New and Improved: 15 Fun Things to Do in Beverly Hills

Over at landmark The Beverly Hilton hotel (where they hold the star-studded Golden Globe awards, NBD), the cool kids have hit town. Brisket King Burt Blackman of Slab in West Hollywood has joined forces with nightlife czars h.wood Group for the Sant’olina pop-up on the rooftop. Don’t miss the chicken schnitzel on fresh-baked challah bread, creamy hummus dip and killer cocktails, all to be enjoyed while lapping up the views over the city and swaying to DJ sets during weekend brunch and sunset dinners.

French-owned Heritage Fine Wines has reopened with a ‘secret garden’ rooftop overlooking City Hall. The Paris Tokyo sushi sky lounge concept is open Wednesday through Sunday via an elevator through the back of the shop. Expect rosé Champagne flowing and premium custom sushi boats that will feed four people for a few hundred bucks in a romantic setting with day beds for getting cozy. John Legend (they carry his wines and his baby-grand piano on the ground floor shop for impromptu song sessions) and Chrissy Teigen have been spotted along with Kevin and Eniko Hart, to name a few.

Canon Drive is bustling with new outdoor patios and parklets and we know the perfect one for grabbing a frozen cocktail after a hard day of window shopping at the new Christian Louboutin store. MÍRAME makes slushies with passionfruit and mezcal, along with froze concoctions with tequila, rosé and grapefruit soju. They also feature a show-stopping tableside presentation of the cinematic El Chingon margarita enveloping guests in palo santo smoke. Theatrics aside, they have elevated modern-Mexican tacos, burritos and tostadas all by Michelin-starred chef Josh Gil in a fun, low-key, south-of-the-border setting.

Beverly Hills seems to have developed a sweet tooth during the pandemic. Well known for elegant oversized premium dark fudge truffle squares, John Kelly just landed on Santa Monica Boulevard in the heart the city with a new Kentucky bourbon chocolate gift box. Just down the street, Sprinkles flagship has created a fun new chocolate line with oversized confection discs similar to cupcake tops, to complement its four best-selling cupcakes, including red velvet, which you can still grab at the ATM machine out front. Pure genius.

Aussie celebrity chef Curtis Stone and pastry chef Amy Taylor opened The Pie Room by Gwen in the Maude space on South Beverly Drive. The savory and sweet offerings range from English cottage pies to all-American caramel-apple with picture-perfect flaky crusts. They just added deli-style sandwiches which are perfect for a picnic at the lily pond in nearby Beverly Gardens Park.

Celebrity favorite special occasion cakes, Sweet Lady Jane, has a new space on South Beverly Drive. The famed triple berry cake (loaded with layers of summer fruits), created by founder Jane Lockhart, has graced all the well-heeled weddings, bar mitzvahs, baby showers and birthdays of A-list locals including Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Anniston. Newly created for this location is the “Beverly,” a yellow butter cake with layers of chocolate mousse and vanilla cream, frosted in chocolate ganache and covered in chocolate glaze with delicate flowers and leaves of 24-carat gold leaf. Yes, please! You can also buy the cakes by the slice which is a ‘showing restraint’ game-changer.

Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills has partnered with luxury coffee roaster and retailer La Colombe for a new pop-up café concept housed in a custom, vintage 1967 Citroen Hy-Van. It’s a casual hangout in front of one of the city’s poshest hotels from Friday through Monday from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Expect the full line of beverages from draft cold brew to smoothies and lite bites include vanilla chia bowls and breakfast wraps.

Master chef Wolfgang Puck might not have whipped up his famous post-Oscar dinner this year for thousands of people, but he has been busy expanding his flagship Spago by adding a 6,500 square foot transparent tented structure on the cul-de-sac in front of the restaurant. This architecturally stunning dining and drinking ‘l’exterieur’ bubble is a welcome alternative for ordering the famous smoked salmon pizza and you will also have a full view of the colorful Tomokazu Matsuyama art wall on Canon Drive.

The partners behind insanely popular L.A. staples that encompass the Sushi Nozawa Group (SUGARFISH, KazuNori, Nozawa Bar), UOVO Pasta and HiHo Cheeseburger, are bringing a sleek new steak restaurant designed by Marmol Radziner that will be fully open this June on Beverly Drive. The inspiration for Matū came from the amazing 100 percent grass-fed wagyu beef produced by First Light Farms in New Zealand. Matū is a Māori word that means ‘essence and richness,’ so you can expect a different spin on steak that celebrates all the benefits including health, sustainability and humane treatment.

C3 (Creating Culinary Communities), the new incubator of culinary brands helmed by the team from hospitality powerhouse sbe, has landed on Beverly Drive for a flagship summer opening and re-imagining of its famous burger chain, Umami. This outpost will also house their ghost kitchen concepts including Krispy Rice with affordable sushi to-go, and Sam’s Crispy Chicken.

The legendary pink-hued, palm tree-laden Beverly Hills Hotel has a newly unveiled chic yet low-key spa designed by Alexandra Champalimaud. The space is open for massages, facials, nail appointments and long-awaited pampering to the public (unlike the pool cabanas which are for hotel guests only). What is so revolutionary is the new massage beds that adjust for comfort on your um, more well-endowed body parts. The citrus garden awaits for relaxation pre or post-treatments and you can always order a snack or smoothie from the famous coffee shop.

While you’re strolling past all the new places to hang out, you can take selfies in front of world-renowned artwork. The ‘golden triangle’ grid and Beverly Park area is actually full of sculptures and other opportunities to see free art. The Maybourne Beverly Hills (posh hotel group from London) has expanded their new outdoor dining at The Terrace into Beverly Canon Gardens not far from the “Beverly Hills is Beautiful” sculpture by world-renowned Mr. Brainwash. Be sure to wander past the new mural by Michelle Hoogveld, and Alexandra Nechita’s Love Anatomy sculpture, just installed on the corner of Burton Way and Rexford Drive.

Coming Soon: Sexy Spanish Import

Spanish restaurant Tatel from Madrid and Ibiza fame is also about to open in the former Nic’s location on Canon Drive. This romantic and sizzling spot will be perfect for grabbing a glass of wine and a slice of jamón ibérico on a hot date or with your bestie. With an exciting summer of new options ahead, it’s hard to believe Beverly Hills was once a little light on unique and interesting places to dine.