Beverly Hills offers great choice when it comes to finding a romantic restaurant. Just about every international cuisine is represented in the city, with a particularly large number of traditional American steakhouses, excellent Italian and Japanese restaurants.
Spago
Do not be confused by the name – although there is pasta on the menu, Spago (by Wolfgang Puck) is definitely far removed from your regular spaghetti house. This Michelin-starred restaurant is located on Canon Drive, where is offers a sleek and under-stated backdrop to an iconic culinary experience. Fine-dining is the name of the game and the menus are seasonal, showcasing whatever is locally available on the day. You are welcome to choose individual dishes from the a la carte menu at lunch and dinner, but to really spoil someone special you should book the Chef’s multi-course California Tasting Menu. You can choose your favorite wines from a broad selection of international varietals, most of which are available by the glass.
Spago, 176 N Canon Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, Phone: 310-385-0880, Video
Il Cielo
For over thirty years Il Cielo has been a Beverly Hills landmark which has a solid reputation for offering a romantic fine-dining venue suitable for lunch or dinner. Although the Italian-inspired food is based on authentic and traditional Tuscan cooking, Il Cielo raises the bench-mark and offers guest a unique Italian dining experience surrounded by beautiful gardens and elegant and inviting interiors. The menu features all your Italian favorites including a selection of antipasti followed by masterful risottos and pastas before you even reach the mains. These include beautifully prepared and plated salmon, sea bass, lobster, chicken, lamb and beef. At lunch and on special holidays like Easter there is a fixed-price menu as well as the a la carte options.
Il Cielo, 9018 Burton Way Beverly Hills, CA 90211, Phone: 310-276-9990
Carlito’s Gardel Restaurant
Offering a warm Argentinean welcome, Carlito’s Gardel Restaurant in Beverley Grove offers the perfect combination of great food, wine and ambiance. For more than twenty years the restaurant has been building a sterling reputation for offering visitors some of the best Argentinean cuisine in the country, using fresh local ingredients and prime all-natural grass-fed Black Angus beef. The menu features a long list of deliciously exotic appetizers and tempting Argentinean specialty steaks, poultry and pastas. Wine connoisseurs will enjoy browsing the extensive list of Argentinean, Italian and French wines and everyone should try and leave some space for one of their home-made dessert delicacies.
Carlito’s Gardel, 7963 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046, Phone: 323-655-0891
CUT
Impress your date by booking a table at Michelin-starred CUT, the flag-ship dining venue at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. The atmosphere is vibrant, the décor chic and elegant and the best tables are on the upper level, where you have a brilliant view of the busy exhibition kitchen. Here Chef Wolfgang Puck works his magic, turning classic American steakhouse favorites into unforgettable contemporary works of art. A few of his famous signature dishes include Pan-roasted Maine Lobster with Truffle Sabayon, Whole roast Prime Porterhouse (to share) and Bone-Marrow Flan. CUT Lounge offers an intimate setting for pre-dinner cocktails or post-dinner night-caps.
CUT, Beverly Wilshire Hotel, 9500 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212, Phone: 310-276-8500
The restaurant at Mr C is worth checking out.
La Gondola Kosher Restaurant
It is not always easy to find a kosher restaurant which caters to gourmands, but that is exactly what you will find at La Gondola Kosher Restaurant, right on Wilshire Boulevard in the heart of Beverly Hills. The interior of the restaurant is under-stated elegance at its best and the dining room offers a very friendly and relaxing ambiance. On the menu you will find a gourmet take on traditional kosher dishes from all over the world, as well as an excellent selection of good wines to enjoy alongside your meal. The menu is extensive and there is something to please every palate including several choices for vegetarians.
La Gondola Kosher Restaurant, 9025 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211, Phone: 310-247-1239
Locanda Veneta
Deep red walls, intimate tables and mood lighting set the scene for a romantic lunch or dinner at Locanda Veneta on 3rd Street. As the name suggests, the cuisine is pure Italian and you can expect to be taken on a wonderful tour of Venetian cuisine without leaving your seat. Chef Andre used freshly sourced local ingredients whenever possible and there are always delicious soups and fresh salads on the menu. Delicately flavored appetizers are followed by a mouth-watering list of home-made pastas as well as a good selection of meat and fish entrees. Smaller appetites might like to order their fixed-price Soup and Salad or Appetizer and Pasta specials.
Locanda Veneta, 8638 West 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90048, Phone: 310-274-1893
Mastro’s Steakhouse
An impressive modern interior featuring stone pillars, dark-painted walls and lots of mirrors set the scene for a wonderful night out at Mastro’s Steakhouse on North Canon Drive. The menu includes all your favorite American Steakhouse classics, along with some innovative and delicious surprises, compliments of Chef Walter Mayen. You can take the edge off your hunger with one of their delicious appetizers from the Raw Bar or dive straight into one of their signature main courses which include a large selection of perfectly grilled steaks and chops as well as plenty of fish and seafood choices. Do remember to leave some space for dessert – their Hot Butter Cake is rumored to be amazing.
Mastro’s Steakhouse, 246 North Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, Phone: 310-888-8782
Maude
A modern and elegant interior welcome you to Maude , the brainchild of Australian celebrity Chef Curtis Stone. Inspired by the wonderful fresh produce and wines from the Sonoma valley, Maude offers guests quarterly seasonal menus based on the cuisines and wines of distinct wine-making regions all around the world. The set-menu (with or without wine-pairing) dinners consist of ten courses and there are only twenty-four seats available, so you are advised to book well in advance. If you prefer not to do the wine-pairing menu you can select a bottle of wine from an extensive list, or order by the glass.
Maude, 212 S Beverly Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90212, Phone: 310-859-3418
Nowaza Bar
Definitely the place to go for a special occasion if you both love all things sushi and sashimi, Nowaza Bar is rumored to offer the best sushi experience outside of Japan. The omakase sushi meal (Chef’s Choice set meal) changes according to what Chef Fujita finds at the LA fish market each day. Dinner is by reservation only and there are no choices and no substitutions, so you need to be comfortable with leaving all the choices to your chef. If you particularly dislike a particular menu item you are free to sit it out (some guests balk at the suggestion of live octopus, for example). This is an experience no visitor to Beverly Hills should miss.
Nowaza Bar, 212 North Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, Phone: 310-424-216-6158
The Belvedere
There are few more romantic places to dine in Beverly Hills than the amazing Terrace at The Belvedere Restaurant in the Peninsula Hotel. Seated on the Terrace you will be surrounded by lush gardens, French fountains and a flickering outdoor fireplace. The menu features fresh seasonal Mediterranean cuisine made from locally sourced produce and sustainably sourced seafood. A small sample of their appetizer menu includes Salt Cod Croquettes, Fresh Oysters and traditional Shrimp and Grits. There are always some pasta and risotto choices (including gluten-free pasta) and their innovative entrees include a wide selection of fresh fish, poultry and all-natural US Beef creations.
The Belvedere, 9882 S. Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, Phone: 310-551-2888
