The Best New Business Lunch Patios in Upscale Los Angeles Neighborhoods

With 365 days of perfect weather, outdoor dining is a year-round event in Los Angeles, and even more so during a pandemic. And now that summer is officially here, there’s nothing like a lively backyard, especially at the Ambassador Centers in Beverly Hills and Century City, home to most entertainment talent agencies and law firms.

Industry regulars say patios in Century City and Beverly Hills are busy these days. “As Beyoncé declares in her new single ‘Break My Soul’, we’re ‘back outside,'” says Patrick-Ian Polk, executive producer of Starz. p-field. “As convenient as Zoom meetings are, nothing beats the Los Angeles business lunch circuit. It’s a vital part of the social scene of the entertainment industry that I miss so much.” Darnell Strom, partner at UTA, says THR who believes that it is now difficult to get “last minute” bookings in the area. “People really want to spend more time having dinner at restaurants,” she adds. “I think people are trying to make up for lost time.”

The statistics from the OpenTable booking app confirm this. From now to May, reservations at participating restaurants in Beverly Hills, which average $50 per person, have increased by 30 percent since 2021 and by 13 percent since 2019. In comparison with 2021, which was registered for high-profile offenses in the region. “Beverly Hills took a big blow and when this man was shot at Il Pastayo,” Medavoy says, referring to the March 2021 attack on a jewelry dealer in a restaurant patio. “I think that made everyone go. A break, but now everyone is back. But film campaign consultant Terry Press, a regular at The Palm on Canon Drive, says he feels the power of lunch isn’t quite back to pre-pandemic levels. “You know what took over the business lunch? All delivery services,” he says.

Still, the area’s restaurant landscape will be busier this year, with the new Jon & Vinny’s (in North Bedford) and Daniel Boulud’s first foray into Los Angeles (at the Mandarin Oriental Residences on Wilshire Boulevard) both slated to open. opened. . In the meantime, these five al fresco dining options (all open since the start of the pandemic) can help you bargain while enjoying the surroundings.

Lumiere at Fairmont Century Plaza

With its prime location across from the CAA, the iconic Fairmont Century Plaza reopened late last year after a five-year, $2.5 billion renovation. With a rich history as a mecca for celebrities such as The Beatles and Sonny & Cher and as the hotel of choice for President Ronald Reagan, the 400-room luxury property and residences won the Critics Choice Awards in March and is home to French restaurant Lumière. . Decorated with antiques, the place has a bistro-style menu with dishes like chicken liver mousse with olive oil jam. The courtyard looks like a piece of Provence with an herb garden, fountain and lavender flowers. 2025 Avenue of Stars, Los Angeles

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Opened in 2020 in an exclusive parking lot, Nerano’s elegant courtyard overlooks nearby Century City, offering an oasis in the middle of the city. Amalfi Coast-inspired cuisine includes spaghetti with pumpkin blossoms and the same Tuscan-style thin-crust pizza served at the Toscana restaurant in Brentwood. “It’s fantastic food, with a great outdoor area, chef, faculty and staff,” says CAA agent Ted Miller. 9960 S. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills

Noah at the Crescent Hotel

Inside The Crescent Hotel (near the Live Nation and UTA offices), 1-year-old Nua looks like a Tel Aviv-style cafe set in Beverly Hills. Regulars including Columbia Records President Ron Perry flock to chef Yoav Schwerd’s modern Mediterranean cuisine, including roasted eggplant with tomato sauce and date syrup and slow-cooked tomato shakshuka and fried eggs. A small, intimate courtyard set back from the street delights guests looking for a peaceful retreat for lunch. “Nua is a cozy, relaxed place with great food,” says Roy Ashton, a partner at Gersh, “and the staff makes you feel like you’re at a friend’s house.” 403 N. Crescent Drive, Beverly Hills

Maybourne Terrace in Beverly Hills

Adjacent to Beverly Canon Gardens, with lemon trees, potted plants and white umbrellas, The Terrace’s sunny scene exudes Mediterranean elegance. Located in the Maybourne Beverly Hills Hotel, Claridge’s sister property in London, the restaurant offers dishes such as corn agnolotti with black truffles and steak tartare with lemon cream. The hotel also recently wowed guests with a quintessential British afternoon tea, thanks to Claridge’s world-famous Afternoon Ritual. While the cake experience was a pop-up, glitter will become a permanent fixture once the ongoing lobby renovations are complete. Until then, tea is offered at The Terrace every weekend from 2pm to 5pm. . Adds Strom: “The Terrace Restaurant at the Maybourne Hotel is my favorite place for a business lunch. The outside patio is spacious, the food is delicious and if you close your eyes for a second you will feel like you are dining al fresco in Europe.” 225 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills

Tom’s Beverly Hills

For many years Tommy Salvatore, a well-connected manager at Craigs, an industry favorite, has been after Tom. Across the terrace, in the former location of Thomas Keller’s Bouchon, the restaurant serves up Italian dishes from chef Vartan Abgarian, including platters of antipasti, spicy meatballs, and Cazio and Pepe pasta options like burgers and bowls of mixed wild rice. Dinner and happy hour take place on The Café’s vine-covered patio downstairs, while the main restaurant upstairs serves dinner. Says Polk, “Tommy’s is a great place to have lunch. The atmosphere is cozy and the food is to die for. And Tom himself walks around the welcome tables, the nicest guy and an LA legend.” 235 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills

This story first appeared in the July 15 issue of The Gossipify. Click here to subscribe.