California Restaurants

The flagship Wolfgang Puck restaurant offers cuisine that is at the forefront of the Los Angeles culinary scene. Executive Chef Lee Hefter is both inventive and playful, creating masterful combinations of the freshest and finest ingredients. Famous dishes include the Handmade Agnolotti with mascarpone, Chino Farms Roasted Beet Layer Cake, and Prime Côte du Boeuf for Two. The menu changes seasonally to showcase the best of California’s produce, and the Chef’s eight-course tasting menu is an ideal way to sample the best that Hefter has to offer at any one time. The chic restaurant is also known for its celebrity …

Classy meets comfortable at Whist, located at the Viceroy Santa Monica, a restaurant offering elegant Coastal Mediterranean cuisine for breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch. Not only do menu items offer variety, but in order to ensure individual levels of comfort guests are offered several choices in seating locations including the traditional formal dining room, casual poolside tables as well as private chef cabanas for a more intimate experience. Whist is an eatery known for its significantly stylish décor which fuses vintage and modern furnishings. The restaurant excitedly welcomes new Executive Chef, Tony DiSalvo to the team, who uses his vast …

Dining on the patio of Café Pinot gives guests a grand view of the urban skyline and the lush romantic Central Library garden located in Downtown LA. Enjoy warm afternoons and summer nights out on the terrace, while eating Café Pinot’s French-California cuisine. This restaurant is perfect for dining before an event at the Staples Center or the Music Center because of its close location. A delicious Café Pinot dish to try is the Three Mustard- Crusted Farm-Raised Rotisserie Chicken with crispy Pinot fries. If guests decide to have lunch at Café Pinot, then get the Pan-Seared Prime Hanger Steak …

Deep in the heart of Hollywood, four-year old Cinespace is a unique venue that features traditional favorites in a modern atmosphere. Customers can choose to sit in the futuristic-feeling lounge, the open-air patio or the dark and moody screening room. The latter option features a free, intimate film-viewing experience. Executive Chef Stephen Rea’s movie-themed menu is a combination of modern takes on both American and Californian staples. Specialty cocktails are served at the full bar, and a DJ performs live nightly.

Shades Restaurant and Bar embodies the unpretentious elegance of its Huntington Beach location. Formerly the Palm Court, this fixture of the Hilton Waterfront has been given a vibrant new personality through its recent renovation. The restaurant’s lively atmosphere is interpreted differently by its seating options: warm amber lighting and wood accents make for a chic indoor dining experience while the outdoor patio, with its ocean views and sunny tables, is the essence of coastal casual. Chef Jeff Littlefield’s menu is dictated by seasonality, resulting in a quietly sophisticated cuisine that is the epitome of fresh. A meal at Shades is …

Cuistot of Palm Desert is an illustrious diamond in the rough. Renowned Chef Bernard Devrieux is a native of France dedicated to crafting the finest of old world French cuisine. This restaurant boasts a vast wine selection of over 650 international varieties and in-house sommelier. Embark on an exceptional dining experience with starters such as the Avocado Fan with warm goat cheese in a shallot, drizzled with olive oil and cracked black pepper dressing. Premium entrees include the Young Duck Oven Roasted with Spices, Roasted Rack of Lamb, and the California Roasted Quail Stuffed with Sweetbreads. Seafood lovers will rejoice …

Sandwiched between a temple and a clothing store on West 3rd Street, A.O.C. Wine Bar doesn't look like much from the outside. Inside, however, there is a great deal to dazzle the wine and food lovers of Los Angeles. Born of the collaboration between Chef Suzanne Goin and Sommelier Caroline Styne, both of Lucques fame, A.O.C. offers a unique dining experience. With the aid of the distinctive cruvinet wine storage system, Styne can offer over fifty wines by the glass, half glass, and carafe. Diners can sample from this list while trying some of Goin's small plates, which vary from …

Theme park dining usually means overpriced, tasteless food in small portions. However, the Napa Rose located in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa delivers park goers a sophisticated, delicious meal. Views of Disney’s California Adventure park can be seen through the glass windows, but no park ticket is necessary to dine here. Head chef Andrew Sutton changes the menu seasonally, providing fresh ingredients in his dishes. For appetizers, the Starter to Share consists of Large Seared Shrimp in Garlic Sauce, Pork Spare Ribs with Soy Glaze, and Lemongrass Chicken Skewers. To keep the food at the right temperature, a hot …

This New York-style bistro has become a popular hangout for locals and late-night diners. The massive dining room features high ceilings and a gorgeous art-deco bar, which gives a festive atmosphere. The classic American fare gets a modern twist with such dishes as Mac & Cheese with white cheddar, asiago, and goat cheese, and the Flat Iron Steak with Bleu Cheese Fries. Regulars also return for the attentive staffs’ service, as well as the delicious food. The restaurant is open until 2am so swing by after a night out to people watch on the outdoor patio and grab some satisfying …

Blair's in Silver Lake is just the sort of wine bar and restaurant that you would expect to find on a Manhattan street corner. Fortunately, you only have to travel to Silver Lake to find upscale comfort food paired with an excellent beer and wine menu in a cozy candlelit atmosphere. The crowd is a mix of neighborhood regulars, Hollywood starlets looking for somewhere low key and off the beaten path, and hip Silver Lakers meeting up for a drink and snacks at the bar before a night out.

