (Little) Santa Monica Blvd (at Bedford Ave), ☏ +1-310-205-8990. From the moment the An family opened the doors to their posh, multi-level eatery in 1997, the Asian and Vietnamese-inspired menu has wowed food lovers – not too mention the interior design of the restaurant/bar, which blends an evocative Asian aesthetic with Hollywood style. The glamorous vibe and hot bar scene aside, it's the food that is the main draw, which features Dungeness crab, gigantic grilled tiger prawns, Sea Bass and the famous garlic noodles. 
• 🌍 Cut, 9500 Wilshire Blvd (at S Rodeo Dr), ☏ +1-310-276-8500. Ubiquitous Mr. Wolfgang Puck returns, this time to the Regent Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, with a steakhouse that has the town abuzz. Urbane service and top-shelf cuisine set the stage for a delicious, though pricey dining experience. 
• 🌍 The Grill on the Alley, 9560 Dayton Way (at Wilshire Blvd), ☏ +1-310-276-0615. M-Th 11:30AM-10:30PM, F Sa 11:30AM-11PM, Su 5-9PM. Prominent, old school inspired steakhouse known for the Hollywood powerbrokers who power lunch in The Grill's sleek, leather banquettes, expense account credit card in hand. With a bar perfectly situated upon entering, there is a nice emphasis on cocktail culture to go along with the juicy steaks, fish and seafood and other classic dishes. The décor is decidedly masculine, with an east coast (think Manhattan) tenor permeating the usually noisy room. A phenomenal menu top to bottom. 
• 🌍 La Dolce Vita, 9785 Santa Monica Blvd (at Wilshire Blvd), ☏ +1-310-278-1845. M-Sa 5PM-2AM. This celebrated Italian eatery in Beverly Hills dates back to the 1960s, and is a throwback to the good, old days in Los Angeles when folks actually dressed up for a night on the town. The place was a hotbed for the who's who. The décor remains dark and sophisticated, highlighted by the classic brick walls, adorned with glossies of Hollywood legends. Step inside and one might close their eyes and feel the presence of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin holding court in one of the plush booths. And apparently, as research points out, every president since Kennedy has enjoyed a fine meal at La Dolce Vita. Nostalgia and presidential history aside, the food remains delightful; lasagna, veal, steak, capellini, risotto, linguini and so on – it's all here and it's quite superb. 
• 🌍 Mastro's, 246 N Cañon Dr (at Wilshire Blvd), ☏ +1-310-888-8782. Expert mix of classic steakhouse, chic bar scene and well-heeled denizens makes for one heck of a dining experience; that it's located smack dab in the center of glitzy Beverly Hills only seems apropos once you step inside. Two lounges, one upstairs and one down, buffer the main dining room, which features a menu touting wonderful steak selections, as well as seafood and chicken. Side dishes demand top billing, too. The upstairs lounge is quite a scene, with a pianist crooning standards and bartenders whipping up endless orders of martinis for a showy crowd. The whole place operates at high speed, but the old school-meets-modern elegance ambiance, which is appealing in its own right, never overshadows the real star of the show – the food. 
• 🌍 Matsuhisa, 129 N La Cienega Blvd, ☏ +1-310-659-9639. Better known for his Nobu restaurants, this is the original restaurant of Nobu Matsuhisa, one of the most influential sushi chefs in the world. Truly fantastic. 
• 🌍 Mr. Chow, 344 N Camden Dr, ☏ +1-310-278-9911. Famed, ultra-chic Chinese eatery built upon the egos and expense accounts of celebrities, wanna-be celebrities, Hollywood busybodies and the in-crowd. Since opening in 1974, Mr. Chow has remained a culinary heavyweight in the pantheon of Los Angeles dining, not too mention the enduring allure it has for the A-list. Austere in design, with trademark black and white checkerboard floor and tiny tables bunched close together, the dining room is always bustling, still channeling the 'café society' vibe restaurant founder Michael Chow instilled in the place from when it opened. There are now Mr. Chow restaurants in London, New York, and coming soon, Las Vegas. Do try the Drunken Fish. 
• 🌍 Spago, 176 N Cañon Dr, ☏ +1-310-385-0880. Wolfgang Puck's flagship is worth a splurge, and you can say you ate at the real deal. The food is excellent, the decor (designed by his wife) is terrific, and Wolfgang himself often stops by if he's in town. 
• 🌍 Urasawa, 218 N Rodeo Dr (near Wilshire Blvd), ☏ +1-310-247-8939. When Masa Takayama relocated to New York, his assistant, Hiro Urasawa took over the space. The space still has the most expensive restaurant in California, but it's well worth it for sushi fanatics. 

• 🌍 Sprinkles, 9635 South (Little) Santa Monica Blvd, ☏ +1-310-274-8765, eat@sprinklescupcakes.com. M-Sa 9AM-7PM, Su 10AM-6PM. Featured on television shows like Good Morning America and the Oprah Winfrey Show, Sprinkles is the place in Los Angeles to get gourmet cupcakes. This increasingly popular dessert takes one of America's favorite baked desserts to a whole new level, offering 10 varieties a day, 5 of which are always available and the remaining 5 of which varies from day to day. Flavors range from the basic (milk chocolate or red velvet) to the exotic (ginger lemon or chai latte). The shop is hugely popular, but also a bit pricey (at $3.50 a pop), so if indulgent desserts are your thing, be sure to make a quick stop here. $3.25/each, $36/dozen.