Sandwiched between the Santa Monica mountains, 405 freeway and Santa Monica proper sits Brentwood, an upscale, quiet L.A. neighborhood that manages to stay off most tourists’ radars. If you’ve heard of it, chances are it's home to some of your favorite celebrities, or you might recognize it as a frequent backdrop in Curb Your Enthusiasm. But just because Brentwood isn’t necessarily one of the more bustling parts of town doesn’t mean it lacks things to do.
If you peel off the 405 and venture into Brentwood, you’ll likely find yourself cruising down San Vicente Boulevard, which cuts through the neighborhood. This diagonal street is lined with coffee shops, boutiques and plenty of eateries for enjoying a meal in the sunny Southern California weather. Known for its freshly-trimmed lawns, beautiful homes and slower pace of life (or at least by L.A.’s standards), most of the activities in and around Brentwood involve unwinding or enjoying the finer things in life. This Westside neighborhood also offers a handful of great restaurants, with an abundance of Italian options to choose from for a delicious pasta dinner.
Brentwood’s proximity to the freeway makes it a tucked away gateway to the beaches, mountain trails and various iconic L.A. landmarks. You can get to Santa Monica or Venice Beach in under 30 minutes without traffic, take the 405 north to the Valley or take Wilshire Boulevard into Beverly Hills and West Hollywood. Some nearby major landmarks include UCLA’s beautiful campus and the world-famous Getty Center, which overlooks the neighborhood from its hilltop location. In other words, few places in town offer residents and visitors such proximity to both attractions and natural landscapes, making it possible to hit the beach, tour a world-class museum and dine at a great restaurant all on the same day. We’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite food spots, must-see attractions and activities to do in one of our favorite neighborhoods in L.A.’s Westside.
Open every Sunday from 8:30am to 2pm, the Brentwood Farmers’ Market is a relaxing start to your morning where you can shop for all kinds of goods and foodstuffs. From fresh produce grown in local farms to flowers and food vendors, this weekend-only pop-up fair has everything you’ll need for an upcoming picnic at the beach or tonight’s dinner.
Brentwood Country Mart is arguably the neighborhood’s most recognizable landmark; the food and shopping destination dates all the way back to 1948. Designed to look like a stylish barn with touches of American and British countryside elements, you can wander the high-end shopping center before grabbing a freshly brewed espresso at Caffe Luxxe or enjoy an artisanal California-inspired meal at Farmhouse. Retail spaces run the gamut from luxury brands like Christian Louboutin to the mart’s original postal office that has been in operation for over 50 years.
Serving decadent pastas for over 30 years now, Toscana is a neighborhood trattoria that always comes in handy when your dinner group is feeling Italian. From perfectly breaded Milanese steaks to saucy tagliatelle bolognese and rich black truffle and burrata pizzas, everything on Toscana’s menu is flavorful and ideal for sharing.
Master pizzaiolo Daniele Uditi opened Pizzana on San Vicente back in 2017 and quickly won over the hearts (and stomachs) of pizza lovers around Los Angeles. The Neapolitan-inspired restaurant (which now has a second location in West Hollywood) makes a thin-crust, wonderfully chewy pie from two-day proofed dough. You can order the classic Margherita with San Marzano tomatoes, fior di latte and fresh basil, or go for a more decadent option with the cacio e pepe pizza with three cheeses and cracked black pepper for some subtle heat.
Though Clark Street has a few shops around town, its Brentwood location is the only one west of the 405 that cranks out the delicious breads that have made this bakery one of the city’s best. Sample their glossy challah, Swedish cinnamon rolls and country loaves, or go for a jambon beurre sandwich with Paris ham and comté on a French baguette.
Baltaire is a high-end steakhouse where you frequently come across executives taking business meetings or maybe even a celebrity face now and then. The filet mignon and dry-aged bone-in rib eye are just a few of the popular cuts on the menu, but we also recommend the restaurant’s raw bar. Sample the daily oyster offerings or the petit plateau for a very indulgent seafood platter.
Breakfast at Coral Tree Cafe usually consists of sitting out on their front patio with various breakfast toasts, a pile of pancakes or some classic eggs Benedict. The baristas also happen to be masters at latte art, making your morning cup of organic coffee a little more fun with their intricate designs.
Located inside the Hotel Angeleno, West is a top-floor restaurant with sweeping views of… the 405 freeway. But look past the gridlock and you’ll see the impressive city-meets-the-ocean sprawl of Los Angeles below you. An Italian-American steakhouse by night and brunch spot by day, the stylish restaurant offers a bit of everything from lobster ravioli to French toast and rib-eye steaks. Or, if you’re looking for cocktails with a view, stop by for happy hour for a martini or two.
Los Angeles can be an exhausting place sometimes, which is why a visit to the spa could do you some good. Milk + Honey Spa is a one-stop shop for all types of treatments and beauty services, including Swedish-style massages, facials and all-natural manicures. The Austin export even offers medical aesthetic services like laser hair removal, chemical peels and microneedling in an airy, relaxing and minimalist setting.
Alfred is one of the city’s most iconic coffee brands with its colorful branding (its “but first, coffee” signs are inescapable), famous vanilla iced lattes and matcha drinks that helped push the green tea powder into the mainstream market. The Brentwood location offers a breezy outside patio off San Vicente, making it a great spot for upcoming coffee dates or some needed alone time with a podcast or that book you keep saying you’ll read.
Los Angeles is home to many museums, but arguably none are as famous or beautiful as the Getty Center. Opened in 1997 and designed by architect Richard Meier, the museum sits on top of a hill in the Santa Monica Mountains and overlooks the city sprawl, hills and beautiful Pacific Ocean. You’ll also catch a glimpse of the museum’s lush gardens, where you can explore various cacti, a leafy labyrinth and a collection of modern art sculptures. The museum’s multiple pavilions hold photography exhibits, contemporary art, centuries-old sketch drawings and works by Van Gogh, Rembrandt and Cézanne, to name a few. And we should also mention that entry to the museum is completely free (well, aside from the $20 parking fee).
Brentwood and the neighboring Pacific Palisades are cradled by the Santa Monica Mountains to the north, which is where you’ll find this 3.4-mile hiking trail. That includes the infamous 1930s compound of Winona and Norman Stephens, a married couple who were Nazi sympathizers and built a (now mostly-demolished and very graffitied) community in the area. But dark history aside, the modern-day trail consists of a fair amount of stairs and offers great views of the coastline, walks across small creeks and an interior view of the mountain range that feels lightyears away from the city’s hustle and bustle.
Though the George Sturges House is a private residence and off-limits for tours, you can still easily admire iconic architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s design from the street. Designed in the architect’s Usonian style with steel, brick, redwood and concrete elements, the structure is a more rigid yet naturally warm design than the Mayan revival style seen in FLW’s Hollyhock House across town. Previously the home of actor Jack Larson, you can take in the designated historical monument from the street as long as you don’t trespass into private property.
Tucked away in the Santa Monica Mountains, the Skirball Cultural Center is an educational institution with revolving exhibitions on archeological artifacts, cinema and Jewish identity and heritage. In addition to a permanent collection of Judaica, you’ll find special exhibitions that range from Jewish delis and Leonard Bernstein to Star Trek and the Muppets. Besides the museum, the center also has a busy events calendar with live theater performances, concerts, film screenings and book readings.
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