Tucked in a remodeled 1924 Craftsman-style firehouse in the peaceful community of Silver Lake, the Edendale offers exquisite cuisine in a comfortable, unassuming setting. Accented with fresh flower arrangements, cozy armchairs, antique sconces and walls of old black and white photos, the setting has the potential to make single diners and large groups alike feel like they are home. As is only fitting in this comforting setting, Executive Chef Paul Downer offers an amazing array of comforting dishes including Ahi Tartare, a Fried Green Tomato Salad, and the signature Edendale Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese with chili garlic bread crumbs …

Located in a converted house on Glenneyre Street in Laguna Beach, Cafe Zoolu is at one with the surrounding neighborhood and its residence. Located next to a local health club and only two blocks from the shores of the Pacific Ocean, Café Zoolu is noted among locals for a magnificent appeal drawn from the location, the décor, and the food. Great veal chops, and world famous grilled swordfish are what have earned Café Zoolu its high regard and recognition. The cozy restaurant has only 11 tables, so reservations are mandatory for those looking to dine on the fresh seafood and …

The Ivy’s disarmingly rustic décor and chic Californian twist on American comfort food entice both L.A.’s rich and famous, and their adoring public. The charming white picket fence and fragrant roses of its front patio evoke a by-gone era of simplicity and nostalgia, a glaring, but welcome contradiction amidst the ultra-chic posturing of Beverly Hills. The Ivy’s menu is made similarly appealing by its culinary juxtapositions, creating a balance between hearty comfort and refreshing innovation. The Ivy’s star-studded people watching possibilities, its quaintly romantic atmosphere, and its deeply satisfying cuisine ensure a dining experience that is both delightfully homey and …

Chef Suzanne Tracht’s has rejuvenated proverbial American cuisine through her newest bistro, Jar, creating tangy and zestful editions of classic favorites. Her signature Kansas City Steak and Prime Porterhouse can be sided with her award winning French Fries, made scrumptious by being dusted with garlic and parsley, or the Creamy Spinach, both buttery and rich. The delectable menu ties in well with the warm setting, wrapped in browns and hues of orange. The minimalist décor allows one to experience the retro-modish theme of Jar’s 1940’s-premised dining room. Come enjoy this new twist on American cuisine.

La Bohème rhapsodizes with a quintuplet of dazzling crystal chandeliers looming majestically overhead in a large, yet intimate two-tiered dining space. The semi-private booths downstairs and the rock star booths upstairs, along with the opulent ruby-red décor glimmering softly under the glow of two huge open fireplaces make this seductive bistro one of the a romantic destinations in L.A. Guests are also welcome to dine on the Garden Patio, Café La Boheme’s own al fresco paradise, where they can bask in the warmth of a beautiful fireplace framed by roses and greenery. For more casual diners, the bar lounge offers …

Set in a cozy yet elegant atmosphere reminiscent of Hollywood's past, The Tower Bar offers knockout views of the city coupled with an exclusive atmosphere. A live pianist hammers out famous jazz tunes while stylish diners chat over elegant cocktails, before being served selections from Chef Dakota Weiss's elegant menu. The cuisine is light French and Italian-inspired California cuisine, and the wine list offers a perfect pairing for entrees ranging from Sautéed Ruby Red Snapper to Braised Short Ribs. A "no cell phones, no photographs" policy makes the dining room a safe haven for even the most famous of celebrities, …

Nic’s takes the feeling of upscale grandeur and mixes it with the smooth feeling of the current surfer youth of Los Angeles. Patrons can enjoy private vodka dining lounges to go along with the martini bar. The food is mainly American fare with a few distinctive international twists. The main idea of Nic’s is to have fun. The restaurant illustrates just that with its exquisite menu and the wild outfits of those in the vodka lounge. Live music is provided on Monday, Thursday, and Friday with leanings towards jazz and R&B. That having been established, cocktail parties and dancing are …

Offering an atmosphere of casual elegance and attentive service, The Park Grill, offers the French-inspired California cuisine, accompanied by an impressive wine selection. Breakfast, lunch and dinner served daily in the dining room or in the Garden. Try a Belgian Waffle with Honey-Vanilla Poached Pears or the 8oz Flat Iron Steak with white truffle mac and cheese, glazed baby carrots and wild mushroom demi. Or come for lunch and try a Bento which includes ½ a soup, ½ salad, ½ a sandwich, and assorted mini pastries. Whether you’re just visiting or a local, try Park Grill for a relaxing and …

Since 1979, Michael's has presented modern American cuisine with a French influence. The decor is light and airy, with a spacious, uncluttered dining room featuring modern art from an array of great contemporary artists. The lush, serene patio garden allows guests a chance to enjoy the Southern California weather while dining. An extensive wine list includes more than eight hundred labels from California, France, Italy, and wine growing regions from across the globe. The secluded garden, landscaped with a variety of trees, exotic flowers, and flowing fountains, creates an ambience ideal for a garden party, a relaxing meal, or romantic …

With nearly every new restaurant offering some sort of fusion cuisine today, Sam’s by the Beach rises above the rest and delivers fresh, smart food in an intimate neighborhood setting just off Pacific Coast Highway. The seasonal menu includes traditional California basics that seem familiar until the taste reveals unique Mediterranean details. The unassuming outside belies the quiet romance waiting inside. Dedicated staff members cater to your every dining need, implementing a special menu if requested and treating each patron as a regular. Visit this surprising getaway to relearn all your old favorites.