By Tracy Tutor
Beverly Hills has one of the most concentrated luxury dining scenes in the country. A few blocks of Canon Drive, Beverly Drive, and the streets surrounding the Golden Triangle hold more celebrated kitchens per square mile than almost anywhere outside Manhattan.
I spend time in these rooms, and the eight restaurants below are the ones I find myself returning to across different occasions. Here are the best restaurants in Beverly Hills right now.
1. Spago
Wolfgang Puck's flagship has been defining Beverly Hills dining since 1982. The seasonal California tasting menu builds on global influences with a precision that continues to earn the restaurant its place among the best restaurants in Beverly Hills. The à la carte menu keeps the experience accessible without compromising the kitchen's ambition, and the wine list and service program match the cooking beat for beat.
2. Maude
Curtis Stone's 24-seat chef's table restaurant on Beverly Drive holds two Michelin stars and a set menu built entirely around Southern California's seasonal produce. At roughly $215 per person, Maude is a genuine commitment, and it delivers with an intimacy and ingredient discipline that very few restaurants in Los Angeles at any price point can match.
3. Funke
Evan Funke's glass-encased pasta workshop on Canon Drive is the most ambitious expression of his city-spanning pasta empire. The pesto trofie, carciofi alla giudea, and the seasonal dessert program from pastry chef Shannon Swindle close meals with genuine finesse, and the kitchen's consistency is the thing that keeps regular diners returning rather than treating it as a one-time occasion. Theatrical without being exhausting, Funke is one of the most interesting dining rooms Beverly Hills has opened in years.
4. CUT
Wolfgang Puck's Michelin-starred steakhouse in the Beverly Wilshire has held its place for years by doing what a great steakhouse is supposed to do. The Wagyu preparations receive particular Michelin Guide recognition, the bone marrow flan has become a dish regulars order without looking at the menu, and Richard Meier's sleek modern room gives the experience an architectural context that most steakhouses simply do not have.
5. Crustacean
Crustacean at 9646 Little Santa Monica Boulevard is built around the An family's Secret Kitchen. The glass-enclosed stream of live koi running beneath the dining room floor makes the space visually unlike anything else in Beverly Hills, and the Vietnamese-French culinary philosophy gives it a flavor profile that has resisted imitation for generations. For anyone assembling a genuine list of the best restaurants in Beverly Hills, Crustacean is not optional.
6. Avra Beverly Hills
The West Coast outpost of the celebrated New York Greek seafood house occupies an 11,000-square-foot space designed to feel like an open-air Mediterranean villa, with a fresh fish display where guests choose their catch before it is grilled simply with olive oil and lemon. The branzino, grilled octopus, and whole fish preparations are consistently excellent, and the room's social energy gives it the feel of a genuinely good night out rather than a transaction.
7. The Grill on the Alley
Open since 1984, The Grill on the Alley has never needed to chase trends because it decided long ago what it was going to be. The kitchen executes its menu with the confidence of a room that knows exactly what it is, and the atmosphere is as carefully maintained as the cooking. For guests who value a certain kind of American dining room elegance that does not announce itself loudly, The Grill is the right answer every time.
8. Il Pastaio
Il Pastaio has held one of the most recognizable corners in Beverly Hills since 1993, and its energy rarely lets up from lunch through dinner. The spaghetti di farro with fresh ricotta and lemon zest and the seafood risotto are the dishes that keep regulars ordering the same things on every return visit, and the outdoor summer dining experience is one of those pleasures Beverly Hills specifically makes possible.
FAQs
What are the best restaurants in Beverly Hills for a special occasion or milestone dinner?
Maude is the most obvious answer for a milestone that deserves genuine culinary intention. CUT at the Beverly Wilshire and Spago are the right choices when the occasion calls for a room with real presence and a service program that knows how to make a table feel looked after without being fussed over.
Which Beverly Hills restaurants are best for a business lunch or power dinner?
The Grill on the Alley has been the definitive business lunch address in Beverly Hills since 1984. CUT is the power dinner equivalent, with private dining rooms and a service culture built around handling significant tables with professionalism. Avra Beverly Hills is a strong alternative for business entertaining that benefits from a more social, energetic atmosphere.
Are there Beverly Hills restaurants that work well for both locals and out-of-town guests experiencing the neighborhood for the first time?
Spago is the restaurant that locals return to and out-of-town guests specifically seek out, which is a rare combination that most celebrated restaurants cannot sustain. Il Pastaio is the right answer for guests who want something warmer and less formal. Wally's, while not profiled above, is worth noting as the ideal pre-dinner or post-shopping stop for out-of-towners who want to sample the neighborhood's wines.
Contact Tracy Tutor Today
The best restaurants in Beverly Hills are part of what makes living in this neighborhood genuinely extraordinary. The cooking here competes with the finest dining anywhere in the world, and the rooms where these meals happen are as thoughtfully considered as the kitchens behind them.
Reach out to me at
Tracy Tutor and let's talk about finding the right home in Beverly Hills.