The Art of Dining
Beverly Hills is well-known for unparalleled Michelin-starred and celebrity chef-driven restaurants, luxurious accommodations and its array of wellness offerings. The city is also home to art-and-music-infused dining experiences. Read on to learn about the art of dining in Beverly Hills.
A Mosaic From Classical Mythology
Behind the bar at CIRCA 55 Rooftop Restaurant + Lounge, the rooftop restaurant of The Beverly Hilton, is a commanding, nine-panel glass mosaic, unseen for more than two decades. The mosaic was recently discovered during renovations. The panels, made by Dale Owen and Robert Mallory, depict figures from classical mythology and were initially installed when the hotel opened in 1955. In the center, the winged god Mercury looks upward as if about to take flight. Mars, the ancient god of war, sits on his left, while to the right is Jupiter, holding a lightning bolt.
Retro Hollywood Photography
While dining on Mediterranean, Asian and Italian dishes or trying out cocktails of local flavors or those that put a spin on classic libations at Ella at SIXTY Beverly Hills, enjoy a plant-filled interior studded with retro Hollywood photography by Randall Slavin, who captured shots of celebrities before they became famous. His works have appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, GQ, Esquire and Rolling Stone. The photography compliments the brown booths and tables with wood chairs and green accent pillows in the main dining room.
Classic and Modern Paintings from Renowned Artists
Contemporary art lovers will delight in the privately curated collection at The Belvedere at The Peninsula Beverly Hills. The restaurant’s bright and spacious interior serves as the backdrop for 11 breathtaking works by acclaimed international artists, such as Yayoi Kusama, Alex Katz, Sean Scully, Nancy Graves and Robert Indiana, many of whom have pieces displayed in the world’s finest museums. There is also a striking Fabienne Verdier piece commissioned specifically for the restaurant. The artworks, displayed along the perimeter of dining room’s white linen walls, compliment the premium classic French-Californian dishes served, such as saffron risotto croquette and rotisserie chicken crepe.
A Mingling of Fine Architecture, Art, Photography and Food
Wolfgang Puck’s world-famous cuisine consists of the finest cuts of beef from regions across the globe, the finest catches of seafood and an extensive wine list at the Michelin-recommended CUT Restaurant. Located in the Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel, the restaurant's sleek and serenely modern environment was created by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Richard Meier. The restaurant currently features one-of-a-kind art created by celebrated artist John Baldessari and curated by Gelila Assefa Puck, as well as photography by award-winning photographer Martin Schoeller.
Mural of Colorful Abstraction
While being served seasonal Californian flavors rooted in the freshest and finest produce, enjoy the mural at The Terrace located in The Maybourne Beverly Hills. The work is by Los Angeles-based artist Jessalyn Brooks, whose paintings portray the contour of the female form with abstraction. Her paintings of full-bodied women are informed by romance, creating strong and angular shapes, and inspired by the geometric lines of Cubism, a movement made famous by Pablo Picasso. Brooks questions notions of beauty, body shape and gender.
An Immersive Aesthetic Experience Blending East and West
The site of an immersive aesthetic experience, fusing art, architecture, performance and culinary innovation, Mr Chow is a place you will not forget. Michael Chow, who is today one of the world’s most recognizable and glamorous restaurateurs, is the creator behind this restaurant, with locations across the globe. Chow’s vision began in London in 1968, when England’s capital was introduced to Chinese food presented in a luxurious and artistic setting, where every detail was carefully curated, from the architecture and French décor to the artwork displays. Fast forward to Beverly Hills today, and the same decades-long tradition continues, where Mr Chow’s success has much to do with the mingling of Chinese food, art and high society.
Famous Art and Celebrity Chef-Imagined Dining
Although Spago Beverly Hills is internationally renowned for its signature dishes, inside the restaurant there is art from ground-breaking artists, including those by John Baldessari, whose work in altered and adjusted photographic imagery and video were central to the development of conceptual art in the United States and Ed Ruscha, an artist associated with West Coast Pop art whose works provide a new way of looking at and thinking about what constitutes the American scene. Though now hidden by the Spago conservatory, there is also the North Cañon Drive Mural, “Thousand Regards/Shape of Color,” by artist Tomokazu Matsuyama.
Mural of Hearts
Enjoy freshly baked pastries, cold pressed juice and freshly brewed coffee, while taking in the Mural of Hearts at Alfred Coffee by Los Angeles-based, internationally renowned artist, James Goldcrown. Goldcrown’s works are displayed across cities such as New York, Miami, London, Shanghai and Tokyo, and his renown has enabled him to collaborate with famous brands such as L'Oreal, Rag & Bone, Sephora, Universal, Vogue, Rimowa Luggage and Henri Bendel.
Performing Arts
Live Outdoor Music on a Cobblestone Street
Set atop the stairs on Via Rodeo’s cobblestone street on Rodeo Drive, 208 Rodeo Restaurant serves up live music ranging from jazz to pop starting at 6:30 p.m. every Friday and Saturday evening. The restaurant, serving California cuisine with pan-Asian and French influences, creates dishes that are both beautifully presented and imaginatively prepared with seasonal ingredients.
For more ways to experience your culinary adventure in Beverly Hills, visit our Dining section.
Revised November 21, 2024